நந்தனார் பற்றி காந்தி Untouchable Saint Nanda Shri Mahadev has called the story of Nanda from the literature of the South. I wish that everyone should read it with interest. Let no one believe that the story of Nanda is anyone’s invention. There may be exaggeration in it. But there indeed lived a saintly Antyaja named Nanda six hundred years ago. That, by the strength of his character, he earned his right to enter a temple and that even today he is worshipped by Hindus as an avatar is not to be doubted.The sanc-tifying story of Nanda teaches us that though the condition in which one is born is the fruit of one’s actions in the previous life, the Creator has left scope for human effort, so that an Antyajalike Nanda could, by the strength of his character, purify himself during his life and was regarded by others as purified. The Brahmins accepted him with love. If Nanda could become pure during his life, we must believe that all of us have that power in us. Every Antyaja, therefore, should have the right to enter our temples for worship. I hope that no one will advance the argument that Nanda had entered fire [to prove the purity of his character], and that Antyajas are welcome to do what he did and then enter temples. The story of his going through fire is pure poetry. Or, even if we believe it to be true, he entered fire of his own free will. The vast majority of Brahmins were ready to permit Nanda to enter the temple for the purpose of darshan on condition only that he should take a bath.The only moral we should draw from this story is that an Antyaja can,by right effort, purify himself during his present life. That is to say,the Antyajas should be free to enter temples on the same condition on which other Hindus can. This much for the so-called caste Hindus.Nanda’s story is one which should inspire the Antyajas and bring purity in their lives. I for one wish it should be read in every Antyaja home. But they should not content themselves merely with reading it. Every Antyaja should do what Nanda did. Let every Antyaja show Nanda’s purity, as also his patience, his compassion, his truthfulness and his determination. Nanda was the very embodiment of satyagraha. He converted atheists to believers in God. May every Antyaja read the story of Nanda and be inspired by it to strive to rid himself of his faults and have the strength to succeed in his effort. Navajivan, 10-5-1925 Page 310 LETTER TO RAMDAS GANDHI May 25, 1925 CHI. RAMDAS, I am encolosing herewith the letter you wanted to be returned. You must have read the story of Nanda.Meet poet Hansraj, and ask him to read that story twice or thrice, and then compose a poem about it. I wish to publish the poem if it comes out well. If he finds the task beyond his capacity, let me know. The purpose is to sing it from house to house and also among the untouchables. Page 393 Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi 31 SPEECH TO ADI DRAVIDAS, CHIDAMBARAM September 11, 1927 SWAMI SAHAJANDANDA AND FRIENDS, As you have given me an advance copy of the address, I know what it contains. As you have rightly remarked in the address, Nandanar was one of the bright stars among the satyagrahis of India. I consider myself highly honoured to have had this privilege of laying the foundation of the doorstep of this temple. I consider it to be a great honour that the first act that I am called upon to perform after entering into Chidambaram is to lay the foundation-stone of the doorstep. I am hoping that this will be really a temple where we will be able to see God face to face as Nandanar himself did I pray that this may be a temple of freedom for everyone who would everyone who would visit this. But you should understand that Nandanar was trying to enter, by giving his life-blood, not in a temple built of stone and mortar only. Nandanar saw in the temple, which he was seeking to enter, freedom in his own soul. And so by your own lives, the devotees of the temple will be expected to purify the inward atmosphere of which the visible stone and mortar should merely be the symbol. At the present moment I know many temples, whether they be dedicated to Vishnu or Siva, entered into and visited by thousands of the so-called Brahmins, which are no temples of God........ Page 81 Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi 40 Letters On The Gita ............ The ‘untouchable’ Nanda is said to have danced as he was tried by the ordeal of fire.We need not bother whether or not these are true stories... 21 Feb 1932 Page 54 Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi 55 TALK WITH A HARIJAN WORKER .......... I do not want to earn money. It is not a question of earning money. If you acquire so much prestige that the Hindu community can look upon you as the ideal of an honest Harijan, it will not be a matter of small importance. I have got to say that there have been saints like Nanda among Harijans. Four or five centuries have passed since Nanda’s time, but they still sing his praise. Why can such a person not be born among Harijans today? If it could happen in his age, it can as well happen now. We can attain the goal we seek only if Harijans become like Nanda. As for me, I am carrying on the campaign among caste Hindus for the eradication of untouchability and at the same time telling Harijans what their dharma is. Harijanbandhu, 17-9-1933 Page 406 Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi 61 gandhiserve.org/e/cwmg/cwmg.htm
Posted on: Sat, 31 Aug 2013 04:30:48 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015