Are we living non-violently? Is it difficult to live non-violently?

NON-violence is a weapon, which is sharped than sward, faster than bullet, heavier than hammer and more destructful than an Atom Bomb. But it is not easy to use non-violence as weapon. It requires sheer tolerance, good leadership and belief in the system.

In todays fast pace life we want every thing easy, we are not ready for patient fighting, we want to use short-cut and faster methods and thus eventually we have surrendered to VIOLENCE and living are life in violence.

It exists in many forms, here violence not only implies the fightings and bombings and shootings but our inner self violence and out philosophy of life.

VIOLENCE has spread into every drop of blood in our body and in every gene of DNA of our cell. We have completely forgotten that an alternative exists called Non-Violence and could be practiced to win anything in more humble and gentle manner rather by eye for an eye methodology which makes whole world blind.

Non-violence could be achieved even in today’s world were everyone is back of other and threatens to use Nuclear Weapon. Non-Violence could definitely be followed but its not easy. It is difficult in the sense that it requires tolerance and patience but it is not difficult in the sense that it could not be followed.

In today’s world Non-violence is more relevant than in the days of Gandhi. Then the arms and ammunition had their own limitation and even violence did not take much lives. But today in Nuclear weapon era any streak of violence will ruin the earth and we will lose everything in the world.

As Einstein, the most famous and intelligent scientist ever said,

“I don’t know with what weapons will the third world war be fought but the fourth world war will be definetly fought by stones and sticks”.

It suggests what devastation Nuclear Weapons could do, son Non-violent is the only means to fight every problem faced by mankind today.

Non-Violence could not be followed by a system or a government but by every individual within himself. Non-violence should be followed as a means and not as alternative.

Not a mjor experience but I have a small experience in which contrast between violence and non-violence is seen and what could be achieved by both is clarified.

In school, when the management due to time pressure decided that every student should stay in school till 5 p.m. (3 p.m . is normal time) and should also come on Saturday and Sunday to school. Every one of us was baffled. When notice was served to every one, our senior friends (11th and 12th) came to us, we were in 10th, and called us to the ground.
They took stones and started breaking all glasses, class desk, benches, breaking chairs. Soon school authority came to ground, they tried unsuccessfully to control the guards of our school and nearby office and instructed to beat us. In this many of us ran away but senior guys started fighting against them. Eventually three senior boys broke their hands, tow broke their legs and were hospitalised. Next day school authority suspended all those senior boys of 11th and 12th for 2 months.

12th boys were not issued hall ticket for board exams and had to repeat one full year again. We were compelled to come to college on all holidays and finally nothing was achieved only few bones were broken.

Another incident occurred in my present college. For department festival, authorities decided to collect 500 Rs, each. It was too much to pay and we thought department should organize these festivals by college fund and our fees is too high , thus no one was willing to pay the amount. We decided to offer Non-cooperation and Non-violence. We all decided not to submit the fees, it was unanimous and every one without any exception should face any consequences arising of it. Authority took heavy toll and decided not to issue hall-ticket for upcoming semester exams without the fees. We did not give up but patiently waited for exams. And when time came authority had to bend on knees since not issuing hall ticket to full department was not possible and thus victory through Non-violence and Non-cooperation was achieved.

‘Non-violence is an old as hills” said Gandhi and we know hills never fail down they stand upright all the times, Non-violence is a power and method to fight for anything which guarantees success as in case of Gandhi, without any grievance to any side.