Ahimsa Dharma and Women

     

    “If non-violence is the law of our being, the future is with women” – Mahatma Gandhi.

 As a ceaseless crusader of women’s equality, Mahatma Gandhi had an unshakable and profound faith in one beautiful thought – that God sent women as messengers of the gospel of non-violence. 

Gandhiji’s lifelong ‘experiments with truth’ served that very purpose. According to the Mahatma, calling women the weaker sex is a false credo. He even called such a belief system an ‘injustice to women’. 

He worked for a society in which women will be born empowered and not struggle for empowerment. In this realm of thought, he called women the ‘epitome of Ahimsa’.

Ahimsa, as it has been bequeathed to the modern world by Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, is the belief and practice of non-violence – the supreme dharma. Ahimsa means infinite love and infinite capacity for suffering. He felt only women could show it in the largest measure. No other pain can be compared to the pangs of labour faced by a woman. 

Think of it dear reader, she actually forgets the pain in the joy of creation.

I think this is why the Mahatma had such an opinion on women.

 He called out to women to participate in the national struggle for freedom. Inspired by his ideals of non-violence, women came out in large numbers to take part in big movements. For example, Civil Disobedience Movement saw the energetic, large-scale participation of women. 

Their participation actually became an important feature of the movement. They used the dharma of Ahimsa to protest in marches and picket foreign cloth and liquor shops. Many even went to jail. Women began to see their participation as a sacred duty. This did not mean that they had to neglect their duties as mothers or housewives. 

He rightfully recognized at the same time that a woman’s role finds completion only in motherhood and in being an equal partner in her husband’s joys and sorrows.

 Not surprisingly, Gandhiji frequently invoked the great women of India like Sita, Savitri, Draupadi and Damayanti in his speeches concerning women and Ahimsa.

 

If we notice any purity in Gandhiji, it is only because of his mother. 

His mother was instrumental in initiating him to a spiritual way of life upholding Ahimsa dharma. 

Annie Besant, Oliver Schreiner, Millie Graham Polock, Margaret Cousins, Sarojini Naidu, and Sushila Nayyar are examples of women who upheld Ahimsa in India and around the world.

How can we forget Kasturba Gandhi when talking about Ahimsa?

 An integral companion to Gandhiji, she was significant in his change of attitude towards women. His change from a dominating husband to a lovable partner and motivator in her life is a story that has to be read by every married man.

 Gandhiji acknowledged his flaw and corrected himself. From then, as said before, he became a ceaseless crusader for women’s dignity. The first cabinet of independent India consisted of two women members only because of Gandhiji’s ideals that were followed religiously. If the world has to prosper, it is not only through the cessation of wars but through the promotion of non-violence or Ahimsa. Women have an important role to play in this regard.

There is no need to look elsewhere for motivation and empowerment when the ‘soul force’ is already innate in her- the force that brings prosperity in a non-violent way. 

Ahimsa should the bedrock principle and philosophy in every person’s life and most importantly in a woman’s life for if she grows violent, a whole generation and its successors disintegrate in morality.

Women have always been on the side of Ahimsa. Certain exceptions may be there, but women should look beyond those vicissitudes and think long-term for solutions to a better tomorrow. It is here where Gandhiji’s lessons should be promptly incorporated.

 

As always, there will be a gang of ‘intellectuals’ who say that Gandhiji’s ideals of Ahimsa are old-fashioned and not pertinent to the modern world. To all those people, I present a testimony: Recently, Ria Sharma, a 26-year-old Leeds University student started a rehabilitation venture for acid attack survivors. 

She said that her prime source of inspiration was Gandhiji. In her words, “He taught us lessons that we will forever use in our lives.” 

This proves that Gandhiji’s ideals continue to inspire women to this date. He also rightly said that if strength refers to moral power, a woman is stronger than a man.

It is only a matter of realization of this simple fact that would make women achieve infinite strength and courage. Ahimsa does not simply mean having a ‘no fight’ attitude but it is the raising of one’s conscience beyond the need to fight. There is immense potential in a woman in this regard.