Karamyogi Mahatma Gandhi

By Gambhir Babbr Watts

Gandhiji had studied the Bible, the Koran, and many of the Hindu scriptures, and while each of these scriptures inspired him, he was deeply moved by the Gita. He read it over and over, and he transcribed his interpretation of the Gita, into a book. In this book, he discusses his understanding of the essence of the discourse between Arjun and Lord Krishna and converts this understanding into daily prayers. Gandhiji particularly chose chapter 12 of the Gita as the most important and requested that it should be recited daily in his ashrams, as this chapter teaches the art of devotion. This chapter was recited daily together with the interfaith prayers and the 11 vows at the Phoenix Settlement, where I was born and grew up. When Arjun asks Lord Krishna which course is better, devotion to a specific personal God (Sakara) or devotion to the Absolute (Nirakara), Lord Krishna’s response is what is contained in chapter 12 of the Gita. Gandhiji explains in his interpretation of this chapter; the devotee does not cease to work. He only ceases to think needless thoughts. It is these that he has to renounce to be free from thoughts of acquiring wealth or fame, to be free from want, to be free from base emotions. Only with loving dedication can he take each task as a task for God. He sees the spark of Godliness in all humanity and the universe and so his every task is for the benefit of all

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gambhir Babbr Watts
• Release date: Nov 6, 2020
• ISBN: 9781913969868

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Dedication

I dedicate this book to the cause of Nonviolence and Human Rights - the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest proponent of nonviolence in action since Buddha.

Acknowledgment

I record my acknowledgment to the people who have inspired me to my journey on the path of studying the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi:

To begin with, those unknown students of the University of Sydney who approached me in my capacity as the President of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia around 2006, to speak on Gandhi at an important event on the launch of Gandhi King Ikeda Exhibition by Soka Gakkai International at their Sydney Olympic Park facility.

Mr. Dhiru Mehta, then Director-General of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan worldwide, encouraged me to prepare for the lecture and supplied me with a number of very useful books on Mahatma Gandhi.

Mr. Toshi Imaya, the then General Director, Sydney of Soka Gakkai International, for his sumptuous hospitality at the launch event to make me feel comfortable in front of a large crowd. I would like to extend my thanks and regards to my fellow speakers, including Dr. Lawrence E. Carter, Dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel and Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees, Director and co-founder of Sydney Peace Foundation.

Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees, the author of Passion for Peace, who became and still today, remains my mentor and the most inspiring person on everything about Mahatma Gandhi.

Special mention to Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi and founder and trustee of Gandhi Development Trust, South Africa whom I first met at the Roots to Fruits: Nonviolence in Action conference at the Durban University of Technology, South Africa held between 31st July to 2nd August 2012. I indeed felt grateful for the chance to meet a family member of Mahatma Gandhi. I could see Mahatma Gandhi in her face. Inspired by and with the support of Ela Gandhi, I launched the International Centre of Nonviolence Australia. Dr. Ela Gandhi readily accepted my invite to come from Durban to Sydney to inaugurate my center in 2013 at the New South Wales Parliament House.

Professor Dr. Bhaskar C Harinath, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, India for his support and guidance during my visits to Sevagram, Wardha, Central India, where Gandhi spent most of his life in India post-South Africa. Dr. Bhaskar has written several articles for the magazine Bhavan Australia, produced and published by me. Dr. Bhaskar has been my inspiration in my studies on Mahatma Gandhi for the past ten years.

Soka Gakkai International Sydney and its erstwhile General Director Mr. Greg Johns for their continuous support and contribution to hosting events in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi since 2007.

Dr. Thomas Weber, Centre for History, La Trobe University, who supervised his students’ thesis on Gandhi and Gandhian values, for his ongoing support for my Annual Essay Competition on Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi Today for university students Australia wide and assessing the essays submitted for years.

Dr. Peter Oldmeadow of Sydney University for assessing the essays submitted.

Emeritus Professor Magnus Haavelsrud from Norway who came to Sydney and accompanied me to the Universities all over Australia speaking on Gandhi and Nonviolence during our Nonviolence Month of October.

And a large number of very important people from influential institutions all over Australia who have joined as Patron of the International Centre of Nonviolence Australia supporting me in my humble effort spread the message of nonviolence and peace like Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy.

About the Author

Gambhir Watts is a Multitasking Professional with over 35 years of experience. Having a number of professional qualifications and memberships such as MALP (Master of Administrative Law and Policy Sydney University), FCPA (Fellow of CPA Australia), MAICD (Member Australian Institute of Company Directors), FCMA (Fellow of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants, India) and FIML (Fellow, Institute of Managers and Leaders), he has risen to success with grace.

His diverse experience includes working for and with not-for-profit organizations, business/financial/project management, strategic planning, business development, turnaround, troubleshooting, start-ups, and joint venture negotiation in US / Australia / India / International arenas. The varied exposure has built his business acumen over the years, and he is considered one of the most credible authorities in his field. His literary contributions include the prestigious monthly /quarterly magazines by the name of ‘Bhavan Australia’ since 2004 and ‘Nonviolence News,’ since 2013. These magazines are distributed free to the Ambassadors and Consuls General of all countries in Australia, Federal and State MPs, Various NGOs in Australia, India, UK, USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, Middle East, and community leaders and VIPs.

His professional and social positions have also brought him into the limelight. These include:

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia (Founder President) – an International NGO www.bhavanaustralia.org – July 2003

Australia India Foundation (Founder President) - February 2006

Commissioner, Community Relations Commission for a Multicultural NSW (CRC) www.crc.nsw.gov.au – 2006-2009

Chairman, Northern Regional Advisory Council (CRC) – 2006-2009

Member of Rotary International – Sydney – January 2010

International Centre of Nonviolence Australia since October 2012

Gambhir has been known to initiate and organize Mahatma Gandhi related to annual events:

A Multicultural Missionary, Gambhir Watts, has gone on to compile this book for all Gandhi fans.

Foreword by Ela Gandhi

Gandhiji, in his study of the Bhagwat Gita, realised the true meaning of a devotee. He expressed it thus, The Lord has bound me with a cotton thread: I am His, no matter where He leads me. I have been stabbed with the dagger of love… The devotee does not cease to work: indeed, he is nothing if not a worker. He only ceases to think needless thoughts about his work. It is these that he has to renounce. (Discourses on the Gita p.10)

So we see that Gandhiji’s every act was guided by God. That is what he meant when he spoke of his inner voice, guiding him. Often this irritated his colleagues, but Gandhiji was very determined to work and live according to the dictates of his inner voice, or we may translate it into perhaps his conscience. For that conscience, when developed through spiritual practice is the inner voice.

Gandhiji had studied the Bible, the Koran, and many of the Hindu scriptures, and while each of these scriptures inspired him, he was deeply moved by the Gita. He read it over and over, and he transcribed his interpretation of the Gita, into a book. In this book, he discusses his understanding of the essence of the discourse between Arjun and Lord Krishna and converts this understanding into daily prayers.

Gandhiji particularly chose chapter 12 of the Gita as the most important and requested that it should be recited daily in his ashrams, as this chapter teaches the art of devotion. This chapter was recited daily together with the interfaith prayers and the 11 vows at the Phoenix Settlement, where I was born and grew up. When Arjun asks Lord Krishna which course is better, devotion to a specific personal God (Sakara) or devotion to the Absolute (Nirakara), Lord Krishna’s response is what is contained in chapter 12 of the Gita. Gandhiji explains in his interpretation of this chapter; the devotee does not cease to work. He only ceases to think needless thoughts. It is these that he has to renounce to be free from thoughts of acquiring wealth or fame, to be free from want, to be free from base emotions. Only with loving dedication can he take each task as a task for God. He sees the spark of Godliness in all humanity and the universe and so his every task is for the benefit of all.

In this chapter Lord Krishna also explains the value of Karmayoga being the most important. A seeker of truth finds his truth in every atom of the universe and in every human and animal life. Love is the thread that binds him to all life, all atoms. He does not hate or bear ill will to any living creature. He looks at all of us with love and compassion. He is free from the delusion of I and Mine Everything is ours cherished and shared. He is not weighed down by pleasure or pain. He forgives the wrongdoer even as he expects to be forgiven. Contentment, unshakeable resolve are common to him.

His intellect and mind are dedicated to God. He never molests his fellow-creatures. He lives in harmony with them. Equanimity persists in him through the turmoil around him. He remains free from exultation, sorrow, anger, fear, and envy. The truth lies in the universe.

So in studying Gandhiji as a Karmayogi, as has been represented in this book, it must be remembered that he was imbued with these thoughts and so his life and work were a constant experiment to attain that highest order of a Karmayogi. In this book, the author Gambhirji captures that work that Gandhiji perfected over the many years of service to humanity alongside developing his own spiritual growth.

The two - that is the work that Gandhiji did, and his spiritual development go together. If we do not understand this duality, then we miss the essence of his teaching and of Gandhiji’s work, which he termed as Satyagraha. There have been some critics of Gandhiji in recent times, one can spend meaningless energy in countering some of their arguments, but in my view, it is of greater importance to look at the positive messages that Gandhiji has left for posterity.

These messages of nonviolence, truth, compassion, and love are of great importance for humankind’s survival, and this has been accepted by many scholars and activists. The need for nonviolence is being emphasised daily, though it remains beyond the comprehension of some who continue to rely on violence to change things and justify the violence by pointing out the flaws in the present system. They refuse to see that violence only exacerbates the causes of misery rather than bringing about meaningful changes.

Violence, and its consequent damage to the earth and its atmosphere, is totally disregarded by these perpetrators of violence. Gandhiji prophesied the self-destructive element of violence, particularly with the present situation where weapons of mass destruction are so widely spread and are even more lethal than before.

Gandhiji’s message of nonviolence and plea for the development of spirituality that builds love in place of hatred, peace in place of anger, and giving rather than taking needs to be heeded with even more passion today. We are living in a materialistic world where selfishness, greed, consumerism, and self-aggrandizement are the mantras of life. This needs to be changed back to the straight and narrow path of compassion, selflessness, and concern for the future of the planet. Undoubtedly this message is of the greatest significance today than ever before. The world is approaching a crossroads between doom with the prospect of total annihilation and conservation with the possibility of renewal. So reading this book helps us to understand this straight and narrow path, which needs to be better understood so that we do not feel overwhelmed by it but see it as an attractive, rewarding, and needful option.

Understanding Gandhiji as the dedicated worker for peace and nonviolence reveals the simplicity of such work, which is still an essential part of our lives. Let us live and learn from these experiments and become the change we wish to see in the world.¹

Foreword by Professor Emeritus Stuart Rees

The author’s commitment to the philosophy, language, and practice of Mahatma Gandhi is apparent not only in his undertaking this work but also on every page of his manuscript. He traces the life of the Inimitable Gandhi in particular regarding the crafting of his stands for human rights and justice while living in South Africa. The information recorded concerning that stage of the Mahatma’s life is impressive, though the links to his subsequent campaign for Indian independence might have been more explicit.

Coverage of the significance of ‘Ahimsa,’ the invaluable Gandhian inspiration to promote nonviolence, is provided in meticulous detail. In that undertaking, Gambhir has done justice to Mahatma Gandhi’s belief that nonviolence is not only a way of living but also a law for life. The relevance of Ahimsa to current world leaders’ fascination with violence needs to be taken seriously and that philosophy implemented in every detail of domestic and foreign policies.

This book also unravels Gandhi’s preoccupation with truth-telling. That Satyagraha feature of Gandhi’s life is perhaps a significant legacy that would benefit life in general and current foreign policies in particular. The arrival of fake news, such that the public in many countries cannot know what to believe, should remind readers of this volume of the significance of Gandhi’s advocacy of Satyagraha. Gambhir shows that Satyagraha was not formulated from any narrow conception of morality but rather from the realisation that struggles for justice, in particular for persecuted minorities, would only be successful if correct information about the oppressive realities of daily life were known and shared. Throughout this book, the author’s courage in undertaking this project somehow reflects his hero Gandhi’s unflinching stand against those powerful forces of colonial governments, which the Mahatma challenged. Courage is that invaluable quality in public life, which, together with the qualities of Ahimsa and Satyagraha, should give readers an invaluable trinity of ideas to apply in every relationship and in every problem-solving task. Even without the detail of the characters whom Gambhir records in his analysis, that legacy sits as Gandhi’s invaluable trinity gift to the world. It is highly significant that Gambhir, as a champion of Gandhi, has publicised this legacy in considerable detail in these pages."

Stuart Rees,

Hyams Beach,

December 7, 2020

Stuart Rees AM, is Professor Emeritus of the University of Sydney, retired, former Chair of the Sydney Peace Foundation, a former Director of the Foundation and of the University’s Centre for Peace & Conflict Studies.

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgment

About the Author

Foreword by Ela Gandhi

Foreword by Professor Emeritus Stuart Rees

Prologue

My Tryst with Karamayogi Mahatma Gandhi

Introduction

Karma Yoga and Karma Yogi

Chapter 1

Beginnings; In London as a Law Student

Chapter 2

London Experience Firms Gandhi’s Character

Chapter 3

A Firm Foundation for His Basic Character, Ethical Values, and Broader Bipartisan Outlook

Chapter 4

The Beginnings of This ‘An Extraordinary Man’

Chapter 5

Gandhi in South Africa

Chapter 6

My First Visit to Gandhi Ashram at Sewagram, Wardha in Central India

Chapter 7

The First Encounter with Racism and Injustice in South Africa

Chapter 8

Summary of Gandhi's Experiences in His First Year in South Africa

Chapter 9

Action Begins against Racial Discrimination of Indians

Chapter 10

Gandhi Continues Making Friends with Important People

Chapter 11

Natal Indian Congress Forms and Sustained Agitation Begins

Chapter 12

Toward Building Powerful, Spiritual, and Ethical Character Truth Force

Chapter 13

Launch of Satyagraha (Truth-Force) – Civil Disobedience with Non-Violence, September 11, 1906

Chapter 14

Launch of Satyagraha Continues

Chapter 15

Gandhi with Deputation in London

Chapter 16

The Deputation in London Continues…

Chapter 17

Satyagraha in Action

Chapter 18

Satyagraha in Action – Part 2

Chapter 19

Satyagraha in Action – The D Day

Chapter 20

Satyagraha in Action – The D Day – Gandhi Goes To Gaol

Chapter 21

Satyagraha’s Success - Gandhi Leaves Gaol

Page Left Blank Intentionally

Prologue

My Tryst with Karamayogi Mahatma Gandhi

I developed an interest in Mahatma Gandhi only after I registered in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Australia, in July 2003. My neighborhood and my friends in school and college were all harboring anti-Gandhi sentiments. They were blaming Gandhi for the partition of India and creating Pakistan. My father was neutral about Gandhi but was very strongly against Jawaharlal Nehru (India's first Prime Minister). He called him an incompetent and highly selfish person.

After moving to Australia, my initial contacts in Sydney's Indian community were primarily Hindus. These were hardcore supporters of Hindu organizations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP – World Hindu Council) and Rashtriya Sawayam Sevak Sabha (RSS- radical Hindus). The assassin of Mahatma Gandhi belonged to this group. I provided my professional services pro bono to emerging community organizations. During that process, I became well known in the communities and the Consuls General.

In 2003, the then Consul General of India in Sydney - Mr. Madhusudan Ganapathy was trying to bring Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (one of the most important cultural and educational organizations in the world) headquartered in Bombay, to Australia. Incorporated in 1938, with the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi, this organization was always held in high regard by Indian governments, which continues to maintain the same reverence.

The royal family, prime minister, and top ministers visited the London Chapter of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan frequently. For a long time, Prince Charles was an honorary patron, and the British government offered healthy grants to it. Both former and present U.S. presidents regularly visited their New York Chapter as well. Mr. Ganapathy approached me to help me in setting up the Australian Chapter (branch) in Sydney.

Until then, I was keeping away from any Indian Government official in Australia. For 11 years, I never met the ambassador of India to Australia or the Consuls General of India in Australia. I readily accepted his request to set up the Australian branch of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. After several meetings at his office with quite a few distinguished, senior Indian community leaders, we decided to incorporate a public company limited by guarantee. Mr. Ganapathy requested that I do not charge any fees for 12 months. He also asked me to use my office in Sydney as Bhavan’s office, to which I agreed. 3rd July 2003 marked the registration of the company. We were successful in organizing an initial informal launch in the Indian community on 30th July.

Coincidently, India's minister for external affairs scheduled his visit to Australia in August 2013. The Indian ambassador, Mr. Rajinder Singh Rathore, thought it would be a good idea to ask the minister to launch the Australian Chapter of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Mr. Ganapathy consulted me for the venue, which had to be prestigious. I suggested that it should be in one of Sydney's top five-star hotels.

However, other community leaders wanted it to be in the Western Suburb, where the majority of Indians in Australia live. Mr. Ganapathy was all for my idea, and we decided to have a decent lunch function at the Sheraton Hotel, Sydney. I negotiated a reasonable price with them for a large ballroom for 300+ people. Mr. Ganapathy asked his consuls to arrange eight to ten tables of ten seats each. The other Indian communities boycotted this event and did not cooperate at all. I was left all alone to organize the function and fill 30 tables of ten people each. Bhavan Headquarters delegated two people to help me organize the event. They were sitting in my office for almost six weeks. When they observed that I was left all alone by the community leaders, they told me that it was Bhavan's longstanding policy. The policy, according to them, said that only one person who works hard enough was made the president. They then requested me to agree to it — followed by an insistence to accept the position. This further insinuated all other directors.

None of the Indian directors supported this decision or helped me get accustomed to the new position. I, however, ended up with an excellent launch program in a short time of six weeks. The consul general and the ambassadors were very impressed and since then became good friends with me. It has been sixteen years now, and I am still the president offering pro bono services, including my office premises. We have organized several more significant events. The tenure of the ambassador and consul’s general is short for about three years. After Mr. Ganapathy Mr. Sujan Chenoy took charge as the Consul General, he had excellent relations with me. During his tenure, we jointly showcased India with him and India Tourism offices all over New South Wales and South Australia. Sujan’s tenure finished after three years. By now, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan was a well-known institute all-over Australia. The Australian government organizations were considering it as the Indian cultural ambassador, for any information on India.

On Mahatma Gandhi's 125th Birth Anniversary, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Worldwide) established the Gandhi Institute of Computer Education and Information Technology in India as a tribute. This initiative was implemented in collaboration with IBM. They were generous enough to donate the entire hardware and software to offer free job/entrepreneur-oriented short-term computer training programs to the unemployed youth belonging to the weaker sections of the society.

Under this program, the First Centre was inaugurated on 23rd July 1996 in South Mumbai. Since the establishment of the Bhavans Gandhi Institute of Computer Education & Information Technology on Grant Road in1996, Mumbai has been offering professional training to students. It offers specialized courses and is well-known for training students as well as working professionals in accounting, web designing, programming languages, hardware, and networking. It is run and managed by a seasoned professional who leads a team of educators and trainers, having relevant domain expertise. At this institution, one can get trained in the subject of their choice by opting from a wide range of courses. These easy-to-follow courses are primarily aimed at students, working professionals as well as IT professionals who want to enhance their knowledge and further their career prospects.

Services Offered at Bhavans Gandhi Institute of Computer Education & Information Technology

Bhavans Gandhi Institute of Computer Education & Information Technology in Grant Road offers short-term courses and certificate courses. Inclusive of comprehensive learning, the long-term programs feature subjects such as web development, financial accountancy, computer application and programming, information technology, multimedia, and web-designing. William (Bill) H. Gates, chairman and chief software architect of Microsoft Corporation, has donated US $5 million to Bhavan's Gandhi Institute of Computer & Information Technology in India through Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the year 2000. The other major donors are IBM India, Dr. Hogen Fukunaga, Laxmi N. Mittal, BPL India, and Siemens.

I was invited to visit Bhavan headquarters and the Gandhi Institute of Computer Education and established good working relations with the top executive. Inspired by them, I opened the Gandhi Institute of Computer Education and Information Technology at Heritage Building B 1, Herb Elliott Avenue, Sydney Olympic Park. Microsoft Australia was generous in donating the necessary systems and software for the purpose.

In Australia, even today, there are many underprivileged aboriginal or poor people from refugee families who cannot afford basic computer education. As a result, they remain unemployed or underemployed. We realize the fact that in today’s contemporary, tech-savvy world, computer education is a necessity for almost any job. There is a need to fill in the gap to give the underprivileged a chance to be part of the skilled Australian workforce and thus enhance the pool of skilled workers. To address the above issue, Bhavan Australia wished to play its invaluable role by establishing the Bhavan’s Gandhi Institute of Computer & Information Technology, Australia. The institute aimed to provide free or highly subsidized Computer Training Education Program to the poor/underprivileged aboriginals or anyone eager to be educated in basic computer knowledge, but cannot afford it. This program was operated for about three years, and then due to a lack of funding, the premises became unaffordable. A limited number of elderly students were being taught from a small office in Sydney, CBD. Finally, it had to be closed down.

In 2004, I introduced an essay competition on the ‘Relevance of Gandhi Today’ for the students of Australian universities. While researching Gandhi in Australian universities, I met Dr. Thomas Weber, who was teaching Gandhi-related subjects at honors and undergraduate levels alongside conducting doctorate level studies by thesis on Mahatma Gandhi at LaTrobe University in Melbourne. He readily accepted my request to help me in conducting the Essay competition and assessing the essay entries as they were being received. On 30th January 2005, commemorating Mahatma Gandhi’s martyrdom day, I inaugurated interfaith prayers at prestigious public places in Sydney. I was fortunate to get support from archbishops of several churches in Sydney, Jewish Synagogues, Muslim, and Sikh organizations. Hyde Park and Parramatta Park were the two open parks where the people prayed for the first two years. After that, from 2007, I could get support from my good friend