Once upon a time a mother took her son to see MahatmaGandhi and begged him to convince her son to stop eating sugar. Gandhi thought for a moment and told her to bring the boy back in a month. The mother went home and, a month later, returned to Gandhi. This time the boy received a brief lesson on how unhealthy sugar was, and decided to quit the habit. His mother was pleased, but at the same time wondered why Gandhi couldn’t have told her son that a month ago. Gandhi replied that he couldn’t tell him then because at that time he was still eating sugar himself.
Though less well known than many anecdotes about Gandhi, this little story shows how the Mahatma only taught thingsthat he himself had put into practice. His saying “Be thechange you wish to see in the world” was far more than just a theory for him. Gandhi himself was the embodiment of non-violence and love for all people, all living creatures andnature, and his self-denial was an expression of the freedomhe carried within himself.
He was a seeker of truth. Both current truth, as understood by modern human beings, and that highest, eternal truth setout in the ancient Vedic scriptures: “Vishva prani, mere atma he” (Every living being is part of my soul). This is the basis ofthe ethics on which Gandhi’s commitment to non-violenceis founded. Even as a lawyer, he found a di erent way toresolve disputes that did not involve one party defeating and humiliating the other, but instead allowed both to keeptheir pride and settle the con ict to their mutual satisfaction.He later applied the principle of non-violence to the muchgreater and more serious con ict between India and the British Empire. The world followed the resolution of this con ict for 30 years. The eventual victory of non-violenceset a precedent and served as an inspiration to many movements that have changed the world for the better.
Gandhi’s work, his timeless message and his image have earned themselves a special place in history. Gandhi is nota gure from the past: researching his wisdom is the key tomany of the problems of the modern world. It is therefore right that we should mark the 150th anniversary of his birthin an appropriate manner, just as Pošta Slovenije has done by issuing this stamp. Thank you Pošta.
Jure Pogačnik
President of the Indian Slovene Friendship Association