" Mahatma Gandhi, the friend of the poorest, loneliest and the lost."

If Gandhi had lived in India in the middle of Kaliyuga, his birth would have wrapped in myths and his youth in miracles. But the cold light of nineteenth century shows that his origin was ordinary, his childhood normal, his student days uneventful,and his early professional career a failure. When Gandhi died, he was a private citizen without wealth, property, title, official position,academic distinction or scientific achievement. Yet all the chiefs of all governments except Soviet Union , and the heads of all religions paid homage to the thin brown man of 78 in a loin cloth. The president Trueman, the British king , President of France, Arch Bishop of Canterbury, Pope Pius, the Chief Rabbi of London, Dalai lama, sent unsolicited messages of condolence to India. The Security Council interrupted its proceedings to pay its tribute to Gandhi. The UN lowered its flag half-mast. U.S.Secretary of state described him as spokesman of the conscience of mankind.

Gandhi's religion made him political and his politics was religious. He felt that we live not in order to feed, clothe,shelter and pamper the body, we provide for the body in order to live. The soul also needs a temporary abode, but a clean mud hut will do as well as a palace, for when the physical absorbs the lion's share of man's effort the spirit languishes, life loses content, and discontent appears. Gandhi's renunciation was unselfishness of love. He says ' A mother would never by choice sleep in a wet bed, but she would gladly do so to spare the dry bed for her child."

Gandhi's weapon was something unique, he could not find a name until, he hit upon a name ' satya-graha '. Satya means truth, the equivalent of love, and both are attributes of soul ; and agraha means firmness or force. satyagraha is therefore translated as ' soul force'. soul force does not dependent on numbers. it depends on the degree of firmness.

Gandhi had mental health because in him word, creed and deed were one. The truth shall make you free-and well, through truth Gandhi set himself free in order to go to jail.

It was Rabindranath Tagore who conferred the title " mahatma" - ' great soul in peasants grab' on Gandhi. Tagore and Gandhi revered one another. They both shared the emotion and wept seeing India as ' the eternal rag-picker at other people's dust bins'. they were also deeply different. Tagore was prodigal, Gandhi the emaciated ascetic with shaven head and face; Tagore the large, white manes, white-bearded, rich aristocrat- intellectual with visage of classic beauty , Gandhi the rice field ; Tagore the rose garden; Gandhi the general ; Tagore the Herald ; Gandhi the working arm, Tagore the singing voice.

Hindu-Moslem amity, Gandhi wrote was possible ' because it was so natural, so necessary for both, and because I believe in human nature". THAT SENTENCE CONTAINS MOST OF GANDHI . Since the goal is good, man is good, the goal can be achieved. HERE WAS THE FAITH THAT MADE HIM THE GREAT MAHATMA.

Gandhi wanted a new Indian today, not just a free India tomorrow. To him, true freedom for India meant the emergence of a new, free, Indian Individual. Gandhi belonged to specific individuals and groups of individuals , they knew it and therefore, they belonged to him. India now called him ' bapu ' Father.

Gandhi when he was lodged in Yeravda jail, wrote about his thoughts on God. a jail where god is talked about and worshiped becomes ' mandir "- ' Yeravda mandir'. The word 'satya' means ' truth' and it derived from the word 'sat' meaning " to be ". Truth is one thing which was, is and will be - it is not affected by tense. God is therefore 'sat' or " truth ". Existence of god can be be looked upon from the orderliness of the Universe. There is unalterable law that governs everything and every human being that exists or lives. It is not a blind law for no blind law can govern the conduct of a human being.... that law which governs all life is GOD; ....I do dimly perceive that whilst everything around me is ever changing, ever dying, there is underlying all that changes a living power that is changeless, that holds all together, that creates, dissolves and re-creates . That informing Power or Spirit is God.In the midst of deaths life persists, in the midst of untruth truth persists, in the midst of darkness light persists. Hence I gather that God is Life, Truth, Love. HE is the Supreme God".

If men were able to solve all the mysteries of the Universe, he can co-equal God. Every drop of water in the ocean shares its glory, but is not the ocean. By analogy, every human being partakes the nature of God, but is not God, and can not know what HE is. " the safest course, Mahatma advised, is ' to believe in the moral government of the world and therefore in the supremacy of moral law, the law of truth and love ..."

" HE reveals Himself daily to every human being, but we shut our ears to the " still, small voice..". God never appears to you in person, but in action."

Gandhi describes the Hindu renunciation by a simple word ' desirelessness'. 'To renounce the fruits of action means the road to success. He who broods over loses nerve in performance of his duty. He becomes impatient, gives vent to anger, jumps from one action to the other and begins to do unworthy things. He is a slave to his senses, ever-distracted, says good-bye to scruples, resorts to means fair and foul to achieve his end. Renunciation , whereas, creates inner peace and poise , oneness of purpose, everlasting, ever faithful. For the exceptional practitioner of self denial, a special prize is in store. Lord Krishna declares :

BUT THERE IS A UNIQUE REWARD. THE GREAT YOGIS, THE MAHATMAS OR GREAT SOULS HAVING COME TO ME, REACH THE HIGHEST PERFECTION; THEY COME NOT AGAIN TO BIRTH, UNLASTING AND ABODE OF MISERY.

Thus the yogi's highest recompense is to become so firmly united with God after death that he need never again return to the status of migrating mortal man.

Several times in his life Gandhi expressed the hope not to be born anew. HIS LEGACY IS COURAGE, HIS LESSON TRUTH, HIS WEAPON LOVE .