Guwahati: Mahatma Gandhi, the unofficial ‘Father of the Nation’, was assassinated on January 30, 1948 at the age of 78 years by Nathuram Godse. Today we are remembering this great leader on his 73rd death anniversary. India marks the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, as Martyrs’ Day or Shaheed Divas every year on January 30. It is also observed to pay homage to the freedom fighters who laid their lives for the country’s independence.
Born as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on October 2, 1869 in Gujarat’s Porbandar, Mahatma Gandhi received his higher education in England before returning back to India and leading the freedom struggle against the British rule. He introduced ‘ahimsa or non-violence’ to India and took on the mighty British with the non-violent protests.
His ideals have been followed worldwide, and cited as a textbook of ‘living the right way’. Fondly called ‘Bapu’, he was an exceptional persona emanating truth, non-violence, simplicity.
Before suffering the final fatal blow on January 30, 1948, Gandhiji had already been subjected to five failed assassination attempts. Gandhi was assassinated when he was getting up from the evening prayer meeting at Birla House in Delhi. Godse shot Gandhi in his chest three times and killed him. The incident shocked the entire world. Later Godse got arrested and had been sentenced to death. He alleged that Gandhi was responsible for the partition of the country.
Today, on Gandhi Punyatithi (death anniversary – January 30), let us take a look at some of Mahatma Gandhi’s inspiring quotes on God, religion and spirituality.
- Non-violence requires a double faith, faith in God and also faith in man.
- My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God. Non-violence is the means of realising Him.
- I am endeavouring to see God through service of humanity, for I know that God is neither in heaven, nor down below, but in every one.
- There is an indefinable mysterious Power that pervades everything. I feel it, though I do not see it. It is this unseen power which makes itself felt and yet defies all proof, because it is so unlike all that I perceive through my senses.
- Where love is, there God is also.
- God demands nothing less than complete self-surrender as the price for the only real freedom that is worth having.
- Before the throne of the Almighty, man will be judged not by his acts but by his intentions. For God alone reads our hearts.
- It is the quality of our work which will please God and not the quantity.
- There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever.
- My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at his feet.
- Infinite striving to be the best is man’s duty; it is its own reward. Everything else is in God’s hands.
- A living faith in God means acceptance of the brotherhood of mankind.
- The purpose of life is undoubtedly to know oneself. We cannot do it unless we learn to identify ourselves with all that lives. The sum-total of that life is God.
- I know, to banish anger altogether from one’s breast is a difficult task. It cannot be achieved through pure personal effort. It can be done only by God’s grace.
- If a man reaches the heart of his own religion, he has reached the heart of the others too. There is only one God, and there are many paths to him.
- God has no religion.
- To me, God is Truth and Love; God is ethics and morality: God is fearlessness. God is the source of Light and Life and yet He is above and beyond all these. God is conscience.
- Each one prays to God according to his own light.
- God is, even though the whole world deny him. Truth stands, even if there be no public support. It is self-sustained.
