Gandhiji's 7 principles relevant even today

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is well renowned worldwide for his various ideologies. From his non-violence ideology to Ahimsa, from Swabalambi to cleanliness. All of his teachings were not only relevant during his era, but are pertinent even today. With the following few principles of Gandhiji, I present to you, their relevance applicable even today and in the future times to come. 

1. Cleanliness is next to Godliness

This is the primary and the basic principle MK Gandhi preached. Whereas, this principle is not only applicable to a certain era but appropriate for every single day in the centuries to come. With the cleanliness matter, our current Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi Ji launched the ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaign on the birth anniversary of MK Gandhi thereby dedicating it to him. Under this initiative, there have been several projects taken up by the state governments and the central government like ‘Namami Gange’ to realize the dual purposes of effective cut of pollution and conservation & rejuvenation of River Ganga. Several corporates along with NGO’s have taken up the initiative of building restrooms in the urban and rural part of the country as part of their social responsibility. The government has also taken up strong steps like banning single-use plastic items like plastic cutlery and so on to reduce the landfills and sustain the environment.

2. Swabalambi: Self-sufficiency

Being self-sufficient was another principle MK Gandhi addressed. MK Gandhi encouraged citizens to boycott foreign goods and adopt Khadi-spun clothes.  It is the same principle what our current Prime Minister – Sri Narendra Modi Ji is following by encouraging Indian entrepreneurs to innovate and manufacture sustainable goods by launching the ‘Make in India’ campaign; thereby boost the Indian economy. MK Gandhi always used Swadesi products, which is what even we are following currently by establishing a domestic, open, and multilateral system of payments by using Rupay Cards. Do you all know that using a foreign nation’s payment system like Visa, Master or Amex contributes a certain percentage of the transaction to that company’s home country? But, while using a Rupay Card, a modest amount of contribution is made towards the Indian economy. Therefore, Swabalambi is undoubtedly achievable today.

3. Non-Violence

Non-violence is another maxim MK Gandhi discoursed. Due to his practice and preaching of non-violence, the United Nations declared MK Gandhi’s birth anniversary as the ‘International day of non-violence’ worldwide. The resolution by the General Assembly requests all members of the UN system to commemorate 2^nd October in "an appropriate manner and disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness".

4. Ahimsa

MK Gandhi also followed the Ahimsa concept; this applied not only to humans but to all creatures. Its relevance in today’s world is conveyed in various ways: animal slaughter is considered to be the highest contributor to environmental damage. As we all know, before the meat is consumed, it undergoes multiple levels of cleansing for hygiene purposes as well as cleaning the slaughtered area for which gallons of water are used. "More than half the U.S. grain and nearly 40 percent of world grain are being fed to livestock rather than being consumed directly by humans." Pimentel said.

Once, Kasturba Gandhi was hospitalized for treatment and had to consume medicine that had some content of the animal extract. Being inflexible to her principles, she refused the medicine and preferred to leave the body.  [1]

5. Sarvodaya - progress for all

MK Gandhi taught this principle to us to ensure everyone succeeds in life. This has been implemented by our current Prime Minister – Sri Narendra Modi Ji as well by implementing ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ – progress for all. With this mantra, the progression should maintain an equilibrium in the society to strike a balance.

6. “Care for Mother Earth”

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed”. – M K Gandhi. This is another famous quote which he coined for us to care for Mother Earth. These days, scientists have been insisting on cutting down on emissions from all sources to ensure the earth remains fit for us and the future generations to live happily. To this cause, many celebrities have joined hands and are preaching in unique ways to the public to reduce emissions and make a sustainable living.

Once when MK Gandhi was anxiously searching around for a lost pencil, he was offered a new pencil to complete a task, but MK Gandhi was persistent like a small child to use that same pencil to ensure that resource of the earth is also utilized to the fullest. Hence, we should also learn from this principle to use a particular resource wisely.

7. Live to Learn

“Live as you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever”. – M K Gandhi

Yet another famous quote penned by MK Gandhi inspires each and every one of us to keep learning.

My mother always tells me to keep learning until you are alive. Be it to enhance job skills, life skills, or culinary skills. Age and gender shouldn’t matter to learn anything new which excites us and stands a chance to motivate us.

All the above points continue to be relevant even today although these were scripted in the Vedic literature and have been reiterated time and again by great personalities like MK Gandhi and recently by AC Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada.

This one article will not suffice for us to be inspired by the above great personalities to keep learning from their philosophies. Many such values have been left behind for us to absorb.

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