The doctrine of nonviolence is as old as this world. Down the ages, this doctrine has been preached from one generation to another. Lord Buddha, Mahavira, Jesus Christ, Nanak and Zoroaster and some of the believers of nonviolence. The philosophy of non-violence has been accepted all over the world.
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In India, the one of the important messenger of non-violence was Mahatma Gandhi. His principle has been defined as “Ahimsa”, which teaches us to show good will and love to even an opponent while protesting in spirit against injustice and violence. While his trip in South Africa, Gandhi was terribly hurt to see the miserable condition of Indians and their living conditions. There and then he decided to follow the path of peaceful agitation and also motivated Indians to follow him in their struggle against such an inhumane treatment given to them.
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There are various aspects of non-violence. One of its is the prevention of hate and pain to others. Another aspect lays emphasis on the moral courage and attitude towards the life of an individual. Overall this philosophy implies that everyone following this path must face the problems in a cool and clam manner and not resort to violence of any kind, in his thought or action.
Some of the opponents of this theory, described this philosophy of nonviolence to be theory of cowardness, but Mahatma Gandhi was convinced that it is the religion of strong and morally determined people. It is the non-violent only who can defy the opponents without causing any physical or mental injury to mental injury to them. A non-violent person can respect feeling of others and hear the opponent patiently. He adopts the technique of non-violence and co-operation to fight against injustice of any kind.
Pandit Nehru was one of the disciples of Gandhi, who was fully convinced of the theory of non-violence. According to him, violence cannot yield any positive result as he had witnessed the after effects of violence after the war at the time of partition of the country on the eve of independence.
Everybody is living nowadays under the fear of the third world-war. Everyday one or the other country is experimenting with the new nuclear weapons. The amount of money that is spent in the development of nuclear arms is outrageous. But it is bringing about only fear, agony, pain and death. So if this violence is allowed to continue it will only end up with the world itself.
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So today the world is really in the need of an angel of peace and love who can once again preach the theory of love and affection, unity and brotherhood and it is this theory of non-violence which can prevent this world from destruction and hence non-violence can prove to be a universal remedy for all the ills of the present day world.