Yojana Magazine June 2023 - 3 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


44 June 2023
hen Gandhiji was in the Yerawada 
Central Prison in 1930, his Ashramites 
were missing his daily discourses 
after the prayer. On their request, he 
wrote weekly letters to the s atyagraha Ashram. They 
contained a cursory examination of the principal 
Ashram observances, popularly known as the Eleven 
Vows. They encapsulate Gandhian thought and 
philosophy. They are: Truth, Ahimsa-Non-Violence, 
Brahmacharya-Chastity, Control of the Palate, Non-
stealing, Non-Possession, Fearlessness, Removal of 
Untouchability, Bread Labour, Tolerance-Equality of 
Religions, and swadeshi.
According to Gandhiji, “ A vow means unflinching 
determination, it helps us against temptation. 
Determination is worth nothing if it bends before 
discomfort.” Just as non-violence can be observed 
only by a strong person, not by a coward, vows are 
also a sign of strength, not weakness. Gandhiji lived 
by these vows. As a matter of fact, he arrived at each 
one by experimenting on himself. That is why his 
autobiography is known as ‘My Experiments with 
Truth’ . His life is a journey from truth to truth. 
Gandhiji belonged to a well-to-do family in 
Porbandar, Gujarat province. He went to England 
in 1888 and obtained the degree of barrister. He 
enrolled himself in the British Bar but, on the very 
next day, sailed for India. On his return, he went to 
Bombay, applied for enrolment in the High Court 
as a barrister, tried to practise but did not succeed. 
A happy working of the human machine depends upon the harmonious 
activity of the various component parts. Gandhiji’s sustainable and 
minimalist lifestyle was based on self-discipline. Possession implies 
provision for the future. If each retained possession only of what he 
needed, no one would be in want, and all would live in contentment.
He lacked self-confidence. On the advice of an 
elderly relative, he decided to go to south Africa 
to translate Gujarati legal documents into English 
and the English ones into Gujarati for one sheth 
Abdulla. Mohandas noticed that sheth Abdulla was 
fighting the case against his own cousin, and both 
of them had spent a lot of money and time on this 
long-drawn case. Mohandas managed to settle 
the matter out-of-court. Dialogue and negotiation 
were his ways of establishing peace. During his 
stay, he was disturbed to notice discriminatory 
treatment by the English towards local Indians. 
He himself had faced a lot of humiliation. The 
turning point in his life was an incident at the 
Pietermaritzburg railway station, where he was 
thrown out of the First-Class compartment in spite 
of having a valid ticket for the First Class. The reason 
was, he was not a white man! This humiliation hurt 
him. He spent the night in severe cold, debating 
in his mind whether he should continue with the 
journey or return to India. 
That was the night of Mohandas’s 
metamorphosis. His sense of responsibility 
prevailed, he underwent a couple of more 
humiliating incidents, but mustered courage. Over 
a period of time, he was able to bring local Indians 
together, and on 22 August 1894 founded Natal 
Indian Congress to fight against colour prejudice. In 
1901, he returned to India. While leaving, he assured 
to return to s outh Africa if his services were needed. 
dr varsha das the author is an eminent Gandhian and a litterateur. email: varshadas42@gmail.com
W
MINIMaLIST LIvINg
non-Possession 
THE gaNDHIaN THOugHT
44 June 2023
Page 2


44 June 2023
hen Gandhiji was in the Yerawada 
Central Prison in 1930, his Ashramites 
were missing his daily discourses 
after the prayer. On their request, he 
wrote weekly letters to the s atyagraha Ashram. They 
contained a cursory examination of the principal 
Ashram observances, popularly known as the Eleven 
Vows. They encapsulate Gandhian thought and 
philosophy. They are: Truth, Ahimsa-Non-Violence, 
Brahmacharya-Chastity, Control of the Palate, Non-
stealing, Non-Possession, Fearlessness, Removal of 
Untouchability, Bread Labour, Tolerance-Equality of 
Religions, and swadeshi.
According to Gandhiji, “ A vow means unflinching 
determination, it helps us against temptation. 
Determination is worth nothing if it bends before 
discomfort.” Just as non-violence can be observed 
only by a strong person, not by a coward, vows are 
also a sign of strength, not weakness. Gandhiji lived 
by these vows. As a matter of fact, he arrived at each 
one by experimenting on himself. That is why his 
autobiography is known as ‘My Experiments with 
Truth’ . His life is a journey from truth to truth. 
Gandhiji belonged to a well-to-do family in 
Porbandar, Gujarat province. He went to England 
in 1888 and obtained the degree of barrister. He 
enrolled himself in the British Bar but, on the very 
next day, sailed for India. On his return, he went to 
Bombay, applied for enrolment in the High Court 
as a barrister, tried to practise but did not succeed. 
A happy working of the human machine depends upon the harmonious 
activity of the various component parts. Gandhiji’s sustainable and 
minimalist lifestyle was based on self-discipline. Possession implies 
provision for the future. If each retained possession only of what he 
needed, no one would be in want, and all would live in contentment.
He lacked self-confidence. On the advice of an 
elderly relative, he decided to go to south Africa 
to translate Gujarati legal documents into English 
and the English ones into Gujarati for one sheth 
Abdulla. Mohandas noticed that sheth Abdulla was 
fighting the case against his own cousin, and both 
of them had spent a lot of money and time on this 
long-drawn case. Mohandas managed to settle 
the matter out-of-court. Dialogue and negotiation 
were his ways of establishing peace. During his 
stay, he was disturbed to notice discriminatory 
treatment by the English towards local Indians. 
He himself had faced a lot of humiliation. The 
turning point in his life was an incident at the 
Pietermaritzburg railway station, where he was 
thrown out of the First-Class compartment in spite 
of having a valid ticket for the First Class. The reason 
was, he was not a white man! This humiliation hurt 
him. He spent the night in severe cold, debating 
in his mind whether he should continue with the 
journey or return to India. 
That was the night of Mohandas’s 
metamorphosis. His sense of responsibility 
prevailed, he underwent a couple of more 
humiliating incidents, but mustered courage. Over 
a period of time, he was able to bring local Indians 
together, and on 22 August 1894 founded Natal 
Indian Congress to fight against colour prejudice. In 
1901, he returned to India. While leaving, he assured 
to return to s outh Africa if his services were needed. 
dr varsha das the author is an eminent Gandhian and a litterateur. email: varshadas42@gmail.com
W
MINIMaLIST LIvINg
non-Possession 
THE gaNDHIaN THOugHT
44 June 2023 45 June 2023 45 June 2023
non-possession 
is a principle 
applicable to 
thoughts as well. 
Why should a 
man fill his brain 
with useless 
knowledge? 
habit of 
acquiring what 
is not needed 
becomes a 
burden on 
the mind and 
also in the 
environment. 
Page 3


44 June 2023
hen Gandhiji was in the Yerawada 
Central Prison in 1930, his Ashramites 
were missing his daily discourses 
after the prayer. On their request, he 
wrote weekly letters to the s atyagraha Ashram. They 
contained a cursory examination of the principal 
Ashram observances, popularly known as the Eleven 
Vows. They encapsulate Gandhian thought and 
philosophy. They are: Truth, Ahimsa-Non-Violence, 
Brahmacharya-Chastity, Control of the Palate, Non-
stealing, Non-Possession, Fearlessness, Removal of 
Untouchability, Bread Labour, Tolerance-Equality of 
Religions, and swadeshi.
According to Gandhiji, “ A vow means unflinching 
determination, it helps us against temptation. 
Determination is worth nothing if it bends before 
discomfort.” Just as non-violence can be observed 
only by a strong person, not by a coward, vows are 
also a sign of strength, not weakness. Gandhiji lived 
by these vows. As a matter of fact, he arrived at each 
one by experimenting on himself. That is why his 
autobiography is known as ‘My Experiments with 
Truth’ . His life is a journey from truth to truth. 
Gandhiji belonged to a well-to-do family in 
Porbandar, Gujarat province. He went to England 
in 1888 and obtained the degree of barrister. He 
enrolled himself in the British Bar but, on the very 
next day, sailed for India. On his return, he went to 
Bombay, applied for enrolment in the High Court 
as a barrister, tried to practise but did not succeed. 
A happy working of the human machine depends upon the harmonious 
activity of the various component parts. Gandhiji’s sustainable and 
minimalist lifestyle was based on self-discipline. Possession implies 
provision for the future. If each retained possession only of what he 
needed, no one would be in want, and all would live in contentment.
He lacked self-confidence. On the advice of an 
elderly relative, he decided to go to south Africa 
to translate Gujarati legal documents into English 
and the English ones into Gujarati for one sheth 
Abdulla. Mohandas noticed that sheth Abdulla was 
fighting the case against his own cousin, and both 
of them had spent a lot of money and time on this 
long-drawn case. Mohandas managed to settle 
the matter out-of-court. Dialogue and negotiation 
were his ways of establishing peace. During his 
stay, he was disturbed to notice discriminatory 
treatment by the English towards local Indians. 
He himself had faced a lot of humiliation. The 
turning point in his life was an incident at the 
Pietermaritzburg railway station, where he was 
thrown out of the First-Class compartment in spite 
of having a valid ticket for the First Class. The reason 
was, he was not a white man! This humiliation hurt 
him. He spent the night in severe cold, debating 
in his mind whether he should continue with the 
journey or return to India. 
That was the night of Mohandas’s 
metamorphosis. His sense of responsibility 
prevailed, he underwent a couple of more 
humiliating incidents, but mustered courage. Over 
a period of time, he was able to bring local Indians 
together, and on 22 August 1894 founded Natal 
Indian Congress to fight against colour prejudice. In 
1901, he returned to India. While leaving, he assured 
to return to s outh Africa if his services were needed. 
dr varsha das the author is an eminent Gandhian and a litterateur. email: varshadas42@gmail.com
W
MINIMaLIST LIvINg
non-Possession 
THE gaNDHIaN THOugHT
44 June 2023 45 June 2023 45 June 2023
non-possession 
is a principle 
applicable to 
thoughts as well. 
Why should a 
man fill his brain 
with useless 
knowledge? 
habit of 
acquiring what 
is not needed 
becomes a 
burden on 
the mind and 
also in the 
environment. 
46 June 2023
They called him back. He returned in November 
1902. In October 1904, he took the responsibility 
of the Indian Opinion, a weekly newspaper. It was 
initially published in English, Gujarati, Hindi, and 
Tamil. The paper and the press were moved to 
Phoenix and in 1904 the Phoenix settlement was 
founded. This was the beginning of community 
living.  
In the Indian Opinion, Mohandas wrote a few 
articles under the heading Guide to Health. They 
were written in Gujarati and were based on his 
concern for those around him. This was around 
1906. These articles were later published in a book 
form. He mentioned in these articles that all human 
activity is carried on by means of the mind aided by 
the ten senses. These are five senses of action and 
five of perception. A happy working of the human 
machine depends upon the harmonious activity 
of the various component parts. His question 
therefore was, “What is the use of human body?” 
Everything in the world can be used and abused. 
This is an eternal truth. Body should be treated as 
the temple of God. 
Gandhiji was an ever-ready nurse and doctor. 
He did tell his parents that he should have been sent 
to England to become a doctor and not a barrister. 
The answer that he got was that to become a 
doctor, he would have to dissect animals and even 
human beings! Family values were against it. His 
passion to take care of the sick was through nature-
cure and diet. He also believed that man’s mental 
and spiritual well-being cannot be ignored. In 
Gandhiji’s lifestyle, interconnectedness of the body, 
mind, and spirit were well maintained. Here comes 
the observance of eleven vows in daily life. During 
one of his speeches on vegetarianism in England, 
he said that “A man was not born a carnivorous 
animal, but born to live on the fruits and herbs that 
the earth grows. He had limited his own diet to 
five articles only. A person’s food intake should be 
according to one’s physical work. One person’s over 
eating not only spoils his/her digestive system but 
also deprives those who need that food. ”
The control of the palate is one of the eleven 
vows. The body is injured every time one overeats. 
In common kitchen, only such food is cooked 
that keeps the body a fit instrument for service. 
The observance of non-stealing is not limited to 
stealing someone’s thing. It goes even farther. “It is 
theft for me to eat any fruit that I do not need, or to 
take it in a larger quantity than is necessary. We are 
not always aware of our real needs, and most of us 
multiply our wants, and thus unconsciously make 
thieves of ourselves. ” 
I came across an interesting incident narrated 
by Vijayaben Pancholi when she was in sevagram. 
It was mango season during the summer. Young 
Vijaya used to squeeze out juice from two local 
mangoes in a small bowl for Gandhiji every day. 
One day, it so happened that the bowl did not fill 
up so Vijaya took one more mango and poured the 
juice into a bigger bowl. While serving that bowl to 
Bapu, Vijaya did tell him softly that the bowl was a 
little bigger and she went to the kitchen. Bapu was 
busy talking to his friend Hermann Kallenbach. He 
did not hear what Vijaya had said. After finishing 
his meal, he picked up the bowl and found it 
bigger. He called Vijaya and asked her why was the 
bowl bigger. Vijaya explained. Bapu had taken a 
vow that no food would be left in his plate. There 
should be no wastage and no overeating either. 
He said that his stomach was not a garbage bin. 
That extra food not required by the body would 
not get digested.
Page 4


44 June 2023
hen Gandhiji was in the Yerawada 
Central Prison in 1930, his Ashramites 
were missing his daily discourses 
after the prayer. On their request, he 
wrote weekly letters to the s atyagraha Ashram. They 
contained a cursory examination of the principal 
Ashram observances, popularly known as the Eleven 
Vows. They encapsulate Gandhian thought and 
philosophy. They are: Truth, Ahimsa-Non-Violence, 
Brahmacharya-Chastity, Control of the Palate, Non-
stealing, Non-Possession, Fearlessness, Removal of 
Untouchability, Bread Labour, Tolerance-Equality of 
Religions, and swadeshi.
According to Gandhiji, “ A vow means unflinching 
determination, it helps us against temptation. 
Determination is worth nothing if it bends before 
discomfort.” Just as non-violence can be observed 
only by a strong person, not by a coward, vows are 
also a sign of strength, not weakness. Gandhiji lived 
by these vows. As a matter of fact, he arrived at each 
one by experimenting on himself. That is why his 
autobiography is known as ‘My Experiments with 
Truth’ . His life is a journey from truth to truth. 
Gandhiji belonged to a well-to-do family in 
Porbandar, Gujarat province. He went to England 
in 1888 and obtained the degree of barrister. He 
enrolled himself in the British Bar but, on the very 
next day, sailed for India. On his return, he went to 
Bombay, applied for enrolment in the High Court 
as a barrister, tried to practise but did not succeed. 
A happy working of the human machine depends upon the harmonious 
activity of the various component parts. Gandhiji’s sustainable and 
minimalist lifestyle was based on self-discipline. Possession implies 
provision for the future. If each retained possession only of what he 
needed, no one would be in want, and all would live in contentment.
He lacked self-confidence. On the advice of an 
elderly relative, he decided to go to south Africa 
to translate Gujarati legal documents into English 
and the English ones into Gujarati for one sheth 
Abdulla. Mohandas noticed that sheth Abdulla was 
fighting the case against his own cousin, and both 
of them had spent a lot of money and time on this 
long-drawn case. Mohandas managed to settle 
the matter out-of-court. Dialogue and negotiation 
were his ways of establishing peace. During his 
stay, he was disturbed to notice discriminatory 
treatment by the English towards local Indians. 
He himself had faced a lot of humiliation. The 
turning point in his life was an incident at the 
Pietermaritzburg railway station, where he was 
thrown out of the First-Class compartment in spite 
of having a valid ticket for the First Class. The reason 
was, he was not a white man! This humiliation hurt 
him. He spent the night in severe cold, debating 
in his mind whether he should continue with the 
journey or return to India. 
That was the night of Mohandas’s 
metamorphosis. His sense of responsibility 
prevailed, he underwent a couple of more 
humiliating incidents, but mustered courage. Over 
a period of time, he was able to bring local Indians 
together, and on 22 August 1894 founded Natal 
Indian Congress to fight against colour prejudice. In 
1901, he returned to India. While leaving, he assured 
to return to s outh Africa if his services were needed. 
dr varsha das the author is an eminent Gandhian and a litterateur. email: varshadas42@gmail.com
W
MINIMaLIST LIvINg
non-Possession 
THE gaNDHIaN THOugHT
44 June 2023 45 June 2023 45 June 2023
non-possession 
is a principle 
applicable to 
thoughts as well. 
Why should a 
man fill his brain 
with useless 
knowledge? 
habit of 
acquiring what 
is not needed 
becomes a 
burden on 
the mind and 
also in the 
environment. 
46 June 2023
They called him back. He returned in November 
1902. In October 1904, he took the responsibility 
of the Indian Opinion, a weekly newspaper. It was 
initially published in English, Gujarati, Hindi, and 
Tamil. The paper and the press were moved to 
Phoenix and in 1904 the Phoenix settlement was 
founded. This was the beginning of community 
living.  
In the Indian Opinion, Mohandas wrote a few 
articles under the heading Guide to Health. They 
were written in Gujarati and were based on his 
concern for those around him. This was around 
1906. These articles were later published in a book 
form. He mentioned in these articles that all human 
activity is carried on by means of the mind aided by 
the ten senses. These are five senses of action and 
five of perception. A happy working of the human 
machine depends upon the harmonious activity 
of the various component parts. His question 
therefore was, “What is the use of human body?” 
Everything in the world can be used and abused. 
This is an eternal truth. Body should be treated as 
the temple of God. 
Gandhiji was an ever-ready nurse and doctor. 
He did tell his parents that he should have been sent 
to England to become a doctor and not a barrister. 
The answer that he got was that to become a 
doctor, he would have to dissect animals and even 
human beings! Family values were against it. His 
passion to take care of the sick was through nature-
cure and diet. He also believed that man’s mental 
and spiritual well-being cannot be ignored. In 
Gandhiji’s lifestyle, interconnectedness of the body, 
mind, and spirit were well maintained. Here comes 
the observance of eleven vows in daily life. During 
one of his speeches on vegetarianism in England, 
he said that “A man was not born a carnivorous 
animal, but born to live on the fruits and herbs that 
the earth grows. He had limited his own diet to 
five articles only. A person’s food intake should be 
according to one’s physical work. One person’s over 
eating not only spoils his/her digestive system but 
also deprives those who need that food. ”
The control of the palate is one of the eleven 
vows. The body is injured every time one overeats. 
In common kitchen, only such food is cooked 
that keeps the body a fit instrument for service. 
The observance of non-stealing is not limited to 
stealing someone’s thing. It goes even farther. “It is 
theft for me to eat any fruit that I do not need, or to 
take it in a larger quantity than is necessary. We are 
not always aware of our real needs, and most of us 
multiply our wants, and thus unconsciously make 
thieves of ourselves. ” 
I came across an interesting incident narrated 
by Vijayaben Pancholi when she was in sevagram. 
It was mango season during the summer. Young 
Vijaya used to squeeze out juice from two local 
mangoes in a small bowl for Gandhiji every day. 
One day, it so happened that the bowl did not fill 
up so Vijaya took one more mango and poured the 
juice into a bigger bowl. While serving that bowl to 
Bapu, Vijaya did tell him softly that the bowl was a 
little bigger and she went to the kitchen. Bapu was 
busy talking to his friend Hermann Kallenbach. He 
did not hear what Vijaya had said. After finishing 
his meal, he picked up the bowl and found it 
bigger. He called Vijaya and asked her why was the 
bowl bigger. Vijaya explained. Bapu had taken a 
vow that no food would be left in his plate. There 
should be no wastage and no overeating either. 
He said that his stomach was not a garbage bin. 
That extra food not required by the body would 
not get digested.
47 June 2023
Gandhiji’s sustainable and minimalist lifestyle 
was based on self-discipline. Once a gentleman 
who had just obtained his MA LLB degree went to 
Gandhiji’s Ashram and told him he would be happy 
to help in ashram affairs. Gandhiji was cleaning 
wheat. He said, “Please come. Join in cleaning this 
wheat.” That gentleman was in his lawyer’s dress, 
collar, tie, pant, etc. It was difficult for him to sit on 
the floor. However, he sat and cleaned wheat for 
half an hour. He sweated a lot. He took Gandhiji’s 
leave and left. During his address, after the evening 
prayer, Gandhiji narrated that incident and said that 
he does not blame that gentleman. New education 
does not teach the importance of using hands for 
daily work. 
In the year 1928, Gandhiji formulated certain 
rules for the ashram. They were: 
1. All ashramites should attend the morning 
prayer at 4 am. 
2. All should eat at the community kitchen. 
3. should spin 160 threads on a daily basis. 
4. No servant or labour should be hired for house-
work. 
5. All adult men should engage themselves in 
night vigilance. 
6. All young and adults should take turn in 
cleaning toilets. 
7. Each person living in the ashram should do the 
work for the ashram at least for 8 hours daily. 
8. One should maintain daily diary and note all 
the work done during the day. 
This was significant training for all living in the 
ashram. Gandhiji himself was always present during 
the cleaning of kitchen and cutting vegetables. 
He started maintaining a daily diary from that day 
onwards. His rules for himself and others were 
never different.  
Non-Possession was allied to Non-stealing. 
Possession implies provision for the future. If 
each retained possession only of what he needed, 
no one would be in want, and all would live in 
contentment. 
Once at the river bank, Gandhiji filled up his lota 
- a small metal pot, with water. His close associate 
standing nearby asked him, “Bapu, why only this 
much?” Gandhiji replied, “This river does not belong 
to me alone.” While using things, they can be food, 
clothes, water, furniture, etc., one should use only 
what is required. That leads to simplification of 
one’s life.  Non-Possession is a principle applicable 
to thoughts as well. Why should a man fill his brain 
with useless knowledge? Habit of acquiring what 
is not needed becomes a burden on the mind and 
also in the environment. 
The Eleven Vows of Gandhiji, as mentioned in 
the beginning of this article, are the best formula 
for living a simple and happy life. You live and let 
others also live.   ?
references
1. From Yeravda Mandir, by M. K. Gandhi, First English edition 
1932, published by Navajivan Trust, Ahmedabad
2. Key to Health, by M. K. Gandhi, First English edition 1948, 
published by Navajivan Trust, Ahmedabad
3. Diet and Diet Reform, by M. K. Gandhi, First English edition 
1949, published by Navajivan Trust, Ahmedabad
4. Bapuno Prasad, by Vijayaben Pancholi, First Gujarati edition 
1986, published by Darshak Parivar, Lokbharati, sanosara
5. Gandhijina Samagam-ma, edited by Chanrashankar 
shukla, First Gujarati edition 1945, published by Raichura 
Book Depot, Vadodara
Page 5


44 June 2023
hen Gandhiji was in the Yerawada 
Central Prison in 1930, his Ashramites 
were missing his daily discourses 
after the prayer. On their request, he 
wrote weekly letters to the s atyagraha Ashram. They 
contained a cursory examination of the principal 
Ashram observances, popularly known as the Eleven 
Vows. They encapsulate Gandhian thought and 
philosophy. They are: Truth, Ahimsa-Non-Violence, 
Brahmacharya-Chastity, Control of the Palate, Non-
stealing, Non-Possession, Fearlessness, Removal of 
Untouchability, Bread Labour, Tolerance-Equality of 
Religions, and swadeshi.
According to Gandhiji, “ A vow means unflinching 
determination, it helps us against temptation. 
Determination is worth nothing if it bends before 
discomfort.” Just as non-violence can be observed 
only by a strong person, not by a coward, vows are 
also a sign of strength, not weakness. Gandhiji lived 
by these vows. As a matter of fact, he arrived at each 
one by experimenting on himself. That is why his 
autobiography is known as ‘My Experiments with 
Truth’ . His life is a journey from truth to truth. 
Gandhiji belonged to a well-to-do family in 
Porbandar, Gujarat province. He went to England 
in 1888 and obtained the degree of barrister. He 
enrolled himself in the British Bar but, on the very 
next day, sailed for India. On his return, he went to 
Bombay, applied for enrolment in the High Court 
as a barrister, tried to practise but did not succeed. 
A happy working of the human machine depends upon the harmonious 
activity of the various component parts. Gandhiji’s sustainable and 
minimalist lifestyle was based on self-discipline. Possession implies 
provision for the future. If each retained possession only of what he 
needed, no one would be in want, and all would live in contentment.
He lacked self-confidence. On the advice of an 
elderly relative, he decided to go to south Africa 
to translate Gujarati legal documents into English 
and the English ones into Gujarati for one sheth 
Abdulla. Mohandas noticed that sheth Abdulla was 
fighting the case against his own cousin, and both 
of them had spent a lot of money and time on this 
long-drawn case. Mohandas managed to settle 
the matter out-of-court. Dialogue and negotiation 
were his ways of establishing peace. During his 
stay, he was disturbed to notice discriminatory 
treatment by the English towards local Indians. 
He himself had faced a lot of humiliation. The 
turning point in his life was an incident at the 
Pietermaritzburg railway station, where he was 
thrown out of the First-Class compartment in spite 
of having a valid ticket for the First Class. The reason 
was, he was not a white man! This humiliation hurt 
him. He spent the night in severe cold, debating 
in his mind whether he should continue with the 
journey or return to India. 
That was the night of Mohandas’s 
metamorphosis. His sense of responsibility 
prevailed, he underwent a couple of more 
humiliating incidents, but mustered courage. Over 
a period of time, he was able to bring local Indians 
together, and on 22 August 1894 founded Natal 
Indian Congress to fight against colour prejudice. In 
1901, he returned to India. While leaving, he assured 
to return to s outh Africa if his services were needed. 
dr varsha das the author is an eminent Gandhian and a litterateur. email: varshadas42@gmail.com
W
MINIMaLIST LIvINg
non-Possession 
THE gaNDHIaN THOugHT
44 June 2023 45 June 2023 45 June 2023
non-possession 
is a principle 
applicable to 
thoughts as well. 
Why should a 
man fill his brain 
with useless 
knowledge? 
habit of 
acquiring what 
is not needed 
becomes a 
burden on 
the mind and 
also in the 
environment. 
46 June 2023
They called him back. He returned in November 
1902. In October 1904, he took the responsibility 
of the Indian Opinion, a weekly newspaper. It was 
initially published in English, Gujarati, Hindi, and 
Tamil. The paper and the press were moved to 
Phoenix and in 1904 the Phoenix settlement was 
founded. This was the beginning of community 
living.  
In the Indian Opinion, Mohandas wrote a few 
articles under the heading Guide to Health. They 
were written in Gujarati and were based on his 
concern for those around him. This was around 
1906. These articles were later published in a book 
form. He mentioned in these articles that all human 
activity is carried on by means of the mind aided by 
the ten senses. These are five senses of action and 
five of perception. A happy working of the human 
machine depends upon the harmonious activity 
of the various component parts. His question 
therefore was, “What is the use of human body?” 
Everything in the world can be used and abused. 
This is an eternal truth. Body should be treated as 
the temple of God. 
Gandhiji was an ever-ready nurse and doctor. 
He did tell his parents that he should have been sent 
to England to become a doctor and not a barrister. 
The answer that he got was that to become a 
doctor, he would have to dissect animals and even 
human beings! Family values were against it. His 
passion to take care of the sick was through nature-
cure and diet. He also believed that man’s mental 
and spiritual well-being cannot be ignored. In 
Gandhiji’s lifestyle, interconnectedness of the body, 
mind, and spirit were well maintained. Here comes 
the observance of eleven vows in daily life. During 
one of his speeches on vegetarianism in England, 
he said that “A man was not born a carnivorous 
animal, but born to live on the fruits and herbs that 
the earth grows. He had limited his own diet to 
five articles only. A person’s food intake should be 
according to one’s physical work. One person’s over 
eating not only spoils his/her digestive system but 
also deprives those who need that food. ”
The control of the palate is one of the eleven 
vows. The body is injured every time one overeats. 
In common kitchen, only such food is cooked 
that keeps the body a fit instrument for service. 
The observance of non-stealing is not limited to 
stealing someone’s thing. It goes even farther. “It is 
theft for me to eat any fruit that I do not need, or to 
take it in a larger quantity than is necessary. We are 
not always aware of our real needs, and most of us 
multiply our wants, and thus unconsciously make 
thieves of ourselves. ” 
I came across an interesting incident narrated 
by Vijayaben Pancholi when she was in sevagram. 
It was mango season during the summer. Young 
Vijaya used to squeeze out juice from two local 
mangoes in a small bowl for Gandhiji every day. 
One day, it so happened that the bowl did not fill 
up so Vijaya took one more mango and poured the 
juice into a bigger bowl. While serving that bowl to 
Bapu, Vijaya did tell him softly that the bowl was a 
little bigger and she went to the kitchen. Bapu was 
busy talking to his friend Hermann Kallenbach. He 
did not hear what Vijaya had said. After finishing 
his meal, he picked up the bowl and found it 
bigger. He called Vijaya and asked her why was the 
bowl bigger. Vijaya explained. Bapu had taken a 
vow that no food would be left in his plate. There 
should be no wastage and no overeating either. 
He said that his stomach was not a garbage bin. 
That extra food not required by the body would 
not get digested.
47 June 2023
Gandhiji’s sustainable and minimalist lifestyle 
was based on self-discipline. Once a gentleman 
who had just obtained his MA LLB degree went to 
Gandhiji’s Ashram and told him he would be happy 
to help in ashram affairs. Gandhiji was cleaning 
wheat. He said, “Please come. Join in cleaning this 
wheat.” That gentleman was in his lawyer’s dress, 
collar, tie, pant, etc. It was difficult for him to sit on 
the floor. However, he sat and cleaned wheat for 
half an hour. He sweated a lot. He took Gandhiji’s 
leave and left. During his address, after the evening 
prayer, Gandhiji narrated that incident and said that 
he does not blame that gentleman. New education 
does not teach the importance of using hands for 
daily work. 
In the year 1928, Gandhiji formulated certain 
rules for the ashram. They were: 
1. All ashramites should attend the morning 
prayer at 4 am. 
2. All should eat at the community kitchen. 
3. should spin 160 threads on a daily basis. 
4. No servant or labour should be hired for house-
work. 
5. All adult men should engage themselves in 
night vigilance. 
6. All young and adults should take turn in 
cleaning toilets. 
7. Each person living in the ashram should do the 
work for the ashram at least for 8 hours daily. 
8. One should maintain daily diary and note all 
the work done during the day. 
This was significant training for all living in the 
ashram. Gandhiji himself was always present during 
the cleaning of kitchen and cutting vegetables. 
He started maintaining a daily diary from that day 
onwards. His rules for himself and others were 
never different.  
Non-Possession was allied to Non-stealing. 
Possession implies provision for the future. If 
each retained possession only of what he needed, 
no one would be in want, and all would live in 
contentment. 
Once at the river bank, Gandhiji filled up his lota 
- a small metal pot, with water. His close associate 
standing nearby asked him, “Bapu, why only this 
much?” Gandhiji replied, “This river does not belong 
to me alone.” While using things, they can be food, 
clothes, water, furniture, etc., one should use only 
what is required. That leads to simplification of 
one’s life.  Non-Possession is a principle applicable 
to thoughts as well. Why should a man fill his brain 
with useless knowledge? Habit of acquiring what 
is not needed becomes a burden on the mind and 
also in the environment. 
The Eleven Vows of Gandhiji, as mentioned in 
the beginning of this article, are the best formula 
for living a simple and happy life. You live and let 
others also live.   ?
references
1. From Yeravda Mandir, by M. K. Gandhi, First English edition 
1932, published by Navajivan Trust, Ahmedabad
2. Key to Health, by M. K. Gandhi, First English edition 1948, 
published by Navajivan Trust, Ahmedabad
3. Diet and Diet Reform, by M. K. Gandhi, First English edition 
1949, published by Navajivan Trust, Ahmedabad
4. Bapuno Prasad, by Vijayaben Pancholi, First Gujarati edition 
1986, published by Darshak Parivar, Lokbharati, sanosara
5. Gandhijina Samagam-ma, edited by Chanrashankar 
shukla, First Gujarati edition 1945, published by Raichura 
Book Depot, Vadodara
50 June 2023
Over the course of last 100 episodes of Mann ki Baat programme, the Prime 
Minister has consistently shared captivating stories of over 700 change makers 
from across the nation. He has encouraged the citizens to work for a better 
future by highlighting the resilience and determination of ordinary people 
and power of small actions taken by them. The Vice-President of India released 
a special Book ‘My Dear Fellow Citizens…’, brought out by the Ministry of 
Information and Broadcasting. The book presents glimpses of over 100 
inspiring stories, mentioned by the Prime Minister in the radio programme. 
This book also highlights some stories of commendable efforts made towards 
health and well-being of the citizens, which have been constantly inspiring 
and motivating people around the globe. some of the notable ones are:
Stories of health and well-being from the book
‘My dear Fellow c itizens… ’
MaLL aKhaMB FederatiOn 
Chinmay Patankar, the founder and volunteer of 
Mallakhamb Federation, UsA (MFU), is a dedicated 
individual who has been working tirelessly to 
promote and teach Mallakhamb in the United 
states of America. His vision is to establish at least 
one training center for Mallakhamb in every state 
of the UsA. Chinmay established MFU in 2013 and 
despite facing rejections initially, MFU has achieved 
numerous milestones. It is the first national-level 
federation of Mallakhamb outside India. MFU 
has also received recognition from the state of 
New Jersey senate and has been promoting 
Mallakhamb at prominent places such as the 
United Nations and the Times square. The Prime 
Minister’s acknowledgment gave Chinmay’s efforts 
a tremendous boost. Creating a positive impact, 
the Federation has gained more recognition and 
collaboration from the Indian diaspora.
MaL avath pOOrna
Malavath Poorna is an inspiration to many, not 
just in India but around the world. Hailing from a 
poor family in Nizamabad of Telangana, she is the 
youngest mountaineer to scale Mt. Everest at the 
age of 13 years and 11 months in 2014. since 2014, 
she has completed the seven summit challenge 
by climbing the seven most difficult and highest 
mountain peaks in the world. Being appreciated 
by the Prime Minister for bolstering the image of 
India at an international level has been a boost for 
her indomitable courage. she is now working on 
her new project ‘shakti’ aimed at raising funds for 
underprivileged girls for their education.
50 June 2023