In this article, you will read about Essay on Vinoba Bhave, About his Early Life, Education, Career, Struggle for freedom, and Death.
Vinoba Bhave was a leading character in the movement of non-violence. He also fought for human rights. He was considered as the advocate of non-violence and human rights. He was well known for his contribution to the Bhoodan Movement.
He was often called Acharya, which is a Sanskrit word meaning teacher. He is respected for his teaching ability and often considered as a National Teacher of India. He also translated Gita into the Marathi language. He was regarded as the spiritual successor of Mahatma Gandhi.
Early life and education
Vinayak Narahari Bhave was born on 11 September in the year of 1895 in a small village called Gagoji (present-day Gagode Budruk) in Kolaba, which is situated in Konkan of today’s Maharashtra. He was the oldest son of his parents.
His father’s name was Narahari Sambhurao Bhave, and his mother’s name was Rukmini Devi. She was a religious lady who belonged to Karnataka. His father was a trained weaver with a rationalist and worked in Baroda. He was raised and taken care of by his grandfather Sambhurao Bhave. Bhagavad Gita moved him at the very early stage of his life.
In 1918, he was traveling to Bombay to attend his intermediate examination. On his way, he read a speech by Mahatma Gandhi delivered in Benaras Hindu University in a piece of newspaper. This speech inspired him to a vast extent. He set the books and certificates on fire and abandoned his education.
He wrote personally to Gandhi, and after a few communications, he met him at Kochrab Ashram in Ahmedabad on 7 June in the year of 1916. At his ashram, he participated with a keen interest in tye activities like teaching, studying, spinning and improving the lives of the community. He was also involved in the activities of Khadi, village industries, new education (Nai Talim). He always worked in favor of improvement in the sanitation system and increasing hygiene.
On the day of 8 April 1921, he went to Wardha as in charge of the ashram as instructed by Gandhi. His essay on Upanishads was published in Marathi monthly Maharashtra Dharma. Later on, this monthly became weekly and continued for three years. Again he was sent to Kerala to supervise the entry of Harijans in the temple.
Between the year of 1920 and 1930, he was jailed several times for his non-violent movements against the British. He was jailed for five years in the year of 1940. He wrote Ishavasyavritti and Sthitaprajna Darshan in jail. He learned four South Indian languages in Vellore jail and delivered several speeches about Bhagavat Gita to his fellow companions in prison.
Bhave took an active part in the civil disobedience from time to time, directed against the British and was imprisoned with other nationalists. He gained national prominence when Gandhi chose him as the first leaser of the non-violent movement in 1940.
Career and Major work
Vinoba Bhave made his contribution in different fields. He marked his presence in the freedom struggle, social reformation, religious reformation, literary revolution, educational changes, etc.
Freedom struggle:
Bhave has made an essential contribution to India’s freedom struggle. He was associated with Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian independence movement. He stayed with him in Sabarmati Ashram, which was named as ‘Vinoba Kutir’ i honor of him.
There, he gave spiritual speeches about Bhagavat Gita. His statements later published in the form of a book in different languages. He was identified as one of the first Satyagrahi by Mahatma Gandhi. He was always acknowledged, and Gandhi always appreciated his capabilities. He also participated in Quit India Movement.
Religious and Social work:
Bhave’s vision about religion was very open and unorthodox, and it analyzed the core values of many religions. His slogan “Jay Jagat,” i.e., “victory to the world,” always reflected his thoughts and principles about the world as a whole. He saw the life of average people living in villages.
He tried to upgrade their lives through the spiritual path. This formed the core of his Sarvodaya movement. But his significant contribution was in Bhoodan Movement, which started at Pochampally on 18 April 1951, after interacting with 80 Harijan families.
He walked across the country and urged all the people with ownership of land to consider him as a child and give him a part of their property. As a result, he collected one-sixth of their area and distributed them among the landless people. The hallmark of his career was the non-violent approach. He also strongly opposed the slaughter of cows.
He established a small ashram called Brahma Vidya Mandir. It was a small community with women. It trained them to be self-sufficient and non-violent to the community. They were instructed to produce their food through sustainability. Like Bhave and Gandhi, they were influenced by Bhagavat Gita. They used to pray for different religious prayer in the morning and evening.
This institute is now an international community mostly run by women. They deal with the non-violence approach of the city. They also encourage people for a sustainable approach to their lifestyle.
Literary career:
He was a well-known thinker, as well as a writer. He was a scholar who produced several numbers of books. He had excellent knowledge of different languages. He showed high capability in translating Sanskrit and made it understandable to the ordinary people.
According to him, Kannada was the Queen of Languages. Bhave had translated the Bhagavad Gita into Marathi. He was deeply influenced by the Gita and attempted to imbibe its teachings into his life.
Some of his significant achievement was –
- The essence of Quran
- The nature of Christian teachings
- Thoughts on education
- Swarajya Sastra
In Hazaribag in the state of Jharkhand, a university is named as Vinoba Bhave University in honor of his contribution.
Death
Bhave stayed at his Brahma Vidya Mandir ashram in Paunar in Wardha district of Maharashtra at the later stage of his life. He passed away on 15 November 1982 after refusing food and medicine.
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