Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany, on March 14, 1879 and died in the United States on February 18, 1955. He lived for 75 years and is known as the greatest scientist of the twentieth century. Mohandas Karmachand Gandhi, known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born in Porbandar in Gujarat state of India, on October 2, 1869 and died in Delhi on January 30, 1948. He lived for 78 years and is recognized as the greatest political leader of the twentieth century.
Albert Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi were very important personalities of the twentieth century and the Time magazine selected Albert Einstein as man of the century. Mahatma Gandhi came in second place. If Mahatma Gandhi had been selected as man of the century, Einstein would have come in second place. As the fields of activities of the two personalities were different, both were on top of their respective fields.
The year 2005 saw the 50th anniversary of Einstein's death and the 100th anniversary of the publication of his three papers through which the scientific perspective in the world has changed. Einstein became famous by defining the new theories of space and time and introduced new concepts that gave birth to new ideas in science. As the father of the theory of relativity and the godfather of the theory of quantum physics, he introduced new perspectives that have completely changed the science and technology over the past 100 years. It is interesting to know that although he was a scientist by profession, he observed and followed closely the activities of others such as the ideas and achievements of Mahatma Gandhi that had great impact in the political world during his time.
Einstein and Gandhi had one thing in common: both had an unusual appearance. While Einstein was a scientist, he looked like an artist or a philosopher. Mahatma Gandhi was a political leader but looked like a farmer or a saint of India. This feature, unorthodox in appearance, would have led these two great men to amuse and admire each other. Both of them were loved by the cartoonists. On one occasion, when the German ambassador came to see Einstein, his wife suggested to him to put on a suit. Einstein replied that if the ambassador wanted to see the suit, he could see it in the closet, but if he wanted to see him, let the ambassador meet him as he dressed. When Gandhi went to London and it was suggested to him that he should put on a suit for the meeting with the Emperor, he replied that if the Emperor wanted to see the suit, he will sent it, but if the Emperor wanted to meet him, he would be dressed in his usual loincloth.
Although Einstein never met Mahatma Gandhi personally, he was aware of the activities and impact of Gandhi not only in India but in the world and knew the wider impact it will have on the future of humanity. Einstein saw death, destruction and devastation in the two world wars, and he became a fighter for peace and admired the non-violent technique of Mahatma Gandhi to achieve political objectives. In the nonviolent method of Mahatma Gandhi, Einstein found a message for humanity in its political struggle. In a letter he wrote clearly: "I do not miss any opportunity to make people take cognizance of the great possibilities offered by the method of Gandhi who gives moral, intellectual and independent strength to the minority of people."
Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi both denied that the non-violent struggle is an act of cowardice. In case of need and to uphold the highest values, both supported violent methods rather than submit to injustice and domination by the unacceptable and unprincipled forces of evil. Einstein wrote a letter to President Roosevelt of the United States suggesting to develop the nuclear weapons before Hitler did. Gandhi adored and was inspired by the holy book Bhagavad Gita that advocates violent struggle to preserve the moral and ethical principles. Neither Gandhi nor Einstein believed that struggle against evil is a violation of the principle of non-violence.
Both Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi believed in the pursuit of truth. Einstein focused his work in the field of science to find the truth and reality in the physical world. He found new concepts of time and space. His theories of Special Relativity and General Relativity provided a new perspective that is closer to reality. Truth for Mahatma Gandhi, however, was not in the field of science but in the reality of human values, morals and behavior. The devotion and adherence to truth in their respective fields suggests a natural affinity between the two personalities.
Einstein saw the consequences of intolerance among people of the countries engaged in the two world wars. He was the victim of anti-Semitism in Germany. According to Einstein's vision, tolerance towards the views of others is crucial for the survival of humanity. Mahatma Gandhi also faced the divergent political, religious and linguistic differences in India and had the tremendous task of bringing together people with different ideologies. The independence struggle of India against the colonial power could not succeed if the people who were fighting for independence quarreled among themselves. Consequently, he preached religious and political tolerance.
Albert Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi had different views on religion but their commitment to the deep spiritual and moral values was unquestionable. As a scientist, Einstein did not follow a particular religion or ritual in the daily life as Mahatma Gandhi did. Einstein, nevertheless, acknowledged the existence of a mysterious spiritual power that governs the universe.
It was his fascination towards the spiritual values that led Einstein to find in Mahatma Gandhi a symbol worthy of admiration and emulation. That is why he considered Mahatma Gandhi as "the only truly great political figure of our age". Einstein's biographer has recorded that he kept in his study room in the United States only two portraits – one of Mahatma Gandhi and the other of Dr. Schweitzer, a German musician. For Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi represented the highest example of human relations in the political sphere to which all human beings should aspire. Einstein was, however, aware of the fact that the political and moral standards set by Mahatma Gandhi were very high and not easy to follow. At one occasion he stated that for future generations it will be hard to believe that a great leader like Mahatma Gandhi in flesh and blood ever walked on the earth.
http://www.svtr.org/english/Einstein_and_Gandhi.htm
Albert Einstein on Indian Mahatma
- Taken on the whole, I would believe that Gandhi's views were the most enlightened of all the political men of our time. We should strive to do things in his spirit: not to use violence for fighting for our cause, but by non-participation of anything you believe is evil.
- Albert Einstein, in a United Nations radio interview recorded in Einstein's study, Princeton, New Jersey, (1950)
- Generations to come, it may well be, will scarce believe that such a man as this one ever in flesh and blood walked upon this Earth.
- Albert Einstein, statement on the occasion of Gandhi's 70th birthday (1939); Einstein archive 32-601, published in Out of My Later Years (1950).
- Variant: Generations to come, it may be, will scarcely believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.
- Everyone concerned in the better future of mankind must be deeply moved by the tragic death of Mahatma Gandhi. He died as the victim of his own principles, the principle of nonviolence. He died because in time of disorder and general irritation in his country, he refused armed protection for himself. It was his unshakable belief that the use of force is an evil in itself, that therefore it must be avoided by those who are striving for supreme justice to his belief. With his belief in his heart and mind, he has led a great nation on to its liberation. He has demonstrated that a powerful human following can be assembled not only through the cunning game of the usual political manoeuvres and trickeries but through the cogent example of morally superior conduct of life.
The admiration for Mahatma Gandhi in all countries of the world rests on recognition, mostly sub-conscious, recognition of the fact that in our time of utter moral decadence, he was the only statesman to stand for a higher level of human relationship in political sphere. This level we must, with all our forces, attempt to reach. We must learn the difficult lesson that an endurable future of humanity will be possible only if, also in international relations, decisions are based on law and justice and not on self-righteous power, as they have been upto now. - Albert Einstein, as quoted in Mahatma Gandhi and the U.S.A. (1949) by Pasupuleti Gopala Krishnayya, p. 399
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi
