Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Start your answer by briefly explaining morals.
• Discuss the moral lessons of Gandhi and Netaji Subash Chandra Bose.
• Conclude accordingly.

Introduction

Morality is derived from the root word 'mos' which means customs. Moral is concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior. Further, Morality lessons may play an important role in promoting valuable lifelong learnings.

Body

• Moral lessons to be learned from Mahatma Gandhi:
  • Mahatma Gandhi is universally accepted as an exemplary model of ethical and moral life, with a rare blending of personal and public life, the principles and practices, the immediate and the eternal. He considered life to be an integrated whole, growing from 'truth to truth' every day in moral and spiritual status.
  • He believed in a single standard of conduct founded on dharma of truth and nonviolence. He successfully led nonviolent struggles against racial discrimination, colonial rule, economic and social exploitation and moral degradation.
  • An outline of the basic ethical tenets of Gandhian leadership, proceeding from the eternal verities towards the more applied principles of conduct are given below:
    • Truth
    • Nonviolence
    • Right Means and Right Ends
    • Primacy of Duties over Right
    • The Deed, not the Doer
    • True Religion (Universality and Brotherhood)
    • Aparigraha or Non-possession (voluntary Poverty)
    • Yajna (Sacrifice and Service)
    • Satyagraha or Nonviolent Conflict Resolution.
• Moral lessons to be learned from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose:
  • Sacrifice: He abanded a life of ample wealth and stupendous comfort and dedicated his life to his nation and resorted to whatever means necessary to secure its freedom from British colonial rule.
  • Believe in cause: Netaji faced legal action, numerous arrests, and even exile for the sake of protecting his nation. No matter how much ridicule and animosity he would face from the other members of the Congress, Netaji had unwavering faith in his idea of Swaraj and was willing to sacrifice his life for the cause.

Conclusion

Both Mahatma Gandhi and Subash Chandra Bose remain the ultimate leaders, from whose life and thought there is so much that every one of us can learn and try to absorb in our lives.