Shri Acharya Vinoba Bhave


About Me:

  • Name:

    Shri Acharya Vinoba Bhave

  • Category:

    Distinguished Alumni

  • Award:

    Ramon Magsaysay Award (1958), Bharat Ratna Posthumously (1983).

  • Area:

    Indian Advocate Of Nonviolence and Human Rights, National Teacher of India, Eminent Philosopher.

Details:

Biography : He is Best Known For The Bhoodan Movement. He Is Considered as a National Teacher of India and The Spiritual Successor Of Mahatma Gandhi. He was an Eminent Philosopher. The Gita has also been Translated into Marathi Language By Him With The Name as Geetai Means Mother Geeta.

A Report in the Newspapers about Gandhi's Speech At The Newly Founded Benaras Hindu University Attracted Bhave's Attention. In 1918, on his way to Bombay to appear for The Intermediate Examination, Bhave threw his School and College Certificates Into a Fire. Bhave took the Decision after reading the Piece of writing in the Newspaper Written By Mahatma Gandhi. He Wrote a Letter to Gandhi and after an Exchange of Letters, Gandhi Advised Bhave to Come for a Personal Meeting at Kochrab Ashram in Ahmedabad. Bhave Met Gandhi on 7 June 1916 and Subsequently Abandoned His Studies. Bhave Participated With Keen Interest in The Activities At Gandhi's Ashram, Like Teaching, Studying, Spinning and Improving The Life Of The Community. His Involvement With Gandhi's Constructive Programmes Related To Khadi, Village Industries, New Education (Nai Talim), Sanitation and Hygiene also kept on Increasing.

He was associated with Mahatma Gandhi in The Indian Independence Movement. He Stayed For Some Time at Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram in a Cottage that was named after him, 'Vinoba Kutir'. He gave talks on Bhagvad Gita in Marathi to his Fellow Ashramites.

These Highly Inspiring Talks were later Published as The Book "Talks On The Gita", And it has Been Translated Into Many languages Both In India And Elsewhere. Bhave Felt that the Source of these talks was Something From Above And He believed that Its Influence would endure even if his Other Works were Forgotten.

In 1940 He Was Chosen By Gandhi To Be The First Individual Satyagrahi (An Individual Standing Up For Truth Instead Of A Collective Action) Against The British Rule. It Is Said That Gandhi Envied And Respected Bhave's Celibacy, A Vow He Made In His Adolescence, In Fitting With His Belief In The Brahmacharya Principle. Bhave Also Participated In The Quit India Movement.

Vinoba Bhave Was A Scholar, Thinker, And Writer Who Produced Numerous Books. He Was A Translator Who Made Sanskrit Texts Accessible To The Common Man. He Was Also An Orator And Linguist Who Had An Excellent Command Of Several Languages (Marathi, Kannada, Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, English, and Sanskrit). Bhave Was An Innovative Social Reformer. He Called "Kannada" Script The "Queen Of World Scripts" (Vishwa Lipigala Raani)[Citation Needed] He Wrote Brief Introductions To, And Criticisms Of, Several Religious And Philosophical Works Like The Bhagavad Gita, Works Of Adi Shankaracharya, The Bible And The Quran. His Views Of Dnyaneshwar's Poetry And Works By Other Marathi Saints Is Quite Brilliant And A Testimony To The Breadth Of His Intellect.

Bhave Had Translated The Bhagavad Gita Into Marathi. He Was Deeply Influenced By The Gita And Attempted To Imbibe Its Teachings Into His Life, Often Stating That "The Gita Is My Life's Breath".

On 18 April 1951, Bhave Started His Land Donation Movement At Pochampally Of Nalgonda District Telangana, The Bhoodan Movement. He Took Donated Land From Land Owner Indians And Gave It Away To The Poor And Landless, For Them To Cultivate. Then After 1954, He Started To Ask For Donations Of Whole Villages In A Programme He Called Gramdan. He Got More Than 1000 Villages By Way Of Donation. Out Of These, He Obtained 175 Donated Villages In Tamil Nadu Alone. Noted Gandhian and Atheist Lavanam Was The Interpreter For Bhave During His Land Reform Movement In Andhra Pradesh And Parts Of Orissa.