Page 109 - Acharya Vinoba Bhave in 21st Century ISBN

21oha “krkCnh esa vkpk;Z fouksck Hkkos dh izklafxdrk

2. All capabilities of every individual should be surrendered to society. Society shouldgive to
individuals opportunities for development.

3. All services rendered sincerely and in accordance with one’s capacity should have the same
moral, social and economic value. 3

Bhoodan and Gramdan have their foundation in this philosophy.
As is well known, Bhoodan began on 18 April 1951 at Pochampalli in Telangana when a

landlord named Ramchandra Reddy offered 100 acres of land to the landless Dalits inresponse to an
appeal by Vinoba, who was moving on foot in the region ravaged by Communist insurgency. Vinoba

took this as an opportunity to try non-violent solution of a pressing problem, which could serve as a
springboard for setting in the process for the creation of a peaceful and non-violent society. Starting

from September 1951, Vinoba then moved all over the country for thirteen years on foot, traversing
around 65,000 km and reaching even tiny hamlets in remote and inaccessible regions. Most of the

states in the country made laws to legalise and facilitate land-gifts and distribution of gifted lands.
Vinoba asked for land not as charity but as duty, acknowledging the right of the landlessover

land. Proclaiming that land, like air, water and sunshine, cannot be the private property of anyone and
should therefore be available to all, Vinoba challenged the very basis of landownership: to claim ownership

over land was sacrilegious, it was a sin. “The Gita has called them demons (asuras) who claim ownership
over what rightfully belongs to the Lord.” 4

Right from the beginning, Vinoba insisted that Bhoodan was not for the solution of aneconomic
problem of the day only; that was only instrumental, what was being sought was total transformation in

individual and societal life. It not only had deep philosophical basis but also immense potentialities. As
he asserted, “This is really a work of the establishment of true religion. So far, many attempts had been
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made in this regard, but a true religion is yet to be established.” and “I do not want to confine religion
to monasteries or temples, nor limit it to a few who have achieved steadfast wisdom. I want to bring it

in the society. - - - I want distribution of land, distribution of wealth and distribution of religion also.” 6
He therefore called Bhoodan ‘Dharma-chakra-pravartan’—setting the wheel of righteousness in

motion, just as Lord Buddha had done centuries ago.Wheel of righteousness should be set in motion:
that being the aim, the extent to whichlives got transformed, the extent to which the good in society got

organised, increase in the number of selfless workers—these factors were more important to Vinoba
than the figure of land-collection.

C. Rajagopalachari understood this. At a land-distribution function, he said, “None ever expected
before that such a thing could happen in this Kaliyug (era of darkness). - - - I do not know what punya

(merit) I have done to enjoy this scene before me.- - - On deep analysis, I find that the objective of this
Bhoodan movement is the revival of dharma in men, which they have now forgotten.” 7

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