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Leading A Spiritual Life

and bloodshed. This kind of negative result is also a
signal. You have to rethink your plan and understand
that your method was wrong. You have to recognize the
truth of the well-known Gandhian saying, ‘The end
does not justify the means.’
There is a historical example of this principle. In
1920, the Indian National Congress under Mahatma
Gandhi’s leadership launched the Non-Cooperation
Movement. It was understood that the satyagrahis
would remain peaceful. In 1922, however, a mob of
protestors became furious and killed some policemen
in Chauri Chaura. Fearing a slide into violence and
anarchy, Gandhiji immediately called for the struggle to
be suspended.

Everyone is free to act according to his plan, with
the only condition that one’s activities will not result
in a new problem. Problem-free activities are good, but
problem-ful activities are equally bad.

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