Date: 2nd September 2024
Today afternoon, we were in Dongri preparing for a new initiative on Gandhi ji’s life at the Children’s Home, called Gandhi Abhiyan. While we were planning for this initiative, I received a message that Arun Dada passed away a few minutes back. Arun Dada was an elderly saintly person, who spent many years serving alongside Vinoba Bhave, the “spiritual successor” of Gandhi ji. His life was a collection of extremely inspiring stories of ‘being the change’. He was a true embodiment of Gandhian values and principles like satya (truth), ahimsa (non-violence), simplicity, compassion, equanimity, etc. He transformed the lives of many people in visible and invisible ways, through his mere being. In his lifetime of 90+ years, he has never sold his labor – he has never put a price tag on anything that he has done.
Here is a short introduction of Arun Dada that I read somewhere:
If Arun Dada had to be described in one line, I would say this: “An 86-year-old Gandhian who has never sold his labor in his entire life.”
To pull that off, let alone as a husband and father of two children, requires *tremendous* virtue. It implies that you have served incessantly, trusted in selfless relationships over self-maximizing transactions and waited equanimously until someone’s cup of gratitude overflows. And that is precisely what Arun Dada has done. For his whole life. Since his early twenties, he served alongside his mentor Vinoba Bhave. He nonviolently resisted oppression in courageous ways, walked through hundreds of villages to uplift grassroots communities, and supported countless projects whose ripples still continue today.
Most of the reputed leaders of his generation looked to him for advice, and yet, perhaps the most telling sign about Arun Dada is that none of us have heard of him. He serves invisibly. If you don’t ask him, you won’t ever know how he has profoundly transformed lives, how one of his heroes is a man convicted of murder, how he has memorized thousands of sacred songs that he sings as an “offering to the divine”.
Back in 2019, I had the privilege of meeting him for the first time, at the Vinoba Ashram in Baroda. In my very first meeting, I was drawn to his simplicity, wisdom and humility. His voice was gentle and compassionate. There was an immediate sense of comfort being in his presence, despite knowing his stature and background. Since then, I have been very fortunate to have met him multiple times and engage in conversations.
In the last couple of years, his health had deteriorated and he was bedridden for over a year. Despite his condition and pain, his equanimity was unshakable and he would always have a smile on his face. During this time as well, I was able to meet him on multiple occasions and be in his presence. I feel extremely grateful to have known such a saintly person and have received his blessings.
We dedicate the upcoming initiative on Gandhi ji that we are planning for the children at the Dongri Observation Home, to Arun Dada and the values he stood for. This Gandhi Abhiyan is a year-long plan where we hope to introduce the principles and the life of Gandhi ji to the children at Dongri through various activities, programs, movies, wall paintings, decorations, and other means. Our hope is to throw light on these eternal, timeless values and bring out its relevance in today’s times. We hope to bring about a transformation in our own lives first, and be pioneers of change.
May all the merits and goodness generated from this initiative spread to all beings across all dimensions. We dedicate the merits to Arun Dada and his life. We send our Maitri to Arun Dada, wherever he is. May he continue to be a lighthouse to all beings. May he come out of all his sufferings and be awakened. 🙏🏻
