Authenticity of Kartarpuri Bir - Global Sikh Studies

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be of little help to him in stopping the holocaust. The situation
became so frustrating for the Mahatma that he even thought
of committing suicide so that if he could do nothing to stop
the destruction, he would at least not live to see the misery
caused by it. 57 The two occasions when he had to discard Ahimsa
as a tool are quite well known, namely, when he agreed to the
Congress accepting the responsibility of the war effort, and,
again, when in 1947, he had no objection to the entry of Indian
forces in Kashmir for its defence. Another great pacifist too
had to take a contrasted stand when faced with a crucial issue.
During the First World War Bertrand Russel opposed the idea
of war and violence to the point of being arrested in pursuance
of his pacifist beliefs. But later, after the Second World War,
Russel himself suggested an attack against Soviet Russia before
it became a major Atomic power and a threat or menace to the
entire world. 58
For the Guru reason and force are two tools available
to man for moral work and progress in the socio-political field.
For, without the use of both these means it is impossible to
bring about any social change. In fact, a high sense of reason
or discrimination is the chief faculty that distinguishes man
from other animals. We have seen that the Gurus clearly
indicate reason to be a good instrument of religious progress.
“By the use of discrimination of intellect one serves God. By
discrimination one is honoured. By intellect and study one
understands things,” 59 “It is the sense of discrimination that
makes one charitable. This is the right way, rest is all wrong.” 60
“Man, is blessed with the light of reason and discrimination,” 61
“One in fear of God and discriminating between good and
bad, appear sweet to God.” 62 Yet, in man’s history, or civilisation
human reason or intellect has also been used as the greatest
instrument of oppression and destruction. Atomic arsenals are
the production of the acutest intellects among men. Human