THIRUKURAL 828 : ON ENEMIES

Thirukkural on Enemies

39 years old Nathuram Godse went to Birla Palace in Delhi pretending to attend the prayer meeting held by Gandhiji. The security personnel were liberal because it was a prayer meeting. Godse sneaked inside. He belonged a group which did not agree with Gandhi's soft policy towards muslims.

At 6:10 pm, Friday Jan 30, 1948 Gandhiji was walking towards the prayer gathering. Godse went three steps forward holding a pistol in his folded hands (as if he was greeting) and shot him thrice. Gandhiji fell dead uttering the name of God.

At that time, I (M.S.Vincent) was seven years old (1948), my memories of that day is still green. We were living near Bangalore. At around 6:30 pm, my elder brother came running from the market shouting " Gandhiji is shot dead". There was commotion every where, people gathered around radio receivers to hear the news.

My family is a freedom fighters'  family, my maternal uncle and brothers were involved in the freedom  movement. The impact of Gandhiji's assassination was felt more in our house, ladies started crying, Gandhiji's photo was kept on a table and men started chanting Gandhiji's favorite bhajan " Raghupathi Raghava Rajaram". Children were made to kneel down in front of Gandhiji's photo and pray. All the children were weeping.


In fact the whole Nation wept. It was the darkest day in the history our Nation.

Based on the radio news and next day paper news, people were talking that Gandhiji was shot dead by Godse by using a piston hidden in his folded hands.

Thiruvalluvar in his kural 828 warns that enemies would hide the weapon in their folded hands and come forward as if they are greeting and harm their targets. Even their tears are dangerous because their tears are only to gain sympathy. In case of the assassination of Gandhiji exactly it had happened. 

Essence of Kural 828:

"Even the folded hands of enemies might conceal a weapon, also their tears should not be trusted because it is not real, it is only to gain the sympathy"

In Tamil kural 828:

தொழுத கையுள்ளும் படை ஒடுங்கும் ஒன்னார்

அழுத கண்ணீரும் அனைத்து

தொழுத கையுள்ளும் = folded hands 
படை ஒடுங்கும் = hide a weapon

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   For the use of  students -

  Punishment for Godse 

Godse was arrested immediately, he did not resist.

During the trial, he expressed the causes for assassinating Gandhiji.

According to him,  Gandhiji agreed for partition of the country which resulted in mass killing of Hindus in Pakistan.

Godse said, Gandhiji's spiritual power and his doctrine of non -violence crumbled before Jinah's iron will. 

Gandhiji had sacrificed the Hindus interest to satisfy muslims. 

Godse justified his reasons for killing Gandhiji.

He said in the court,

" I do say that my shots were fired at the person whose policy and action had

 brought rack and ruin and destruction to millions of Hindus "

....I do not desire any mercy to be shown to me... I did fire shots at

Gandhiji in open daylight. I did not make any attempt to run away "

Godse and  team were afraid that in the name of Hindu- Muslim unity Gandhiji would bring disasters to the Hindu society. 

This misunderstanding was instrumental for the conspiracy. 

Gandhiji's high  motives to unite Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs were not properly understood by them. 

Gandhiji's last fasting was started on 13th Jan 1948 for Hindu Muslim unity. At the ripen age of 78 he started the fasting as a last weapon to stop Hindu- Muslim riots in Bengal. But Godse said that the motive of  fast upto death by Gandhiji is not really for the unity but to compel the Indian Government to give  Rs 55 crores to Pakistan  , the Indian government which refused  give at the beginning, agreed to give to meet Gandhiji's demand .  The fact is, as per the agreement signed before  the partition, India should pay 55 crores to Pakistan. Nehru and Patel thought that this money would be used by Pakistan to buy weapon, so they refused. But Gandhiji said refusing to give  is breach of trust and demanded to pay off the amount. Godse and team had not understood  the noble principles of Gandhiji. They thought Gandhiji is favouring Pakistan in every thing. This was also one of the reasons for killing Gandhiji.

Since Godse himself had agreed in the trial court that he had shot at Gandhiji and killed him, Court sentenced  Godse to death on Nov. 8th, 1949.

He was hanged at Ambala jail on Nov.15th, 1949 along with the co- conspirator Narayan Apte. Conspiracy to kill Gandhiji was the brain child of Narayan Apte.  

Godse wanted that his ashes should be preserved till India and Pakistan reunite and then dissolved in the river Sindu.

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