BROOKINGS — “He was a peoples’ man, a man of the masses, a common man. In India, we call them the villagers. Gandhi communicated with them.” 

That was the succinct description of Mohandas K. Gandhi (aka “Mahatma,” meaning great-souled or venerable), by M.P. Mathai, a Gandhian scholar from India, visiting Brookings and a guest of the Rev. Carl Kline, a retired minister. And accompanying Mathai and a guest of Kline is Fernando Ferrara, from Mexico, a devout follower of and admirer of Gandhi. The two men are in Brookings for a few days after two weeks in Brazil teaching and training others in Gandhian nonviolence.

At 7 p.m. Friday in the Crest Room of the South Dakota State University Student Union, Mathai and Ferrara will deliver “a message from Gandhi for troubling times — and for good times, also.” The presentation is free and open to the public. 

Kline noted that Mathai will be the primary presenter. He will be introduced by Ferrara, whom Mathai referenced as “a capitalist in rehabilitation,” who may tell his story on Friday.

“Two very simple things to say,” was Mathai’s take on Gandhi’s message: “To make truth and non-violence the center of their lives. They must base all their activities on these two principles.

“These two principles are what hold life together. If you want to live together in peace and harmony, there is no other way. For Gandhi, non-violence was nothing but love, care and service.”

But, as Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, what is truth? “We’ve been grappling with this problem: defining truth and explaining truth to people. It’s probably the most difficult term in philosophy,” Mathai explained. Gandhi was well-versed in the story of Jesus and his sayings. And Gandhi’s what-is-truth answer: “Truth is what that small, little voice within me tells me. And that was the voice of his conscience,” Mathai added. “And the voice of his conscience was that he was nothing. But the voice of God which dwells in all human beings … is the voice of conscience. If you choose this in such a way, you will be able to listen to this, hear this and understand this.”

In voicing other Gandhian views, he explained: “Truth is not something coming from a higher power than truth. Truth is the highest power; and truth dwells in everyone. Because it Is not different from the higher power. It’s a question of recognizing it, accepting it, and trying to live by it.”

The above ideas will be further addressed at Friday’s gathering.