Thursday, 2 October 2025

MAHATMA GANDHI

 

MAHATMA GANDHI     

            Mahatma Gandhi’s full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was born at Porbandar in the Indian state of Gujarat on 2nd October 1869 and was assassinated in New Delhi on 30 January 1948.

            His main achievement in political life was India’s liberation from the British rule through non-violent means. It was on 15 August 1947 that the British rule came to an end and Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of free India.

           

            Mahatma Gandhi  is also known as the Father of the Nation in India due to his pivotal role in the independence movement against the British rule, “advocating for truth, non-violence and social justice.”

 

            Given below are his selected  thoughts on God, truth, non-violence, brotherhood of man, and war.

 

1.There is only one God for us all, whether we find Him through Quran, Bible, Zend Avesta, Talmud or Gita,  and He is the God of Truth and Love. -----Young India, Nov.24, 1921.

 

2. Truth has no form. Therefore, everyone will form such an idea or image of Truth as appeals to him, and there will be as many images of Truth as there are men. ----The Diary of Mahadev Desai: P.120.

 

3. Non-Violence is the greatest and the activest force in the world. It is a force which is more positive than electricity and more powerful than even ether. At the centre of non-violence is force which is self-acting. ---Harijan: March 14, 1936.

 

4. Brotherhood of Man. When we talk of brotherhood of man, stop there and feel that all other life is there for man to exploit for his own purposes. But Hinduism excludes all exploitation. There is no limit whatsoever to the measure of sacrifice that one may make in order to realize this oneness with all life. ----Harijan : Dec.26, 1936.

5. War. I personally would not purchase my own country’s freedom by violence, even if such a thing were a possibility. My faith in the wise  saying , that what is gained by the sword will also be lost by the sword, is imperishable. ---Harijan : September 2, 1939.

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Main source:  The Encyclopaedia of Gandhian Thoughts

 

G,R.Kanwal

2nd October 2025.

 

 

 

 

                   

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