Mahatma Gandhi: Freedom is our goal

Gandhi’s ideals of Truth and Non-Violence are as relevant as ever. Let us dedicate ourselves to the path shown by him to maintain peace and harmony in the world today.

Gandhi's principles

Truth

Gandhi dedicated his life to the wider purpose of discovering truth, or Satya. He tried to achieve this by learning from his own mistakes and conducting experiments on himself. He called his autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth.

Nonviolence

Gandhi explains his philosophy and way of life in his autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth. He was quoted as saying:

"What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?"

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

"There are many causes that I am prepared to die for but no causes that I am prepared to kill for."

Vegetarianism

Before leaving for his studies in London, Gandhi made a promise to his mother that he would abstain from eating meat, taking alcohol, and engaging in promiscuity. He held fast to his promise and gained more than a diet: he gained a basis for his life-long philosophies. As Gandhi grew into adulthood, he became a strict vegetarian.

Brahmacharya

For Gandhi, Brahmacharya meant "control of the senses in thought, word and deed."Gandhi saw Brahmacharya as a means of becoming close with God and as a primary foundation for self realization.

Simplicity

Gandhi earnestly believed that a person involved in social service should lead a simple life. Gandhi spent one day of each week in silence. He believed that abstaining from speaking brought him inner peace
For three and a half years, from the age of 37, Gandhi refused to read newspapers, claiming that the tumultuous state of world affairs caused him more confusion than his own inner unrest.
Faith

Gandhi was born a Hindu and practiced Hinduism all his life, deriving most of his principles from Hinduism. As a common Hindu, he believed all religions to be equal, and rejected all efforts to convert him to a different faith.

Later in his life when he was asked whether he was a Hindu, he replied:
"Yes I am. I am also a Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist and a Jew."

“ Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives, and there is darkness everywhere, and I do not quite know what to tell you or how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that; nevertheless, we will not see him again, as we have seen him for these many years, we will not run to him for advice or seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not only for me, but for millions and millions in this country. ”
—Jawaharlal Nehru, address to Gandhi