MY EXPERIMENTS WITH

TRUTH
 The Story of My Experiments with Truth

What?
– Autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi
– Written in Gujarati
– Covers his life till 1920

Why?
– Motivated by the insistence of Swami Anand and other coworkers of Gandhi
– In order to explain the background of his public campaigns

When?
– Written in around 4-5 years, completed in 1925
 A Point of Departure: What is truth?

What is the nature of truth?

– Is it true that there is extraterrestrial life?
– What does it mean to say that it is true that there is extraterrestrial life?

Musings
– Is truth what is? Is it relative, absolute or something else?
– The relationship between truth, knowledge and wisdom
– What virtues spring from truth?
– Is truth the sovereign principle? Is love? Are they the same?
– Realization of truth – realization of what really matters – seeing God
The origins of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
The Gandhis belonged to Bania community, a vaishya caste (merchant class).

Uttamchand was Dewan of the Porbandar State

 He had four sons by his first wife and two by his
second wife

 Karamchand was a member of

Rajasthanik Court
 He became Prime Minister in
Rajkot and Vankaner
 He married four times, having
lost each wife by death

 Mohandas was born on the

2nd October 1869 in Porbandar
His mother Putlibai was the last
wife of Mohandas’ father
He had two stepsisters,
one sister and two brothers
 The childhood: family context and education
• Karamchad,
Karamchad Mohan’s father
– had little education but had shrewdness of judgment and practical knowledge
acquainted through experience.
 he had not the inclination to accumulate wealth and left little property for his children.
 “My father was a lover of clan, trustful, brave and generous. […] He was incorruptive
and had earned a name for strict impartiality in his family as well outside. […]”

• Putlibai, Mohan’s mother

– had no education but was well informed about practical matters and ladies at palace used
to value her advise
– was deeply religious: she used to visit Vaishnav temple daily accompanied by Mohan
and regularly kept difficult vows .
• Mohan
– at primary school was a mediocre student and read little
besides the text books
– was shy and avoided any company
– “I had learnt to carry out the orders of the elders , not to scan
their actions”
– remained deeply impressed by plays about Shravana and
Harishchandra → they taught him to be truthful at any cost and
to serve his parents with devotion
The premature marriage
“ It’s my painful duty to have to record here my
marriage at the age of thirteen”

• Mohan married Kasturbai,

Kasturbai thirteen years:
she was illiterate but strong-willed
• He was married along with his brother and
cousin for the sake of economy and convenience
• In spite of all, “everything on that day seemed
to be right and proper and pleasing”

• Mohan was a jealous and restraining husband: during the early period of marriage,
Kasturbai couldn’t go anywhere without his permission
• These severities were all based on inexperience, immaturity and, above all, love →
“My passion was entirely centered on one woman, and I wanted it to be reciprocated.
[…] I was passionately fond of her”
• He wanted his marriage to be free from carnal appetite
• His own experience later made him a strong critic of child-marriages → “ I can see no
moral argument in support of such a preposterously early marriage”
 The high school period
• Mohan joined High School at Rajkot
– he was liked by the teachers
– he never had a bad certificate, rather he won some prizes
– shyness continued to be preponderant
– he neglected physical training and handwriting → only
in adulthood he will understand their relevance in the education
– since he lost one year because of the marriage, he attended
two years’ studies in one year with some difficulties
• The teens’ transgressions
– the “bad” friendship with Sheikh Mehtab as a tragedy in Mohan’s young life → Mohan
failed in the attempt to reform the boy
– Mehtab induced him to meat-eating, but after some trials he stopped eating it→ his devoti
to his parents and his love for truth were the most important principles
– Mehtab once sent him to a brothel, but God’s grace saved him
– The bad friend induced Mohan to smoking and this once led to stealing.
He confessed his guilt to his father, who didn’t rebuke him → lesson of nonviolence
• Father’s death
– died when Mohan was sixteen
– Mohan had nursed him daily with love
– at the time he was with his wife, who was expecting a baby → he always felt ashamed
for this lapse
 Gandhi in England
• After the matriculation examination in 1887, the choice of the college
– the family friend Joshji proposed to Mohan to study law in England
– Mohan made up his mind and overcame resistance from the family
members; he didn’t matter of the opinion of his caste
– before the departure in September 1888, he took the vow not to
touch wine, meat and women

• The first impact in England

– Mohan was sky and diffident
– He could not speak English fluently and was ignorant of British manners
– loneliness and homesickness gripped him, during the first period

• Mohan tries to play the English Gentleman to become fit for the British Elite Society
– He got very expensive and fashion clothes and learnt to wear the tie
– He became very careful about his appearance
– He joined a dancing class, started learning to play violin and engaged a tutor to give him
lessons of elocution
– After three months his conscience awakened him: he realized he should concentrate on
his studies and not waste his brother’s money
 Gandhi in England (cont’d)
• The choice to be vegetarian
– “ My faith in vegetarianism grew on me from day to day”
– the difficult search for veg restaurants
– He purchased Salt’s book “ Plea for vegetarianism”: his conviction
became stronger
– He joined the Vegetarian Society: he became member of Society ‘s
Executive Committee and contributed articles to the Society’s paper
– Mohan started a vegetarian club and became its secretary → useful
experience to give him some training in conducting institutions
– Experiments about diet became a long-life passion for him
• Studies of religion
– “I took mental note of the fact that I should read more religious books and acquaint myself
with all the principal religions”
– He read for the first time Gita, in English translation
– He also read Edwin Arnold’s “The light of Asia”, Blavatsky’s “Key to Theosophy” and the
Bible
– The principles of renunciation and nonviolence appealed to him greatly
• Gandhi becomes barrister
– He was called to the bar in June 1891 after easy examinations
– Despite the fact he had studied the laws, he didn’t learn how to practice law in the real cases
– Besides, he did not learn anything of Indian law → need to fill up this ignorance
Ray chand bhai- Friend, Philisopher and
Guide

 Poet Raychand or Raja chandra- a man of great character and

learning
 Wide knowledge of scriptures, spotless character, burning passion
for self-realization
 A connoisseur of diamonds and pearls, but the centre of his passion
was to see God face to face.
 Absorbed in Godly pursuit in the midst of business.
 Refuge in the moments of spiritual crisis
 Great deal of truth in the doctrine that true knowledge is impossible
without a guru
Back in India
 South Africa
Offer to take up a big case in South Africa for Dada Abdulla
& Co
Arrival at Durban, port of Natal
Meeting Abdulla Sheth
Refused to take off turban in the court
Indians in Natal
 Musalman merchants- “Arabs”, Hindu , Parsi clerks- shared social
relations
 Largest class Tamil, Telugu and North Indian Indentured and freed
labourers (girmityas)- further divided into Hindus, Musalmans and
Christians
 Had business relations with other three classes
 Englishmen called them “ Coolies” or “Sami”

Gandhi known as “coolie barrister”

On the way to Pretoria
Thrown out of first class compartment at Maritzburg, capital
of Natal
A Thought on Duty
 “Should I fight for my rights or go back to India or should I go in
Pretoria without minding the insults, and return to India after
finishing the case?”
 “the hardships to which I was subjected was superficial- only a
symptom of the deep disease of color prejudice. I should try, if
possible, to root out the disease and suffer hardships in the process.”
Stay in Pretoria
Christian contacts
Read lots of christian literature
“I do not seek redemption from the consequences of my
sin. I seek to be redeemed from sin itself, or rather from
the very thought of sin. Until I have attained that end , I
shall be content to be restless”
“My difficulties were with regard to the Bible and its
accepted interpretation”
Stay in Pretoria.. Cont’d
 Seeking touch with Indians
Sheth Tyeb Haji Khan Muhammed had in pretoria the same
position as was enjoyed by Dada Abdulla in Natal
Intention to get in touch with every Indian in Pretoria
 First step: call a meeting of all the indians in Pretoria and to present
to them a picture of their condition in the Transvaal
 Attended by Meman merchants and few Hindus
 “Business they say is a very practical affair, and truth a matter of
religion is quite another.
 “Pure truth a matter of religion, and they argue that practical affairs
are one thing, while religion is quite another.”
 “ Pure truth , they hold, is out of the question in business, one can
speak it only so far as is suitable.””
 “For Indians the responsibility of being truthful was all the greater in
a foreign land, because the conduct of a few Indians was the measure
of that of the millions of their fellow-countrymen”
Stay in Pretoria.. Cont’d
First meeting- a success!
Formation of an association
 To make representation to the authorities concerned in respect of
the hardships of the Indian settlers
Gandhi, now well known in Pretoria
Stay in Pretoria
Exposed Gandhi to make a deep study of the social,
economic and political conditions of the Indians in the
Transvaal and the Orange free state
 What is it to be called “coolie”
Indians deprived of their rights in Orange Free State by a
special law enacted in 1888
 All Indians had to pay a poll tax of £ 3 as entry fee in Transvaal
 Allowed to work only as waiters or for menial jobs
 Traders were driven away with nominal compensation
 Not to walk on footpaths and not to move out of doors after 9pm
Gandhi kicked off the footpath by a guard
 This deepened his feeling for the Indian settlers
Made an intimate study of the hard condition of the
Indian settlers, not only by reading and hearing about
it but by personal experience.
Map of South Africa (1885)
Lessons from Pretoria
Stay at Pretoria one of the most valuable experiences
 Opportunities of learning public work and acquired some measure
of his capacity for it
 “It was the religious force within me became a living force and
here too I acquired a true knowledge of legal practice”
 Also gained confidence as a lawyer
 “facts mean truth, and once we adhere to truth, the law comes to
our aid naturally”
 Learnt the true practice of law
 Learnt to find out the better side of human nature and to enter
men’s heart
 “The lesson was indelibly burnt into me ”
 Man proposes, God disposes

Religious ferment
Christian friends incited the religious quest in Gandhi- books,
experiences and introspections
The Indian franchise bill
 Bill before the house of legislature to deprive Indians of their rights to
elect members of the Natal Legislative Assembly
No fees for public service
Stayed back in Natal for one more month
 “God laid foundations of my life in SA had sowed the seed of
the fight for national self-respect”
Settled in Natal
Sheth Haji Muhammad Haji Dada foremost leader of Indian
community in Natal (1893)
“In face of calamity that overtaken the community , all distinctions
such as high and low, small and great, master and servant, Hindus,
Musalmans, Parsis, Christian,Gujaratis, Madrasis, Sindhis were
forgotten. All were the children and servants of the motherland”
In spite of a good fight the Indian franchise bill was passed.
The agitation infused life into the community
 It was one and indivisible.
 Duty to fight for political and trading rights
Natal Indian Congress

 Came into being on 22nd May, 1895

 Learnt at the outset, not to carry on public work with borrowed
money.
 Can rely people’s promises in most matters except in matters of money
 Learnt principles that never have more money at one’s disposal than
necessary
 In public work minor expenses at times absorbed large amounts
 Carefully kept accounts are a sine que non for any organizations
 Feature of congress- service of colonial born educated Indians
 Another feature- Propoganda
 Balasundaram
 Heart’s earnest and pure desire is always fulfilled
 Always a mystery – how can men feel themselves honored by the
humiliation of fellow beings
 Took off turban at Supreme court, which he refused to take off
at District court
 Applicabilty of the principle of looking at a thing from a different
standpoint in different circmstances
 “All through my life, the very insistence on truth has taught me to
appreciate the beauty of compromise”
 The £ 3 tax
 1894, Natal Govt. sought to impose an annual tax of £25 on indentured
Indians.
 Truth triumphed in the end. The sufferings of the Indians were the
expression of truth. It would not have succeeded without unflinching
faith, great patience and incessant effort
Comparative study of religions

Desire for self-realization led Gandhi to the service of

community
 “I found myself in search of god and striving for self realization”
Influence of christian friends increased his appetite for
knowledge
 There were fundamental differences, which proved helpful since
there was tolerance, charity and truth. “Friendship kept alive in my
interest in religion”
 “The study stimulated my self-introspection and fostered in me the
habit of putting into practice whatever appealed to me in my studies”
 Intensive study of Tolstoy’s works
 I was confirmed in my opinion that religion and morality are
synonymous”
As a householder

Lessons learnt from having blind faith in companion

 “In harbouring him I had chosen a bad means for a good end”-
in spite of knowing his bad character I had blind faith in him
 “My intentions were pure, and so I was saved in spite of my
mistakes… This experience thoroughly forewarned me for the
future.”
 “Howsoever you may repair it , a rift is a rift”
Homeward
In 1896, after three years in SA, returns to India
Hands over charge of congress and educational society to
Adamji Miyakhan
In India
Publishing in the pioneer- Leading to lynching in SA
Pamphlet on happenings in SA –”The Green Pamphlet”
Cleanliness drive
 “The authors of the Smritis, as I knew… have laid the greatest emphasis
on cleanliness both inward and outwards”
Two passions
Loyalty and aptitude for nursing
“Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the
server nor the served”
“ As my concept for ahimsa went on maturing, I became
more vigilant about my thought and speech.”
Amassed support for movement in SA.
Wanted help of people of every shade of opinion.
 Pherozeshah, Lokmanya Tilak, Gokhale
 “Sir Pherozeshah had seemed like the Himalaya, the Lokmanya like
the ocean, But Gokhale was as the Ganges”
 “What barrier is there that love cannot break?”
Freedom from exaggeration
Devotion for truth
“We win justice quicker by rendering justice to the other
party”
Part III
 Rumblings of the storm
“We feel all the freer and lighter having cast off the tinsel of
civilization”
All become one in the face of danger. They forget their
differences and begin to think of one and only God. With the
disappearance of danger disappeared also the name of God
from their lips
 The storm
 Ship was quarantined for 23 days at Durban
 The test
 Lynched on arrival at the port of Natal: Durban
 “it is idle to adjudicate upon the right and wrong on incidents that
have already happened. It is useful to understand them and if possible,
to learn a lesson from them for the future”
 “Judging a man from his outward act is no more than a doubtful
inference, in as much as it is not based on sufficient data”
The calm after the storm

Refusal to prosecute the assailants produced a profound

impression on the Europeans
 Lynching proved to a blessing!
Functioning of a public institution
“It is not good to run public institutions on permanent funds.It
carried in itself the seed of the moral fall of the institution.”
“A public institution means an institution conducted with the
approval, and from the funds of the public”
 “The ideal for a Public institution is to live, like nature, from
day to day”
 Brahmacharya
Faithfulness to wife is part
of the love of truth.
Brahmacharya vow
influenced by Raychand
Bhai
 Devotion of a servant was a
thousand times more
praiseworthy than that of a
wife to her husband
“If I wanted to devote
myself to the service of the
community… I must
relinquish the desire for
children and wealth and live
the life of a vanaprastha”
Took the vow in 1906
 Did not share his thoughts
with his wife, only consulted
her at the time of taking the
vow.
“Before the vow I had been
open to being overcome by
temptation at any
moment.Now the vow is a
sure shield against
temptation”
“I grew upon my
experience…in
brahmacharya lies the
protection of the body, the
mind and the soul”
 Brahmacharya
For a Brahmachari
 Ideal food is fresh fruits and nuts
 Fasting is essential… it is useful when mind co-operates with a
starving body, it cultivates a distaste for the objects that are denied to
the body
 “Mind is the root cause of all sensuality”
 Control of the senses in thought, word and deed
 Thought should be under complete control of the will
The existence of God within makes control of the mind
possible
Highest effort is necessary to attain the highest goals
 The Boer war
 Gandhi offered his services freely
during the Anglo-Boer War of
1899.
 Formed an Indian Volunteer
Ambulance Corps of 1100 men,
 Traders and Professionals
 Saw to the needs of the sick and
wounded
 Awarded War Medal
 Indian community became better
organized
 “Human nature shows itself at its
best during trials”
 “Public worker should not accept
any costly gifts”
1901 Congress Session
Untouchability was prevalent
Unhygienic conditions at the camps
Working of the Congress was unproductive and
ineffective
His resolution was passed at the fag-end of the session
without anyone reading it
Gandhi had to finish his speech in five minutes but due
to miscommunication of protocol he stopped after only
3 minutes
Lord Curzon’s Darbar
Rajas and Maharajas usually wore fine bengali dhotis
and shirts
But in Lord Curzon’s Darbar they put on trousers and
turbans befitting to khansamas
This was highly demeaning for the kings
“I discovered that these were insignia not of their
royalty but of their slavery”
The condition was similar for Rajas and Maharajas in
other parts of India as well.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale
“To see Gokhale at work was as much joy as
education”
Extremely hardworking and truthful man
Concerned about India’s poverty and subjection
Had immense respect for Justice Ranade
Religion
Debated with Kalicharan Banerjee on Bhakti Marga
Original Sin – Surrendering to Jesus vs. Bhakti Marga
Disturbed by the animal sacrifice at the Kali Temple
Also met people from Brahmo Samaj, Sister Nivedita
Paid a flying visit to Burma and was “pained by the
lethargy of the foongis”
Travel across India
Decided to make a tour through India travelling third
class
Journey from Calcutta to Rajkot
Comfort level of third class in India far worse than in
England or South Africa
Reasons – Indifference of Railway authorities and
filthy habit of Indians
In Benaras
Darshan at Kashi Vishvanath temple
Pained by the filth and noise at a place of worship
“Where one expected an atmosphere of meditation and
communion it was conspicuous by absence”
“I searched here for God but failed to find him”
Faith on its trial
Son Manilal faced an acute attack of smallpox
Doctor advised a diet of eggs and chiken but Gandhi
refused
“If the boy had grown up I would have tried to ascertain
his wishes and respected them”
“Religion, as I understand it, does not permit me to use
meat or eggs for me even on occasions like this”
Started hydropathic treatment
Manilal responded to the treatment and his temperature
reduced after a few days
Moved to South Africa a few days later
‘Loves Labor's Lost’
Chamberlain cold-shoulders Indian Deputation at
Natal.

The special department for Asiatics.

Gandhiji uses his influence with the Durban SP to

enter the Transvaal.
Autocrats From Asia
The Asiatic department is not easily defeated.

Tyeb Sheth defends Gandhiji’s role.

 Department does not relent; Gandhiji denied

permission to wait on Chamberlain.
Pocketed The Insult
Gandhiji pacifies agitated Deputation; George Godfrey
to lead now.

Chamberlain justifies exclusion.

Community taunts Gandhiji; Gandhiji defends war

effort.

Gandhiji decides to stay back in the Transvaal.

Gets enrolled in the Transvaal Supreme Court.

Quickened Spirit Of Sacrifice
Gandhiji admits to a desire to secure his future.

The Life Policy.

Gandhiji starts questioning his motives: faith in God

and issue of self reliance.

Influence of Theosophy in company of Mr. Ritch, his

merchant friend.
Result Of Introspection
The Seekers’ Club and Sanskrit Texts.

Two verses a day of the Gita.

The Gita becomes a reference for the conduct of daily

life.

The ideal of non-possession.

The consequence: a drifting-apart of brothers.

 A Sacrifice To Vegetarianism
The vegetarian restaurant in Jo’Berg.

Gandhiji lends trust-money, loses the amount and makes

good the loss out of his own finances.

And gets a sound advice from a friend.

Experiments In Earth And Water Treatment
Headaches and constipation.

The ‘No Breakfast Association’ in Manchester.

Earth and Water Treatment.

Gandhiji gives a caveat.

A Warning
On A Guide To Health.

Gandhiji recommends sunbaked fruits and nuts; says milk

is unnecessary.

Recall Kheda illness when his theory failed him; admits

that milk has unequalled for people with a weak digestion.

“Restraint of the sexual and other passions becomes easy

for a man who lives on such a diet”
A Tussle With Power
Gandhiji complains against the Asiatic department’s
antics; meets with a sympathetic police Commissioner.

Gets two officers arrested and cashiered.

However, without any personal malice.

“Man and his deed are two different things”

A Sacred Recollection And Penance
Gandhiji declares never having known discrimination
in his heart.

Has a big fight with his wife; attempts to turn her out;
ends up red-faced.

Admits that they were by no means an ideal couple.

Again admits to Lust and Jealousy on his part.

Intimate European Contracts
 On his conception of God .

 On the questionable nature of autobiographies.

 “ I am not writing the autobiography to please critics.
Writing it is itself one of the experiments with truth. One of
its objects is certainly to provide some comfort and food for
reflection for my co-workers”

 Gandhiji recalls receiving two Englishmen at his house and

problems to his wife as a result.
European Contacts (contd.)
Need for hands at the office.

Mrs. Dick
• “Before long she became more a daughter or a sister to me than a
mere steno typist”

• Ms. Schlesin
• “She is one of the few women I have been privileged to come across,
with a character as clear as crystal and courage that would shame a
warrior”
‘Indian Opinion’
Gandhiji assumes editorial position at the Indian
Opinion.

Gave whatever financial support he could.

“ Indeed, the journal became for me a training in

self-restraint… There was very little to which the
critic could object…I realized that the sole aim of a
journalist should be service…An uncontrolled pen
serves but to destroy”
Coolie Locations Or Ghettoes?
 Discrimination has been a part of all cultures.

 On the word ‘coolie’.

 On Indian ghettoes in Jo’Berg.

 On the Municipality and the Indians.

 Became legal advisor to many of them.

 “I became more their brother than a mere legal advisor,

and shared in all their private and public sorrows and
hardships”
The Black Plague-1
Pneumonic plague in the locality.

Gandhiji leads a heroic rescue mission.

Praises the role of Srgt. Madandas, Dr. William

Godfrey and others.

“It is my faith, based on experience, that if one’s

heart is pure, calamity brings in its train, men and
measures to fight it”
The black Plague-2

 Twenty patients die inspite of brandy treatment . Gandhiji saves two

with his earth treatment.

 “…the experience enhanced my faith in the earth treatment as also my

skepticism of the efficacy of Brandy… I know that neither this faith nor
this skepticism is based upon any solid grounds…”

 Criticizes the Municipality in the press.

 Asks Mr. West to take charge of the Indian Opinion press in Durban.
Location In Flames
Different treatment of the whites by the Municipality
in the Plague issue.

Gandhiji became banker to the Indian people and

helped them deposit their savings.

Municipality burned down the locality without any

inclination to save any thing.
The Magic Spell Of A Book
 Meets Mr. Polak at the vegetarian Restaurant.

 Gets Mr. West’s alarming report about the finances at Durban.

 “I now realize that a public worker should not make statements

of which he has not made sure”

 Off to Natal.

 Polak gives him Ruskin’s Unto This Last.

 “I believe that I discovered some of my deepest convictions

reflected in this great book of Ruskin and that is why it so
captured me and so transformed my life”
The Phoenix Settlement
Inspired by the idea of labour in Ruskin’s book,wishes
to move Indian Opinion to a farm.

Sergt. Madandas calls the plan foolish.

West and others support the move.

Phoenix farm set up in 1994 near Durban.

First issue of Indian Opinion taken out from Phoenix

soon.
The First Night
The engine fails.

A wheel as a fall back options comes to the rescue.

Gandhiji easily manages to secure labour of carpenters.

Everybody works all night to get the paper out in time.

“Those were, to my mind, the days of highest moral

uplift for Phoenix”
Polak Takes The Plunge
No thatched mud- huts; Corrugated iron used.

Everyone has to learn type-setting. Maganlal Gandhi

becomes an expert.

Polak leaves The Critic joins Phoenix farm to develop

it.

 Persuaded by Gandhiji to join office at Jo’ Berg as an

Attorney.
Whom God Protects
Gandhiji decides to bring her wife and the children.

Cures his son Ramdas’ broken arm with earth

treatment.

Invites Polak to stay with him.

Persuades Polak to get married.

Same with Mr. West.

A Peep Into The Household
Tendency towards simplicity and manual work.

Prepare bread at home.

Cleaning the closet personally.

Sacrifice of childrens’ education.

Polak opposed his views favouring the vernacular over

English
The Zulu ‘Rebellion’
The Indian Ambulance Corps.

No signs of a real Zulu resistance.

“ At any rate, my heart was with the Zulus…”

“…I am thankful that we had God’s work to do…”

Heart Searchings
 Pondered seriously over Brahmacharya.

 Service of humanity not possible without it.

 Discharged from duty.

 After discussions, took the vow of brahmacharya for life.

 “For me the observance of even bodily brahmacharya has

been full of difficulties”
The Birth Of Satyagraha

Prize offered in Indian Opinion.

Maganlal Gandhi coins ‘Sadagraha’ and wins the

prize.
More Experiments In Dietetics
Importance of fasting and restriction increase.

Fasts on Ekadashi and Religious occasions

Fruit diet.

Started giving up on quantity as well as types of food

Items.

Aimed at attaining a “…symphony with nature”

Kasturbai’s Courage

Wife suffers a haemorrhage.

Refuses to give in to the doctor’s decision to take beef

tea.

Against the doctor’s opposition, they leave for

Phoenix.
Domestic Satyagraha
Another Haemorrhage.

Refuses to give up salt and pulses against Gandhiji’s

insistence.

He himself gives them up for a year.

She has to consent. Recovers quickly.

“… and I added somewhat to my reputation as a

quack”
Towards Self-Restraint
Meets Mr. Kallenbach at Mr. Khan’s.

Curiosity about religious matters leads to friendship.

Pledge to give up milk and go on a pure fruit diet.

“A mind consciously unclean cannot be cleansed by

fasting”
Fasting
Complete fasting on Ekadashis.

Started observing pradosha in the month of shravan.

Persuaded Muslims to observe Ramzan fast.

And in general encouraged self-denial at Tolstoy

farms.
As School Master
As Farm grew, need for education recognized.

Financial constraints.

Gandhiji’s lack of faith in the existing education

system.

Character building, classes, physical work and

vocational training( shoe making, carpentry and
cooking)
Literary Training
Three periods to literary education.

English, Hindi, Tamil, Gujrati and Urdu along with

some Sanskrit were taught.

Elementary history, geography and arithmetic.

Gandhiji taught Tamil and Urdu.

Training Of The Spirit
Spiritual training possible only if the teacher sets the
example.

Gandhiji uses the ruler and still repents it.

Did not ever again resort to corporal punishment.

Tares Among The Wheat
Mr. Kallenbach protests against Gandhiji letting
his sons mix with unruly boys.

Gandhiji says it is his duty to look after the unruly

boys and he would not like his sons to feel superior
to the other boys.

“I do not consider my sons were any the worse for

the experiment”
Fasting As Penance
Moral lapses of inmates as his own failures.

Fast for a week and then for fourteen days as a

penance.

“… some occasions do call for this drastic remedy”

Drinking lots of water and taking Ramanama.

To Meet Gokhale
Sailed for England on Gokhale’s instructions in 1914,
after the satyagraha is concluded.

A comfortable third class.

The binocular incident with Kallenbach.

Outbreak of the war.

My Part In The War
Volunteered for Ambulance Work.
Other Indians opposed it.
But Gandhiji did not at that time consider Indians to be
slaves of the British.
Gets to meet Smt. Sarojini Naidu.
A Spiritual Dilemma
Polak questioned about consistency of contribution
with stand on ahimsa.

On Ahimsa.

Defends his participation as a matter of duty.

“ The question is subtle. It admits of differences of

opinion…”
Miniature Satyagraha
High-handedness of the Commanding Officer.

Gandhiji represents the grievances of the Corps

regarding the section commanders.

A meeting and a Resolution.

Division and Persuasion.

Making the best of a bad job.

Gokhale’s Charity

Gokhale puts pressure on Gandhiji to give up his

dietectic experiments.

Gandhiji resists the pressure gently but firmly.

Treatment Of Pleurisy
Dr. Allison advises him to give up al fats for some
days.

Oil massage, walks in the open, fresh air etc.

In anticipation of the approaching severe cold,

Gandhiji is advised to leave England for home.

He consents.
Homeward
Mr. Kallanbach refused passport by Government of
India; so Gandhiji has to travel without him.

Health improved by the day.

Noticed the lack of informal conversation between the

English and Indian passengers.
Some Reminiscences Of The Bar
Never resorted to untruth in the profession.

Wished to win only if the client was right.

Fees not conditional on outcome.

Clients kept their clean cases for him.

Went against a senior counsel to persuade their client

to admit a mistake in court.
45. Sharp Practice?
A judge suggests sharp practice.

Gandhiji objects and goes on to convince the judges of

the inadvertent nature of the mistake.

Jugdes refuse to cancel the award.

46. Clients Turned Co-Workers
Devotion to truth enhanced his reputation.

Did not hide his ignorance.

Would recommend some other counsel for the client.

Gained unbounded affection and trust of his clients.

Hundreds of them became his friends and co-workers

in public life.
How A Client Was Saved
Parsi Rustomji’s case.

Gandhiji arranged for a settlement out of court by

persuading the Customs Officer and the Attorney
General.

“I brought to bear on this case all my powers of

persuasion”
Part V
 “The First Experience” on returning to India
o Party at Mr. Jehangir Petit’s place – “I did not dare to speak in Gujarati. In
those palatial surroundings of dazzling splendour I, who had lived my best
life among indentured labourers, felt myself a complete rustic”
o Guajrati Function – spoke in Gujarati
 “…entering my humble protest against use of English in a Gujarati gathering”
 “…nobody seemed to misunderstand my insistence… everyone seemed reconciled to my
protest.”
 “The meeting emboldened me to think that I should not find it difficult to place my new-
fangled notions before my countrymen.”

 Met with Lord Willingdon, the Governor of Bombay, en route to Poona

 Meeting with Gokhale and the Servants of India Society at Poona
o Gokhale offered funds for Ashram Gandhi wanted to build in Gujarat
o Ideological differences with members of SIS. Gandhi did not join
Part V Contd…
 Dressing style in South Africa and when landing in Bomaby
 Viramgam Customs Hardships and the Advent of Satyagraha in India
o “…Satyagraha, on the other hand, is an absolutely non-violent weapon. I
regard it as my duty to explain its practice and its limitations. I have no
doubt that the British Government is a powerful Government, but I have no
doubt also that Satyagraha is a soverign remedy.”
 Inhuman treatment of 3rd class passengers
o How it should be fought, according to Gandhi
o Burdwan to Poona via Mogalsarai train journey
 Experiments at Shantiniketan
o The Tagore-Gandhi Controversy
 1915: Gokhale’s died– Gandhi lost his mentor
 Generous hospitality at Calcutta and Rangoon
 1915: The Kumbha Mela Experience… Took another vow
“They [The vows] have subjected me to a severe test, but … they have also
served as my shield. I am of the opinion that they have added a few years
to my life and saved me from many an illness”
Part V Contd…
 Refused to wear the sacred thread but decided to regrow the shikha–
o “So long as there are different religions, everyone of them may need some outward
distinctive symbol. But when that symbol is made into a fetish and an instrument of
proving the superiority of one’s religion over others, it is fit only to be discarded.”
o “As for the shikha, cowardice having been the reason for discarding it, … I decided
to regrow it.”
 Criticized the Lakshman Jhula – the metal suspension bridge in
Hrishikesh and condemned the handing over of its keys to the Govt.
 Decision to found the Ashram in Ahmedabad – the Satyagraha Ashram
o The code of rules and observances, and his views on Humility
 Admitting a family of untouchables into the Ashram
 31st July 1917: Abolition of Indentured Emigration
 Early 1917: Went to Champaran with Rajkumar Shukla
 The thinkathia system and ill-treatment of tenants
 Gandhi reached a conclusion that going to law courts was not going to
help. It was more important to drive the fear out of the ryots’ minds.
 Asked to leave Champaran, and upon refusal, was issued court
summons
 Decision to keep “Congress” and its name out of this movement
Part V Contd…
 “… in this meeting with the peasants I was face to face with God, Ahimsa
and Truth… When I come to examine my title to this realization, I find
nothing but my love for the people. And this in turn is nothing but an
expression of my unshakable faith in Ahimsa”
 “According to the law, I was to be on my trial, but truly speaking the
Government was to be in its trial. The Commissioner only succeeded in
trapping Government in the net which he had spread for me.”
 Pleaded guilty in the Court Trial. However the judgment was postponed, and
before the next hearing, the case was withdrawn
 Wrote letters to the Press not to hype the matter
 “… even where the end might be political, but where the cause was non-
political, one damaged it by giving it a political aspect and helped it by
keeping it within its non-political limits.”
 Funding the work at Champaran; taking statements in front of CID
 Gandhi felt the need for village education, set up primary schools in 6
villages
 Also dealt with the issue of cleanliness. Requested SIS for help
Part V Contd…
 Volunteers gained confidence of the Village folk through schools,
sanitation work and medical relief
 Sir Edward Gait appointed an official committee to investigate the
peasants’ grievances, with Gandhi as its member at his own terms
 Committee recommendations were in favor of the farmers, who got
refunds from planters. Agrarian Act passed, tinkathia system abolished
 Organized mill-hands’ strike in Ahmedabad on the following conditions:
o Never to resort to violence
o Never to molest blacklegs (strikebreakers)
o Never to depend upon alms, and
o To remain firm, no matter how long the strike continued, and to earn bread during
the strike by any other honest labor
 The workers showed signs of flagging. This hurt Gandhi, and he
declared a fast, until a settlement was reached
 This melted the mill-owners who were also Gandhi’s friends, settlement
reached within 3 days of fasting
 Plague in Kochrab and Shifting of the Ashram to a site opposite
Sabarmati Jail
Part V Contd…
 The Kheda Satyagraha to suspend the land revenue in famine struck Kheda
 Mohanlal Pandya – The Onion Thief
 Unexpected Ending – If the well-to-do paid, the others exempted
 Though it led to awakening of peasants, Gandhi not satisfied with the
ending –
o “The end of a Satyagraha campaign can be described as worthy, only when it
leaves the Satyagrahis stronger and more spirited than they are in the
beginning”
 “It would be on the question of Hindu-Muslim unity that my ahimsa would
be put to its severest test”
 Efforts for the release of Ali brothers and support to the Khilafat Movement
 Decision to participate in the War Conference
o Objections by Charles Dinabandhu Andrews
o Chelmsford’s arguments
 First to speak in Hindi at a Viceregal meeting, supporting the resolution
Part V Contd…
 Letter to the Viceroy putting forth the demands in return for support in war:
o Home rule
o No Financial Assistance
o Any Organized tyranny would be resisted
o Demands w.r.t. the Mohammedan States
 On a recruitment campaign for war in the face of opposition and disinterest
o “Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the Act
depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest. If we want the Arms Act to be
repealed, if we want to learn the use of arms, here is a golden opportunity. If the middle-
classes render voluntary help to Govt in the hour of its trial, distrust will disappear and
the ban on processing arms will be withdrawn.”
 Attack of Dysentry, Near Death’s Door
o Refused to take medicines or injections (which he wrongly believed as some kind of serum)
o “I would take no medicine, but preferred to suffer the penalty for my folly”
o Treatment by “Ice Doctor” infused energy. Refused to take even “sterilized” eggs
o Agreed to take goat milk, adhering to the letter of the vow and sacrificing it spirit
because of the strong desire to live created by an intense eagerness to take up the
Satyagraha fight
Part V Contd…
 Dietic Ahimsa vs Truth
 Satyagraha to oppose Rowlatt Committee Recommendations
o Establishment of Satyagraha Sabha with Gandhi as its President
o Ideological differences with the other members about truth and ahimsa
 Rowlatt Bill was passed into a law
o April 6, 1919, a "hartal" was organized where Indians would suspend all
business and fast as a sign of their hatred for the legislation
 Denied entry into Punjab and brought to Bombay by Police
 Angry crowds dispersed by Police in front of Gandhi
 Argument with the commissioner Mr. Griffiths
o Allowed to address a meeting at Chaupati on what Satyagraha entailed
 Violence in Ahmedabad. Allowed to address a meeting at Sabarmati
Ashram.
o Appealed the guilty to confess their guilt
o Declared a fast for 3 days, appealed all to do the same to repent for the
wrongs they did by resorting to violence
Part V Contd…
 Appealed to government to condone the peoples’ crimes
 Neither people nor the government listened to his appeals
 Decided to suspend Satyagraha saddened by violence in Ahmedabad and
Punjab
 The “Himalayan Miscalculation”
o “Before a people could be fit for offering Civil Disobedience, they should
thoroughly understand its deeper implications.”
o Need for well-tried, pure-hearted volunteers who thoroughly understood the
strict conditions of Satyagraha, and who could guide the other people
 Punjab – lawless repression, Special tribunals to sentence innocent people
 About visiting Punjab – Dilemma: Civil Disobedience or not?
 Deportation of Mr. Horniman, Suspension of The Bombay Chronicle
 Young India converted to a biweekly, Gandhi took up its editorship
 Used Young India and Navajivan for propagating ideas about Satyagraha
 Printed both from Ahmedabad, importance of having a press of ones own
Part V Contd…
 Viceroy permitted visit to Punjab after October 17, 1919
o Received by a huge mass in Lahore
o Decided to boycott the Hunter Committee
o A parallel inquiry committee was appointed on behalf of Congress by Pandit
Malaviya, comprising Motilal Nehru, C.R.Das, Abbas Tyabji, M.R.Jayakar
and Gandhi. Gandhi was responsible for organizing the Committee
o Prepared a report on the atrocities committed in Punjab by the Government
 A Hindu-Muslim joint Conference at Delhi to discuss Khilafat
Movement
o The question of Cow protection was also to be discussed
o Gandhi emphasized that the support of Hindus in the Khilafat issue and the
Cow protection issue be kept totally separate; the latter was not discussed
o Gandhi’s argument to keep the Punjab and Khilafat issues separate
o Debate with Maulana Hasrat Mohani on the question of boycott of foreign
goods
o Spoke of “non-cooperation” first time – stop all cooperation with the
Government, return Government titles and honors, resign Government jobs
Part V Contd…
 The Amritsar Congress presided by Pdt. Motilal Nehru
o Release of most prisoners of the recent lawlessness in Punjab. Ali Brothers
released
o Gandhi wanted the King’s ‘reforms’ to be accepted while C.R.Das was against
it. Lokmanya Tilak was on C.R.Das’s side.
o The difficult situation of opposing the views of the senior leaders of the
Congress
o Efforts to reach a compromise, Jeramdas’s amendment accepted by all
o Marked the real entry of Gandhi into Congress Politics
 Lokmanya, C.R.Das, Motilal Nehru were pleased with Gandhi’s work
related to Punjab inquiry and had confidence in him
 Aptitude in collecting and managing funds – Jallianwala bagh memorial
 Aptitude as a draftsman – undertook framing of the Congress Constitution
o 3 member committee – Gandhi, Kelkar, I.B.Sen
o Never met, consulted through correspondence, submitted a report
 The birth of Khadi – “The object… was to be able to clothe ourselves
entirely in cloth manufactured by our own hands. We therefore forthwith
discarded the use of mill-woven cloth and … resolved to wear handwoven
cloth made from Indian yarn only.”
Part V Contd…
 “The wheel began merrily to hum in my room, and I may say without
exaggeration that its hum had no small share in restoring me to health.”
 Discussion with Maulana Abdul Bari and other Ulema, about whether
non-violence and non-cooperation were in line with Islam
 Moved non-cooperation resolution in the Khilafat conference and carried
 Moved non-cooperation resolution in the Gujarat Political Conference and
was declared carried, although from a subordinate organization
o Favored by Vallabhbhai and Abbas Tyabji
 Sept 1920: Special Session of Congress in Calcutta precided by Lala
Lajpat Rai
o Vocabulary in the process of formation – used the word ‘non-violent’ for the
first time in the drafted resolution
o Maulana Azad gave the urdu words ba-aman for ‘non-violent’ and tark-i-
mavalat for non-cooperation to bring the meaning to purely Muslim audiences
o Non-Cooperation should for the demand for Swaraj rather than for Khilafat or
Punjab wrongs – Vijayaraghavachari and Pdt Motilal – ‘Swaraj’ was
Incorporated
Part V Contd…
 Pdt Motilal was the first to join the movement. B.C.Das and Lalaji accepted
later in the Nagpur Congress
 Lokmaya’s death – “My strongest bulwark is gone.”
 Nagpur Session: Confirmed the resolutions adopted at Calcutta Special
Session
 Non Cooperation Resolution passed unanimously after some amendments
suggested by Lalaji (about boycott of schools) and by C.R.Das
 Resolution regarding the revision of the Congress Constitution was taken up
o The subjects committee passed the draft with one change – the number of
delegates increased from 1500 to 6000
o Gandhi’s reactions to the increase
o Objections to goal of the Congress as Swaraj within the British Empire if possible
and without if necessary. Jinnah and Malviya wanted it limited to former only, but
didn’t get votes
o Means for the attainment “Peaceful and Legitimate”. Some objections but passed
after discussions
 Resolutions about Hindu-Muslim unity, untouchability and khadi also passed
Part V Contd…
 Farewell
“…there is no other God than truth… the only means for the realization
of truth is Ahimsa.”
“After all, however sincere my strivings after Ahimsa may have been, they
have still been imperfect and inadequate.”
“To see the universal and all-pervading Spirit of Truth face to face one
must be able to love the meanest of creation as oneself. And a man who
aspires after that cannot afford to keep out of any field of life. That is
why my devotion to truth has drawn me into the field of politics”
“Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what
religion means”
“God can never be realized by one who is not pure at heart… purification
of oneself leads to purification of surroundings… to attain perfect
purity one has to become absolutely passion-free in thought, speech and
action”
Part V Contd…
“To conquer the subtle passions seems to me to be harder far than
the physical conquest of the world by the force of arms. Ever
since my return to India I have had experiences of the dormant
passions lying hidden within me. The knowledge of them has
made me feel humiliated though not defeated.”

“So long as man does not of his own free will put himself last
among his fellow creatures, there is no salvation for him. Ahimsa
is the farthest limit of humility.”
 Analysis of the protagonist
The Grain
 Truth
Self-disclosure, faithfulness in matters big and small
 Empathy
 Service
Prepared to go to any length
 Rigorous striving for Self-discipline, for perfection
 A journey in communion with God
 Humility to accept one’s mistakes
 Power of convincing others
 Forgiving nature
 Capaciousness of spirit
 Did not believe in the end justifying the means
 Hating the sin, not the sinner
 More Grain
 Devotion to parents
 Fast and humble learner
 Good communicator – communication of vision
 Identification with the lowliest

The Chaff
• Some of his experiments did impose a cost on others
• Interference between family life and public life

Personality
• Gandhiji and the Big Five Traits:
– Extroversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional
stability, Openness to experience
 Leadership Style
 Servant Leadership
 Gandhiji achieved results by giving priority importance to the needs of
his followers; he walked the path along with them
Aspects of a servant leader:
 Servant and not leader first (Robert Greenleaf)
 listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization,
foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of others and building
community
 a lifelong journey that includes discovery of one’s self, a desire to serve
others, and a commitment to lead
 emphasizes collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ethical use of power
 leading in order to better serve others, not to increase one’s own power
 Leadership Style (contd.)
 Transformational Leadership
 Was able to inspire his followers to adopt the new paradigm of
nonviolence
 Made himself one with the people
 Inspired people to change their mode of living and to fight for freedom
according to the principle of Ahimsa and civil disobedience
 Comparison I: with Sri Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa
 Mystic of 19th century India
 Considered an incarnation of God by
many of his disciples and devotees
 Worshipper of Goddess Kali

 Simple life
 Spiritual journey towards realization of
God through self-renunciation
 Experiments with multiple religions,
religious tolerance
 Ramakrishna Movement termed as a
revitalization movement of India
 Rejected caste distinctions and
religious prejudices
 Comparison II: with Jonathan Livingston
Seagull
 Eponymous protagonist of Richard
Bach’s creation
 Seized by a passion for flight
 Outcast
 Higher plane of existence
 Comes back to show the light to others
 His students then turn teachers

 Frustrated with materialism, aspiration

for a higher goal
 Relationship between Jonathan and his
teacher
 Importance of forgiveness
Thematic Reflections
 Ethics
 The principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an
individual or social group
 Dependent on individual, time and other variables (like
organizational setting)
 What if the abiding ethic does not advance the common good?
 Normative ethics
 Distinction between ethics and morality (???)
 How do we judge whether an action in the past was ethical or not?
 Can an ethical action be a folly?
Thematic Reflections (II)
 Gandhi, the father
 Gandhi, the husband
 Taking critical decisions on behalf of others
 Son being ill, abstinence from meat
 Comparison with the protagonist of Hindustani
 Shared value system
 When, if ever at all, is compromise a virtue?
 Is every belief worth dying for?
 A belief, by definition, might in actuality be untrue
 Or do we choose the lesser evil (eg: certain elections) ?
Thematic Reflections (III)
 The nature of belief
 Is every belief to be questioned?
 Is reason supreme? (Amartya Sen)
 Or is blind faith a must in order to realize truth?
 When does one change one’s beliefs?
 Belief in self – listening to the ‘inner voice’
 Does the end justify the means?
 Truth in thought, word and deed
 Business relevance
 Question 4
 Comparison with a Business Leader
 Wikipedia – An experiment with truth
 Wikipedia believes that the truth will finally
triumph
 Belief in the goodness of people at large
 Bringing knowledge to the masses
 Allegations that pages will be vandalised
 However, nature magazines study found that
Wikipedia entries have minimum errors
 Ethical Behavior – Copyrighted content is
constantly removed
 No ads on wiki – Works completely on
donations
Relevance of the book
 Be constantly in the quest for self-realization
As we learn to increase our patience and compassion, develop
our courage and authenticity, and focus on how we can best
contribute to others, we will be more far more effective and
successful professionally
 Treating each person with respect
Work to eliminate negative thoughts beliefs and judgments
 Who are we serving?
Are we offering our services to those in the community who most
need them?
 Be the change you want to see
Approach each situation as an opportunity for growth and
learning
 Experiment with your deepest values
Search for self-realization and search for truth
Thank You