Page 1 of 8
European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 01
January 2019
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 497
Gandhian Concept of Truth and Non-Violence
SANJEEV MOGA
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Political Science
S.D. (PG) College, Panipat
ABSTRACT
The idea of truth and non-violence is at the core Mahatma Gandhi’s political thought. Gandhiji
the father of nation is properly known as “Bapu” was a great supporter of truth and nonviolence.
“Truth” or “Satya” and “Ahimsa” or “Non-Violence” are the foundations of Gandhian
philosophy. But he himself confesses that non-violence or ‘ahimsa’ was not his inborn virtue. He
simply states: “In the journey searching for truth I find ahimsa. I have only retrieved it, never
discovered a new.” Actually truth and ahimsa are closely integrated with his philosophy of life.
He used to believe that ahimsa lies within the truth and similarly truth is in ahimsa. Once he
thought that God is truth but later he observed that truth is God. So, he named his struggle
‘Satyagraha’. The Satyagrahi will be the worshipper of non-violence which will be his life and
duty. This paper is an attempt to analyse the relevance and utility of Gandhian Principle of truth
and Non-Violence at present world.
Key Words: Gandhi, Truth, Non-violence, Peace, Philosophy, Challenges.
INTRODUCTION
Truth and Non-violence are generally considered to be the two key ingredients of Gandhian
thought. It is possible to pursue one without the other. It is thus possible to pursue truth without
being nonviolent. Nations go to war believing truth is on their side, or that they are on the side of
truth. The more sensitive among those who believe truth is on their side insisting not that there
should be no war but that it should be a just war. The most sensitive – the pacifists among them- avoid violence altogether but it could be argued that in doing so they have gone too far and
abandoned truth, especially when interpreted as justice. Even Mahatma Gandhi argued that
Page 2 of 8
European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 01
January 2019
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 498
although he was opposed to war, the two parties engaging in it may not stand on the same plane:
the cause of one side could be more just than the other, so that even a nonviolent person might
wish to extend his or her moral support to one side rather than to the other.
Gandhi was a great supporter of Truth and Non-violence. He had a great importance to the
concept of Truth and Non-Violence. Truth or Satya, Ahimsa or Non-Violence are foundation of
Gandhi’s philosophy. The word ‘Non-violence’ is a translation of the Sanskrit term ‘Ahimsa’.
He stated that in its positive form, ’Ahimsa’ means ‘The largest love, the greatest charity’.
According to Gandhi the word ‘Satya’ comes from the word ‘Sat’ which means ‘to exist’. So by
the term ‘Satya’ Gandhi also means that which is not only existent but also true. Gandhi said that
Truth and Non-Violence are the two sides of a same coin, or rather a smooth unstamped metallic
disc. Who can say, which is the obverse, and which the reverse? Ahimsa is the means; Truth is
the end. Gandhi identifies Truth with God. According to many philosophers God is the highest
reality. At the same time Gandhi says that there is nothing besides Truth. So both Truth and God
stands for the highest reality or the ultimate reality. And hence the two can be identified. He said
that there is no person in earth who can deny Truth. God can be denied because the atheist does
not believe in God. But the atheist cannot deny the power of Truth. Hence God is identified with
truth.
According to Gandhi, Truth and Non-Violence constitute the Kernel of Gandhi’s philosophy. He
said that Truth stands for ‘reality’. By Truth, according to Gandhi, we do not mean the character
of proposition which is either true or false. Gandhi sometimes described Truth as existence,
consciousness and bliss (sat, cit, and ananda).At first Gandhi used to say God is Truth. But later
on him converted Truth is God. Therefore, according to Gandhi Truth is God and ‘Satyagraha’ is
‘agraha’ of and thus, it means holding fast to truth. Gandhi explained the term ‘Satyagraha’ from
various viewpoints. Satyagraha is not a weapon of the weak, the coward, the unarmed and the
helpless. It is a weapon of the morally vigilant and the active. Satyagraha is not the traditional
resistance of evil by evil. It is a resistance of evil by its opposite, i.e., by good. Satyagraha is
essentially based on love. In fact, according to Gandhi, Satyagraha appears to be as a religious
pursuit. It rests on a religious belief that there is one God behind everything and being, and as
such the same God resides in every one of us. Gandhi also feels that a belief in rebirth is almost a
Page 3 of 8
European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 01
January 2019
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 499
pre-condition of Satyagraha. Satyagraha demands selfless and sincere pursuit of Truth without
having any consideration of any advantage or gain, But, one will be able ‘to walk on such a sharp
‘razor’s edge’ only if he somehow believes that he will get the fruits of his good work, if not in
this life, in subsequent life. Gandhi says, ‘with the knowledge that the soul survives the body, he
(the Satyagraha) is not impatient to see the triumph of in the present body.’’
Gandhi demonstrated acts of truth and non-violence in South Africa. The non-violent protest of
Gandhi got huge popularity. It was here that he cultivated in him the idea of „Satyagraha‟, which
he was to put into practice afterwards, both in South Africa and India. In South Africa, Gandhi ji
endeavored hard to secure for the colored people, including Indians who were domiciled there,
equal rights with the White People. In this context he had to court imprisonment several times.
After arriving India, Mahatma Gandhi joined the Indian National congress, which was at that
time more or less a social institution. He made Congress an organization, which was to play its
vital role in the winning of the country’s independence. Before he joined the Congress and took
its reins in his hands, it was predominantly an organization of the Upper Middle Class people.
Mahatma Gandhi changed it into a mass-organization, in which the peasants began to take an
active part. He firmly believed that freedom can be achieved in a peaceful manner. He wanted all
his followers to always maintain truth and integrity. The principles of Ahimsa was practiced in
all of the independence movements launched by Mahatma Gandhi .According to Gandhi, to
move fearlessly into the dreadful jaws of violence is called non-violence. Thus, in Gandhi’s
concept of non-violence there was no place for timidity or cowardice. He considered violence to
be preferable to cowardice. While commenting on this matter in his article entitled „The
Doctrine of the Sword‟, he says that, given a choice between cowardice and violence, he would
prefer violence. But he firmly believed that non-violence was certainly superior to violence and
forgiveness was far manlier than punishment.
The Gandhian concept of Non-Violence is dharma in action, and truth translated. It is not a static
code of morality ready for adoption. It evolves and is in essence ‘creativity morality’, in the
language of Bergson. Non-Violence is a dynamic and creative concept centred on truth. Truth,
the supreme Gandhian value, is the consummation of all that is spiritual in man. He regards
violence as an evil in itself. He does not consider it to be neutral. According to Gandhi ‘Ahimsa
