A Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Oct. 2, 1869–Jan. 30, 1948)

In the wake of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday on October 2nd, we wanted to take a moment to appreciate the contributions of this legendary spiritual, religious, and political leader. Gandhi’s enduring message of peaceful transformation is truly universal, resonating beyond cultural barriers, profoundly affecting the way our world is being defined today. Undoubtedly, Gandhi will continue to be an inspirational figure for countless individuals for many years to come. We were so inspired, in fact, that we felt compelled to highlight these books in celebration of his life:

The Way to God
Selected Writings from Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi became famous as the leader of the Indian independence movement, but he called himself “a man of God disguised as a politician.” The Way to God demonstrates his lasting significance as a spiritual leader whose ideas offer insight and solace to seekers of every practice and persuasion. Collecting many of his most significant writings, this book explores the deep religious roots of Gandhi’s worldly accomplishments and reveals—in his own words—his intellectual, moral, and spiritual approaches to the divine.

First published in India in 1971, the book is based on Gandhi’s lifetime experiments with truth and reveals the heart of his teachings. Gandhi’s aphoristic power, his ability to sum up complex ideas in a few authoritative strokes, shines through these pages. Gandhi’s guiding principles of selflessness, humility, service, active yet nonviolent resistance, and vegetarianism make his writings as timely today as when these writings first appeared.

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The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi
By Mahatma Gandhi, Edited by John Strohmeier

The Bhagavad Gita, also called The Song of the Lord, is a 700-line section of a much longer Sanskrit war epic, the Mahabharata, about the legendary conflict between two branches of an Indian ruling family. Framed as a conversation between Krishna, an incarnation of the god Vishnu, and a general of one of the armies, the Gita is written in powerful poetic language meant to be chanted. One of the world’s most influential, widely read spiritual books, it is equally treasured as a guide to action, a devotional scripture, a philosophical text, and inspirational reading.

The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi is based on talks given by Gandhi between February and November 1926 at the Satyagraha Ashram in Ahmedabad, India. During this time—a period when Gandhi had withdrawn from mass political activity—he devoted much of his time and energy to translating the Gita from Sanskrit into his native Gujarati. As a result, he met with his followers almost daily, after morning prayer sessions, to discuss the Gita’s contents and meaning as it unfolded before him. This book is the transcription of those daily sessions.

In the spirit of exploration, what does Mahatma Gandhi mean to you? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

CLICK HERE to learn more about The Way to God.

CLICK HERE to learn more about The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi.