Faith Theological Seminary

Philosophies and Social Theories for Christian Ethics

Topic: Indian Philosophical Traditions: Ambedkar and Gandhi.

Submitted by: Kodolo Koza

Submitted to: Dr. Sunny P.

Introduction

Ambedkar’s social philosophy emerged from his intense social urge and relentless
struggle for the emancipation of the servile classes of India the Shudras and the ‘untouchables’.
His philosophy was occupied with social amelioration, political enlightenment and spiritual
awakening. Infact his social philosophy may be said to have two aspects: the negative and the
positive. In his negative aspect he wanted to destroy the existing unjust social order by
denouncing and rejecting the irrational division of society into four Varnas or classes i.e., the
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, based on the principle of division of labour and
heredity. The positive aspect of his social philosophy was his concern for justice to the
‘untouchables’ in particular and the people of India in general.

Gandhi is figured as a fighter for India’s independence, an outstanding mass leader, social
reformer and so on. He fought for the ideals of non-violence and employed the techniques of
non-cooperation, civil disobedience, strikes, fasting, etc. against the British rulers in India. His
Philosophy stresses on better social integration, endless love for human beings which all have a
positive impact on mental health. Satya, satyagraha, ahimsa and sarvodhaya are the main
elements of Gandhi’s philosophy. This paper shall throw some light on Gandhiji’s life and his
philosophy.

The untouchable’s also called Dalits are rank outside the Hindu fold or out of the Indian
Caste System. In fact, Ambedkar wrote that in the scheme of Manu they are rank below
Shudras.1 In India, Dalits are considered the most oppressed as they are exploited economically,
socially, politically and culturally. Dalits are discriminated from any social rights which has
crippled and crushed them, dehumanizing from every sphere of society.2

1. Biological Sketch of Ambedkar.

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, fondly remember as Babasaheb, was a philosopher
and a social revolutionary. He was born in Mhow,Madhya Pradesh. He was the 14th child
of Ramji Sakal who was a Subedar (officer) in the British Indian Army. His family

1
A.Jammanna, “Dr.B.R.Ambedkar’sPhilosophy of Social Justice on Indian Society in Scholarly,” in Research
Journal for Interdisciplinary Research,Vol.4/37(Nov-Dec,2017):8740.
2
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.5 (New Delhi: Dr. Ambedkar
Foundation, 2014), 36-39.

1
 belonged to the Mahar community an ‘untouchable’ caste. In 1987, he became the only
‘untouchable’ to be enrolled in Bombay high school. In1907, he became the first
‘untouchable’ to enter an affiliated college of the University Bombay. In 1913, he gained
a Baroda state scholarship to study at Columbia University, New York.In1916, he moved
to London where he enrolled at the Barat Gray’s Inn and also at the London School of
Economics. He got PhD in 1917 from Columbia. In 1918, he became Professor of
political economy at the Sydenham College in Bombay. By 1923, he was called to the
Bar and had completed a Master degree in Economics (1921) and a D.Sc. in Economics
(1923). In 1923; he founded the Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha-an organization dedicating to
improve the welfare of outcasts.
In 1930, he became the president of the All-Depressed Class Association. In1936,
he formed an Indian Labour Party, which later on turned into All India Scheduled Castes
Federation. On 7th August, 1942, Ambedkar became the member of the Council for
Governor General. In his chairmanship, the Constitution of India was drafted. In 1949, he
took the charge of the law minister in the Government of India. In 1955, he formed
Bharatiya Buddha Mahasabha. In 1956, he died. Just before his death he converted to
Buddhism.3
2. Annihilation of Caste
In 1936, Ambedkar was invited by the Jat-Pat-Todak Mandal (Society for the
Abolition of Caste System), a social reformist organization of Lahore, to deliver the
presidential address of its annual conference on the topic of the caste system in India.
Ambedkar sent the manuscript of the speech entitled Annihilation of Caste. The
organizing committee found that some of his statements are against “Hinduism and its
shastras” and he was asked to remove certain section.4 But Ambedkar responded that “he
would not change a comma.”5 When the committee withdrew its invitation and cancelled
the programme, He published the essay under the title Annihilation of Caste.6 In this
essay, Ambedkar beautifully shows that all the social problems have come from the
Varna system.

2.1. Why Social Reform is Necessary for Political Reform/Economic Reform:

In Annihilation of Caste, in order to explain the logic of why social reform is
necessary for political reform, Ambedkar says that without social efficiency permanent
progress in the other fields of activity was not possible and Hindu society was not in a
state of efficiency as it is fragmented because of caste system. He believed that may be

3
http://ambedkarfoundaion.nic.in/profile-Drambedkar.pdf. Accessed on 18 December 2021.
4
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.1 (New Delhi: Dr. Ambedkar
Foundation, 2014), 30.
5
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.1, 30-34.
6
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.1, 28.

2
 the cause why the birth of Indian National Congress (INC) was accompanied by the
foundation of Social Conference.7
Further, he drew a dichotomy between social reform in the sense of reformation
of the Hindu Family and social reform in the sense of reorganization and reconstruction
of the Hindu Society. For him, reformation of the Hindu family cannot be considered as
social reformation. It restricted itself to widow remarriage, abolition of child marriage
etc. Social reform according to Ambedkar means reformation of the entire Hindu society,
relating to the eradication of the untouchability and Caste System. In the beginning,
Social Conference gave importance to radical change in a Hindu society. But later they
focused only on the high caste Hindu family; in fact the Social Conference turns out to be
a body of dominant caste only. For Ambedkar, that was the reason why Social Reform
Party lost.8
Ambedkar presented the socialists second type of critic of social reform, who
propound that “man (sic) is an economic creature, that his (sic) activities and aspiration
are bound by economic facts, that property is the only source of power.” Socialists gave
more importance to economic reform over political and social reform. He breaks the
socialist view by saying that an economic factor is not only the source of power. Social
status and religion itself are a source of power, because in India, caste gives social status
and those who wield this kind of power control the liberty of others.9 So he says that
social reform should even precede economic power in the Indian context. He added that
economic reform of the socialist cannot come true unless there is revolution resulting in
the seizure of power. And that seizure of power must be by aproletariat. According to
him “caste is the monster that crosses your path.” All kinds of reform whether political or
social reform cannot happen unless one kills this monster.10

2.2. Arya Samajists: Chaturvarnya

Ambedkar vehemently criticized a set of reformers who goes by the name Arya
Samajists, who were trying to propagate the Chaturvarnya. Arya Samajists considered the
Chaturvarnya as an ideal social organization and they divided the society into four
classes, labeling men (sic) into Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra instead of the
four thousand castes as we have in India. In order to make it attractive, the protagonists of
Chaturvarnya claimed that the division is not based on birth but based on guna or the
worth of a person.
He clearly rejects that argument and states that the division of caste is based on
birth, and it is not merely a division of labour but it is also a division of labourers.
Further, it is a hierarchy in which the divisions of labourers are graded, one above the
other. That means the labourers are not divided based on natural aptitudes, skills or

7
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.1, 39.
8
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.1, 41-42.
9
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.1, 44-45.
10
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.1, 47-48.

3
 capacities of a person but based on the social status of the parents.11 Because once an
Untouchable is always an Untouchable, Brahmin is always a Brahmin, and sweeper is
always as weeper. Under it, those who are born high, remain high, those who are born
low, remain low. In other words, the established order is based on an inexorable law of
karma or destiny which is fixed once for all and can never be change.12 He also views
that Caste System becomes a direct cause of much of the unemployment because it will
not permit readjustment of an occupation.13

2.3. How to Reform Hindu Social Order? How to Abolish Caste?

Ambedkar views that change of social system is necessary to achieve social
reform. One cannot build anything on the foundation of Caste System in India. Two
dominant views to abolish Caste System are ‘abolish of sub-caste’ and the ‘promotion of
interlining.’ But he rejects both these ideas, as it failed to kill the spirit of caste and the
consciousness of caste.
The real remedy according to Ambedkar is inter-caste marriage,14 because inter-
caste marriages are repugnant to the belief and dogmas of Hindu Shastras, therefore,
destruction of its sanctity are the proper way to destroy Caste System. He added that caste
is not a physical object, but a state of mind. People observe Caste System because they
are deeply religious. Therefore, the destruction of the sacredness and the authority of the
Shastras and the Vedas are the possible means to bring social reform.15
3. A Vindication of Caste by Mahatma Gandhi.
After reading the presidential address prepared by Ambedkar, Gandhi nicely
presented the objection in the following way; Firstly, Gandhi said that many of the texts
that Ambedkar quotes from the Smritis cannot be accepted as authentic. Secondly, to
understand the word of Hindu religion, one must spiritually experience it. Gandhi also
says that learned person are not the right person to interpret the Shastras, and the right
person to interpret them are only the saints and seers.16 Thirdly, Gandhi pointed out that
Ambedkar judged Hindu Religion in the light of its worst specimens but not by its best
ones. But it is not a proper way to understand any religion. A religion has to be judged
not by its worst specimens but by the best it might have produced.17

4. A Reply to the Mahatma by B.R. Ambedkar.

In response to Mahatma, Ambedkar produces a number of arguments against his
views; Firstly, in response to comment made by the Mahatma, ‘that the text cited by
Ambedkar are not authentic,’ Ambedkar says that the texts cited by him are all taken
11
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches,Vol.1, 47-48.
12
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: WritingsandSpeeches,Vol.1, 26.
13
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: WritingsandSpeeches,Vol.5,47.
14
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: WritingsandSpeeches,Vol.1, ,66-67.
15
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: WritingsandSpeeches,Vol.1, 68-69.
16
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: WritingsandSpeeches,Vol.1, 82.
17
Vasant Moon, comp, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: WritingsandSpeeches,Vol.1, 83.

4
 from the writings of the Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who was our cognized authority on the
Sanskrit language and on the Hindu Shastras. And in response to the second point that
Shastras should be interpreted not by the learned but the saints and seers, as the saints
have understood them, the Shastrasdo not support Caste and Untouchability. Ambedkar
said that if what the Mahatma observes is true then the saints should have raised their
voice against the Caste and Untouchability prevailing in our society. But no saints have
ever attacked the Caste System rather they were staunch believers in the System of
Castes. Most of the saints used to live and died as members of caste.18 He further said
that even if the saint would have been seen to break the Caste System it would not have
affect upon the life of the common people, because it is taught that the saints should not
be followed by common people.19
Regarding the third objection made by Gandhi, Ambedkar said that he himself
agreed with every word of the statement that religion has to be judged not by its worst
specimens but by the best it might have produced. But he pointed out that this did not
dispose of the matter. Here the question comes-why are the numbers of worst specimen
so many and the number of the best specimen so few? Ambedkar himself assumed two
probable alternative answers to this question. The first answer is that the worst ones by
the very nature are so preserve that they are not worthy of being morally educated. And
the second answer is that the religious ideal is absolutely wrong which has given a wrong
moral twist to the masses and inspite of the wrong ideal the best has become the best just
by giving the wrong twist a turn to the wrong direction.
In the next section Ambedkar showed that Gandhi himself did not follow in his
life what he preaches. He said that Mahatma was a Bania by birth. So, his calling is
trading. But his ancestors abandoned trading in favour of minister ship which is a calling
of the Brahmins. Gandhi before becoming a Mahatma, he chose law as his calling.
Subsequently, abandoning law he became half saint and half politicians. Ambedkar added
that Mahatma youngest son, who was a faithful follower of his father, was born a
Vaishya, got married to a Brahmin daughter and took a profession of newspaper magnate.
Most surprisingly the Mahatma, Ambedkar said, is not known to have raised any
objection against his son for this. According to the doctrine of Varna Vyavastha, one
must pursue the calling of his ancestor. Hence, for Ambedkar this clearly implies that in
the name of Varna Vyavastha Gandhi deceived common people.20

5. Gandhi’s Logic on Satyagraha and Untouchables as Sin.

Ambedkar also says that there was in consistency in the attitude which Gandhi
showed towards the Satyagraha especially “Satyagraha by the Untouchables against
Caste Hindus.” Ambedkar started by saying that, in the first place Gandhi condemned

18
Vasant Moon, comp. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.1, 87.
19
Vasant Moon,comp. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.1 88.
20
Vasant Moon,comp. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches,Vol.1 88-91.

5
 this Satyagraha by the Untouchables against the caste Hindus. He would not support it. In
this controversy the Untouchables were perfectly logical. They argued that if Civil
Disobedience was the weapon which, according to Gandhi, the Hindus could legitimately
use against the British for securing their freedom, why were the ‘Untouchables’ not
justified in using the same weapon against the caste Hindus for securing their
emancipation.
Ambedkar said that Gandhi tried to meet their logic by his logic by saying that the
‘Untouchability’ was the sin of the Hindus. It is the Hindus who must therefore do
penance. It is they who must offer Satyagraha for the removal of ‘Untouchability.’
Satyagraha was not the business of the ‘Untouchables’ because they were not sinners, far
from being sinners they were sinned against. Ambedkar said that it is a Mahatmian logic
which is another name for casuistry and apparently this logic was simply nonsense. The
‘Untouchables’ replied that if that was the view of Gandhi—namely that Satyagraha is
penance which is for the sinner to offer—then why should he call upon the Hindus to
offer Satyagraha against the British. British Imperialism was the sin of the British and
therefore according to his logic the Satyagraha must be offered by the British and not by
the caste Hindus. The Untouchable shad destroyed his logic.21

6. Ambedkar’s Concept of an Ideal Society.

For Ambedkar an Ideal society would be based on liberty, equality, and fraternity
and not on caste. It should be mobile and full of channels for conveying change. In an
ideal society there should be many interests consciously communicated and shared. There
should be social endosmosis. Democracy is not merely a form of government but it is a
mode of associated living. So, Ambedkar believes that fraternity and democracy are
same.22
Ambedkar paid serious attention to religious notion that promotes democracy. He
says that ‘religious foundation of caste as the fundamental obstacles to democracy in
India.’ He aspired for having a government of the people, for the people and by the
people. Hence, for Ambedkar, democracy means no slavery, no caste, and no coercion.
He wants free choice and capacity to live and let live, which his/her conscience, would be
the right path to democracy. Ambedkar says “Democracy is a mode of associated living.
The roots of democracy are to be searched in social relationship, in terms of the
associated life between the people who form the society.” Additionally, in democracy,
there should be no tyranny of the majority over the minority. The minority must always
feel safe that although the majority carrying on the Government. Democracy is a dynamic
attitude towards human life. It attaches a great importance to virtue like tolerance and
peaceful methods.23

21
Vasant Moon,comp,.Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.5, 307-308.
22
Vasant Moon, comp,.Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol.1, 57-58.
23
Akash Baburao Lonkar, “PhilosophyandScopeofDemocracy:InDr.BabasahebAmbedkar’ Thoughts and
Philosophy,” in IJARIIE, Vol-5/ Issue-6, 2019: 1032.

6
 7. Biological Sketch of Mahatma Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi was born in 1869 in Porbandor, Gujarat on 2nd October. From
the beginning of his life, he was influenced by his mother’s religious approach and
thought and this thought inspires him to be truthful and honest person. Gandhiji went to
England for studying law and returned India in 1891. In 1915 he started nonviolence
Civil Disobedience movement against British government. Assuming leadership of
Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaign for easing poverty,
expanding women’s right, building religious and ethnic amity, ending untouchability and
above all achieving Swaraj or self-rule. Along with this, Gandhiji believed in simple
living and high thinking. He lived in self-sufficient residential community and had simple
vegetarian foods. He also observed fast for self-purification. Gandhiji protested against
British imposed salt tax and organized Dandi March in 1930. He was arrested in 1942 for
Satyagraha Andolan and after release from jail he started Quit India movement. At the
last struggles for Indian independence was achieved on 15 August 1947.24

7.1. Gandhi Philosophy:

The origin of Gandhi’s Philosophy is mainly integrated with religion and
society which was developed by M. K. Gandhi during his period in South Africa
from 1893 to 1914 and later in India. Gandhi’s Philosophy is a body of ideas that
describes the emotional feelings, mission, vision, goal for Indian Independence
and the life works of M. K. Gandhi. His philosophy is connected with Indian
philosophy, Eastern philosophy, Western philosophy, etc, with the four principles
– truth (satya), non-violence (ahimsa), sarvodaya (welfare of all), satyagraha
(peace protest) means for holding the truth or firmness respectively.25
7.2. Satya.
The concept of Truth for Gandhi originates in the philosophic-religious
tradition of India. Satyagraha is derived from the two Sanskrit words satya
meaning “truth”26 and agraha meaning “desire”. Therefore, it means “holding on
to Truth.”27 Gandhi also characterized it as, “love force” or “soul force.”28 The
word Satya has a variety of connotations such as real, sincere, existent, pure,
good, effectual, and valid.29 In Hindu religious tradition, the expression of sat
denotes Absolute Existence, Absolute Truth, i.e., God.30The term Satya can be

24
Jyotsnawali Misra, “A Brief View of Gandhiji’s Life and Philosophy,” in IJSRP 10/8 (August 2020): 271.
25
E. Girani, “Mahatma Gandhi and His Philosophy – A Philosophical Idealist,” in IJCRT 8/6 (June 2020): 2231.
26
Mahatma Gandhi, Selected Writings of Mahatma Gandhi (London: Faber and Faber Limited, 1951), 39.
27
M. L. Sharma, Gandhi as a Socialist (New Delhi: Deep & Deep Publications, 1930), 89.
28
M. L. Sharma, Gandhi as a Socialist (New Delhi: Deep & Deep Publications, 1930), 3.
29
Rhagavan N. Iyer, The Moral and Political Thought of Mahatma Gandhi (New York: Oxford University Press,
1973), 150.
30
Dezsö Szenkovics, “The Concept of Truth (Satya) in the Philosophy of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi,” in
Romanian Journal of Indian Studies 3 (2019): 15

7
 considered the source of universal and eternal values such as truth, fairness and
justice.31
According to Gandhi, Satya is to imply that “nothing exists in reality
except Truth, everything else is illusion.”32 The concept of Truth, according to
Gandhi means much more than just telling the truth. In his interpretation, Truth
must be not only present in one’s speech, but also in one’s thoughts and actions.33
It is the moral link between one action and another in so far as it bestows on them
the virtues of honesty, sincerity of purpose, and rootedness in the basic moral
principles.34 For Gandhi, Truth cannot be considered a simple value or moral
category, but should be understood as God. Where there is Satya , there is pure
knowledge. Devotion to this Satya is the sole reason of one’s existence and every
activity should be centered in Satya. Without Satya it would be impossible to
observe any principles or rules in life.35 “My religion is based on truth and non-
violence. Truth is my God; Non-violence is the means of realizing Him.”36
7.3. Satyagraha.
Gandhi used Satyagraha for two goals – one was personal and the other
was social or political. For Gandhi the ultimate goal in life was the realization of
the Truth – seeing God face to face. The second goal was social and political
change for which he used Satyagraha as a means to that end.37 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.38 The character
of Truth is evident to Gandhi. Satyagraha is not a dogma but holding on to Truth
in Satyagraha is a dynamic concept and Satyagraha is a technique of action.39
Satyagraha, when used as a tool for social and political change, aims to win over
an opponent. There are three stages in this process: The first stage is that of
persuasion through reason. The second stage is characterized by persuasion
through suffering. If neither persuasion through reason nor self-suffering does
succeed to win over the opponent, the satyagrahi resorts to non-violent coercion
characterized by tools such as non-cooperation or civil disobedience. Civil
disobedience was one of the powerful weapons Gandhi often used in satyagraha

31
Rhagavan N. Iyer, The Moral and Political Thought of Mahatma Gandhi (New York: Oxford University Press,
1973), 150.
32
Chandra Shanker Shukla, Conversations of Gandhi (Bombay: Vora and Co., 1949), 35.
33
Mahatma Gandhi, The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (vol.1-98), vol. 49, New Delhi: Government of
India, 1958-1994, 383.
34
R. C. Pradhan, “Making Sense of Gandhi’s Idea of Truth,” in Social Scientist 34/5/6(May-June 2006): 36.
35
Gandhi, Selected Writings of Mahatma Gandhi, 39-40.
36
Gandhi, The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (vol. 1-98), vol. 30, 61-62.
37
Thomas Varkey, “The Myth and Meaning of the Gandhian Concept of Satyagraha,” in Sophia University Junior
College Division Faculty Journal 40/35 (2014): 172.
38
Arpana Ramchiary, “Gandhian Concept of Truth and Non-Violence,” in IOSR-JHSS 18/4 (Nov. – Dec. 2013): 67.
39
Varkey, “The Myth and Meaning of the Gandhian Concept of Satyagraha:” 173.

8
 campaigns for social and political change. With Gandhi, satyagraha became
something more than a method of resistance to particular legal norms; it became
an instrument of struggle for positive objectives and for fundamental change.40 It
possesses the capacity to force change “against a totalitarian regime” and be an
effective and perhaps “the only possible alternative . . . open to oppressed
people.” 41
Gandhi asserted that there is no power on earth that could make
man/woman do anything against his/her will. It is necessary to preserve the
freedom and integrity of the individual. Diminishing the importance of an
individual and his/her freedom will ultimately lead to the downfall of the society
– “no society can possibly be built on a denial of individual freedom.”42
Man/woman thus has the power and will to change societies and their functioning
if s/he feels s/he has been mistreated or misguided.43

7.4. Ahimsa.
Ahimsa or Non-Violence is the central concept of Gandhi’s philosophy.
Non- Violence means ‘love’.44 The term ahimsa is formed by adding the negative
prefix a to the word himsa which is derived from the Sanskrit root “han”, i.e. “to
kill”, “to harm”, or “to injure”, and means not killing, not harming, not injuring.
Ahimsa is not mere abstention from the use of force, not just abstention from
killing and injuring. It also implies the positive virtues of compassion and
benevolence.45 To Gandhi, “Man as animal is violent, but in spirit he is non-
violent. The moment he awakes to the spirit within, he cannot remain violent.”46
The concept of non- violence means one should not love only human
being but every living being in the world. When a person claims to be non-
violent, he is expected not to be angry with one who has injured him. He will not
wish him harm; he will wish him well. He will not swear at him, and he will not
cause him any physical hurt. He will put up with all the injury to which he is
subjected by the wrong-doer. Thus, Non-Violence is complete innocence.
Complete Non-violence is complete absence of ill-will against all that lives.
Therefore, it embraces even subhuman life not excluding noxious insects or beats.
Non- Violence is, therefore, in its active form goodwill towards all life. It is pure
love.47

40
Varkey, “The Myth and Meaning of the Gandhian Concept of Satyagraha,” 172.
41
Sharp, “A Review of Joan V. Bondurant, Conquest of Violence: The Gandhian Philosophy,” 404
42
J. P. Chander, Teachings of Mahatma Gandhi (Lahore: The Indian Printing Works, 1945), 321.
43
Akella, “Satyagraha: The Gandhian Philosophy of Conflict Management,”506.
44
Aparna Ramchiary, “Gandhian Concept of Truth and Non-Violence,” in IOSR-JHSS 18/4 (Nov. – Dec. 2013): 68.
45
Maria Luisa A. Valdez, “Mahatma Gandhi’s Doctrine of Ahimsa: Implication on Noted Filipina Students’
Values,” in Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research 2/1 (Feb. 2014): 59.
46
M. K. Gandhi, Hind Swaraj (Ahmedabad: Jitendra T. Desai, 1935), 71.
47
Ramchiary, “Gandhian Concept of Truth and Non-Violence,” 68.

9
 The works of Mahatma Gandhi considers the direct union of the human
soul with the Divine through letters, essays and personal notes and interviews as
the end of his philosophy. His ideal is that “all life is one.” He believes in the
unity of human life - this unity is a synthetic whole and can neither be divided in
spheres like social, religious, political, moral or ethical nor can it be distinguished
in levels like individual or collective. What seem to men to be separate segments
are, in fact, different facets of human life; they are related to each other and act,
react upon one another. Gandhi believes that it’s manifestation in humanity is
strengthened by ahimsa which is also called truth, love or God, which is the core
of human life and the divine supreme law that guide humanity at all cost.48
7.5. Sarvodaya.
The word Sarvodaya is Sanskrit in origin. It is a compound of two words
Sarva which means “all” and Udaya means “Welfare” or “upliftment”. Thus, the
etymological meaning of Sarvodaya is the welfare of all. In the words of Gandhi,
“the welfare of all should be the aim of all human activities.”49
Sarvodaya as an ideal, a vision and a movement in Gandhian philosophy
in its origin, dynamic in outlook, it is solidly based on a philosophy of praxis that
demands the commitment of its follower to the care and the uplift of humanity,
especially of the last and the least in any society.50 The dynamics of Sarvodaya
assumes a process that begins with the last and the least in the society and moves
on toward the dawn of a Moksha on earth or Ram Rajya (Kingdom of God). This
kingdom was to be attained on earth and had to be created and nurtured with
Sarvodaya beliefs and practices.51
Through Sarvodaya Gandhi attempted to recapture the spiritual heritage of
India, which had thrived in the villages and used it to build the nation. He
criticized western civilization because it was contrary to the needs of India. In
western values he saw a craze for comfort, multiplication of wants and self-
indulgence, which could lead to greed, conflict suppression of the weak by the
strong and social disparity. Gandhi was convinced that decentralization of power
is the key to just and equitable society. On economic level decentralization of
power meant discovering big industries and encouraging village cottage industry.
“Small is beautiful” thus would become the economic slogan. In a social level, the
Harijans, Tribals and members the lower castes would be given all the rights of
equality.52

48
Valdez, “Mahatma Gandhi’s Doctrine of Ahimsa: Implication on Noted Filipina Students’ Values,” 59-60.
49
M. P. Mathai, Mahatma Gandhi’s World View (New Delhi: Gandhi Peace Foundation, 2000), 156.
50
Prabodh Kumar Rath, “Gandhian Sarvodaya,” Orissa Review (Oct. 2010): 36.
51
Thomas Veltickal, Gandhian Sarvodaya: A Realistic Utopia (New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House, 2002), 8.
52
Rath, “Gandhian Sarvodaya,” 37.

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 Conclusion

Ambedkar started his philosophy by breaking the shackles of traditionalism, religious

orthodoxy and blind superstition. He stood for human dignity, and freedom, for integrity, liberty,
equality, social and economic guidance, and spiritual discipline and he was opposed to any social
order or practice which involved injustice, violence and suppression of human personality. He
thus aimed at removing untouchability and establishing social equality. Social equality in India
according to Ambedkar starts with liberation, liberation of the Hindu society from casteism,
because for him, “caste is the monster that crosses your (our) path.”

Though India is a free democratic, secularistic nation with equality, liberty and fraternity
however, even after decades of caste struggle and debates, the Dalit caste still remains the
oppressed one. We failed to practice equality and social justice and this can be seen in the
various incidents occurring throughout the nation. The status of Dalits hasn’t satisfactorily
improved yet.

In Gandhi's thought the emphasis is not on idealism, but on practical idealism. It is rooted
in the highest religious idealism, but is thoroughly practical. As an idealist he always gave
importance on all round development of individual. But his main focus is on character formation.
Gandhian philosophy is a double-edged weapon. Its objective is to transform the individual and
society simultaneously in accordance with the principles of satya and ahimsa. The philosophy of
Sarvodaya makes the attempt of reorienting human mind, of reconstructing human society.

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