Exploring the Sources of Gandhi’s Religious Thought: The Influences That Shaped a Mahatma

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, revered as the Mahatma, did not arrive at his philosophy of nonviolence and truth in isolation. His religious outlook was shaped by a rich tapestry of influences-from his childhood home in Gujarat to his encounters with world scriptures in London, and his correspondence with some of the most influential thinkers of his era. Understanding these sources reveals how Gandhi synthesized diverse religious and ethical traditions into a coherent worldview that would inspire movements for justice across the globe.

Vaishnavite upbringing and early religious atmosphere 🔗

Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, into a devout Hindu family that practiced Vaishnavism-the tradition of worshipping Vishnu. His mother Putlibai was deeply religious, dividing her time between household duties and temple visits, frequently observing fasts, and nursing the sick with devotion. This atmosphere of piety left an indelible mark on young Mohandas.

Gandhi grew up in a home steeped in Vaishnavism with what he later described as a “strong tinge of Jainism.” His formative religious influences included the chanting of Ramanama (the holy name of Rama), reciting the Rama Raksha verses, and listening to readings from the Tulsi Ramayana. His faith in Ramanama was instilled by an old family nurse, and these early devotional practices became foundational to his spiritual identity.

A pluralistic household 🔗

What made Gandhi’s upbringing particularly distinctive was the interfaith atmosphere of his home. His family regularly received visits from Muslim, Jain, and Parsi acquaintances. Gujarat itself had a rich Jain heritage, and the close relations between Vaishnava Hindus and Jains in the region meant that Gandhi was exposed to Jain principles from childhood. This pluralistic environment sowed the seeds for his later inclusive worldview and his conviction that all religions share a common ethical core.

The impact of Jainism and Shrimad Rajchandra 🔗

Among the most profound influences on Gandhi’s religious and ethical development was Jainism. Gujarat is home to a considerable portion of India’s Jain community, and Jain teachings permeated the region’s culture. Before Gandhi left for London at eighteen, he took vows in the presence of a Jain monk named Becharji Swami-at his mother’s request-to abstain from meat, alcohol, and illicit sexual activity. These vows, rooted in Jain principles, would shape his conduct throughout his life.

Gandhi embraced core Jain principles with remarkable commitment. The five vows for laypeople-nonviolence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (asteya), non-possession (aparigraha), and celibacy (brahmacharya)-became central to his personal and public life. He acknowledged Jainism’s systematic exposition of nonviolence, once stating that no religion has explained ahimsa as deeply as Jainism.

Rajchandrabhai: Gandhi’s spiritual guide 🔗

The most significant personal influence on Gandhi’s spiritual development came from Shrimad Rajchandra, a Gujarati Jain poet, philosopher, and diamond merchant. Gandhi met Rajchandra in July 1891, on the very day he returned to Bombay from England. Despite being only two years older than Gandhi, Rajchandra possessed extraordinary spiritual depth and intellectual abilities-he was renowned as a shatavadhani, capable of simultaneously attending to a hundred different mental tasks.

Gandhi was captivated by Rajchandra’s integration of spirituality with everyday life. Rajchandra taught that true religion lies in conduct rather than ritual, a principle Gandhi would champion throughout his career. When Gandhi faced a spiritual crisis in South Africa, where Christian and Muslim friends pressed him to convert, he wrote to Rajchandra seeking guidance. The answers he received helped Gandhi resolve his doubts and restore his faith in Hinduism.

Anekantavada: the many-sidedness of truth 🔗

Through Rajchandra and his study of Jainism, Gandhi encountered the doctrine of anekantavada-the many-sidedness of reality-and syadvada, the related principle that truth claims should be made with humility rather than absolutism. Gandhi once described himself as an adherent of these doctrines, which shaped his conviction about the relative truth of all religions. This philosophical framework allowed him to advocate for religious harmony while maintaining deep personal faith, articulating what he called “the equality of religions” or sarva-dharma-sama-bhava.

Engagement with world scriptures in England 🔗

Gandhi’s journey to London in 1888 to study law proved transformative for his religious development. Lonely and struggling to adapt, the young student found unexpected spiritual nourishment through new friendships and encounters with world scriptures.

Discovering the Bhagavad Gita 🔗

Ironically, it was in England that Gandhi first read the Bhagavad Gita. Two theosophist friends, the Olcott brothers, were studying the Sanskrit text alongside Edwin Arnold’s English translation, The Song Celestial. Assuming Gandhi would know Sanskrit, they consulted him about certain words. Gandhi later confessed in his autobiography that he felt ashamed, as he had never read the sacred text in Sanskrit or Gujarati. This shame became a powerful incentive to study not only the Gita but other world scriptures as well.

Arnold’s translation made a profound impression on Gandhi. He later declared it the best English rendering of the Gita, praising its faithfulness to the original while reading naturally. The Gita’s teachings on selfless action (nishkama karma), non-attachment (anasakti), and the ideal of the sthitaprajna-one established in wisdom-became central to Gandhi’s philosophy. He called the Gita his “eternal mother” and turned to it for consolation throughout his life.

The Light of Asia and the Buddha’s example 🔗

Gandhi also read Edwin Arnold’s The Light of Asia, a poetic account of the Buddha’s life. Based on this work, Gandhi saw Buddhism as a reform movement within Hindu tradition and the Buddha as an exemplar of renunciation and compassion. The Buddha’s life reinforced Gandhi’s conviction that spiritual liberation could be pursued while actively serving humanity.

The Sermon on the Mount 🔗

Gandhi’s engagement with Christianity, particularly the New Testament, left an equally deep impression. The Sermon on the Mount went straight to his heart. He was particularly moved by Christ’s teaching to turn the other cheek and return good for evil. Gandhi found remarkable parallels between these teachings and both the Gita’s emphasis on renunciation and Gujarati devotional poetry he knew from childhood. As he later wrote, his young mind tried to unify the teachings of the Gita, The Light of Asia, and the Sermon on the Mount.

The Sermon on the Mount remained a lifelong source of inspiration. Gandhi reportedly spent two hours daily in meditation for over forty years, reading from both the Sermon on the Mount and the Bhagavad Gita. He once confessed that he could not see any difference between these two foundational texts.

Influence of modern thinkers: Tolstoy, Ruskin, and Rajchandra 🔗

Gandhi explicitly acknowledged three modern figures as having left the deepest impression on his life. In his own words: “Three moderns have left a deep impress on my life, and captivated me: Raychandbhai by his living contact; Tolstoy by his book, The Kingdom of God is Within You; and Ruskin by his Unto This Last.”

Leo Tolstoy: the prophet of nonviolence 🔗

The Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy profoundly influenced Gandhi’s conception of nonviolent resistance. Gandhi described himself as Tolstoy’s disciple, and the two exchanged correspondence that deepened their mutual respect. Tolstoy’s book The Kingdom of God Is Within You, with its radical interpretation of Christian nonviolence and its critique of state power, overwhelmed Gandhi and left an enduring impression.

Tolstoy’s analysis of Christian theology shaped Gandhi’s understanding of how religious principles could be applied to social and political transformation. In 1908, Tolstoy also wrote A Letter to a Hindu, arguing that only through love and passive resistance could Indians overthrow colonial rule-a message that resonated deeply with Gandhi’s emerging philosophy of satyagraha.

John Ruskin: the economics of simplicity 🔗

The English art critic and social thinker John Ruskin transformed Gandhi’s practical life through his book Unto This Last. Gandhi received the book from a friend during a train journey from Johannesburg to Durban. He could not put it down and later described it as casting a “magic spell” upon him. The ideas so electrified Gandhi that he coined the term “sarvodaya”-the welfare of all-to summarize Ruskin’s vision.

Ruskin’s critique of industrial capitalism and his emphasis on the dignity of labor and simple living inspired Gandhi to establish communal settlements. He founded the Phoenix Farm in Natal and later the Tolstoy Farm outside Johannesburg, where he and his followers practiced the austere, labor-centered lifestyle Ruskin advocated. Gandhi translated Unto This Last into Gujarati as Sarvodaya in 1908, making these ideas accessible to Indian readers.

Rajchandra: the deepest influence 🔗

While Tolstoy and Ruskin influenced Gandhi primarily through their writings, Rajchandra’s influence was deeper because of their personal relationship. Gandhi wrote that in molding his inner life, Tolstoy and Ruskin vied with Rajchandra, but Rajchandra’s influence was undoubtedly more profound because of their closest personal touch. Rajchandra demonstrated that spirituality cannot be divorced from everyday responsibilities-a lesson Gandhi witnessed firsthand as Rajchandra conducted successful diamond trade while pursuing intense spiritual practice.

Gandhi called Rajchandra his “guide and helper” and his “refuge in moments of spiritual crisis.” This Jain teacher encouraged Gandhi to study Hinduism deeply and patiently, providing him with the intellectual and spiritual foundation to resist conversion attempts while remaining genuinely open to wisdom from all traditions.

A synthesis of traditions 🔗

What emerges from examining these influences is Gandhi’s remarkable ability to synthesize diverse religious and philosophical traditions. His Vaishnavite upbringing gave him devotion and the practice of sacred names. Jainism contributed ahimsa, the commitment to non-possession, and the intellectual framework of anekantavada. The Bhagavad Gita provided the philosophy of selfless action and non-attachment. Christianity offered the transformative message of returning evil with good. Tolstoy showed how these principles could challenge unjust power, while Ruskin demonstrated their application to economics and community life.

Gandhi never saw these influences as contradictory. Rather, he believed they revealed the same fundamental truths expressed through different cultural and religious languages. This conviction allowed him to honor his Hindu identity while drawing freely from global wisdom traditions, creating a philosophy that continues to inspire movements for justice and peace worldwide.

What do you think? How did Gandhi’s ability to synthesize multiple religious traditions strengthen rather than dilute his spiritual convictions? In our own era of religious polarization, what lessons might his approach offer for interfaith understanding?

References

1. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi
2. https://scroll.in/article/1006731/how-did-mohandas-karamchand-gandhi-frame-his-own-practice-as-a-vaishnavite-and-a-sanatani-hindu
3. https://www.arihantainstitute.org/blog/1-gandhi-s-jain-journey-the-role-of-jain-thought-and-practice-in-the-making-of-the-mahatma
4. https://www.theweek.in/theweek/statescan/mahatma-gandhis-mentor-shrimad-rajchandra.html
5. https://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/Mahatma-Gandhi-and-the-Bhagavad-Gita.html
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Practices_and_beliefs_of_Mahatma_Gandhi
7. https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/road-peace/gandhis-daily-scripture-readings-peace
8. https://www.wisdomlib.org/history/compilation/triveni-journal/d/doc71508.html
9. https://totallyhistory.com/mahatma-gandhis-influences/
10. https://americanvedantist.org/2017/articles/mahatma-to-be-and-the-mahatma-maker-gandhi-and-rajchandra/