104 Most Inspiring Mahatma Gandhi Quotes of All Time

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi – a man, known for his simplicity, loving nature, and non-violent tendency, has a significant impact on world history, especially the subcontinent: India and Pakistan history. He was an Indian Political leader, lawyer, and anti-colonial nationalist. He did his law from London and went to South Africa. After spending 21 years in South Africa (as a Civil Rights Activist), at the age of 45, he came back to India. He started gathering farmers, peasants, and laborers to protest against the excessive land tax. In 1921, he won the leadership of the Indian National Congress.

This frail and fragile-looking man was strong-headed and always looked after his people and country. If not for this man, the Indians would never have gotten their independence from the British. Gandhi, with his whole existence, served the people of India.

There are many flavors to his life; some called him messiah while others deemed him communal and a cunning politician who served his self-interest. Keeping aside this whole debate of people portraying him good or a bad guy, here are some of his thoughts on Freedom, Religion, and Love. We have mentioned some of his famous quotes to let people aware of where he stands.

24 Mahatma Gandhi Quotes About Freedom, Leadership & Power

The spiritual leader of Indians, Mahatma Gandhi, was an avid advocate of people’s freedom to live and to let live. However, he was opposed to the idea that people should fight their way to attain or get Freedom or, for that matter, Justice. So, what is Freedom? It is a phenomenon that all people are free at the time they come into this world; no power can negate that thing. They have the right to live, talk, and act as they like without any external compulsion. Freedom means to live and let others live as they want.

He was loved and appreciated by the majority of the Hindus. He was given the title of “Bapu” (father of the nation), and mahatma (the greatest). His notion of self-love and self-legislation was remarkable. He believed that everyone should hold themselves accountable for their deeds. As a leader, he was very courageous and bold in his decisions. He thought that the power of love is more robust and long-lasting than the power of fear. A leader for him should be fearless.

The idea has gained momentum in recent times as the Freedom and Liberty of humans has been deemed necessary by all mankind. Here are some of Gandhi’s quotes on Freedom, leadership, and power which will indeed burn more life in you. Have a look.

1. “Change yourself – You are in control.”

2. “Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”

3. “First, they ignore you, then they laugh at you, Then they fight you, Then you win.”

4. “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, And what you do are in harmony.”

5. “I suppose leadership at one time meant Muscles. But today it means getting along with People.”

6. “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.”

7. “If you have no character to lose, People will have no faith in you.”

8. “Imitation is the sincerest flattery.”

9. “It’s my conviction that nothing enduring can be built on violence.”

10. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

11. “Never has man reached his destination by persistence in deviation from the straight path.”

12. “Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”

13. “Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent than the one derived from fear of punishment.”

14. “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”

15. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

16. “The enemy is fear. We think it is hate. But, It is fear.”

17. “Be the change that you want to see in the world.”

18. “You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind.”

19. “Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living”

20. “The moment the slave resolves that he will no longer be a slave, his fetters fall. Freedom and slavery are mental states”

21. “There is no road to freedom, freedom is the road”

22. “Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in depriving other human beings of that precious right”

23. “Freedom and slavery are mental states.”

24. “A slave- holder, who has decided to abolish slavery, does not consult his slaves whether they desire freedom or not”

11 Mahatma Gandhi Religion Quotations

The ultimate thing that man has attained or given in his entire history and life is Religion. A way of life or a path to find God; whatever it is, it has undoubtedly changed the mind and consciousness of humans from time immemorial. Religion has given humans the compassion to love others and be loved by others. Belief has allowed them to feel the love and presence of God to its fullest. However, in the course of human history, people have used it to spread hate and violence, which is entirely against its letter and spirit.

Great men have spread the teaching of Religion to ordinary people and tried to explain the Love and Peace that Religion brings in the world. Mahatma Gandhi was also an avid follower of Religion. Here are some of his ideas and quotes on Religion. Take a look.

1. “Faith is not something to grasp, it is a state to grow into.”

2. “Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is.”

3. “It is easy enough to be friendly to one’s friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business.”

4. “I believe in the fundamental truth of all great religions of the world.”

5. “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God. Non-violence is the means of realizing Him.”

6. “All the religions of the world, while they may differ in other respects, unitedly proclaim that nothing lives in this world but Truth.”

7. “One’s own religion is, after all, a matter between oneself and one’s Maker and no one else’s”

8. “Religion is a matter of the heart. No physical inconvenience can warrant abandonment of one’s own religion.”

9. “Politics bereft of religion is absolute dirt, ever to be shunned”

10. “Where there is fear there is no religion.”

11. “Religion taught us to return good for evil”

5 Gandhi Quotes on Love and Peace

Love is the most profound thing for humans. Simply put, it’s a driving force to sacrifice oneself for the one you love; no other philosophy has managed to alter people’s minds to give his all, his life, for the sake of one he/she loves or revere. Love can change people’s lives; with love, you can conquer even the greatest of feasts and difficulties.

All the great prophets, messengers, and saints have conquered the hearts and minds of people with love; if not this, they would not have been able to spread their message, which still resonates with people, and they live their lives according to it. Have a look at the love quotes of Mahatma below.

1. “Whenever you are confronted with an opponent, conquer him with love.”

2. “Hate the sin, love the sinner”

3. “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection”

4. “Love is the strongest force the world possesses and yet it is the humblest imaginable”

5. “In a gentle way, you can shake the world”

14 Most Famous Gandhi’s Quotes on Self-Improvement

Gandhi said, “the only tyrant I accept in this world is the still voice within”. He wanted his nation to do what is righteous and make themselves better instead of pointing at others. He wanted them to become the change they want to bring into society.

1. “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”

2. “The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.

3. “Under democracy, individual liberty of opinion and action is jealously guarded.”

4. “You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

5. “As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world — that is the myth of the atomic age — as in being able to remake ourselves.”

6. “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

7. “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

8. “An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.”

9. “I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps.”

10. “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

11. “I look only to the good qualities of men. Not being faultless myself, I won’t presume to probe into the faults of others.”

12. “Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works for the welfare of his fellow-men.”

13. “An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

14. “Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.”

23 Quotes By Mahatma Gandhi On Education

Like any other wise leader, Gandhi also knew the importance of education. He believes that a man without a vision is worthless, and knowledge helps you with the ways to bring your vision to reality. According to Mahatma Gandhi education helps a man to discriminate between good and evil.

1. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

2. “Purity of personal life is the one indispensable condition for building up a sound education.”

3. “An education which does not teach us to discriminate between good and bad, to assimilate the one and eschew the other, is a misnomer”

4. “By spiritual training I mean education of the heart.”

5. “Is not education the art of drawing out full manhood of the children under training?”

6. “Persistent questioning and healthy inquisitiveness are the first requisite for acquiring learning of any kind.”

7. “The function of Nayee-Talim is not to teach an occupation, but through it to develop the whole man.

8. “Schools and colleges are really a factory for turning out clerks for the Government.”

9. “Experience gained in two schools under my control has taught me that punishment does not purify, if anything, it hardens children.”

10. “Education in the understanding of citizenship is a short-term affair if we are honest and earnest.”

11. “The aim of a university education should be to turn out true servants of the people who will live and die for the country’s freedom.”

12. “A balanced intellect presupposes a harmonious growth of body, mind and soul.”

13. “Literacy in itself is no education.”

14. “The notion of education through handicrafts rises from the contemplation of truth and love permeating life’s activities.”

15. “Literacy is not the end of education nor even the beginning.”

16. “In a democratic scheme, money invested in the promotion of learning gives a tenfold return to the people even as a seed sown in good soil returns a luxuriant crop.”

17. “Real education has to draw out the best from the boys and girls to be educated.”

18. “All education in a country has got to be demonstrably in promotion of the progress of the country in which it is given.”

19. “Basic education links the children, whether of the cities or the villages, to all that is best and lasting in India.”

20. “Learning takes us through many states of life, but it fails utterly in the hour of danger and temptation. Then faith alone saves.”

21. “Literary education must follow the education of the hand -the one gift that distinguishes man from beast.

22. “If we want to reach real peace in this world, we should start educating children.”

23. “There are two days in the year that we can not do anything, yesterday and tomorrow.”

15 Inspiring Mahatma Gandhi Quotes on Peace & Courage

Bapu was very courageous himself, and he always stood for righteousness no matter if he is alone. He fasts for days to register his demands in front of authorities. He was modest in his lifestyle but fought to provide every necessary facility to the masses. He believed that a man should stand for his rights without thinking if he would be heard or not.

1. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

2. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever.”

3. “A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.”

4. “The future depends on what you do today.”

5. “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

6. “Without action, you aren’t going anywhere.”

7. “A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.”

8. “If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”

9. “A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.”

10. “There would be nothing to frighten you if you refused to be afraid.”

11. “Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.”

12. “Man lives freely only by his readiness to die, if need be, at the hands of his brother, never by killing him.”

13. “Let us all be brave enough to die the death of a martyr, but let no one lust for martyrdom.”

14. “War is an unmitigated evil. But it certainly does one good thing. It drives away fear and brings bravery to the surface.”

15. “Better than cowardice is killing and being killed in battle.”

10+ Mahatma Gandhi Quotes About Truth

He was the preacher of truth and faithfulness. He believed that THE truth is the only aspect in which no religion differs. It should be opted for and practice globally. For him, the fact is a fact no matter if you belong to a minority and it never damages any cause.

1. “Morality is the basis of things and truth is the substance of all morality.”

2. “Truth never damages a cause that is just.”

3. “Truth stands, even if there be no public support. It is self-sustained.”

4. “I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and Non-violence are as old as the hills. All I have done is to try experiments in both on as vast a scale as I could.”

5. “Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.”

6. “The pursuit of truth does not permit violence on one’s opponent.”

7. “Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.”

8. “Death is at any time blessed but it is twice blessed for a warrior who dies for his cause, that is, truth.”

9. “The finite human being shall never know in its fullness Truth and Love which is itself infinite.”

10. “A seeker of truth will never begin by discounting his opponent’s statement as unworthy of trust.”

11. “Openness of mind strengthens the truth in us and removes the dross from it, if there is any.”

12. “Tolstoy’s so-called inconsistencies were a sign of his development and his passionate regard for truth.”

The Death of Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhiji leads the Indian Independence movement until he was 78 years old. He was shot dead by a Hindu extremist. His assassination not only shocked his nation but the world.

All in all

You may differ in ideology with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, but you cannot deny his teachings. His life is a real example of modesty, and his achievements include immense love from his nation. He played a vital role in the Independence of India from British rule. In his journey, he went through many hardships but he never compromised on his principles. He was not only a preacher but a practitioner himself.

Which Mahatma Gandhi quote inspires you the most? place your thoughts in the comments section below.