“Gandhi's life was, of course, his lesson. He was unique among the statesmen of the 20th century in his determination not just to live his beliefs, but to reject any separation between beliefs and actions. In his life, religion flowed into politics; his public persona meshed seamlessly with his private conduct...No dictionary imbues 'truth' with the depth of meaning Gandhi gave it. His truth emerged from his convictions; it meant not only what was accurate, but what was just and therefor right. Truth could not be obtained by 'untruthful' or unjust means, which included inflicting violence on one's opponent. For Gandhi, the way to truth was not by the inflicting of suffering on one's opponent, but on one's self. It was essential to willingly accept punishment in order to demonstrate the strength of one's convisions.”
-Shashi Tharoor
Tharoor describes Gandhism as “physical self-denial and discipline, spiritual faith, a belief in humanity and in the human capacity for selfless love, the self-reliance symbolized by the spinning wheel, religious ecumenism, idealistic internationalism, and a passionate commitment to human equality and social justice.....
