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Highlights
- This is the story of Gandhi's spiritual evolution - the turning points and choices that made him not just a great political leader but also a timeless icon of nonviolence.Eknath Easwaran grew up in India and witnessed how Gandhi inspired people of all races, backgrounds, and religions to turn anger into compassion and hatred into love.How had Gandhi transformed himself from an ineffective young lawyer into the Mahatma, the "great soul" who led 400 million ordinary men and women in their nonviolent struggle for independence?
- About the Author: Eknath Easwaran (1910 - 1999) was born in South India and grew up in the historic years when Gandhi was leading India nonviolently to freedom from the British Empire.
- 216 Pages
- Biography + Autobiography, Historical
Description
About the Book
This is the moving story of a nonviolent hero, illustrated with more than 70 photographs, and told by a highly respected author who grew up in Gandhi's India.Gandhi's life continues to inspire and baffle readers today. How did an unsuccessful young lawyer become the Mahatma, the "great soul" who led 400 million Indians in their struggle for independence from the British Empire? What is nonviolence, and how does it work?
Easwaran answers these questions and gives a vivid account of the turning points and choices in Gandhi's life that made him an icon of nonviolence. Easwaran witnessed at firsthand how Gandhi inspired ordinary people to turn fear into fearlessness, and anger into love. He visited Gandhi in his ashram to find out more about this human alchemy, and during the prayer meeting watched the Mahatma absorbed in meditation on the Bhagavad Gita, the scripture that was the wellspring of his spiritual power.
Quotations highlight Gandhi's teachings in his own words, and sidebar notes and a chronology, new to this updated edition, provide historical context.
This book conveys the spirit and soul of Gandhi - the only way he can be truly understood.
Book Synopsis
This is the story of Gandhi's spiritual evolution - the turning points and choices that made him not just a great political leader but also a timeless icon of nonviolence.
Eknath Easwaran grew up in India and witnessed how Gandhi inspired people of all races, backgrounds, and religions to turn anger into compassion and hatred into love.
How had Gandhi transformed himself from an ineffective young lawyer into the Mahatma, the "great soul" who led 400 million ordinary men and women in their nonviolent struggle for independence? To find out, Easwaran visited Gandhi's ashram and watched the Mahatma absorbed in meditation on the Bhagavad Gita - the wellspring of Gandhi's spiritual strength.
Easwaran, a leading authority on the Bhagavad Gita and on spiritual living, explains the principles underlying Gandhi's nonviolence. He highlights how we can all use Gandhi's teachings to make our families, workplaces, and communities more peaceful in the world today.
More than 70 photographs illustrate his life, and a detailed chronology provides historical context.
About the Author
Eknath Easwaran (1910 - 1999) was born in South India and grew up in the historic years when Gandhi was leading India nonviolently to freedom from the British Empire. As a young man, Easwaran met Gandhi, and the experience left a lasting impression.
Following graduate studies, Easwaran joined the teaching profession and later became head of the department of English at the University of Nagpur.
In 1959 he came to the US with the Fulbright exchange program and in 1961 he founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, which carries on his work with publications and retreats.
Easwaran's Indian classics, The Bhagavad Gita, The Upanishads, and The Dhammapada are the best-selling English translations, and more than 2 million copies of his books are in print.
Easwaran lived what he taught, giving him enduring appeal as a teacher and author of deep insight and warmth.