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.

A portrait of the great Indian leader seeks to uncover the personal and spiritual qualities which shaped Gandhi's life and made him the charismatic leader of millions.

This is a very good book. I read the Kindle version and the formatting is a little messed up in some places, but I won't hold that against them. What's important is the content. The book is broken into two sections, a biographical section and then a section devoted to explaining what satyagraha is and how to apply it to politics and home life. The book is a short, succinct introduction to Gandhi, his message, and what that message means. I wish I'd read this before reading "The Essential Gandhi" and "Non-Violent Resistance (Satyagraha)". It would have helped me to better understand the material without having to constantly stop to let the wheels in my head spin to grasp the situation and meaning. Or then, maybe it was better that I didn't read this first? Maybe the message will sink in better having reflected on it.

If you've been putting off reading Gandhi's work, this is a great place to start. There's not much primary source material (his actual writings)here, but it will give you a taste of what you might find in other books of his writings. ( )

jB

Reprinted 1978.