In this paper, we present the influence of religion on the revolutionary movement
that led India to political independence in the last century. The most credit for the changes
has Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who achieved political changes through satyagraha
without violence. After introducing the term satyagraha, the authors outline Gandhi's life
and his spiritual development, which enabled him to think and act nonviolently. The sources of his spirituality are highlighted as the Bhagavad-gita, the Bible and Leo Tolstoy's prose.
He was also influenced by Jain religious practice, especially the principle of ahimsa practiced
by Mohandas' mother. The paper concludes with an outline of the influence of satyagraha
in India and beyond after Gandhi's death
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