Gandhi's Ascetic Activism: Renunciation and Social Action

289 Pages·2013·1.56 MB·English

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Gandhi’s Ascetic Activism

Gandhi’s Ascetic Activism
Renunciation and Social Action
Veena R. Howard
Cover image courtesy of Suzanne Geraci
Published by State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2013 State University of New York
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Howard, Veena R.
Gandhi’s ascetic activism : renunciation and social action / Veena R.
Howard.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ).
ISBN 978-1-4384-4557-1 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Gandhi, Mahatma, 1869–1948—Philosophy. 2. Gandhi, Mahatma,
1869–1948—Religion. 3. Asceticism—Hinduism. 4. Celibacy—Religious
aspects—Hinduism. 5. Passive resistance. 6. Nonviolence. I. Title.
DS481.G3H59 2013
294.5’447—dc23 2012011098
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
When established in self-restraint [brahmacarya], heroic energy is
obtained.
—The Yoga Sūtra
For me perfect brahmacharya is the attainment of sexlessness,
not impotence . . . in which the sexual energy is completely
sublimated into spiritual energy. If I had attained that nirvikara
(passionless) state, I should have but to think a thing and it would
happen. I would not have to argue.
—M. K. Gandhi
Persons in power should be very careful how they deal with
a man who cares nothing for sensual pleasure, nothing for
riches, nothing for comfort or praise or promotion, but is simply
determined to do what he believes to be right. He is a dangerous
and uncomfortable enemy—because his body, which you can
always conquer, gives you so little purchase upon his soul.
—Professor Gilbert Murray, who met Gandhi in 1914

Contents
Notes on Symbols from Indian Language: Vocabulary and
Transliteration ix
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xix
Introduction 1
ONE
Challenging the Philosophical Presupposition: Gandhi’s
Unconventional Synthesis of Asceticism and Activism 21
TWO
Gandhi’s Alternative Paradigm: From Traditional Principles
to New Political Purposes 37
THREE
The Traditional Roots of Gandhi’s Brahmacarya 81
FOUR
Gandhi’s Unorthodox Brahmacarya: Reinterpreting Private
Religious Practice for Public Service 123
FIVE
Gandhi’s Embodiment of Legendary Heroes and Ascetics:
Toward a Coherent Narrative for Nonviolent Activism 163
CONCLUSION
Gandhi’s Dynamic Synthesis of Renunciation and
Social Action 213
viii Contents
Appendix 1 223
Appendix 2 225
Notes 227
Glossary 265
Bibliography 271
Index 281
Notes on Symbols from
Indian Language
Vocabulary and Transliteration
This work includes a large number of textual references from Indian
religious and philosophical traditions. It requires the following clari-
fications:
Sanskrit words consistently appear in their standard form, includ-
ing brahmacarya, ahiṃsā, darśan, karma, mokṣa, āśrama, and svarāj, even
though Gandhi used their Hindi/Gujarati renderings.
The words derived from Sanskrit words and adopted in Hindi and
Gujarati languages—for example, satyagraha and swadeshi—appear in
italicized form. The diacritical marks are omitted because they are not
standard Sanskrit words.
Proper names from Sanskrit literature are transliterated.
The radical sign (√) indicates Sanskrit verbal roots.
ix