Eleven vows

Eleven vows (Ekadash vrat) were part of the ethical system prescribed by Mahatma Gandhi mainly for all those residing in the ashram.

Gandhi insisted on observance of these eleven vows in Ashram. ^[1]

The vows

The eleven vows were:^[2]^[3] A book originally published in Gujarati and later in English titled 'Character And Nation Building' is a summary of Ashram observances and constructive programme discuss these vows.^[4]

Ahimsa (non-violence)

The vow of non-killing or love for all

*Satya (truth)

Asteya (Non-Stealing)

Mahatma Gandhi sums up this vow as :

I suggest that we are thieves in a way. If I take anything that I do not need for my own immediate use and keep it, I thieve it from somebody else.

^[5]

Brahmacharya (self-control)

Asangraha (renunciation of possession)

Sharir shram (Bread labour)

Gandhi ji writes ::

Man can be saved from injuring society as well as himself only if he sustains his physical existence by physical labour.

^[6]

Asvada (control of the palate)

Swadeshi (self-reliance)

Samanlok (equal respect for all religions)

Abhaya (fearlessness on all occasions)

Asparsh (no untouchability)

Speech and book

In 1915 Gandhi delivered an address to the students at Madras in which he discussed these vows. It was later published as "The Need of India".^[7] He would deliver a speech on the Ashram vows every Tuesday after prayers. These speeches were published as a book Mangal Prabhat^[8] in 1958.

References

^ Parikh, Nilam (2008). Gandhi wrote to his sons and daughter-in-law (First ed.). Rajghat: National Gandhi Museum. p. 194. ISBN 978-81-87458-17-3.
^ Gandhi, Mahatma (1975). The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi: Apr. 25-Sept. 30, 1935. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. pp. 44–45.
^ James, G.A. (2013). Ecology Is Permanent Economy: The Activism and Environmental Philosophy of Sunderlal Bahuguna. State University of New York Press. p. 209. ISBN 978-1-4384-4674-5. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
^ Character and Nation Building. ISBN 81-7229-093-4. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |web= (help) |last =Gandhi |first= M.K.|publisher= Navjivan Trust|date=1959}}
^ Prabhu, p. 293.
^ Gandhi, pp. 11.
^ Gandhi, Mohandas K. "The Need of India". Mahatma Gandhi, his life, writings and speeches.
^ Pyarelal (1995). Mahatma Gandhi: Salt satyagraha: the watershed. Navajivan Publishing House. p. xvii. ISBN 978-81-7229-133-4.

Sources

Prabhu, R.K. and U.R. Rao. The mind of Mahatma Gandhi.

[1] Parikh, Nilam (2008). Gandhi wrote to his sons and daughter-in-law (First ed.). Rajghat: National Gandhi Museum. p. 194. ISBN 978-81-87458-17-3.

[2] Gandhi, Mahatma (1975). The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi: Apr. 25-Sept. 30, 1935. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. pp. 44–45.

[3] James, G.A. (2013). Ecology Is Permanent Economy: The Activism and Environmental Philosophy of Sunderlal Bahuguna. State University of New York Press. p. 209. ISBN 978-1-4384-4674-5. Retrieved 2023-08-05.

[4] Character and Nation Building. ISBN 81-7229-093-4. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |web= (help) |last =Gandhi |first= M.K.|publisher= Navjivan Trust|date=1959}}

[FOOTNOTEPrabhu293-5] Prabhu, p. 293.

[FOOTNOTEGandhi11-6] Gandhi, pp. 11.

[7] Gandhi, Mohandas K. "The Need of India". Mahatma Gandhi, his life, writings and speeches.

[8] Pyarelal (1995). Mahatma Gandhi: Salt satyagraha: the watershed. Navajivan Publishing House. p. xvii. ISBN 978-81-7229-133-4.

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