- Satyagraha is a natural outcome of supremeness of truth. If truth is ultimate reality, then it is imperative to safeguard the criteria and foundations of truth.
- Satyagraha means exercise of purest soul force against all injustice, oppression, and exploitation. Suffering and trust are attributes of soul force. The active nonviolent resistance of ‘heroic meek’ makes an immediate appeal to the heart. It does not intend to endanger the opponent but to overwhelm him with over-flooding power of innocence. Satyagraha is a perpetual law against anything repugnant to the soul.
- Satyagraha is an inherent birth right of a person. It is not merely a sacred right but it can also be a sacred duty. If Government does not represent the will of the people, and if it begins to support dishonesty and terrorism, then it should be disobeyed. But one who wants to vindicate his rights should be prepared to bear all kinds of suffering.
- Dynamics of satyagraha are broader and universally applicable. From family to state—wheresoever one meets injustice and untruth—one can resort to satyagraha. Gandhi said that the alphabet of ahimsa is learnt in the domestic school and can be extended to national and even international levels.
- Techniques of satyagraha: Fasting can be one form of satyagraha, but it must be applied only against those who are bound by ties of close personal affection. Voluntary migration can be another form of satyagraha. “Tyranny is a kind of plague and when it is likely to make us angry or weak, it is wise to leave the scene of such temptation. He even supported Hijrat (to shift).
- Satyagraha, for Gandhi, is not a formula of social & political disintegration. A satyagrahi must have first rendered willing obedience to the laws of the state.
- A satyagrahi while resisting the laws of government should see thatsocial structure is not subverted.
- Gandhi laid down strict canons of moral discipline for the satyagrahi.
- Must have an unshakeable faith in God.
- Must not hanker after wealth and fame.
- Must obey the leader of satyagraha unit.
- Should practice Brahmacharya
- Should be fearless and firm in his resolve.
- Must have patience and single-minded purposefulness.
- Must not be swayed from the path of duty by anger or any other passion.
- Satyagraha can never be resorted to for personal gains.
- Different forms of satyagraha: Non-cooperation with evil doer is a mild form. Civil disobedience of the laws of government is an extreme form of satyagraha. There can be individual and mass civil disobedience. The latter means spontaneous action by the masses. In the beginning, masses will have to be rigorously trained for action. According to Gandhi, complete civil disobedience implying a refusal to render obedience to every single state-made law can be a very powerful movement.
- Differences between Satyagraha and Passive Resistance: Satyagraha is a dynamic force because it contemplates action in resistance to injustice. Passive resistance is compatible with internal violence towards the enemy but satyagraha stresses continuous cleansing of the mind. It emphasizes even inner purity. Passive resistance is mainly contemplated at a political level. Satyagraha can be practised at all levels—domestic, social and political. Satyagraha goes beyond passive resistance in its stress on spiritual and moral teleology because final source of hope and consolation for satyagrahi is God. Gandhian theory of satyagraha is far more comprehensive than passive resistance as advocated in India in 1906-1908.
- Tilak & Aurobindo would not condemn violence on moral grounds. But Gandhi accepted the absolution of ahimsa. The passive resistance of 1906-1908 was a political technique of limited application. Sometimes it meant only Swadeshi and boycott, while at other times it was extended to cover disobedience of unjust laws and decrees.
- The Gandhian theory of satyagraha is a philosophy of life and politics, and it contemplates stupendous mass action for paralyzing the total structure of a despotic government.
