Nonviolent attainment of self-government presupposes a non-violent control over the violent elements in the country.

A certain degree of physical harmony and comfort is necessary, but above a certain level it becomes a hindrance instead of a help. Therefore the ideal of creating an unlimited number of wants and satisfying them seems to be a delusion and a snare.

I refuse to put the unnecessary strain of learning English upon my sisters for the sake of false pride or questionable social advantage.

I do believe that where there is a choice between cowardice and non-violence I would advise violence. Thus when my eldest son asked me what he should have done, had he been present when I was almost fatally assaulted in 1908, whether he should have run away and seen me killed or whether he should have used his physical force which he could and wanted to use, and defended me, I told him that it was his duty to defend me even by using violence.

I swear by swadeshi as it affords occasion for ample exercise of all our faculties and it tests every one of the millions of men and women, young and old.

We may stumble and fall but shall rise again; it should be enough if we did not run away from the battle.

Simplicity is the essence of universality.