Gandhi the Man

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Gandhi the Man
Gandhi-the-Man-2011-dpi50.jpg
Author Eknath Easwaran
LanguageEnglish (original); Chinese, [1] Czech, [2] Dutch, [3] [4] German, [5] [6] Indonesian, [7] Japanese, [8] Korean, [9] Kurdish, [10] Persian [11]
GenrePoliticians - India - Biography
Publisher Nilgiri Press; others
Publication date
1973; 1978; 1991; 2011; others
Pages200 (2011); 179 (1997); 186 (1978); 157 (1973).
ISBN 978-1-58638-055-7

Gandhi the Man is a biography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi written by Eknath Easwaran. The book was originally published in the United States in 1973. Several subsequent expanded editions have been published. Non-English editions have also been published in several languages. [lower-alpha 1]

Contents

Topics covered

All US editions of Gandhi the Man contain four major parts entitled 1) The Transformation, 2) The Way of Love, 3) Mother and Child, and 4) Gandhi the Man. All US editions also contain numerous photographs. More recent editions contain a foreword by Michael Nagler and an Appendix by Timothy Flinders entitled "How Satyagraha Works." The 4th edition (2011) contains several pages of maps and chronology (timelines), and additional background notes. [14]

Reviews and influence

Reviews have appeared in the New York Post , [15] the San Francisco Chronicle , [16] The History Teacher , [17] and elsewhere.

In the New York Post, Bill McKibben wrote that Gandhi the Man "seems at first glance like pure hagiography, most notable for the wonderful photographs it contains. But it isn't a picture book - in fact,

in very few words, it comes closer to giving some sense of how Gandhi saw his life than any other account I have read. From the outside, his life looked like a political drama... But from the inside, Easwaran argues quite persuasively, it looked quite different. Gandhi mastered his own life - took charge of his mind and his body. As a result he knew no fear, only great and undifferentiated love for the rest of creation. And so he was able to powerfully affect that creation." [15] : 4 

In The History Teacher Donald Cody wrote that "the book's uniqueness lies in the effective interspersing of some six dozen pictures throughout the relatively short text [...which] itself is biographical only in a very general way; the author's major goal is to reveal the spiritual dimensions of Gandhi's life.... Teachers and college students, in particular, will find the two or three hours spent with this book a rare inspirational experience. Even high school students who appreciate works with a spiritual focus will be affected by its profound message." [17] : 269  Cody also wrote that "while the author describes [the] political struggle in considerable detail, he is more interested in showing that Gandhi did not see achieving India's freedom as his primary goal. In fact, had he not believed that British rule was particularly injurious to the Indian lower classes, he might not have involved himself in the independence movement at all." [17] : 269 

In the Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society , Tonya Emeigh suggested that Gandhi the Man could be used for teaching humane attitudes towards farm animals. [18] [19]

The publisher quoted influential religion scholar Huston Smith as stating that "This book belongs in every public library in the English-speaking world." [20]

Curriculum

Gandhi the Man serves as the basis of a 7-week curriculum and course offered through a US-based church denomination. [21]

Editions

The original edition was published by in 1973 by Glide Publications (San Francisco). Several later US editions were published Nilgiri Press. Other editions have been published in Chinese (PRC), [1] [12] Czech, [2] Dutch, [3] [4] German, [5] [6] Indonesian, [7] Japanese, [8] Korean, [9] Kurdish, [10] and Persian. [11]

English-language editions have been published in Canada, India, and the US. The US editions are:

Canadian edition:

Indian edition:

See also

Notes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eknath Easwaran</span> Indian-American spiritual teacher

Eknath Easwaran was an Indian-born spiritual teacher, author and translator and interpreter of Indian religious texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads.

<i>Passage Meditation</i> 1978 book by Eknath Easwaran

Passage Meditation is a book by Eknath Easwaran, originally published in 1978 with the title Meditation. The book describes a meditation program, also now commonly referred to as Passage Meditation. Easwaran developed this method of meditation in the 1960s, and first taught it systematically at the University of California, Berkeley.

Gandhian economics is a school of economic thought based on the spiritual and socio-economic principles expounded by Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. It is largely characterised by rejection of the concept of the human being as a rational actor always seeking to maximize material self-interest that underlies classical economic thinking. Where Western economic systems were based on what he called the “multiplication of wants,” Gandhi felt that this was both unsustainable and devastating to the human spirit. His model, by contrast, aimed at the fulfillment of needs – including the need for meaning and community. As a school of economics the resulting model contained elements of protectionism, nationalism, adherence to the principles and objectives of nonviolence and a rejection of class war in favor of socio-economic harmony. Gandhi's economic ideas also aim to promote spiritual development and harmony with a rejection of materialism. The term "Gandhian economics" was coined by J. C. Kumarappa, a close supporter of Gandhi.

Seven Social Sins is a list by Frederick Lewis Donaldson that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi published in his weekly newspaper Young India on October 22, 1925. Later he gave this same list to his grandson, Arun Gandhi, written on a piece of paper on their final day together shortly before his assassination. The Seven Sins are:

  1. Wealth without work.
  2. Pleasure without conscience.
  3. Knowledge without character.
  4. Commerce without morality.
  5. Science without humanity.
  6. Religion without sacrifice.
  7. Politics without principle.

Japa means repeating or remembering a mantra, and ajapa-japa means constant awareness of the mantra, or of what it represents. The letter A in front of the word japa means without. Thus, ajapa-japa is the practice of japa without the mental effort normally needed to repeat the mantra. In other words, it has begun to come naturally, turning into a constant awareness.

Michael N. Nagler is an American academic, nonviolence educator, mentor, meditator, and peace activist.

<i>Nonviolent Soldier of Islam</i>

Nonviolent Soldier of Islam is a biography of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1890-1988), an ally of Gandhi's in the Indian independence movement. Originally written by Eknath Easwaran in English, foreign editions have also been published in Arabic and several other languages. The book was originally published in the United States in 1984 as A Man to Match His Mountains: Badshah Khan, nonviolent soldier of Islam. A second edition was published in 1999 with the title Nonviolent soldier of Islam: Badshah Khan, a man to match his mountains. Both editions include an afterword by Timothy Flinders. The 1999 US edition contains a new foreword by Easwaran, and an enlarged section of photographs of Khan. The book has been reviewed in magazines, newspapers, and professional journals. The book inspired the making of the 2008 film The Frontier Gandhi: Badshah Khan, a Torch for Peace.

<i>Essence of the Upanishads</i>

Essence of the Upanishads is a translation and commentary on the Katha Upanishad, an ancient Indian scripture. Written by Eknath Easwaran, the book was originally published in the United States in 1981, entitled Dialogue With Death. Non-English editions have also been published in several languages. The book has been reviewed in newspapers, magazines, and elsewhere.

<i>Mantram Handbook</i>

The Mantram Handbook describes methods of using a mantram — sometimes called a Holy Name — in daily living. Benefits are also described. Written by Eknath Easwaran, the book was originally published in the United States in 1977. Several subsequent editions have been published, sometimes under different titles, in the United States, the United Kingdom, and India. Foreign (non-English) editions have also been published in several languages. The book has been reviewed in newspapers, magazines, and websites, and discussed in professional journals. It has also been a focus of scientific research. The subtitle of the fifth (2008) US edition is: a practical guide to choosing your mantram & calming your mind.

<i>Dhammapada</i> (Easwaran translation) 1986 English-language book

The Dhammapada / Introduced & Translated by Eknath Easwaran is an English-language book originally published in 1986. It contains Easwaran's translation of the Dhammapada, a Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha himself. The book also contains a substantial overall introduction of about 70 pages, together with introductory notes to each of the Dhammapada's 26 chapters. English-language editions have also been published in the UK and India, and a re-translation of the full book has been published in German. and Korean.

<i>God Makes the Rivers to Flow</i>

God Makes the Rivers to Flow is an anthology of spiritual texts for use in meditation, assembled by Eknath Easwaran. Condensed versions have been published under the titles Timeless Wisdom (book) and Sacred Literature of the World. First published as a book in the US in 1982, progressively enlarged or revised versions of God Makes the Rivers to Flow were also issued in the US in 1991, 2003, and 2009. English editions have been published in India, and a French edition has been published. The book has been reviewed in newspapers, magazines, professional journals, and websites, and utilized in research studies and education.

<i>Gita Dhyanam</i>

The Gītā Dhyānam, also called the Gītā Dhyāna or the Dhyāna Ślokas associated with the Gītā, is a 9-verse Sanskrit poem that has often been attached to the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most important scriptures of Hinduism. In English, its title can be translated literally as "meditation on the Gita," and it is also sometimes called the Invocation to the Gita.

Mgr. John Palocaren (1886–1948) was the founding principal of St. Thomas College, Thrissur. Palocaren was born on 8 September 1886 in the Nadathara Palocaren family, an ancient Syrian Christian family of Kerala State, India. He was ordained as a minister in 1915, served at the St Thomas High School in Thrissur for three years, and was appointed the principal of St Thomas College when it was founded in April 1919. Soon after, he obtained MA in English Literature with distinction from the University of Edinburgh. In 1924 he returned as principal of St Thomas College, a status he retained until 1948. In 1937, he was awarded the status of Monsignor. Palocaren died on 19 August 1948. The 125th anniversary of his birth was celebrated at the college on 8 September 2011.

<i>Original Goodness</i> (book)

Original Goodness is a practical commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, emphasizing how to translate it into daily living with the aid of spiritual practices. Written by Eknath Easwaran, the book was originally published in the United States in 1989.

<i>Love Never Faileth</i>

Love Never Faileth is a practical commentary on Saint Francis, Saint Paul, Saint Augustine, and Mother Teresa. Written by Eknath Easwaran, the book was originally published in the United States in 1984.

<i>Seeing with the Eyes of Love</i>

Seeing with the Eyes of Love by Eknath Easwaran is a practical commentary on The Imitation of Christ, a Christian devotional classic of the early 15th century, believed to be the work of Thomas à Kempis. Easwaran's commentary emphasizes how to translate the Imitation into daily living with the aid of spiritual practices. Seeing with the Eyes of Love was originally published in the United States in 1991. A German translation was published in 1993, and a second U.S. edition was published in 1996. The book has been reviewed in newspapers, magazines, and websites.

<i>The Making of a Teacher</i> 1989 biography by Tim and Carol Flinders

The Making of a Teacher is a spiritual biography of the Indian spiritual teacher Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999), written by Tim and Carol Flinders and originally published in the United States in 1989. Adopting an oral history approach, the book recounts numerous conversations with Easwaran that describe his childhood, career as a professor of English literature, spiritual awakening, and service as a spiritual teacher in the United States. The book also profiles his way of life at the time of publication, and his relationship with his grandmother, his own spiritual teacher. An Indian edition was published in 2002. The book has been reviewed in newspapers, and also excerpted.

<i>Conquest of Mind</i>

Conquest of Mind is a book that describes practices and strategies for leading the spiritual life. Written by Eknath Easwaran, the strategies are intended to be usable within any major religious tradition, or outside of all traditions. The book was originally published in the United States in 1988. Multiple revised English-language editions have been published, and translations have also appeared in several other European and Asian languages. The book has been reviewed in newspapers and magazines.

The Muhammadzai are a Pashtun tribe residing in Charsadda, Pakistan.

<i>Bapu</i> (book)

Bapu: Conversations and Correspondence with Mahatma Gandhi is an autobiographical description of F. Mary Barr's relationship and interactions with Mahatma Gandhi, whom she refers to as Bapu (father). Several of Gandhi's letters to the author, originally an English missionary in India, are included in full. The book was originally published in India in 1949. A revised edition was published in India in 1956. The book has been reviewed in several magazines, and discussed in other books.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Eknath Easwaran (1998). 圣雄·甘地: 非暴力之父 (The Father of Nonviolence: Mahatma Gandhi) ISBN   7-80128-125-X, ISBN   978-7-80128-125-8, (306 pages)
  2. 1 2 3 Eknath Easwaran (1999). Gándhí člověk: příběh jeho transformace (Gandhi the Man: The Story of his Transformation) (Bohumila Kučerová, trans.). Czech Republic: Volvox Globator. ISBN   80-7207-270-6, ISBN   978-80-7207-270-5 (140 pages)
  3. 1 2 3 Eknath Easwaran (1983). Gandhi (Hilde Lichtendahl, trans.). Netherlands: Sirius en Siderius. ISBN   906441047X, ISBN   978-90-6441-047-5
  4. 1 2 3 Eknath Easwaran (1997). Gandhi Een biografie [ permanent dead link ] Netherlands: Ankh-Hermes. ISBN   90-202-8124-0 ISBN   9789020281248 (paper)
  5. 1 2 3 Eknath Easwaran (1983). Der Mensch Gandhi . Germany:Grumann. ISBN   3-924092-13-3, ISBN   978-3-924092-13-9 (184 pages).
  6. 1 2 3 Eknath Easwaran (1997). Der Mensch Gandhi. Sein Leben ist eine Botschaft (Gandhi the Man: His Life is a Message) . Freiburg, Germany:Herder. ISBN   978-3-451-04564-6
  7. 1 2 3 Eknath Easwaran (2013). Gandhi the Man - Seorang pria yang mengubah dirinya demi mengubah dunia . Indonesia: Bentang Pustaka (Mizan Group). ISBN   6027888903, ISBN   978-602-7888-90-6 (288 pages).
  8. 1 2 3 Eknath Easwaran (2013). 人間ガンディー 世界を変えた自己変革 / (Gandhi the Man: How One Man Changed Himself to Change the World) (ｽﾀｲﾅｰ 紀美子= Kimiko Steiner, trans.). Osaka, Japan: 大阪東方出版 / Eastern Osaka Publishing. ISBN   978-4862492135, ISBN   4862492134, OCLC   840102432, ASIN   4862492134 (214 pages)
  9. 1 2 3 Eknath Easwaran (2005). 비폭력이 가장 위대한 사랑이다 (Nonviolence is the Greatest Love) (박유진, trans.). Korea: 꿈꾸는돌. ISBN   89-91159-07-9, ISBN   978-89-91159-07-5
  10. 1 2 3 Eknath Easwaran (2010). Rebāzī-i ʻashq : chīrokī wacharkhānī roḥī-y Māhātmā Gāndī (Hāwār Aḥmad Halanjayi [Halabjayi], trans. from Persian). Hawler [Erbil], Iraq: Chāpkhāna-y Minārih. OCLC   801735679 (175 pages)
  11. 1 2 3 Eknath Easwaran (2001). Rāh-i ʻishq: dāsitān taḥūl rūḥī mahātmā Gāndī (The Way of Love: The Story of Mahatma Gandhi's spiritual transformation) (Shahram Tabrizi, trans.). Iran: ققنوس، (Phoenix). ISBN   964-311-411-2, ISBN   978-964-311-411-4, OCLC   178500148 (190 pages).
  12. 1 2 Lynn Garrett (1998, Jan. 12). Gandhi in China. Publishers Weekly, v245 n2, p30. "Nilgiri Press... was surprised to receive an e-mail in September from the Sichuan Copyright Agency in the People's Republic of China, expressing interest in publishing a Chinese edition of its Gandhi the Man (especially since relations between China and India have not always been the best).... the book will be released in China on January 30" (p. 30).
  13. ↑ Foreign editions of Nilgiri Press Books, "Foreign Editions of Nilgiri Press Books". Archived from the original on 2010-06-13. Retrieved 2010-05-30., accessed 3 April 2010.
  14. ↑ See 4th edition, pp. 173-185. ISBN   978-1-58638-055-7 (back cover text states these are new)
  15. 1 2 Bill McKibben (1989, May 21). New York Post , pp. 4-5. Review of Gandhi the Man, A Man to Match His Mountains, Meditation, The Mantram Handbook, and Conquest of Mind.
  16. ↑ Patricia Holt (24 December 1997). "Images of Gandhi's progress toward greatness". San Francisco Chronicle . pp. C6. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  17. 1 2 3 Donald K. Cody (1981). "[Untitled review of Easwaran's Gandhi the Man]". The History Teacher. 14 (2): 269. doi:10.2307/493276. JSTOR   493276.
  18. ↑ Tonya Huber Emeigh (1988). "Humane education: Science, technology, and society in the English classroom". Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society . 8: 47–63. doi:10.1177/027046768800800111. S2CID   143509391.
  19. ↑ Emeigh suggests using the book with lessons about "World Farm Animals Day", designated as falling on October 2, Gandhi's birthday (see website World Farm Animals Day)
  20. ↑ Back cover of 2011 edition of Gandhi the Man, ISBN   978-1-58638-055-7
  21. ↑ The Wisdom of Gandhi, Archived 2011-02-25 at the Wayback Machine "A seven-week study series that highlights Mahatma Gandhi's spiritual practice to make nonviolence a force in everyday life" written in 1999 by ministers of Unity of the Valley of Eugene Oregon. The series "became the most popular seven-week program ever offered at Unity of the Valley." (accessed 26 Jan 2013)
  22. ↑ Eknath Easwaran (1997). Gandhi the Man Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine . Mumbai, India:Jaico. ISBN   81-7224-517-3, ISBN   978-81-7224-517-7
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