The Birth of Satyagraha

Events were so shaping themselves in Johannesburg, as to make this self-purification on my part a preliminary as it were to Satyagraha. I can now see that all the principal events of my life, culminating in the vow of brahmacharya, were secretly preparing me for it.

Events in Johannesburg were unfolding in a way that made my self-purification, as it were, a preparation for Satyagraha. I can now see that all the major events of my life were secretly preparing me for Satyagraha. They culminated in my vow of brahmacharya.

The principle called Satyagraha came into being before that name was invented. Indeed when it was born, I myself could not say what it was. In Gujarati also we used the English phrase ‘passive resistance’ to describe it. When in a meeting of Europeans I found that the term ‘passive resistance’ was too narrowly construed, that it was supposed to be a weapon of the weak, that it could be characterised by hatred and that it could finally manifest itself as violence, I had to demur to all these statements and explain the real nature of the Indian movement. It was clear that a new word must be coined by the Indians to designate their struggle.

The principle called Satyagraha began before the name was invented. In fact, when it began, I myself could not say what it was. Even in Gujarati, we used the English phrase ‘passive resistance’ to describe it. At a meeting of Europeans, I found that ‘passive resistance’ was understood too narrowly. It was thought to be a weapon of the weak, one that could involve hatred and ultimately lead to violence. I had to disagree with all these claims and explain the true nature of the Indian movement. It was clear that the Indians had to coin a new word for their struggle.

But I could not for the life of me find out a new name, and therefore offered a nominal prize through Indian Opinion to the reader who made the best suggestion on the subject. As a result Maganlal Gandhi coined the word ‘Sadagraha’ (Sat=truth, Agraha=firmness) and won the prize. But in order to make it clearer I changed the word to ‘Satyagraha’ which has since become current in Gujarati as a designation for the struggle.

But I could not think of a new name, no matter how hard I tried. So I offered a small prize through Indian Opinion to the reader who made the best suggestion. Maganlal Gandhi coined the word ‘Sadagraha’ (Sat=truth, Agraha=firmness) and won the prize. But to make the word clearer, I changed it to ‘Satyagraha’. Since then, ‘Satyagraha’ has become the common Gujarati name for the struggle.

The history of this struggle is for all practical purposes a history of the remainder of my life in South Africa and especially of my experiments with truth in that sub-continent. I wrote the major portion of this history in Yeravda jail and finished it after I was released. It was published in Navajivan and subsequently issued in book form. Sjt. Valji Govindji Desai has been translating it into English for Current Thought, but I am now arranging to have the English translation²⁵ published in book form at an early date, so that those who will may be able to familiarise themselves with my most important experiments in South Africa. I would recommend a perusal of my history of Satyagraha in South Africa to such readers as have not seen it already. I will not repeat what I have put down there but in the next few chapters will deal only with a few personal incidents of my life in South Africa which have not been covered by that history. And when I have done with these, I will at once proceed to give the reader some idea of my experiments in India. Therefore, any one, who wishes to consider these experiments in their strict chronological order, will now do well to keep the history of Satyagraha in South Africa before him.

The history of this struggle is, for all practical purposes, the history of the rest of my life in South Africa. It is especially the history of my experiments with truth in that subcontinent. I wrote most of this history in Yeravda jail and finished it after my release. It was published in Navajivan and later issued as a book. Sjt. Valji Govindji Desai has been translating it into English for Current Thought. But I am now arranging for the English translation²⁵ to be published as a book soon. Those who wish will then be able to learn about my most important experiments in South Africa. I recommend that readers who have not yet seen my history of Satyagraha in South Africa read it. I will not repeat what I wrote there. Instead, the next few chapters will cover only a few personal incidents from my life in South Africa that the history does not cover. After that, I will turn at once to giving the reader some idea of my experiments in India. Therefore, anyone who wishes to consider these experiments in strict chronological order should now keep the history of Satyagraha in South Africa at hand.