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Q60 (CDS-I/2017) History & Culture › Culture, Literature, Religion & Philosophy › Vedic and Hindu religious traditions Answer Verified

What was/were the formative influence(s) on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi? 1. Gandhiji was influenced by the 18th century Pranami sect that advocated the unity of faiths. 2. Gandhiji was influenced by the theosophists. 3. Gandhiji was an admirer of the writings of Romantics like Wordsworth. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 1 (1 and 2 only). Gandhi’s philosophy was a synthesis of diverse Eastern and Western influences.

  • Statement 1 is correct: Gandhi’s mother, Putlibai, belonged to the Pranami sect, which originated in the 18th century. This sect combined elements of Hinduism and Islam, emphasizing the unity of faiths and the essence of all religions, deeply rooting the concept of religious tolerance in him.
  • Statement 2 is correct: During his time in London, Gandhi associated with Theosophists like Annie Besant and Madame Blavatsky. They encouraged him to study the Bhagavad Gita and stimulated his interest in Indian spiritual traditions and universal brotherhood.
  • Statement 3 is incorrect: While Gandhi was influenced by Western thinkers, his primary influences were Leo Tolstoy (The Kingdom of God is Within You), John Ruskin (Unto This Last), and Henry David Thoreau (Civil Disobedience), rather than Romantic poets like Wordsworth.

Thus, the formative influences were the Pranami sect and Theosophy, making Option 1 the right choice.

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