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Saintly Politics: A Study of Mahatma Gandhi

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The Author has made a thorough study of Mahatma Ghandi's life, his works and his philosophy. It could be considered a Text Book study of Mahatma Ghandi. Ghandi's philosophy and life is explored in detail with substantial reference to support the written work that Bhawana Verma has carefully woven.
The Author writes in a thought provoking manner and provides much insight and clarity to a very complex subject and leaves the reader void of any misconceptions. It would appear at times that Ghandi's ideas do not reflect the reality in the world in which we live. However careful analysis does show that his philosophy could be adapted to the modern world.
I would recommend this book to anyone who seeks to know more about God and the path to God. It should become part of comparative religious study at the University level.

Abe March
Author - To Beirut and Back ISBN: 1-4241-3853-1

Saintly Politics, a Study of Mahatma Gandhi, by Bhawana Verma, is a scholarly book about the spiritual values of Gandhi and the way he put them into political practice or action in India during a time of oppression when his people were reduced to passivity under British rule. In reading Saintly Politics, one realizes that the spiritual values of Hinduism form a true approach to truth at this moment in history as well.

This book will give the reader a way to achieve an understanding and balance in thinking between east and west, Hindu and Christian, that can inspire and uplift one to a new way of contemplating God--one that goes beyond the materialism that permeates western culture. It was not always so. Gandhi can remember the time before the industrial revolution that a more spiritual approach to life was prevalent in all cultures.

The first qualification a Satyagrahi (a seeker of truth) according to Gandhi is to have a living faith of the axiomatic truth that God exists therefore, he exists. He (Gandhi) is only instrumental in fulfilling His wishes. Gandhi believed that "The very foundation of the training in Satyagrahi is faith in God and if that is absent, all the training one may have received is likely to fail..." One can see why he said in a famous quote: "There is nothing wrong with Christianity except that it has never been tried..."

It is interesting to see the many similarities in this book between the pure truth that Christ taught of loving one's fellow man to show the love for God, and the search for pure truth as the Satyagrahi and Gandhi view it.

The author's knowledge of English is excellent, although sometimes the style in which it is written makes evident English is her second language. This in no way deflects from the truth of the book's message, but makes it real to the reader. Anyone who wishes to know the real Mahatma Gandhi will find him in this book.