A Letter to a Hindu
Leo Tolstoy wrote a letter to Tarak Nath Das on the 14th of December 1908. This document emerged from two letters sent by Das seeking support for India's independence from colonial rule. The Russian author and thinker responded with a detailed message published in the Indian newspaper Free Hindustan. The exchange began a chain of events that would reshape political history across Asia. Das sought guidance from a man known for his moral philosophy rather than military strategy.
Tolstoy spent seven months preparing this single letter for its final form. He created twenty-nine drafts before reaching a conclusion. The manuscript grew to four hundred thirteen pages of handwritten text. These pages contained six thousand words of argument and advice. Christian Bartlof noted this effort in a 1997 publication about Gandhi and the contemporary world. Such labor suggests the historical weight of the resulting document.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi read the letter while living in South Africa. He was just beginning his activist career at that time. Gandhi wrote to Tolstoy asking for permission to reprint the text. He wanted to publish it in his own newspaper called Indian Opinion in 1909. The young leader then translated the original English copy into Gujarati himself. This translation allowed the ideas to reach a wider audience within the Indian community abroad.
Tolstoy argued that only love could free India from colonial rule. He saw the law of love in all world religions as a guiding force. Individual nonviolent application through protests and strikes offered an alternative to violent revolution. Peaceful resistance became the core strategy he advocated for the movement. These methods proved successful decades later when independence arrived in 1947. The path required patience rather than weapons or armies.
This letter combined with other works helped form Mohandas Gandhi's views on nonviolent resistance. Tolstoy referenced Swami Vivekananda in his writing alongside quotes from Krishna and Jesus. His 1894 book The Kingdom of God Is Within You also influenced the future leader. The correspondence provided a philosophical framework for civil disobedience campaigns. Gandhi adopted these principles as central to his political struggle against British authority.
Gandhi discovered ancient Tamil moral literature through this correspondence. Tolstoy referred to the Tirukkuval as Hindu Kural in his text. The young activist began studying the Kural while imprisoned by authorities. This introduction connected modern political thought with classical Indian ethics. The ancient text offered additional depth to the emerging philosophy of resistance. It bridged religious tradition with contemporary demands for freedom.
Up Next
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did Leo Tolstoy write a letter to Tarak Nath Das?
Leo Tolstoy wrote the letter on the 14th of December 1908. This document emerged from two letters sent by Das seeking support for India's independence from colonial rule.
How many drafts did Leo Tolstoy create before finishing his letter to Tarak Nath Das?
Tolstoy created twenty-nine drafts before reaching a conclusion on the final form. He spent seven months preparing this single letter which grew to four hundred thirteen pages of handwritten text containing six thousand words.
Why did Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi translate Leo Tolstoy's letter into Gujarati?
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi translated the original English copy into Gujarati himself so that the ideas could reach a wider audience within the Indian community abroad. He wanted to publish it in his own newspaper called Indian Opinion in 1909 after reading the letter while living in South Africa.
What strategy did Leo Tolstoy argue was necessary to free India from colonial rule?
Leo Tolstoy argued that only love could free India from colonial rule through individual nonviolent application via protests and strikes. Peaceful resistance became the core strategy he advocated for the movement rather than violent revolution or armies.
Which ancient Tamil moral literature did Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi study because of Leo Tolstoy's correspondence?
Gandhi discovered ancient Tamil moral literature known as the Tirukkuval through this correspondence where Tolstoy referred to it as Hindu Kural. The young activist began studying the Kural while imprisoned by authorities to connect modern political thought with classical Indian ethics.