Lev Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi, the Two Pearls of the Same Necklace

Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy  (in Russian, Лев Николаевич Толстой) or more popularly known as Tolstoy  was a Russian philosopher, novelist, story writer, play writer and a greatest author who has not only influenced the land of Russian Empire but the entire world. He was born on 9^th September, 1928 at Yasnaya Polyana, a place around 200 km in Tula Province, south of Moscow. His notable works are; War and Peace which was his first novel in 11860 followed by Anna Karenina in 1873 and others like The Death of Ivan Ilyich, The Kingdom of God is Within You, and Resurrection. Tolstoy died on 20^th November, 1910 in Astapova, Russia.

Lev Tolstoy PIC: http://historythings.com/

Tolstoy made his own experiments in life, turning to true religion and giving a meaningful purpose and quality to his own life. His novel War and Peace unravels a historical account of Nepoleonic Wars with thoughtful historical insights with fictional characters.  The famous novelist in his later years of life had established himself as a moral and religious leader and advocated non-violence as a tool to resist an evil. Tolstoy was acclaimed internationally for his great works and philosophy.

In a far remote corner in India, Tolstoy’s works had greatly influenced the Mahatma (great soul) of Indian freedom fighter movement where he chose to liberate India from the British Empire by adopting non-violent movement. Mahatma Gandhi was born as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on 2^nd October, 1869 at Porbandar, a small town in the state of Gujarat. He studied his higher education in London and became a barrister. Later working for sometime in Bombay (present day Mumbai), he left for South Africa where he had his first brush with destiny. His was thrown out of a train on a cold night at a small station in spite his having a valid ticket to travel first class by English Officers. He realized the real pain of discrimination and injustice because of one’s skin color. This singular incidence had influenced Gandhi to decide his future course of action and fight it back in India. This incident had shaped later Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to become Mahatma Gandhi and Father of Indian nation.

Mahatma Gandhi PIC: livemint.com

Gandhi read Tolstoy’s novel, ‘The Kigdom of God is within You’ in the year 1894 after his racial discrimination in his days in South Africa and got instantly attracted towards him. Influenced by the non-violent method to resist the evil, Gandhi could find a direction and a friend in Lev Tolstoy. They both not only had meeting with each other through letters and correspondences but also they could realize the oneness of their minds. Gandhi decided instantly to never accept the evil of discrimination and resist it single handedly through non-violent methods.

Tolstoy believed in the simplicity of life and inner purity which was amply reflected in his writings. Gandhi’s principles also echoed the same ideas. Tolstoy and Gandhi both believed in the idea of love to mankind. Both of them advocated love as non-violent tool to solve the any problems in life. Mahatma Gandhi wrote after reading ‘The Kingdom of God is within You’ that through the reading Gandhi was cured of skepticism and made him a firm believer of Ahimsa. Both they agreed that the non-violence methods could achieve all the purposes in the life and eradicate all the social evils, political injustice and establish the true peace on the earth.

One can say that it was because of Tolstoy that Gandhi could listen to his inner voice and could live a life of a half necked Fakir (half clad saint). The reflections of Tolstoy’s writing can be seen on the entire life of Gandhi and his strong conviction could raise himself to fight with mighty British Empire to liberate India from the clutches of slavery.

The history records both, Lev Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi as the two pearls of the same necklace.