Did Gandhi Understand Bhagavad-gita?- Prabhupada 0728

660527 - Lecture BG 03.17-20 - New York

Now, this Bhagavad-gītā . . . the Bhagavad-gītā, we always . . . we must always remember that it is being taught in the actual battlefield. Now, a great personality like Mahātmā Gandhi, he wanted to prove from Bhagavad-gītā nonviolence. He was . . . he was in favor of the doctrine of nonviolence. Now, you have seen Mahatma Gandhi's picture that he is always standing with Bhagavad-gītā like this. So Bhagavad-gītā was his life and soul practically. And in the morning he was having Bhagavad-gītā class; in the evening he was having Bhagavad-gītā class. So that was his life and soul.

But unfortunately he interpreted Bhagavad-gītā in his own way. Although he took Bhagavad-gītā as his life and soul, so, but he interpreted it in his own way. That is not the way of understanding Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore such a great man and such a good man . . . he was not only a great man; he was very good man in the worldly estimation. His character, his behavior, his dealing—everything was good. He was ideal personality. But just see: he was killed by violence. He could not stop violence.