Eleven vows (''Ekadash vrat'') were part of the ethical system prescribed by

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

mainly for all those residing in the ashram. Gandhi insisted on observance of these eleven vows in Ashram.

The vows

A book originally published in Gujarati and later in English titled 'Character And Nation Building' is a summary of 'Ashram observances and constructive programme' discusses these vows. The eleven vows were:

Ahimsa (
non-violence Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosoph ...
)

The vow of non-killing or love for all. For Gandhi, 'ahinsa' meant universal love, love for the oppressed as well as the oppressor, love for the labourer as well as the landlord.

Satya (Sanskrit: ; IAST: ) is a Sanskrit word that can be translated as "truth" or "essence.“ In Indian religions, it refers to a kind of virtue found across them. This virtue most commonly refers to being truthful in one's thoughts, speech and act ...
(truth)

Truth was paramount for Gandhi. He equated it with God.

Asteya (Sanskrit: , IAST: ) or (Sanskrit: ; IAST: ) is the Sanskrit term for "non-stealing". It is a virtue in Jainism. The practice of demands that one must not steal, nor have the intent to steal, another's property through action, speech, and thou ...
(Non-Stealing)

Mahatma Gandhi sums up this vow as :

Brahmacharya ''Brahmacharya'' (; Sanskrit: Devanagari: ब्रह्मचर्य) is the concept within Indian religions that literally means "conduct consistent with Brahman" or "on the path of Brahman". Brahmacharya, a discipline of controlling ...
(self-control)

Celibacy towards other women and men and even towards one's own partner, seeing him/her as a lifelong friend.

Asangraha ( renunciation of possession)

Gandhi asked for progressive simplication of one's life by renouncing things that one doesn't need.

Sharir shram (Bread labour)

Gandhi ji writes ::

Asvada (control of the palate)

For strict observance of brahmacharya, this vow was found to be important. It meant abstinence from delicacies and feasts etc.

Swadeshi (self-reliance)

Men can best serve the world by serving his neighbour.

Sarv Dharma Sambhav (equal respect for all religions)

Abhaya (fearlessness on all occasions)

Fear hinders spiritual progress and therefore observance of this vow was mentioned separately.

Asparsh (no
untouchability Untouchability is a form of social institution that legitimises and enforces practices that are discriminatory, humiliating, exclusionary and exploitative against people belonging to certain social groups. Although comparable forms of discrimin ...
)

No one was treated as an untouchable at the Ashram.

Speech and book

In 1915 Gandhi delivered an address to the students at Madras in which he discussed these vows. It was later published as "The Need of India". He would deliver a speech on the Ashram vows every Tuesday after prayers. These speeches were published as a book '' Mangal Prabhat'' in 1958.

References

Sources

* {{Mohandas K. Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi