Born on this day in Porbandar, India, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869–1948) walked softly, yet carried a strength that moved nations. A man of love and quiet resolve, he became known as Mahatma — “great soul.”

“We must be the change we wish to see in the world,” he said. Guided by this truth, Gandhi devoted his life to independence and harmony between Hindu and Muslim communities. His practice of nonviolent resistance inspired countless others, including Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King, Jr.

“My life is my message,” he affirmed. Through satyagraha — steadfastness in truth — he showed that the way we live matters more than what we possess. He spun cloth as a symbol of economic freedom and dignity, and urged compassion for the poorest: “Think of the poorest person you have ever seen, and ask if your next act will be of any use to him.” His compassion for the marginalized gave his movement its soul.

Repeatedly imprisoned, he undertook fasts and civil disobedience that helped India win independence in 1947 after centuries of British rule. His greatest gift was showing that transformation does not always require force. True change arises from stillness, from dignity, and from the courage to hold firm to compassion when the easier path is anger. This is spiritual enlightenment — the alignment of inner truth with outer action.

Albert Einstein reflected: “Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.” His words still echo — a pause to honor the gentle soul who lit the path in a clearer light, a light that continues to guide us.