Read the following passage carefully and then select the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives given. Gandhian philosophy consists of the religious and social ideas that Mahatma Gandhi adopted and developed, first during his years in South Africa from 1893 to 1914 and later in India during the freedom struggle. These ideas were further carried forward by later Gandhians in India, such as Vinoba Bhave and Jayaprakash Narayan, and by leaders outside India, for example Martin Luther King Junior in the United States. Gandhian thought sees the universe as an organic whole and operates at many levels at the same time: spiritual or religious, moral, political, economic, social, individual and collective. At its core lies the spiritual element and the idea of God. Human nature is regarded as fundamentally virtuous, and all individuals are believed to be capable of moral growth and reform. In this framework, two ideas stand out as central to Gandhian thought. The first is truth, and the second is non violence. The English word "truth" only partly captures the sense of the Sanskrit word "satya". Derived from "sat", meaning "that which exists", satya suggests both relative and absolute dimensions. For Gandhi, there is the relative truth of being truthful in word and deed, and there is the absolute truth of the Ultimate Reality. This ultimate truth is identified with God, and morality, that is, moral laws and moral codes, rests on this foundation. The second central idea is ahimsa, often translated as non violence. Gandhi understood ahimsa not as mere absence of physical harm but as active love, the opposite of himsa or violence in every sense. He placed non violence at the highest level for two main reasons. First, if all life is one according to the Divine Reality, then violence against another is violence against oneself and is therefore self destructive and against the universal law of life, which is love. Second, Gandhi held that ahimsa is the most powerful force available to human beings. If violence were stronger than non violence, humanity might have destroyed itself long ago and the human race would not have progressed as far as it has. From both angles, non violence or love is regarded as the highest law of humankind. According to the passage, what does Gandhi consider to be the most powerful force in existence?

Introduction / Context:
This question asks you to identify which principle Gandhi regards as the most powerful force in existence based on the passage. The relevant part of the passage is the discussion of ahimsa, or non violence, and how Gandhi evaluates its power compared to violence. The question checks whether you can locate and interpret this explicit comparison.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The passage explains both truth (satya) and non violence (ahimsa) as central ideas in Gandhian philosophy.
• In the section on ahimsa, the passage states that Gandhi placed non violence at the highest level for two reasons.
• It explicitly mentions that Gandhi believed ahimsa is the most powerful force in existence.
• The passage also contrasts this with the hypothetical situation where violence is stronger.

Concept / Approach:
To answer, you need to differentiate between several important concepts: truth, violence, non violence and morality. The passage praises each of them in different ways, but only one is directly called "the most powerful force". Reading carefully, you find that this description is applied to ahimsa or non violence. Gandhi believes that if violence were stronger than non violence, the human race might not have survived, which supports his view that non violence has greater sustaining power.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Locate the paragraph that discusses ahimsa or non violence.Step 2: Identify any sentences that compare the strength of non violence and violence.Step 3: Note the sentence saying that Gandhi believed ahimsa is the most powerful force available to human beings.Step 4: Observe the reasoning: if violence were stronger, humanity might have destroyed itself long ago.Step 5: Match this information to the options and select "non violence" as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Truth and morality are both highly valued in the passage, but the text does not describe them as "the most powerful force in existence". Violence is discussed as the opposite of non violence and is portrayed as self destructive and contrary to the law of life. Because the passage clearly states Gandhi's belief that ahimsa has unique power to preserve humanity and guide it forward, picking any option other than non violence would contradict the explicit wording of the passage.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option A: Truth is central and is associated with God and morality, but the phrase "most powerful force" is reserved for non violence, not truth.
• Option B: Violence is described as self destructive and contrary to the universal law of life; Gandhi does not champion it as powerful in a positive sense.
• Option D: Morality is based on truth and is important, but again, the passage does not call morality the most powerful force.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students quickly select "truth" because it is mentioned first and is associated with God and the Ultimate Reality. However, the question is specifically about what Gandhi regards as the most powerful force. Examiners often place highly valued but secondary concepts like "truth" or "morality" alongside the correct answer to check whether you read every relevant line carefully. When a passage compares two forces and explains that one of them would have destroyed humanity if it were stronger, you must pay close attention to which side of the comparison is ultimately endorsed.

Final Answer:
According to the passage, Gandhi considers non violence to be the most powerful force in existence.