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 are the twin cardinal principles of Gandhian thought?

Introduction / Context:
This reading comprehension question focuses on the main ideas of Gandhian philosophy as described in the passage. Specifically, it asks you to identify the "twin cardinal principles" of Gandhian thought. In other words, you must find the two central guiding ideas that Gandhi placed at the heart of his philosophy. This tests your ability to pick out key concepts from a dense descriptive paragraph.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The passage describes Gandhian philosophy as religious and social ideas developed by Mahatma Gandhi and later thinkers.
• It lists several planes on which the philosophy operates: spiritual, moral, political, economic, social, individual and collective.
• The passage clearly states that two ideas stand out as central or cardinal.
• Those two ideas are named explicitly in the text.

Concept / Approach:
The key is to locate the sentence in the passage that directly mentions "two ideas" or "twin cardinal principles". The passage says that in Gandhian thought "two ideas stand out as central". It then names them: the first is truth, and the second is non violence. The passage goes on to explain at length what Gandhi means by truth (satya) and by non violence (ahimsa). Therefore, the correct answer must list truth and non violence together as the two main guiding principles at the core of his philosophy.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Skim the passage for phrases like "two ideas", "central", "cardinal principles", or "twin cardinal principles".Step 2: Find the sentence that states: "In this framework, two ideas stand out as central to Gandhian thought."Step 3: Notice that the passage immediately identifies those ideas: "The first is truth, and the second is non violence."Step 4: Compare this information with the options provided.Step 5: Select the option that exactly matches these two ideas: "truth and non violence".

Verification / Alternative check:
Now check why the other options are less accurate. Spirituality and morality are certainly important in Gandhian thought, but the passage does not call them the twin cardinal principles. Ethics and social responsibility also appear in the broader moral and social dimension, yet again they are not singled out in the same way. Individual and collective sharing are mentioned as planes on which the philosophy operates but not as its two core guiding principles. Only truth and non violence are highlighted as twin central ideas and then explained in detail in the subsequent paragraphs.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option A: "spirituality and morality" are important levels in the philosophy, but the passage does not label them as the twin cardinal principles.
• Option C: "ethics and social responsibility" are part of the moral and social dimensions, yet they are not named as the two central principles.
• Option D: "individual and collective sharing" echoes the passage mentioning individual and collective planes, but they are categories of application, not the core principles themselves.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake in such questions is to choose attractive but vague pairs of words that sound philosophical, instead of strictly following the wording of the passage. Examiners often include options that are thematically related but not directly supported by the text. To avoid this, prioritise exact phrases used in the passage, especially when it uses strong signals like "central", "cardinal", or "fundamental". As soon as you see the passage explicitly state that two ideas "stand out as central" and then name them as truth and non violence, you should treat that as decisive evidence.

Final Answer:
The twin cardinal principles of Gandhian thought, as stated in the passage, are truth and non violence.