The Concept of ‘God’ in Gandhian Philosophy

Gandhian concept of God is not that of an abstract monism as propounded by Shankara in his philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. According to Shankara, the supreme or ultimate reality is Brahman. For Gandhi, God is not an impersonal, static, universal consciousness, nameless, formless and transcendental and indeterminate absolute as thought by Shankara. Unlike Shankara, Gandhi accepts the reality of the world, and therefore, believes in a God who is the creator and preserver of the world. His concept of God is closer to Ramanuja, as propounded in his philosophy of Vishishtadvaita (Non-dualism qualified by difference) according to which Brahman is also Ishvara (God), a God whom one can depend and worship. In fact Ramanuja was the first promulgator of the Bhakti-cult. God, though as power, beyond all other power, manifest himself in the things of our experiences. The whole universe is the manifestation of His power. If we have faith in him, we can feel his presence through prayer.