The quote “Love in the sense of ahimsa has only a limited number of votaries in the world,” refers to the concept of unconditional love and non-violence, which is not widely practiced or understood. Ahimsa, a principle deeply rooted in Indian philosophies like Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism, signifies non-violence towards all living beings – physically, mentally and emotionally.
In this context, ‘love’ is not just romantic or familial affection but a broader sense of empathy, compassion and understanding towards others. It suggests that we should treat every individual with kindness and respect regardless of their actions or behavior. This form of love requires immense patience, tolerance and selflessness.
However, as stated in the quote there are only few ‘votaries’, meaning devoted followers or believers who truly understand and practice this concept. The majority often respond to hate with hate or violence with violence rather than understanding the root cause behind such behaviors.
In today’s world dominated by conflicts at both global level (like wars) and personal level (like bullying), practicing ahimsa could be transformative. If individuals learn to respond to aggression with understanding instead of retaliation it could reduce conflicts significantly. It might be challenging initially but over time can lead to personal growth by developing qualities like patience, empathy etc., making one’s life more peaceful.
In terms of personal development too this idea holds great value because when you practice unconditional love towards others it indirectly enhances your mental peace as well as emotional intelligence thereby improving overall personality.
Thus Gandhi’s idea though difficult is highly relevant even today for creating harmonious societies as well as for individual development.