satyagraha
/səˈtjɑ.ɡɹə.hə/
satyagraha means the policy of nonviolent resistance as used by Mahatma Gandhi during the struggle for Indian independence. It carries an Arena rating of 1735, earned across 6 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, satyagraha ranks #222 of 13,226 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #1,012 of 13,226 for Most Storied Words, #2,096 of 13,226 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #2,179 of 13,226 for Most Satisfying to Say.
satyagraha is pronounced /səˈtjɑ.ɡɹə.hə/.
Why “satyagraha” is a great word
An active and principled force of nonviolent resistance, rooted in holding firmly to truth. Coined in 1906 by Mahatma Gandhi, its name derives from the Sanskrit *satya* (“truth”) and *āgraha* (“persistence, holding firmly”). Unlike “passive resistance,” which implies a stoic inertness, or “civil disobedience,” which focuses on the breach of unjust laws, satyagraha is the soul force of truth-seeking—a comprehensive philosophy of relentless, loving confrontation. It is the quiet, unmoving protester before the mounted police, the deliberate weaving of homespun cloth to unravel an empire's economic hold, and the unwavering dignity of accepting blows without raising a hand—a quiet heat that seeks not to burn the opponent but to melt the untruth that shackles you both.
Etymology
Either borrowed from Gujarati સત્યાગ્રહ (satyāgrah) or from Hindi सत्याग्रह (satyāgrah), ultimately from Sanskrit सत्याग्रह (satyāgraha) (in turn, composed of सत्य (satya, “truth”) + आग्रह (āgraha, “persistence”)).
noun
- The policy of nonviolent resistance as used by Mahatma Gandhi during the struggle for Indian independence.“We also discussed whether the campaign should follow the Gandhian principles of non-violence or what the Mahatma called satyagraha, a non-violence that seeks to conquer through conversion.”
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