--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Englishmen must learn to be Brahmins, not…" description: "\"Englishmen must learn to be Brahmins, not banias.\" — Mahatma Gandhi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/mahatma-gandhi-23_brahmins_englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not_610977.jpg" --- # Englishmen must learn to be Brahmins, not banias. ![“Englishmen must learn to be Brahmins, not banias.” quote by Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/mahatma-gandhi-23_brahmins_englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not_610977.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/mahatma-gandhi-23_brahmins_englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not_610977.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/mahatma-gandhi-23_brahmins_englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not_610977.jpg) > “Englishmen must learn to be Brahmins, not banias.” [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He urges Englishmen to adopt the humility and service mindset of Brahmins rather than the mercantile focus of Banias **In simple terms:** Adopt humility and service over profit‑driven attitudes Key Takeaway Embrace humility and service in leadership Themes social hierarchy cultural integration ethics Mood reflective inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - community building - education reform - intercultural dialogue - policy making Key Concepts caste dynamics colonial critique leadership philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can humility be balanced with practical economic needs? - What modern roles reflect Brahmin values? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex social structures and ignore economic realities ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brahmins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brahmins/) [English language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-language/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ## Related quotes > [Englishmen learn Christ's law best in English. Moses heard God's law in his own tongue; so did Christ's apostles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/englishmen-learn-christ-s-law-best-in-english-moses-heard-god-s-law/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [My motto is "Unite now, today if you can; fight if you must. But in every case avoid British intervention."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-motto-is-unite-now-today-if-you-can-fight-if-you-must-but-in-every/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I claim to have been a lifelong and wholly disinterested friend of the British people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-claim-to-have-been-a-lifelong-and-wholly-disinterested-friend-of/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Civilization is not an incurable disease, but it should never be forgotten that the English people are at present afflicted by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/civilization-is-not-an-incurable-disease-but-it-should-never-be/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The builders of the British Indian Empire have patiently built its four pillars-the European interests, the army, the Indian princes and the communal divisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-builders-of-the-british-indian-empire-have-patiently-built-its/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [That I want to destroy British imperialism is another matter, but I want to do so by converting those who are associated with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/that-i-want-to-destroy-british-imperialism-is-another-matter-but-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The Britisher is the top dog and the Indian the underdog in his own country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-britisher-is-the-top-dog-and-the-indian-the-underdog-in-his-own/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [To get rid of the infatuation for English is one of the essentials of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/to-get-rid-of-the-infatuation-for-english-is-one-of-the-essentials-of/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I must fight unto the death the unholy attempt to impose British methods and British institutions on India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-must-fight-unto-the-death-the-unholy-attempt-to-impose-british/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The Indian struggle is not anti-British, it is anti-exploitation, anti-foreign rule, not anti-foreigners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-indian-struggle-is-not-anti-british-it-is-anti-exploitation-anti/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My love of the British is equal to that of my own people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-love-of-the-british-is-equal-to-that-of-my-own-people/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Personally I crave not for 'independence', which I do not understand, but I long for freedom from the English yoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/personally-i-crave-not-for-independence-which-i-do-not-understand-but/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My attitude towards the British is one of utter friendliness and respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-attitude-towards-the-british-is-one-of-utter-friendliness-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The collectors of revenue and the policeman are the only symbols by which millions in India's villages know British rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-collectors-of-revenue-and-the-policeman-are-the-only-symbols-by/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I believe in the capacity of India to offer nonviolent battle to the English rulers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-believe-in-the-capacity-of-india-to-offer-nonviolent-battle-to-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More by Mahatma Gandhi > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Devotion required by the Gita is no soft-hearted effusiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/devotion-required-by-the-gita-is-no-soft-hearted-effusiveness/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [So long as we fear the outside world, we must cease to think of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/so-long-as-we-fear-the-outside-world-we-must-cease-to-think-of-swaraj/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I do not want a kingdom, or heaven; what I want is to remove the trouble of the oppressed, the poor, and the needy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-a-kingdom-or-heaven-what-i-want-is-to-remove-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Religions are not for separating men from one another, they are meant to bind them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/religions-are-not-for-separating-men-from-one-another-they-are-meant/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-hold-flesh-food-to-be-unsuited-to-our-species-we-err-in-copying-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was only in South Africa that I got over this shyness, though I never completely overcame it. It was impossible for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-only-in-south-africa-that-i-got-over-this-shyness-though-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Where there is life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/where-there-is-life/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [If it was wrong to seek God in a stone, how was it right to seek Him in a book called the Gita, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/if-it-was-wrong-to-seek-god-in-a-stone-how-was-it-right-to-seek-him/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-spirit-of-democracy-cannot-be-established-in-the-midst-of/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them-a desire, a dream, a vison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/champions-are-made-from-something-they-have-deep-inside-of-them-a/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My motto is "Unite now, today if you can; fight if you must. But in every case avoid British intervention."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-motto-is-unite-now-today-if-you-can-fight-if-you-must-but-in-every/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-have-no-disciples-being-myself-an-aspirant-after-discipleship-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Man becomes not the lord and master of all creation but he is its servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-becomes-not-the-lord-and-master-of-all-creation-but-he-is-its/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) [Explore all 3,284 Mahatma Gandhi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More Brahmins quotes > [While all men are born as equals, to say that Brahmins alone are the highest and all others are low as Pariah (the Untouchables)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/periyar-e-v-ramasamy/while-all-men-are-born-as-equals-to-say-that-brahmins-alone-are-the/) [Periyar E. V. Ramasamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/periyar-e-v-ramasamy/) > [Our legal system, including the police, is anti-Dalit and anti-poor. The death penalty laws' wrathful majesty, in blood-shot equality, deals the fatal blow on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-r-krishna-iyer/our-legal-system-including-the-police-is-anti-dalit-and-anti-poor-the/) V. R. Krishna Iyer > [Far or forgot to me is near; Shadow and sunlight are the same; The vanished gods to me appear; And one to me are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/far-or-forgot-to-me-is-near-shadow-and-sunlight-are-the-same-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The distinction that Jews have themselves always made between Jews of German origin and Jews of East European origin is as stringent as that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-trilling/the-distinction-that-jews-have-themselves-always-made-between-jews-of/) [Diana Trilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-trilling/) > [I want the Brahmins to realize that the Dravidian people today are very much hating those who cunningly cheated them with absurdities. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/periyar-e-v-ramasamy/i-want-the-brahmins-to-realize-that-the-dravidian-people-today-are/) [Periyar E. V. Ramasamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/periyar-e-v-ramasamy/) > [A brahmin once asked The Blessed One: "Are you a God?" "No, brahmin" said The Blessed One. "Are you a saint?" "No, brahmin" said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/a-brahmin-once-asked-the-blessed-one-are-you-a-god-no-brahmin-said/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Just as a line drawn on water with a stick will quickly vanish and will not last long; even so, brahmins, is human life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/just-as-a-line-drawn-on-water-with-a-stick-will-quickly-vanish-and/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Foreigners are sending messages to the planets. We are sending rice and cereals to our dead fore-father through the Brahmins. It is a wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/periyar-e-v-ramasamy/foreigners-are-sending-messages-to-the-planets-we-are-sending-rice/) [Periyar E. V. 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If the son of a Brahmin needs one teacher, that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/a-brahmin-is-not-so-much-in-need-of-education-as-a-chandala-if-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Proselytism is tolerated by Hinduism. Any man, whether he be a Shudra or Chandala, can expound philosophy even to a Brahmin. The truth can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/proselytism-is-tolerated-by-hinduism-any-man-whether-he-be-a-shudra/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Be proud that thou art an Indian, and proudly proclaim, "I am an Indian, every Indian is my brother." 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Ramasamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/periyar-e-v-ramasamy/) [Browse all 45 Brahmins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brahmins/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Englishmen must learn to be Brahmins, not banias.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mahatma Gandhi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not-banias/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brahmins" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not-banias/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/mahatma-gandhi-23_brahmins_englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not_610977.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/mahatma-gandhi-23_brahmins_englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not_610977.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/mahatma-gandhi-23_brahmins_englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not_610977.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Englishmen must learn to be Brahmins, not banias.” — Mahatma Gandhi", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mahatma Gandhi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Englishmen must learn to be Brahmins,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not-banias/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not-banias/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```