--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pure motives can never justify impure or…" description: "\"Pure motives can never justify impure or violent action.\" — Mahatma Gandhi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/mahatma-gandhi-23_action_pure-motives-can-never-justify-impure-or_1559824.jpg" --- # Pure motives can never justify impure or violent action. ![“Pure motives can never justify impure or violent action.” quote by Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/mahatma-gandhi-23_action_pure-motives-can-never-justify-impure-or_1559824.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/mahatma-gandhi-23_action_pure-motives-can-never-justify-impure-or_1559824.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/mahatma-gandhi-23_action_pure-motives-can-never-justify-impure-or_1559824.jpg) > “Pure motives can never justify impure or violent action.” [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. Moral purity cannot excuse violent deeds; ethical actions must be non‑violent. **In simple terms:** Good intentions don't excuse bad actions. Key Takeaway Align means with non‑violent means. Themes ethics non‑violence justice Mood serious reflective Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - activism - conflict resolution - personal conduct Key Concepts moral philosophy political theory Questions to Reflect On - Can a violent act ever be morally justified? - How to ensure means match ends? A Different Perspective Violent outcomes may arise despite pure motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Impure Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impure-violent-5849479/) [Justify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justify/) [Justify Impure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justify-impure-5849480/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Motives Justify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motives-justify-5849478/) [Pure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure/) [Pure Motives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure-motives-390929/) [Purification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purification/) [Purity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purity/) [Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent/) [Violent Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent-action-890656/) ## Related quotes > [Vehement writing, even if it is charged with truth, is no answer to violent action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/vehement-writing-even-if-it-is-charged-with-truth-is-no-answer-to/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [It is hard to work for years with pure motives, and all the time be looked upon by most of those to whom our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livingstone/it-is-hard-to-work-for-years-with-pure-motives-and-all-the-time-be/) [David Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livingstone/) > [There never was an assembly of men, charged with a great and arduous trust, who were more pure in their motives, or more exclusively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/there-never-was-an-assembly-of-men-charged-with-a-great-and-arduous/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Pure motives do not insure perfect results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/pure-motives-do-not-insure-perfect-results/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [We have no need to teach pure motives to the mind. All that is necessary to make the mind pure is to undo the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eknath-easwaran/we-have-no-need-to-teach-pure-motives-to-the-mind-all-that-is/) [Eknath Easwaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eknath-easwaran/) > [“Pure motives are prerequisite to the ability to call down the powers of heaven. The Lord will not sustain your efforts to achieve, excel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-von-harrison/pure-motives-are-prerequisite-to-the-ability-to-call-down-the-powers/) [Grant Von Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-von-harrison/) > [There is no evidence that watching violent images causes people to carry out violent acts. The idea that you can prevent violent action by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-evans/there-is-no-evidence-that-watching-violent-images-causes-people-to/) [Chris Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-evans/) > [Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquillity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-jean-king/tennis-is-a-perfect-combination-of-violent-action-taking-place-in-an-2/) [Billie Jean King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-jean-king/) > [We would naturally prefer not to reckon with the worst of what people do or say on the margins, but we have to. Especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/we-would-naturally-prefer-not-to-reckon-with-the-worst-of-what-people/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [Non violent action, the Negro saw, was the way to supplement, not replace, the progress of change. It was the way to divest himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/non-violent-action-the-negro-saw-was-the-way-to-supplement-not/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-jean-king/tennis-is-a-perfect-combination-of-violent-action-taking-place-in-an/) [Billie Jean King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-jean-king/) > [And the distinction between violent and non-violent action is that the former is exclusively bent upon the destruction of the old, and the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/and-the-distinction-between-violent-and-non-violent-action-is-that/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [It is necessary first to purify the drunken and dissolute worshippers in charge of some of these temples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-is-necessary-first-to-purify-the-drunken-and-dissolute-worshippers/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The removal of untouchability is a question of the purification of Hinduism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-removal-of-untouchability-is-a-question-of-the-purification-of/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Purification being highly infectious, purification of oneself necessarily leads to the purification of one's surroundings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/purification-being-highly-infectious-purification-of-oneself/) [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 Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pure motives can never justify impure or violent action.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mahatma Gandhi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/pure-motives-can-never-justify-impure-or-violent-action/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/pure-motives-can-never-justify-impure-or-violent-action/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/mahatma-gandhi-23_action_pure-motives-can-never-justify-impure-or_1559824.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/mahatma-gandhi-23_action_pure-motives-can-never-justify-impure-or_1559824.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/mahatma-gandhi-23_action_pure-motives-can-never-justify-impure-or_1559824.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Pure motives can never justify impure or violent action.” — 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": "Pure motives can never justify impure...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/pure-motives-can-never-justify-impure-or-violent-action/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/pure-motives-can-never-justify-impure-or-violent-action/#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 } } ] } ```