A Letter to a Hindu

audiobook

A Letter to a Hindu

by graf Leo Tolstoy

EN·~35 minutes

Chapters

Description

In this stirring essay, a renowned Russian novelist turns his moral compass toward the plight of a colonized nation, addressing a Hindu reader with a candid appraisal of India’s subjection and the forces that sustain it. Drawing on personal experience of war and a lifelong commitment to non‑violence, he argues that true resistance cannot be built on the same violent foundations it seeks to overturn. The writer weaves together reflections on love, conscience, and the universal spirit that binds humanity, urging readers to confront oppression without becoming its instruments.

The piece also engages with contemporary debates about the means of achieving freedom, contrasting the allure of forceful rebellion with the quiet power of self‑suffering and moral integrity. By invoking ancient teachings and modern criticism alike, it challenges both colonizer and colonized to reconsider the costs of industrialized domination. Listeners will find a thoughtful, forceful call to examine the relationship between personal conscience and collective liberation.

Details

Language

en

Duration

~35 minutes (33K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Chetan Jain, and David Widger

Release date

2004-12-01

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

graf Leo Tolstoy

graf Leo Tolstoy

1828–1910

One of the great giants of world literature, he combined sweeping storytelling with deep questions about love, family, faith, and how to live. His novels still feel vivid because they pay such close attention to ordinary human thoughts and choices.

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