Mohandas Gandhi was born of propitious parents, at the appropriate place, and at the inevitable time. The karma theory of birth and rebirth also tells us we choose our parents, our place of birth, and the proper time to re-enter into the cycle of earthly existence. Thus Gautama, the future Buddha, chose his auspicious mother Maha Maya, his father the many-virtued King Sudhodhana, and the celestial city of Kapilavastu, high in the Himalayas, for his nativity.

Mohandas Gandhi chose for his parents, Putlibai, his high-minded mother, and Karamchand Gandhi, prime minister of Porbandar. (Large parts of India were directly under British rule, but pockets called the native states—Porbandar was a native state—lay all over the country, ruled by princes, some of very ancient lineage, yet others of more recent origins, but some were mere adventurers created kings by the British. The princes were potentates with absolute power and immense wealth which made serious administration hazardous.) Belonging to a family of administrators of native states for five generations, and of prime ministers for two, the Gandhis were known not only for efficiency but also for devotion to their kings. Kaba Gandhi, the grandfather of Mohandas, having disagreed with his king, the Rana of Porbandar, on matters of principle, and having retired to his estates, the neighbouring prince of Junagadh invited him to be his prime minister. On arriving at the palace Kaba Gandhi gave his left hand to the king of Junagadh. ‘Why this?’ asked the astonished ruler. ‘The other,’ answered Kaba, ‘is pledged to him, the Rana of Porbandar.’

The mother of Mohandas, Putlibai, was a deeply devout lady, given over to the visiting of temples, believing in the efficacy of fasts. She loved people of all religions, the muslims, the parsis, the jains. Jain monks visited her house constantly. In the house, too, the sacred Ramayana was read. And outside, where the men met, they discussed philosophy with passion.