Ambedkar Quotes

Quotes of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

Dr. Ambedkar’s Quotes from :

Castes in India : Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development

  1. Caste in India means an artificial chopping off of the population into fixed and definite units, each one prevented from fusing into another through the custom of endogamy. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 9)
  2. Endogamy is the only characteristic that is peculiar to caste. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 9)
  3. Superposition of endogamy on exogamy means the creation of caste. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 9)
  4. Exogamy had been the rule in all matrimonial relations. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 10)
  5. A Caste is an Enclosed Class. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 15)
  6. Caste existed long before Manu. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 16)
  7. Castes have no mercy for a sinner who has the courage to violate the code. The penalty is excommunication and the result is a new caste. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 21)
  8. Sentiment must be outlawed from the domain of science and things should be judged from an objective standpoint. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 22)

Annihilation of Caste – Part 1, Part 2

  1. Hindus realize that they are the sick men of India and that their sickness is causing danger to the health and happiness of other Indians. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 26)
  2. Breaking up the Caste System was not to bring about inter-caste dinners and inter-caste marriages but to destroy the religious notions on which Caste was founded. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 32)
  3. Social reform in India has few friends and many critics. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 38)
  4. Without social efficiency no permanent progress in the other fields of activity was possible. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 38)
  5. Makers of political constitutions must take account of social forces. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 42)
  6. History bears out the proposition that political revolutions have always been preceded by social and religious revolutions. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 43)
  7. The emancipation of the mind and the soul is a necessary preliminary for the political expansion of the people. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 44)
  8. The social status of an individual by itself often becomes a source of power. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 44)
  9. Religion is the source of power is illustrated by the history of India. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 44)
  10. Religion, social status and property are all sources of power and authority, which one man has, to control the liberty of another. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 45)
  11. By not permitting readjustment of occupations, caste becomes a direct cause of much of the unemployment we see in the country. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 48)
  12. As an economic organization Caste is therefore a harmful institution, inasmuch as, it involves the subordination of man’s natural powers and inclinations to the exigencies of social rules. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 48)
  13. Caste system is a social division of people of the same race. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 49)
  14. The name Hindu is itself a foreign name. It was given by the Mohammedans to the natives for the purpose of distinguishing themselves. It does not occur in any Sanskrit work prior to the Mohammedan invasion. They did not feel the necessity of a common name because they had no conception of their having constituted a community. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 50)
  15. Hindu society as such does not exist. It is only a collection of castes. Each caste is conscious of its existence. Its survival is the be all and end all of its existence. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 50)
  16. The ideal Hindu must be like a rat living in his own hole refusing to have any contact with others. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 50)
  17. Men do not become a society by living in physical proximity any more than a man ceases to be a member of his society by living so many miles away from other men. Secondly similarity in habits and customs, beliefs and thoughts is not enough to constitute men into society. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 51)
  18. Culture spreads by diffusion. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 51)
  19. Men constitute a society because they have things which they possess in common. To have similar thing is totally different from possessing things in common. And the only way by which men can come to possess things in common with one another is by being in communication with one another. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 51)
  20. It is true that man cannot get on with his fellows. But it is also true that he cannot do without them. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 56)
  21. Democracy is not merely a form of Government. It is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience. It is essentially an attitude of respect and reverence towards fellowmen. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 57)
  22. A man’s power is dependent upon (1) physical heredity, (2) social inheritance or endowment in the form of parental care, education, accumulation of scientific knowledge, everything which enables him to be more efficient than the savage, and finally, (3) on his own efforts. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 58)
  23. Education everyone must have. Means of defence everyone must have. These are the paramount requirements of every man for his self-preservation. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 62)
  24. There cannot be a more degrading system of social organization than the Chaturvarnya. It is the system which deadens, paralyses and cripples the people from helpful activity. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 63)
  25. There is only one period in Indian history which is a period of freedom, greatness and glory. That is the period of the Mourya Empire. At all other times the country suffered from defeat and darkness. But the Mourya period was a period when Chaturvarnya was completely annihilated, when the Shudras, who constituted the mass of the people, came into their own and became the rulers of the country. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 63)
  26. Caste among Non-Hindus is fundamentally different from caste among Hindus. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 65)
  27. The strength of a society depends upon the presence of points of contact, possibilities of interaction between different groups which exist in it. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 65)
  28. The question is not whether a community lives or dies; the question is on what plane does it live. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 66)
  29. Unless you change your social order you can achieve little by way of progress. You cannot mobilize the community either for defence or for offence. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 66)
  30. The abolition of sub-Castes will only help to strengthen the Castes and make them more powerful and therefore more mischievous. This remedy is therefore neither practicable nor effective. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 67)
  31. Inter-dining has not succeeded in killing the spirit of Caste and the consciousness of Caste.  (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 67)
  32. The real remedy is inter-marriage. Fusion of blood can alone create the feeling of being kith and kin.  (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 67)
  33. The real remedy for breaking Caste is inter-marriage. Nothing else will serve as the solvent of Caste.  (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 67)
  34. Political tyranny is nothing compared to social tyranny. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 68)
  35. A reformer, who defies society, is a much more courageous man than a politician, who defies Government. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 68)
  36. The destruction of Caste does not therefore mean the destruction of a physical barrier. It means a notional change. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 68)
  37. The enemy, you must grapple with, is not the people who observe Caste, but the Shastras which teach them this religion of Caste. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 68)
  38. The real remedy is to destroy the belief in the sanctity of the Shastras(DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 68)
  39. People will not change their conduct until they cease to believe in the sanctity of the Shastras on which their conduct is founded. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 68)
  40. Make every man and woman free from the thraldom of the Shastras, cleanse their minds of the pernicious notions founded on the Shastras, and he or she will inter-dine and inter-marry, without your telling him or her to do so. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 68-69)
  41. You must not only discard the Shastras, you must deny their authority, as did Buddha and Nanak. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 69)
  42. Caste has a divine basis. You must therefore destroy the sacredness and divinity with which Caste has become invested. In the last analysis, this means you must destroy the authority of the Shastras and the Vedas. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 69)
  43. Knowing the proper ways and means is more important than knowing the ideal. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 69)
  44. A revolutionist is not the kind of man who becomes a Pope and that a man who becomes a Pope has no wish to be a revolutionist. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 70)
  45. The intellectual class is the class which can foresee, it is the class which can advise and give lead. In no country does the mass of the people live the life of intelligent thought and action. It is largely imitative and follows the intellectual class. There is no exaggeration in saying that the entire destiny of a country depends upon its intellectual class. If the intellectual class is honest, independent and disinterested it can be trusted to take the initiative and give a proper lead when a crisis arises. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 71)
  46. An intellectual man can be a good man but he can easily be a rogue. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 71)
  47. Man’s life is generally habitual and unreflective. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 73)
  48. Sadachar does not means good acts or acts of good men. It means ancient custom good or bad. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 74)
  49. Reason and morality are the two most powerful weapons in the armoury of a Reformer. To deprive him of the use of these weapons is to disable him for action. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 74)
  50. You must destroy the Religion of the Shrutis and the Smritis. Nothing else will avail. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 75)
  51. Rules are practical ; they are habitual ways of doing things according to prescription. But principles are intellectual ; they are useful methods of judging things. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 75)
  52. Doing what is said to be, good by virtue of a rule and doing good in the light of a principle are two different things. The principle may be wrong but the act is conscious and responsible. The rule may be right but the act is mechanical. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 75)
  53. Religion must mainly be a matter of principles only. It cannot be a matter of rules. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 75)
  54. Religion, in the sense of spiritual principles, truly universal, applicable to all races, to all countries, to all times. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 75)
  55. The priestly class must be brought under control by some such legislation as I have outlined above. It will prevent it from doing mischief and from misguiding people. It will democratise it by throwing it open to every one. It will certainly help to kill the Brahminism and will also help to kill Caste, which is nothing but Brahminism incarnate. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 77)
  56. You may dislike exceedingly a scheme of morality, which, if universally practised within a nation, would make that nation the strongest nation on the face of the earth. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 79)
  57. Change is the law of life for individuals as well as for society. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 79)
  58. I am not in the habit of entering into controversy with my opponents unless there are special reasons which compel me to act otherwise. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 86)
  59. Chaturvarnya is harmful because the effect of the Varnavyavastha is to degrade the masses by denying them opportunity to acquire knowledge and to emasculate them by denying them the right to be armed. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 86)
  60. The sanctity of Caste and Varna can be destroyed only by discarding the divine authority of the Shastras. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 86)
  61. The masses do not make any distinction between texts which are genuine and texts which are interpolations. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 87)
  62. None of the saints ever attacked the Caste System. On the contrary, they were staunch believers in the System of Castes. Most of them lived and died. as members of the castes which they respectively belonged. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 87)
  63. The saints have never according to my study carried on a campaign against. Caste and Untouchability. They were not concerned with the struggle between men. They were concerned with the relation between man and God. They did not preach that all men were equal. They preached that all men were equal, in the eyes of God. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 87)
  64. Anyone who relies on an attempt to turn the members of the caste Hindus into better men by improving their personal character is in my judgment wasting his energy and bugging an illusion. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 89)
  65. A good man cannot be a master and a master cannot be a good man. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 89)
  66. A society based on Varna or Caste is a society which is based on a wrong relationship. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 89)
  67. One does not like to make personal reference in an argument which is general in its application. But when one preaches a decline and holds it as a dogma there is a curiosity to know how far he practises what he preaches. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 90)
  68. Stability is wanted but not at the cost of change when change is imperative. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 92)
  69. Adjustment is wanted but not at the sacrifice of social justice. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 92)
  70. Varna and Caste are two very different concepts. Varna is based on the principle of each according to his worth-while Caste is based on the principle of each according to his birth. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 93)
  71. A politician must know that Society cannot bear the whole truth and that he must not speak the whole truth ; if he is speaking the whole truth it is bad for his politics. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 93)
  72. A People and their Religion must be judged by social standards based on social ethics. No other standard would have any meaning if religion is held to be a necessary good for the well-being of the people. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 94)
  73. The world is a very imperfect world and any one who wants to live in it must bear with its imperfections. (DBAWAS Vol. 1, P. 94)

58 Responses

  1. DP Singh says:

    very nice collection jai bhim

  2. haresh parmar says:

    Jay bhim

  3. ram jangari says:

    Jai bheem very nice quotes jaibheem

  4. YOGESH.L says:

    JAI BHEEM, I
    SALUTE

  5. BVVSATYANARAYANA says:

    its great collection jai Bheem for all

  6. sharnu says:

    Jaibheem its really hot touchebele msge given father of constition Dr B R AMBEDKAR.
    ..

  7. Uddhao R.Shende says:

    wonderful selection of quotes to store in heart.

  8. rajkumar says:

    great work to know the real HISTORY OF INDIA.

  9. siva says:

    God is a myth.if he exists then he must touch the feet of ambedjar.obe and only hero of india who changed the thinking of this country. He is really great.

  10. bhagirath ram says:

    Jai Bheem Jai Bharat!!!!!!

  11. saji says:

    Really Great…!!! Why Dr. Ambedkar’s sayings not taught in scools and colleges?

  12. ashu says:

    I love Truth, i love Babasaheb.

  13. kanchan kosode says:

    all the volume written by baba saheb is universal truth for us . excellent and scientific, such thoughts are absolute truth …. jay bhim
    bhavatu sabba mangalang..

  14. vishal bramhane says:

    jai bhim

  15. rahul says:

    Very good collection of great quotations of baba sahib ambedkar future of india belongs to baba sahib ambedkar more the new generations read him more they will admire & accept him as their hero.

  16. sachin kamble says:

    Really great collection, feel great after reading, and still has empathy to open class that there eyes are still close on the caste bias.what a shame…

  17. keeshor says:

    jaybhim ,
    Sahebancha mahatmya anmol aahe., te mahatmya tevat thevnyasathi tumhi kelela prayatnahi anmol ….. asech theva avirat karya aamchyakadun shubheccha …..
    join us on what’s app – 09273233773.

  18. G.Balaswamy.S.K.University. Dept of Law. says:

    Jay Bhim Namo Namo Budday.It’s great very nice collection and selection.thank salute to you…….JAY BHIM.

  19. H.C.NAIANWAT says:

    Really it is a great collection. One must read and preach. Jay Bheem.

  20. Priyansha says:

    Very nice everyone should read this jay bheem

  21. shakyaratan Kadam says:

    It will guide our social movement to develop good society

  22. ram says:

    What is saying by him about castes in india that is really true.

  23. viki wankhede says:

    That is all over true fact

  24. Harbans Lal Badhan says:

    “Dr. Ambedkar is the heart and the brain of the Untouchables (Dalits) of India.”
    (Harbans Lal Badhan)

  25. Harbans Lal Badhan says:

    “The Untouchables (Dalits) of India want economic, social, political, religious and educational equality in Society, not in the eyes of God.”
    (Harbans Lal Badhan)

  26. Roopesha S S says:

    He is a lone true genius person from 19th century to mid 20th century and offcourse rolemodel for all us those who clearly understand his mission and quotes …jai bheem jai bharath…

  27. Harbans Lal Badhan says:

    “Dr. Ambedkar ; is the heart and the brain of the untouchables (Dalits) of India.”
    (Harbans Lal Badhan)

  28. Harbans Lal Badhan says:

    Indian Caste system is more dangerous and harmful than chemical weapons. It (Indian Caste system ) divides the society and state. It (Indian Caste system) kills the democratic institutions and secular character of state and society. Indian Caste system is an enemy of social justice, equality, liberty and fraternity. It (Indian Caste system) slaughters the fundamental rights and human rights of an individual. Indian Caste system is a great threat and challenge to world peace and unity. Indian Caste system is also a permanent enemy of scientific and economic development and progress of state and society/. The whole world knows that Indian Caste system is more dangerous, violent, hard, rigid, cruel and worse than any kind of racial discrimination or slavery system. To save the global society annihilate the Indian Caste system.
    (Harbans Lal Badhan)

  29. chandu singh bijnor up india says:

    dr b r ambedkr is not Indian pearl but world ruby vishv ratan

  30. j r pathania says:

    untolerable, inhuman,discriminatory,unscientific,undemocratic,cruel,voilent.enslaving the society, such a worst degraded caste system was challenged by baba sahebDr Ambedkar. to save the society
    all should take a lead to annihlate this inhuman caste system.

  31. Naveen says:

    Appaji,
    Everyone should be saluted you,especially every women.your contributions are more, eg:1.Vast constitution 2.Guided us to follow Buddhism 3.Women welfare.etc

  32. Naveen Bheem says:

    I’m really glad to say, I’m one of the descendants of Babasaheb Ambedkar.

  33. Subhas daitappa says:

    Very good work and I want dbawas vol 1 book jai bheem

  34. Harbans Lal Badhan says:

    “The whole world knows that the Indian Caste system is more dangerous and harmful than chemical weapons.’
    (Harbans Lal Badhan)

  35. Pawan Kumar says:

    Dr. Ambedkar is an institution in himself. He understood the genesis of problem by his deep studies of Indian and other cultures. Indian psyche and its support by the scriptures are main deterrent to keep a vast population section in low, despicable position. Only tool is good education and trying to prove, in whatever fields we are in, will remove negation or lowliness thought of general society. We need to owe indomitable spirit of Baba Saheb and do all to raise the position of destitute section. Thanks for compiling great messages of a great man.

  36. anil k sonavale says:

    very nice collection for all indians

  37. girish jadhav says:

    Really very very nice collection u guys hv

  38. lokesh says:

    Dr. babasaheb ambedkar realy a great man.he strive for human right…his thought still relevant. cast is very cruel practice.he gave India vision to see in best future….. i salute dr aambdkar and a grat collection thanks…..

  39. ambedkari claval says:

    Jay bhim-
    jay bhim

  40. ajaymohod says:

    Jaybhim

  41. Diksha says:

    very excellent

  42. Harbans Lal Badhan says:

    “The casteists are not only cruel, violent, hard, rigid, barbarous but they are also inhuman.”
    (Harbans Lal Badhan)

  43. a1prashant says:

    Great Efforts Amol! Simply Superb! Hats Off to your dedication!

  44. pandurang kurane says:

    jay bhim

  45. Dinesh K Makwana says:

    I heartily salute to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
    Jay Bhim

  46. PRIYA TAIDE. says:

    DR. Babasahebancha…..!!! Vijay aso….!!! JAY BHIM..!

  47. Bhanu Pratap Singh says:

    Jay bhim

  48. dr.br borra. says:

    no words to say the greatness of bhararth rathna bhim rao simple i love is work.

  49. Brijesh kumar says:

    Very inspired

  50. RAJU NARASAIAH says:

    its very inspired and enlightening

  51. DCMALLICK says:

    VERY GOOD WORKS TAKING QUOTATIONS FROM DBAWAS GIVING VOLUMENO 7
    & PAGE REF. NICELY REPRESENTED.

  52. DCMALLICK says:

    scientifically an nicely presented

  53. Satyanarayan Reddy says:

    India before BRAMBETKAR least power state after Ambretkar super power Jai bheem is builder of nation

  54. Raveendra Nadh Pamu says:

    Jai Bhim

Leave a Reply to dr.br borra. Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *