An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied

Mahatma Gandhi, the saint of nonviolence and the fearless seeker of truth, once declared: “An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.” These words, like a beacon across the ages, speak of the eternal strength of truth, a strength that does not waver though it be drowned by countless voices of falsehood. In this declaration, Gandhi reminds us that truth is not a thing decided by majority vote, nor error made legitimate by repetition. Truth is eternal, unyielding, and radiant—even when hidden in shadows, even when denied by the multitudes.

The origin of this quote lies in Gandhi’s lifelong struggle against falsehood and oppression. Living under the might of the British Empire, Gandhi faced a world where lies were proclaimed as order, where injustice was presented as law, and where domination was disguised as civilization. Yet he knew that the propagation of error, no matter how loudly declared, could never make it truth. And he knew that truth, even if invisible, even if unseen or ignored, remained untarnished. This insight gave him the courage to resist without hatred, to stand alone when necessary, and to hold to the eternal even against the thunder of empire.

Consider the story of Galileo Galilei, who gazed at the heavens and saw with his own eyes that the earth moved around the sun. The error of his age, repeated by scholars, priests, and rulers alike, insisted that the sun revolved around the earth. Galileo was silenced, condemned, and forced to kneel before a lie. Yet the truth did not vanish because few saw it; nor did the multiplied error of his time make the lie into reality. In the end, centuries later, truth rose like the sun itself, and Galileo’s vision was vindicated. His life stands as a testimony to Gandhi’s wisdom: truth waits, but it never dies.

This teaching also carries a warning for every age. In times of war, leaders spread lies like seeds across the fields of men’s minds, convincing the masses that injustice is justice and cruelty is honor. In our own day, the machinery of voices—presses, radios, screens—can magnify falsehood until it echoes in every ear. Yet no matter how widespread, an error is still error. And when truth is buried, unseen, or ridiculed, it does not diminish in its essence. It waits, silent and indestructible, for eyes that will see it and voices that will proclaim it.

The deeper meaning of Gandhi’s words is that truth is absolute, not dependent on human recognition. It does not rise or fall with opinion, nor can it be altered by ignorance. Just as the stars continue their course even when clouds hide them from the eye, so truth remains, even if hidden for centuries. And just as error does not become truth by being repeated in countless mouths, so silence and blindness do not rob truth of its eternal power.

The lesson for us is this: do not be swayed by numbers, nor deceived by the loudness of voices. When many speak a falsehood, it does not change its nature. When few or none recognize truth, it does not weaken its strength. Walk, then, in fidelity to truth, even if you walk alone. For to cling to error, even if surrounded by multitudes, is to betray the soul; but to stand with truth, even if unseen, is to stand with eternity.

Practically, let this wisdom shape your life. When you hear claims repeated endlessly, pause and examine them in the light of reason and conscience. Seek the truth quietly, without haste, for it is often found not in the clamor of the crowd but in the stillness of the heart. When you find it, hold to it with courage, even if you stand in solitude. And when you confront falsehood, do not fear the numbers against you, for a single voice of truth outweighs ten thousand voices of error.

Thus Gandhi’s words endure like the mountain: “An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.” Pass this wisdom to your children and to your children’s children, that they may not mistake the multitude for righteousness nor silence for falsehood. For truth is the seed of freedom, and he who clings to it, though alone, stands with the strength of the eternal.