My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure.

Alfred Lord Tennyson, the great voice of the Victorian age, gave to the world a line that resounds with the spirit of the ancients: “My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure.” In this utterance, we are reminded that true power does not arise from muscle alone, nor from armies, wealth, or cunning, but from the clarity of the heart. Purity—freedom from deceit, malice, and corruption—becomes the fountain of strength. For the man whose heart is untainted can endure more, strive more, and achieve more than ten men whose souls are divided by guilt and shame.

The ancients themselves declared much the same. In Homer’s epics, Achilles was mighty in arms, but his wrath clouded his heart and led him astray. By contrast, Hector, though fated to fall, stood with a heart of noble purity, and his strength was remembered with reverence. In every tradition, from the Hebrew psalms to the teachings of the Stoics, the message is the same: the clean heart, the soul free of treachery, becomes a vessel of great power. Tennyson distilled this timeless wisdom into words both simple and eternal: strength multiplied by purity.

Purity of heart does not mean perfection of action—it means intention without corruption. It is the strength that comes when one serves not for greed or vanity, but for truth and love. History gives us many examples of this. Consider Joan of Arc, a young maiden untrained in war, who led armies and terrified kings. Was her body stronger than ten men? No. But her heart, aflame with purity of faith, made her strength seem inexhaustible. Even her enemies, who burned her at the stake, could not deny the power of her spirit. Her life stands as living proof that a pure heart multiplies strength.

Tennyson’s words also reflect a truth about conscience. The one who carries guilt, deceit, or secret treachery is weakened. Their energy is divided, their mind is restless, their spirit heavy. But the one whose conscience is clear, who acts with sincerity, walks unburdened. Their courage rises easily, their endurance is long, their resolve unshaken. Thus, the pure heart is like a spring of fresh water, while the corrupt heart is like a well poisoned by its own deceit. Strength flows where purity dwells.

We see this also in the life of Mahatma Gandhi. By worldly measures, he was frail and unarmed, standing against one of the greatest empires in history. Yet his strength was greater than the strength of millions, for his heart was pure in its devotion to truth and nonviolence. He bent empires without a sword, proving beyond doubt that the strength of the spirit, when untainted, is stronger than the strength of armies. Gandhi lived what Tennyson wrote: strength multiplied by purity of heart.

The lesson, then, is clear: if you would be strong, purify your heart. Guard your intentions, let them be free from malice. Seek truth over falsehood, honor over deceit, love over selfishness. For each impurity weakens the spirit, but each act of truth strengthens it. The man or woman who lives with a pure heart will stand firm when others collapse, will shine with endurance when others falter. Their strength will seem greater than ten, for it comes not only from the body but from the soul.

Practical action follows: examine your intentions before you act. Ask yourself if they are rooted in love, in truth, in justice. Confess and cast away deceit, for it poisons your power. Keep your promises, speak with honesty, and live with integrity. In this way, you will lighten your spirit and strengthen your will. Let your heart be pure, and you will find that in moments of trial, you carry the strength not of one, but of ten.

Take this teaching as inheritance: strength is born of purity. The sword in the hand is nothing without the truth in the heart. Seek to cleanse your soul of falsehood, and you will find within yourself the power to endure, to conquer, and to bless the world with light that no darkness can extinguish. For as Tennyson reminds us, the pure heart magnifies strength beyond measure.