Gandhi used the term for the first time in South Africa to oppose racial discrimination in a non-violent way. Indians in South Africa were victims of racial discrimination. He organized the Indians to start a movement against discrimination. His movement was called passive resistance as different from violent resistance or armed struggle. He wanted a suitable term to name his new technique of resistance and gave an advertisement in the magazine “Indian Opinion” for suggestion. Out of different suggestions the word sadagraha signifying firmness in a good cause appealed to him which after a little modification he named as Satyagraha. Satyagraha is a love-force or soul–force. A Satyagrahi opposes injustice through love. A satyagrahi will always try to vindicate truth and justice and must be prepared to undergo any suffering for it. He exhibits moral force upon the opponent by his own suffering. Thus satyagraha signifies a technique to resist any injustice in non-violent way. A satyagrahi never hurts nor does express any hatred towards the opponent. He uses his moral force to appeal to the conscience or moral sense of the opponent.

Gandhi’s conviction on satyagraha got strengthened in various ways. He was very much impressed by some characters of Hindu mythology. Harischandra and Prahallad were his ideals as they suffered a lot to uphold truth without slightest ill-will towards others. He was equally influenced by the life of Jesus and Socrates who were, Gandhi holds, the apostles of satyagraha. Their suffering into death did not create in them any hatred towards their opponents. Gandhi was also influenced by Tolstoy, David Thoreau, Ruskin and Sermon of the mount in the Bible. The philosophical spirit behind Satyagraha was not Gandhi’s exclusive innovation. But his merit lies in explaining the concept with some originality and widely applying it in various spheres to establish justice in society.