Our lives are encumbered with the dead wood of this past; all that is dead and has served its purpose has to go. But that does not mean a break with, or a forgetting of, the vital and life-giving in that past. We can never forget the ideals that have moved our race, the dreams of the Indian people through the ages, the wisdom of the ancients, the buoyant energy and love of life and nature of our forefathers, their spirit of curiosity and mental adventure, the daring of their thought, their splendid achievements in literature, art and culture, their love of truth and beauty and freedom, the basic values that they set up, their understanding of life's mysterious ways, their toleration of other ways than theirs, their capacity to absorb other peoples and their cultural accomplishments, to synthesize them and develop a varied and mixed culture; nor can we forget the myriad experiences which have built up our ancient race and lie embedded in our sub-conscious minds. We will never forget them or cease to take pride in that noble heritage of ours. If India forgets them she will no longer remain India and much that has made her our joy and pride will cease to be.

— Jawaharlal Nehru

Peace is not a relationship of nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by a serenity of soul. Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is also a state of mind. Lasting peace can come only to peaceful people.

— Jawaharlal Nehru

She was like some ancient palimpsest on which layer upon layer of thought and reverie had been inscribed, and yet no succeeding layer had completely hidden or erased what had been written previously.

— Jawaharlal Nehru

The art of a people is a true mirror to their minds.

— Jawaharlal Nehru

The basic fact of today is the tremendous.

— Jawaharlal Nehru

The forces in a capitalist society if left unchecked tend to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

— Jawaharlal Nehru

The forces in a capitalist society, if left unchecked, tend to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

— Jawaharlal Nehru

The purely agitation attitude is not good enough for a detailed consideration of a subject.

— Jawaharlal Nehru

There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.

— Jawaharlal Nehru

There is perhaps nothing so bad and so dangerous in life as fear.

— Jawaharlal Nehru