2021 · GS Paper 4 · Q3(b) · 10 marks
what do each of the following quotations mean to you? "We can never obtain peace in the outer world until and unless we obtain peace within ourselves." — Dalai Lama
In short
The Dalai Lama's line means outer peace is built from within, because conflicts begin in minds ruled by anger, fear and greed. Nelson Mandela, who left 27 years of prison without bitterness and chose reconciliation over revenge, shows inner peace becoming peace in society.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 270 words
Mastery over the mind
Inner peace is freedom from being ruled by anger, fear and greed, like the Gita's *sthitaprajna* (2.56), steady in pleasure and pain.
Self-awareness before action
A calm mind sees its own biases and avoids an emotional hijack of judgment.
Peace radiates outward
Calm individuals build calm families and communities.
Mental health
The National Mental Health Survey (2015-16) found about one in ten adults living with a mental disorder; Tele-MANAS (2022) and the International Day of Yoga treat inner peace as public health.
Civil service decisions
An officer facing a riot or an angry crowd decides better when composed, which is why Mission Karmayogi builds behavioural competencies.
Reconciliation
Nelson Mandela left 27 years of prison without bitterness and chose reconciliation over revenge.
Counter-example
Leaders consumed by hatred, as Hitler was, turned inner turmoil into a world war, proving the quote from the negative side.
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This chapter in the exam
Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from the world14 questions
Asked in 11 of 14 sittings since 2013
- 2025What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context? "The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes." – William James
- 2022what do each of the following quotations mean to you? "Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it." — Dalai Lama
All 14 questions, sorted by sub-topic, with model answers and practice.
Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2021 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.