2023 · GS Paper 4 · Q3(c) · 10 marks
What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context? "Do not hate anybody, because that hatred that comes out from you must, in the long run, come back to you. If you love, that love will come back to you, completing the circle." — Swami Vivekananda
In short
Vivekananda's quote conveys that hatred and love return to their source, so hatred harms the hater and divides society while love builds trust and fraternity. Nelson Mandela's choice of reconciliation over revenge in South Africa shows love breaking a cycle of retaliation.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 288 words
Moral reciprocity
Like the law of karma, hatred breeds counter-hatred, while love invites trust in return.
Inner cost of hatred
Hatred first harms the hater through an Emotional Hijack, where anger overrides reason.
Love as strength
Martin Luther King Jr. wrote that "hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that", making love an active force.
Oneness of all
If the same divinity lives in everyone, compassion is not charity but recognising oneself in the other.
Online polarisation
Hate speech on social media returns as real violence, so the Supreme Court in 2023 directed states to register such cases on their own.
Reconciliation
Nelson Mandela chose reconciliation over revenge, and South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission broke a cycle that retaliation would have prolonged.
Winning hearts
The Army's Operation Sadbhavana in Jammu and Kashmir runs schools and health camps, and goodwill returns as trust.
Public service
An officer who treats complainants with empathy earns cooperation, while arrogance invites hostility.
This model answer is indicative and the model can make mistakes; please verify key facts independently.

Practise this question
1Get the answer sheet
Sized for this question.
2Write your answer
Timed, by hand.
3Get it marked
Your score and what to fix.
This chapter in the exam
Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India23 questions
Asked in 13 of 14 sittings since 2013
- 2026In what ways can an Indian Administrative Officer apply Gandhi's notion of 'trusteeship' to ensure fairness in governance?
- 2025What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context? "Those who in trouble untroubled are, Will trouble trouble itself." – Thiruvalluvar
All 23 questions, sorted by sub-topic, with model answers and practice.
Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2023 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.