Kavyadohan and Mahatma Gandhi

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

Gandhi International Study and Research Institute, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

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Mailing Address- C- 29, Swaraj Nagar, Panki, Kanpur- 208020, Uttar Pradesh, India

 

Kavyadohan and Mahatma Gandhi

Kavyadohan is a famous book. It is written in Gujrati and translated in many languages. Mahatma Gandhi liked this book very much. He referred it for read to his family members and nearer associates. When you relate stories to Gokaldas and Harilal, you had better read out to them stories from Kavyadohan. All the volumes are to be found among my books. You should read out and explain to them preferably the stories about Sudama, Nala and Angada. Narrate the story of Harishchandra or read it out from the book. It is not necessary at present to read out to them plays by English poets. They won’t be much interested in them. Moreover, there isn’t so much moral to be drawn from the works of the English poets as from our old story-poems. 1

I have not yet been able to get an Urdu poem for “Ethical Religion”. If you come across any there, do insert it. I had hoped to get some Urdu poem today. If you don’t find any, let the thing go without it, but do not insert any that applies to the Hindus alone. There is one song by Pritamdas in Kavyadohan beginning with the line, “O man, without caring to know the supreme ideal, you have hankered after your selfish ends only”. You may use it if you approve of it. If you can get Kabir’s bhajans, they will be quite unexceptionable. 2 The following Gujarati books are eminently worth reading: Kavyadohan, Panchakarma, Maniratnamala, Dasbodh, Chapter VI of Yogavasishtha—Hindi translation available Poet Narmadashanker’s Dharma vishe Vichar, two volumes of Raychandbhai writings. 3

I see and am pleased to see that your Gujarati is very good and is continually improving. I should like you to read as many Gujarati books, as you can manage. As for Kavyadohan, you must chew and digest it. What Akho, Narasinh, Shamal Bhatt, Dayaram and Pritam have said in their poems and songs, deserves to be pondered over repeatedly. It is desirable to have a look at the works of modern writers, too. As against them, I wish that you should read Tulsidas as often as you can. I am becoming ever more, not less, fond of him. 4

I had liked the first part of Saraswatichandra very much, but you ought to read all the four parts. You should also read the four parts of Kavyadohan. Besides, you should read Karanghelo and Vanaraj Chavdo, as also some writings of Narmadashanker’s and Manilal Nabhubhai. If you read these works, you will have a complete understanding of the nature of the Gujarati language. Perhaps you yourself can collect these books and send them. 5

 

References:

1. Letter to Chhaganlal Gandhi, January 23, 1902
2. Letter to Chhaganlal Gandhi, February 5, 1907
3. Letter to Harilal Gandhi, May 27, 1911
4. Letter to Prabhudas Gandhi, May 23, 1921
5. Letter to Kusum Desai, April 8, 1932