Mahatma Gandhi’s Speech at Prayer Meeting, Bangalore

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

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

 

 

Mahatma Gandhi’s Speech at Prayer Meeting, Bangalore

 

Ever since our arrival, a number of people have been gathering here every evening to take part in our evening prayers . . . and one evening at the close of the prayer, Gandhiji had to address them a few words of appeal and advice. He said: I want you to be patient with me. That is to say, you will not crowd round me or follow me when I go out for my evening walk. I am a patient and I have yet to recover my voice. I have yet to recover my strength and I have come here to rest myself. After I get better I hope to do what little service I can to the people of Mysore. You will therefore give me all the rest I need and not disturb my quiet walks. This is so far as I am concerned. As for you, I may say that all of you, no matter to what faith you belong, are welcome to take part in the prayer. But there are one or two conditions. The first is that you should come with a prayerful mind, a prayerful heart and a prayerful attitude. Everyone Hindu, Muslim, Christian, no matter to what faith he belongs can participate in the prayer. After the repetition of the verses is done, we chant Raghupati Raghava Raja ram, Patita Pavan Sitaram, in which all who have a voice may join, so that our prayer may gather volume, and please God if there is a God who listens to our prayers. There is another condition. You know what Patita Pavan Sitaram means. We pray to God who saves the fallen and the downtrodden. I would therefore ask you to come in khadi, for khadi links you with the fallen and the downtrodden. As a visible token of your desire to help them I ask you all men, women and children, young and old, of whatever faith to come dressed in khadi. That is the least little that you can do to be fit to repeat the prayer: Raghupati Raghava Raja ram Patita Pavan Sitaram It is a prayer in which everyone may join, not only the Hindus but Muslims, Christians and others, for it is an invocation not to a king, but the King of kings, the God of gods, whom we all adore.

Reference:

Young India, 16-6-1927