Reading and Reflection- 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

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Reading and Reflection- Mahatma Gandhi 

 

We are taught at school: “Studying without thinking is useless.” This is literally true. Love of reading is good. Those who are prevented by lethargy from reading and studying have certainly dull minds. But those also who merely read and never reflect on what they read remain more or less dull. Some of them lose their eyesight in the bargain. Reading without reflecting is only a kind of mental disease. Many of us read in that manner. They read but never reflect on what they read, much less put it in practice. We should, therefore, read less, but think over what we read and put it in practice. We may reject what we discover from experience to be unsuitable, and go on with the rest. Persons who follow this method will satisfy their needs with less reading, save much time and become fit for creative and responsible work. Another benefit which accrues to persons who learn to think is worth nothing. One cannot always get books to read or get time to read them. Persons to whom reading has become a habit are known to have gone crazy when they could not read.

If, however, one forms the habit of thinking, the book of thoughts is always available to one, and there will then be no danger of one becoming crazy when not able to read. I have deliberately used the phrase to “learn to think” That way lot of people thinks, carelessly and unprofitably. This is only a form of madness. Some get caught in futile speculation and, overcome with despair, even kill themselves. This is not the kind of thinking I am advising. What I am advising here is only that people should reflect over what they read. Suppose we here or read a bhajan today. We should then reflect over it. We should try to discover its deeper meaning and think what we should accept from it and what we should reject. We should see if there is any error in its idea. If we have not understood its meaning, we should make an effort to understand it. This is called systematic thinking. I have given the simplest illustration. Everybody should apply it to his own case and draw necessary conclusions for him, and may thus progress. One who follows this method will experience great inner joy and benefit from all that he reads. 1

Awake and arise, O traveler, it is morning now; It is no longer night that you still slumber. If anybody understands these lines to mean simply: “O traveler, arise, it is morning now. Is it night that you are still sleeping?” then he has read the lines but not reflected over their meaning. For such a reader will rise early at dawn and feel satisfied. But a reader who wishes to think will ask: Who is this traveler? What is meant by “It is morning”? What does the poet mean when he says that it is no longer night? What does sleeping mean? He will then discover daily new meanings in every line, and understand that the traveler represents every human being. For one who has faith in God, it is always morning. Night may also signify ignorance.

This line applies to any person who is negligent, be it in ever so small a degree. Anybody who tells a lie also slumbers. The line is a call to such a person to wake up. We may thus read a wide meaning in the line and learn peace of mind through it. In other words, meditation on this single line can supply enough provision to a man for his spiritual journey, whereas a person who has memorized the four Vedas and also studied their meaning may find them a useless burden. I have given here but one illustration which occurred to me. If all of us decide in what direction we wish to progress and start thinking, we would discover new meanings in life and daily experience a new joy. 2

 

References:

 

1. Reading and Reflection-I, August 14, 1932
2. Reading and Reflection-II, August 21, 1932