For Global Peace with Social Justice in a Sustainable Environment

Boys, Girls and Mahatma Gandhi

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

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

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

E-mail- dr.yadav.yogendra@gandhifoundation.net;

dr.yogendragandhi@gmail.com

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

Boys, Girls and Mahatma Gandhi

I sometimes wonder who from among you can accompany me on my tours. The only underlying idea is that boy and girl students should get better trained for service. From that point of view, some things appear essential to me:

1. According to his or her present idea, the candidate intends to dedicate his or her life to service.

2. He or she is an expert in spinning, can card, gin, spin as fine yarn as we want, can repair implements, recognize the varieties of cotton, test the quality of yarn and calculate its count, etc.

3. He or she has a good handwriting and can write fast.

4. He or she has learnt most of the bhajans by heart and can sing them.

5. He or she prefers and observes self-control in food and drink, and is ready to observe it at any place where he or she may go. You can add other points besides these. You and the teachers should think over this matter.

I would be surprised if you were taken aback by these conditions. I know that we have not remained as vigilant as we should have. What I have put forward here should be a common thing for most of you. It should not be found that any boy or girl student between 12 and 15 does not know the Gita by heart. If he or she learns one verse every day, the whole of the Gita will have been learnt by heart in two years. Drop by drop fills the lake. 1

Since I cannot write to each of you separately, I shall try to write a joint letter to you all every week as before. I now intend to write to you about the things I had been hoping to explain to you when I would meet you. It is in God’s hands to fulfil the intention. We should live as He may ordain and feel happy in doing so. This is why we sing that bhajan by Narasinh Mehta: “Take to heart neither happiness nor suffering; they are ordained for this body from its very birth.” I will now tell you a story. First I wish to tell you about the school run by a lady named Doris. She is the sister of Miss Muriel who came to stay with us at the Ashram. She has dedicated her life to the service of children, and to that end she has been running a beautiful school for them. It has no male teacher. All the teachers are women. The school is a two-storied building with a spacious terrace above, a part of which is covered so that when it is raining the children might play or go to bed under the roof. I liked one thing which I saw there. All the children are made to sleep in the school for half an hour in the afternoon, for which purpose they have small folding bedsteads. You should note that these boys and girls are not more than eight years old. The children are made to do all that they can with their own hands. In the games they play the teacher invariably joins them. The teachers also show them how to wash their faces and hands and how to brush their teeth properly. There is not a single activity of the children which is not supervised by a teacher. All the children belong to poor families and pay no fees. Games, physical exercises and handicrafts also are there. These children became as close to me as you had become. They sent me toys as a birthday gift, which I have carefully preserved and brought for you. But now I don’t know when I shall be able to give them to you. This is enough for today. 2

I could give to you some more reminiscences of Miss Doris’s school, about which I wrote to you last week. But I will leave that subject today and write about [Madame] Montessori’s schoolchildren. Montessori is an aged lady. She has dedicated her life to children’s education. She is an Italian lady. Learn from your teachers where Italy is and how its government is run. Keep the map of Europe before you. In the map it looks like a fat leg which has separated from the rest of the body. But let us leave that and return to the school of the learned Madame Montessori. The lady happened to be in England, where they were holding a conference of all teachers who followed her method. She invited me to it and explained to me how and what they taught the children. The most important thing was that the children felt no burden of learning as they learnt everything as they played. Secondly, the aim is to develop all the senses and organs of the child, that is, its hands, feet, nose, ears, tongue, skin and the mind, and they have very carefully planned a teaching programme with that aim in view. In the programme very little place is given to memorizing. Music has an important place, and it accompanies physical exercises also. They teach dancing too, and it gives plenty of exercise to the body. The children do most of the things by themselves and learn without effort to concentrate attention. The thing I liked most in their method was that they trained children to observe silence and concentrate. This is how they do it. The children sit with closed eyes, the teacher speaks in a voice no louder than a whisper into one’s ear and children strain their ears to hear what she says. As soon as any child hears it, it goes over on its toes and sits by the side of the teacher. Till all the children have done this one after another, everyone is to remain sitting and keep silent. You, too, should try this. 3

You ought to follow all the rules laid down for you. No one should resign the responsibility which he has undertaken. The authority going with it should be for us a means for doing greater service and learning greater self-control, and, therefore, no one should resign his post of service in a hurry. The atonements fixed by you for a breach of the various rules are good. See that you now stick to them. I will complete today the description of Miss Doris’s school by telling you something which I had left out in my previous letter once the children had arranged a social gathering. In England it is common for people to meet and have tea with something to eat. At this gathering there was an exhibition of things made by the children. The children were to play the games for the guests to see and were to serve tea to the gathering. And they did all this without any confusion and without the least noise. The items displayed included dances, physical exercises and some dramatic pieces. It was a very fine sight to watch these small children serving tea to the whole gathering. Remember that all these children were under eight years of age. It was no small thing for them to go round with tea-cups and bread, etc., in a tray and serve guests. And I did not notice any child spilling anything. Excellent also were their drawings, their sewing and knitting work, etc. They had made an album for me, which I have of course brought for you. But all these things remain with me. One of you should write a letter to these children. He may write it in Gujarati or in Hindi, and somebody may translate it for you into English and you may send the original letter together with the translation. 4

There is one thing which I noticed in English children but miss in those at the Ashram. Most of you cannot think what to write in a letter. This should not be. In this respect English children are smarter. I cannot say with certainty whether or not children outside the Ashram are like you. You should overcome this weakness. So many things happen every day around you that, if you properly observe them, you would be able to write enough to fill pages. Why then should you be unable to think of anything to write about when you sit down to write to me? One can write all that one did, saw and thought during a day. You can say in a letter why you felt happy or unhappy on that day, as the case may be. You may also say what good thoughts or bad ones came to you on that day. It is possible that you are not sure whether you can write about these things in a letter. If so, let me tell you that you need have no such doubts. You can write just as you would talk to me. I shall now see what progress you make next week. Letter-writing also is an art. All our art springs from devotion to truth. Anyone who sits down to write a letter with the thought that he would write pure truth and pour out his love, is bound to write an interesting letter, since truth itself is God. There will always be art in anything we do or say or write with truth as witness and as object of our worship. 5

I see from Mani’s letter that no one undertakes to write to me on behalf of you all. What a state of affairs is this? What purpose would my writing serve if no one assumes responsibility for attending to the letter I address to all the children and if no one so much as even acknowledges receipt of the letter? You should, therefore, write to me and tell me whether you want such a letter from me. If you want it, say whether you will send me a reply every week. Do you remember what I told you about Miss Doris’s school? Though the children there are under eight years of age, what a lot of work they do on their own responsibility! Some of you are as much as sixteen years old. Though grown-up, they are counted among children. If not all, they, at any rate, should assume all the more responsibilities. At Phoenix, when Devdas and Prabhudas were twelve years old, they got other children to co-operate with them and shouldered considerable responsibility. They brought the mail from the post office and also went to post the letters. They had to walk three miles through the jungle, but courageously they went. They used to help in the printing press in a variety of ways and also fetched water from the spring. In short, at one time Maganlal had only this batch of children to help him, and yet it was possible to cope with all the work, for the children worked as a team without sparing themselves either mentally or physically. Think, then, how much more I would expect from you. Send a reply to this and keep alive your association. 6

Meanwhile, I congratulate those of you who have undertaken to help in the kitchen. Some of you are old enough to be able, if they wish, to assume the whole responsibility for it. The fact that we experience difficulties particularly in the kitchen is due entirely to our shortcomings. I list below for your information as many rules as I can think of. If you follow them, you will not find the least difficulty in running the kitchen. 1. Never lose your temper whatever happens, whether something is spoilt or broken. Never be impatient. Never worry about anything. Find out the cause of the trouble and remove it. 2. If a co-worker does not finish his work or is lazy about it do not get irritated with him, but take upon yourself the additional burden. 3. Do thoroughly and as perfectly as you can whatever you do. 4. Never play with one another while in the kitchen. Do not hit anybody even in jest. 5. The best thing is not to speak a word unless necessary. If anybody cannot control himself, he may talk in low whispers and make harmless and innocent jokes. However, everybody should gradually form the habit of speaking nothing at all. 6. If you do talk, do not indulge in malicious criticism of one another or back-biting. 7. It is enough for small boys to wear only tucked-up dhotis in the kitchen. The girls also, when sitting, should tuck-up their skirts behind and wear only jackets above them. It is not necessary for them to wear the half sari in the kitchen. This saves cloth and minimizes the danger of clothes catching fire. If anybody wears a shirt, the sleeves should be tucked up at the elbow. 8. When anybody feels the urge to sneeze, he should hold the kerchief over his mouth before sneezing, so that he does not blow spittle from the mouth. Use tie kerchief for blowing the nose and, if you perspire, wipe the drops with it. One ought not to let the drops fall into anything. This means that everyone must carry a handkerchief. 9. For wiping the utensils, etc., there should be a separate towel in the kitchen and it should be washed everyday with soap. 10. Everyone working in the kitchen should take special care to keep his nails clean. They should be trimmed regularly. If there is still any dirt under them, it should be removed with pointed straw. 11. No one should touch or taste any cooked item for sampling it. 12. If, to ascertain whether a vegetable or some similar dish has been properly salted, it has to be tasted, the leader of the boys may take some in a spoon and taste it and, after doing so, immediately wash the spoon clean. 13. If some special dish or dishes have to be cooked for a sick person or a person who is observing a vow, do not regard this as a burden but cook the thing cheerfully. Experience will show that, if the time-table for the various jobs has been strictly followed, no burden will be felt at all. 14. Make it a point to arrive at the kitchen punctually at the time appointed for you. Know that every minute matters, so that you should arrive two minutes earlier but never a minute later. 15. If you have no work in the kitchen, do not remain there to gossip or just to look at the others working. 16. The kitchen should be kept clean all the time. All the things should be in their proper places. After one’s job is done, one should not leave without arranging the things in order. In addition to these, you may introduce other rules that you may think of. If you think that any of those given by me should be dropped, you may drop them with the consent of the elders. But scrupulously follow whatever rules you lay down. Everyone should make a copy of the rules and keep it with him. I have often felt that the kitchen provides a means for us to test how far we practice the teaching of the Gita. 7

It is not right for a brahmachari to attend to several things at a time. He takes up only one thing at a time and concentrates all the energy of his body and mind on that thing. If, therefore, you are occupied in manual work and there is no necessity for you to talk about anything relating to it, the proper thing would be to remain silent. However, if we are playing or have gone out for a walk, talking is a part of the activity and so we can talk at that time. Anybody who regulates his life strictly according to this principle can make it full of interest. And an institution where people work in complete silence and speak only when necessary impresses us as a very quiet place. Not only do I see no harm in the girls putting on shorts and a shirt when doing exercises and also at other times, but I actually like the thing. For the Ashram residents their goal in life has already been fixed, and it is that they are dedicated to the quest for truth. To your question whether one should or should not aim to be like a soldier, I shall give an answer after you tell me in your next letter what all of you understand to be the meaning of the word ‘soldier’. After travelling in many countries, I have found India to be the most beautiful country. But since I am free, as I believe, from blind partiality, I have always been able to see much good in every country and so have found them all to be good and have appreciated the special excellence of each of them. On the whole, however, I have felt that India is not inferior to any other country, that one finds in it that entire one may want and that what one does not find in India is not quite essential for our life. If the Ashram has money to spare and if the things are not likely to cost much, even at such a time as the present I would have no objection to having swings and slides made for you. You should, however, bear one thing in mind, namely, that the Ashram should always be a poor people’s institution, and that just because the Ashram has the necessary money we will not be justified in getting anything we want. And even things which befit poor people may be ordered only if the Ashram has the necessary funds. The question, therefore, is only whether we can afford a thing and whether it is in keeping with our aim. 8

There is of course no sin if one has to go to answer calls of nature during the hours for manual work, but it is certainly a bad habit. A boy or girl who feels interested in such work should attend to calls before joining it. Moreover, one who has a fixed time for such calls would always go at that time. If the hours for manual work come together, then a person would certainly have to go during that period. For this reason, manual work is never prescribed for more than four consecutive hours. Spinning is primarily an education, for it arouses in us a sense of the duty of service, we learn in it a very useful occupation and there is beautiful art in it. One never goes to join any work unless the wish is there. But children who are not properly trained ever feel the desire to do a good thing. The best rule, therefore, is to join in good work whether the desire is there or not. A child who does this regularly comes to like the work in course of time, that is, he feels a desire to join it. If we always follow only our desires, we would become self-indulgent. We should try our best to save ourselves from that fate. You may say of me that my favourite subjects were languages and geometry. You can come when Narandas permits you to do so, but it would be good if you control your desire to come. Remember that we are poor, wish to remain so and aspire to vie with our starving countrymen. I will now narrate an incident. I see here with my own eyes something I had formerly heard about. We have here a cat which, when it wants to answer nature’s call, goes to a place where it would not be observed by anybody. It finds for the purpose a dusty spot and, after answering the call, scratches the ground and covers up the faeces with earth. After doing that, the cat sniffs at the spot and, if there is the slightest smell, it throws more earth on the spot. On seeing this, I asked myself: ‘Do all of us cover up the excreta as carefully as this cat does?’ We daily bow to Mother Earth and ask her forgiveness for walking on her with our feet; but do we cover up the ground after spitting, blowing our nose or passing urine, etc.? Those who have not been observing this rule should start doing so immediately. 9

As there was no letter from you this week, there was no need for me to write to you. But this time I ignore the omission. Knowledge should be given only to a jijnasu. A jijnasu means a person who hungers for knowledge. As a child fed by its mother even when it is not hungry will fall ill, so also, if you are not hungry for knowledge you will not be able to digest knowledge which is forced on you, that is, you will derive no benefit from it. Hence, not only should I get a letter from you every week, but the letter should also be an interesting one. “Interesting” means sweet, one which gave you pleasure in writing and will give me pleasure in reading. If you are interested in lejim exercises, you may write an interesting letter on that subject but it may not be interesting to me because I may know nothing about these exercises and have no means here of knowing anything. If you write such a letter, what can I write in reply? Do you understand now the two conditions your letters must fulfil so that they may be interesting? I, too, must fulfil those conditions in my letters. That is why I once wrote to Sharda that, if you could take no interest in my letters about the Gita, the fault must be mine. So be it. 10

We here have not been able to do anything besides fasting and spinning a little more than on other days. You still make mistakes in spelling words. See that such mistakes do not occur. You should learn from my deficiencies. We have had that Jodani Kosh prepared in a hurry for people like you. If you really keep awake during prayers, you have certainly advanced one step. Mother Gita has already answered the question, ‘What makes us commit sin?’ Desire and anger do that. All of you will be able to see this truth if you recollect your own actions of this type in the past. Think and verify the truth of this. The Students’ Union is not independent to the extent that it functions subject to the Ashram rules. The freedom of all such associations is limited to some extent. The Students’ Union is of course free in its own field. If I liked any manual work worth the name in my student days, I may perhaps say that I liked book-binding and carpentry. There are so many crafts and industries relating to spinning alone that the question of selecting some other work in addition does not arise. In order to have a full knowledge of the science of spinning, one must have some knowledge of each of the following: agriculture, chemistry, dyeing, painting, carpentry, smithy, weaving, knitting, sewing, carding, ginning, laundry work, history of the industries of the different countries, engraving, Arithmetic, geometry, etc. Think for yourselves and see whether a general knowledge of the subjects just mentioned is or is not essential for [proficiency in the] science of spinning. I have enumerated here only the arts and the crafts which I could remember. If you sit together and discuss, you will find some more to add to the list. Let me know if you can think of more. I hope that you will preserve my list at least. We worship Krishna the perfect avatar of God and not the Krishna who is supposed to have done so many bad things. That is, we worship not the historical Krishna but Krishna, the Prince of Yogis, who served to Arjuna the nectar of the Gita. 11

Since we ourselves are a democratic people, it is natural that our temperament should draw us towards a democracy. But as lovers of truth it is our duty to see justice and support the party which has justice on its side. 12 I do think it would be harmful if boys and girls play hututu together In this game, the players catch and throw down one another. Boys and girls cannot play such a game together. We should not knowingly do something which may rouse impure feelings in us. 13 I got a letter from you after a long time. Do not give up the work which you have begun. Look upon it as part of your education. Why should we not treat everybody as a friend? Exclusive friendships may even result in bitterness. But our life will be full of joy if we regard everybody as a friend. If you wish to spare the time required for the preparation of dramatics, etc., from the hours of manual work, you should consider whether the others can do without your help. We should do what farmers’ and shepherds’ children do. Why not spare the time for dramatics from the study hours? Think over this and let me know. 14

God never does evil, for He is Truth. Hence man himself is responsible for the evil that he does. Whatever good we do is inspired by Him, and, therefore, it may be said that He does it. As for the degree of proficiency in Sanskrit, you should know the language well enough to be able to understand the Gita. This includes grammar. If you find that the work has increased so much that you do not get even half an hour every day completely free, you should reduce the period of study. Don’t think that you will learn less to that extent. By taking half an hour’s rest, you will increase your capacity for grasping to that extent and so on balance there will be nothing but gain. Scientists have proved this by experiments. Besides books on religion, there are plenty of books on other subjects in the Ashram which you can read. Everybody may select from them and read the books which he likes. The books are not only in Gujarati, but also in Urdu, Hindi, even in Sanskrit, and of course in English. I assume that the new office-bearers elected will do their duty properly. I observe that boys and girls are careless in using paper. That should not be. And they should never tear out sheets from exercise books and write on them. 15

All or most of you write to me on sheets taken out from exercise books. That is not right. It means waste of paper and slovenliness. You should use other writing paper. In permitting Premabehn to eat fish if she wants to do so, I have shown regard for non-violence. I have discussed this is my letter to Premabehn. Read it. She will come to feel love for fish only if she can think independently. I have observed this in many persons with whom I came into contact. If you are not convinced even after reading this as well as my letter to Premabehn, you may ask me again. Those of you who still feel sleepy during prayers should stand up without feeling shy. Even if they do a few pranayama sitting, the sleepiness would go. One cannot sleep while doing pranayama. I have already told you that I cannot write anything from here for Madhpudo. I cherish the ideal of service for the Ashram children when they grow up. God will give suitable field of service to all who have fatih in Him, and will also give sufficient strength to each to shine in the work which is given to him. God looks after the material and spiritual wellbeing of His bhaktas (the Gita, IX. 22, X. 10). You are making slow but steady progress in reading and writing. Those of you who are keen can improve their knowledge still further. But your intelligence will grow in proportion as you do all physical work with proper attention. A child may learn to read and write and still remain mentally dull. If you do not understand this fully, ask me to explain again. Do not feel dissatisfied even in your hearts with the present arrangement. Do this. Use your intelligence in doing everything which you are asked to do. Even cleaning a lavatory requires great intelligence. If you do not know how, ask me. 16

It is not right that Premabehn should suggest the questions which you ask. The questions must be of interest to you, and you should be eager to know their answers. They should be such as nobody there can answer. Questions should not be asked for the sake of asking them. Your letters should contain a report of the work done during the week. Work includes study also. Now the questions: For the past many years my life has come to be exclusively devoted to public work. Pure food is that which involves the minimum destruction of life and which is taken merely for the sustenance of the body. The motive behind pilgrimage should always be religious. But religious actions also serve practical ends. Religion ought not to be cannot be antagonistic to true practical ends. The chief characteristic of virtuous life is sat, i.e., truth. In your letters your grammar and spellings must be correct. 17

It is certainly good that those who feel sleepy during the prayers keep standing One reason why the feet of those who stand up ache is that they do not know how to stand. Anybody who keeps his feet on the ground thus, A, and who stands erect can stand for a long time without getting tired. One who is not accustomed to standing will certainly feel tired for a day or two. But afterwards he will not feel tired. We should show love for those who follow the wrong path, and serve them, but we ourselves should follow the right path. If we do this, in time the other person will come to the right path. One, who cultivates devotion to God, whether he is working or resting, teaches devotion to others too. Following the path of truth in life helps us in every way. Your questions seem to have been asked for the sake of asking them. 18

Why the holiday of the eleventh of the bright half of Ashadh is (regarded) a special holiday? It has been known so far that the holiday of the eleventh day is for fasting. But Premabehn seems to have discovered something. Explain to her. My complaint is not in regard to the observing of the holiday in a new way. I want [you] to understand its significance. A student should try to realize the significance of anything he does. 19 The story relating to the significance of the Ekadashi is interesting. But we observe the Ekadashi in a different manner. For us, the Ekadashi should be a voluntary vow observed both physically and mentally, and its aim should be self-purification. When a person who is ill does not eat, his aim is to cure his illness and not to observe a fast. Similarly, a poor man also who does not eat because he has no food does not observe a fast thereby. 20 Nowadays your letters have become dull. It is not possible that nothing worth mentioning would have happened during a whole week. You can describe the trees and plants and the cattle which you see, you can give an account of your work, can say who was most alert and who was lazy, what books you read, etc. You can describe in numerable other things like these if you but try to think. Why don’t you write about all these things in your letters? 21

Learn well everything which the Ashram has to teach. Remember that the most important thing to be learnt is truth. 22 I got the letter, written in beautiful handwriting, by your new secretary. I hope that the new office-bearers will discharge their duties well. By assuming responsibilities in this way you will advance very far. Associations like yours can run smoothly only if you are tolerant towards one another. If you learn to do this, you will get in time the ability to run big associations. Keep sending me weekly reports of your work. If any disputes arise, you should write about those too. The best thing, of course, is that there should be no disputes. But in case a dispute does arise, there would be no benefit in keeping it from me. If I know about it, I may be able to guide you. Moreover, the knowledge that you will have to inform me may itself save you from quarrels. 23 I have your letter. As you could easily save many hours in doing the work in the store-room and cleaning, so also, with some thought, you can save time in other work as well. For that, sincerity and co-operation on the part of everybody are required. If all of you work as a team, each doing his best, a lot more work can be done. This holds true for all living creatures. If you watch the ants and other insects, you will learn the same lesson from their activities. 24

What is that freedom which you got before and which you do not get now? If what you say is true, you should take a deputation to Narandas. You may take three minutes of his time in telling him what you wish and leave him two minutes to reply to you. After that you may write to me if I am alive then, lying enfeebled in bed. And if I pass away into the final sleep, dance with joy and take a pledge that you will complete my work. What great fun and joy that works will be! All of you should acquire the strength for that ordeal. 25 All those who were ill must have recovered now. All I have to say for the New Year is that you should understand the meaning of the vows better and become more thoughtful and vigilant about them. Both the soul and the body will benefit in proportion as you observe the vows willingly. It was very good that once the girls by themselves did the cooking. And, moreover, there were only five items for eating, so that, if I had been there, I too would have got an opportunity to eat food cooked by them. But I forgot. How can I come there in the immediate future? God willing, I shall someday eat the food cooked by the pure hands of the girls there. 26 What a shame that so many of you should fall ill! And who should feel ashamed for this? I hope Mohan is all right now, and others also are out of danger. 27

I very much liked your programme of the 20th. I indeed feel tempted to taste the food cooked by you, both boys and girls, but I don’t think you would let me, would you? You will get this letter after the New Year’s Day. It is my wish and my blessing to you that during the coming year all of you may keep excellent health, do sincere work and that your conduct may become more upright day by day. 28 I got Sharda’s letter giving a beautiful description of how you enjoyed the five holidays. I can give only a short reply to it. Harijan work now takes up a great deal of my time, so that neither much time nor enough strength is left to me to write a long letter to you. You also should do whatever service you can to Harijans. 29 I read the names of the new office-bearers. Let me see now what work you do during this year. Do not distrust one another. Do not be rude to anybody. You should be polite even towards one another. Make the best use of every minute. Playing at the proper time also is good use of time. Reading at the time fixed for playing and playing at the time meant for study, this is bad use of time. 30

You should not expect any letter from me these days. You will then be satisfied with a few lines. You, however, should continue to write to me. Do not get tired of the food which is similar to that in jail. 31 Do you know the reasons for the changes in food which the Ashram has introduced? Observe the effect of the new diet on your body and mind and write to me about it. Bhau says that none of you likes to spin on takli. You can produce a sufficient quantity of yarn and of good quality with takli, only if you spin on it with concentration and in silence. Bhau believes that you are not capable of either. You cannot stop talking even for a few minutes. If this is true, it is very bad. Takli is very much superior to the spinning-wheel in teaching us silence. You should know the full power of takli and must benefit from it. It is certain that a person, who cannot live in solitude, remain silent or work with concentration can never be a true brahmachari. And all of you are brahmacharis at present. Discuss this with Bhau and see that every one of you does the takli yajna. 32

You should rejoice, and not get upset, whenever I fast. You should not speak without thinking and without reason, let alone gossip. In other words, when eating or working you should speak only if it is necessary. To speak loudly is a sign of immodesty. All of you should acquire complete mastery over the takli. Know that the skill which Bhau possesses is very useful. 33 You should know that I have suggested the changes in food in order to improve the health of the people and increase their self-control and peace of mind. Those who do not like them may not try them. Those who have tried them and found that they do not suit them may give them up. Nobody should accept them unwillingly or out of false shame. I hope you observe silence during meals and when spinning for yajna. 34

Just now I cannot write long letters. Parashuramji knows the new takli method. He does not have the same speed as Bhau but he may be able to teach you. Narandas is quite right in saying that any boy or girl who has not undergone training in khadi work, carpentry, farm work, tanning, dairy work, etc., has remained uneducated. It seems you have still not understood one special feature of the Ashram. It is that farm work, carpentry, etc., also are a part of your education, and develop your intellect and also some of the bodily senses. If these crafts are taught as part of your education, they would do more good, as I have already explained in one of my previous letters to the Ashram, than a purely literal education does. If you have forgotten what I said in that letter or cannot find that letter, let me know and I will write to you again about it, for the point deserves to be understood by all. Do not think that I say this because I wish to run down book-learning. I fully understand its value. You will not easily come across many men who put such knowledge to better use than I do. My purpose in saying this is to put training in crafts on the same footing as education in letters. Those who thoroughly understand this point will never be eager for a literal education at the cost of training in crafts. Their book-learning will shine better and also prove of greater benefit to the people. If you understand this fully, all of you will be ready to take out the cattle for grazing. 35

You are doing very good work. Keep it up. Once you learn farming, you will find it more interesting than any other work. And when one gets familiar with plants, one feels they are part of one’s family. And service of Harijans itself is dharma. Concentrate on whatever work you are doing. 36 One can say that there is a rush for admission. Try to acquire the art of learning even if you have no teacher. Increase your knowledge whenever you can learn it yourself. After thinking, write to me what you can all study by yourselves and what each boy or girl wants to study. 37 It is good to talk things over with the Harijans. With patience and love they will understand our work. You should listen to what they have to say to you. Answer to the extent you can. If you go to them regularly, there will be discussions. If you inquire about their sufferings and take interest in all aspects of their lives, slowly they will come to accept us as their relations. Try to grow enough vegetables for the Ashram. That is not difficult. 38 Just now please do not expect to get long letters from me. Who cooked at Pujya Anasuyabehn? Did you behave politely and courteously there? Did you keep on asking for food very often? Did you clean the utensils yourselves? There is nothing to worry about your eating bhajans. But henceforward right at the beginning, whenever you have to go anywhere, tell them clearly: Please give us this only and do not make that for us. 39

I cannot send you such a beautiful one. All of you should try and increase your knowledge of farming. The more you know of farming, the more you will be interested in it. Take it from me it is a good training. All of you going out to serve the Harijans I regard it a better training still. If you work conscientiously and do not tire of it, you will be able to win them over and wean them from their bad habits. 40 It is not wise to keep on changing the volunteers or, shall we say, the organizers. You may if you wish keep a number of them for a certain period for the sake of giving them experience but it should not be for less than six months. There would be order only if you saw that no one left on account of quarrels or because they felt offended. Do you keep a record of your activities? You should have a few rules for your organization and then cling to them. If you do this, your progress will be speeded up. Pay more attention to farming. You should eat, and you will like to eat, vegetables produced by you all and by you only. 41

Harijan children won’t listen to talk on abstinence from liquor. But coming in contact with you, they will gradually be influenced. It is a nice idea to visit them on Sundays. Try if possible to make this arrangement. It would be enough if the Friday programme is shifted to Sunday. Discuss it with Narandas. If your conduct is spotless, it will definitely influence them. It is inevitable that you should mix with older people. They also will be won over by love and service. Sometimes you may invite the Harijan children to the Ashram. Before inviting they take permission from Narandas. I regard it as good news that the weights of most of you have gone up and also the counts of the yarn. 42

It is violence to tear sheets from a notebook and uses them for writing letters. Do you understand this? Don’t do it again. If the secretary or the other office-bearers show themselves unfit or if the members harass them, in either case our progress will be arrested. When you grow up you will behave as you now do. What you do not learn now you will never learn later. I hope you do understand that. Just as mangoes cannot grow on a babul tree, you are not likely to change suddenly after ten years if you cannot work unitedly or behave with self-restraint. You should, therefore, learn to manage your body in a proper manner. 43 You must have improved your spinning in regard to the count, evenness and the strength of the yarn. Great care, even more than about the count, should be taken about the strength and the evenness. There is bound to be a difference in the count if the cotton or the sliver is bad, but there should be no difference in the evenness and the strength. Till you reach the standard when you may be said to pass in regard to these two, it cannot truthfully be said that you have spun. Whether one is working in the field or doing some other work, one must feel interested. Anybody who is devoted to duty is interested only in doing his duty and not in doing a particular work. Such a person never wishes to choose his own work. He does with interest whatever falls to his lot because he considers that his dharma. Anybody who does some work unwillingly is not doing it as dharma. Can anybody force himself to do any work as dharma? 44

You must have heard about All of you must take a lesson from what happened. If you wish to be good, and follow truth, observe the following rules:

(1) Nobody should hide anything or talk anything secret with anybody.

(2) Nobody should meet anybody in private.

(3) A boy must not have friendship with a girl. It is not natural. Why should a girl wish to have friendship with a boy instead of with another girl?

(4) The boys and girls living in the Ashram are like blood brothers and sisters. Just as brothers and sisters cannot marry, so also those living in the Ashram at the same time cannot marry. The relationship between brother and sister is not friendship. It is a pure relationship and of a kind which a man or woman can have with any other woman or man. Brother and sister never wish to be alone. There is nothing secret between them.

(5) If any boy or girl feels an impure desire, they should immediately confess it before their elders. I desire that you should observe these rules voluntarily. 45

I would like you to collect the bones you come across. I will find a use for them. Manure is certainly made by grinding them. But how to grind them or whether they can be put to still better use I will have to find out. 46 What had happened to Vinod? I hope she is all right now. Shantaram will grow mentally if you give him adequate love. I hope you do not make fun of him. Does the new diet suit all of you? Do all of you write to Lakshmibehn? She remembers all of you very much. 47 You have of late become irregular in writing to me. You must by now have learnt everything or something about you must know something. Did you learn any lesson from it? All the persons living in the Ashram are like blood brothers and sisters. If anyone feels even slightly lustful they should immediately confess before their elders. They should take all necessary steps to get rid of the passion. No one should have any secrets. No one should live in privacy. No one should dress himself up. One should be simple in body and mind as far as possible. No one should cross the bounds in any way. Only limited liberties should be taken with each other. I would be glad if you would all write to me your opinions on these things. There is no harm if I have already written this before. It is good to have the memory of such things kept fresh. 48

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