For Global Peace with Social Justice in a Sustainable Environment

Love and Mahatma Gandhi- II

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

Love and Mahatma Gandhi- II

Messrs Andrews and Pearson have just returned from Fiji after finishing their self-imposed labours for the sake of India which they have learnt to love as they love their mother-land. 1 Even if Nanak Chand had not told us that the gotras of the Untouchables are the same as those of other Rajputs, even then we would not consider them untouchables. For it is our duty to love all. 2 Our civilization tells us with daring certainty that a proper and perfect cultivation of the quality of ahimsa which, in its active form means purest love and pity, brings the whole world to our feet. The author of this discovery gives a wealth of illustration which carries conviction with it. But the most wonderful thing about it all is that the crowd consisting of about the thousand men, women and children is managed without the assistance of a single policeman and without any fuss or semblance of force, the only force that subsists between the crowd and the managers of the institution is that of love and mutual esteem. Fourteen years are nothing in the life of a big institution like this. What the collegiate that has been just turned out during the last two or three years will be able to show, remains to be seen. 3

During the travels just completed, I went to a place called Dehradun. It is at the base of the Himalayas. You will love the place. The air is bracing and there are so many walks to the Himalayan hills. Of course I was there only for a day but was able to know much about the place. Ramdas, Prabhudas and Devdas were with me. Have I told you that I have just begun to take cooked food? The price of fruitarian food is prohibitive here and one cannot get even dates and monkey-nuts at certain places for love or money. This is a sad discovery. It tells its own tale. It is there however and one has to put up with it. This is the 6th day of cooked food. I take rice and dholl, a vegetable and a lemon. This makes 4 articles. Today I am going to add oil. I have felt extremely weak during the six days and not half as satisfied as with the fruitarian meal. I shall see what the addition of oil does for me. Later on I shall take wheat or some other corn. 4

Similarly, no State is possible without two entities the rulers and the ruled. You are our sovereign, our Government, only so long as we consider ourselves your subjects. When we are not subjects, you are not the sovereign either. So long as it is your endeavour to control us with justice and love, we will let you to do so. But if you wish to strike at us from behind, we cannot permit it. Whatever you do in other matters, you will have to ask our opinion about the laws that concern us. 5 During the past fifteen hundred years, we have as a nation given ample proof of physical courage, but we have been torn by internal dissensions and have been dominated by love of self instead of love of country. We have, that is to say, been swayed by the spirit of irreligion rather than of religion. In its positive form, ahimsa means the largest love, the greatest charity. If I am a follower of ahimsa, I must love my enemy. I must apply the same rule to the wrong-doer who is my enemy or a stranger to me, as I would to my wrong-doing father or son. This active Ahimsa necessarily includes truth and fearlessness. The Moors, who were being powdered by the French gunners, rushed into the guns’ mouth with ‘Allah’ on their lips, showed much the same type of courage. Only theirs was the courage of desperation. Ambarish’s was due to love. Yet the Moorish valour, readiness to die, conquered the gunners. They frantically waved their hats, ceased firing and greeted their erstwhile enemies as comrades. He is no follower of ahimsa (I agree with Lalaji) who does not care a straw if he kills a man by inches by deceiving him in trade, or who will protect by force of arms a few cows and make away with the butcher, or who in order to do a supposed good to his country does not mind killing off a few officials. All these are actuated by hatred, cowardice and fear. Here love of the cow or the country is a vague thing intended to satisfy one’s vanity or soothe a stinging conscience. 6

The feeling which we outwardly show, that moderates or extremists, Surtis or Kathiawari or Ahmedabadis, Hindus or Muslims, all are our brethren, should be there in our hearts, Muslims and others will then be so enslaved by our love that there will be no need to establish societies for the protection of animals. Instead, our Muslim brethren will of their own accord put a stop to animal slaughter in consideration of the religious susceptibilities of their Hindu brethren. If we develop such feeling, this occasion, indeed the whole movement, will yield the expected result as a matter of course. I know the President’s job is like walking on the edge of a sword; let him utilize to the full the advantages he enjoys in virtue of the important position which he occupies. I pray to God to grant him the necessary strength, wisdom and ability to guide the work of this conference. 7 Ours will only then be a truly spiritual nation when we shall show more truth than gold, greater fearlessness than pomp of power and wealth, greater charity than love of self. If we will but clean town houses, our palaces and temples of the attributes of wealth and show in them the attributes of morality, we can offer battle to any combinations of hostile forces without having to carry the burden of a heavy militia. Let us seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and the irrevocable promise is that everything will be added with us. These are real economics. May you and I treasure them and enforce them in our daily life. 8

It is to be hoped that Dr. Mehta’s labour of love will receive the serious attention of English-educated India. The following pages were written by him for the Vedanta Kesari of Madras and are now printed in their present form for circulation throughout India. The question of vernaculars as media of instruction is of national importance; neglect of the vernaculars means national suicide. One hears many protagonists of the English language being continued as the medium of instruction pointing to the fact that English-educated Indians are the sole custodians of public and patriotic work. It would be monstrous if it were not so. For, the only education given in this country is through the English language. The fact, however, is that the results are not at all proportionate to the time we give to our education. 9 She has such strength of mind, however, and such is her love for the motherland, that, when occasion demands, she makes it possible to meet it. God alone knows from where she gets the strength, but she who looked worn out just a moment earlier betrays no signs of suffering on her face when she is at work. 10

May I be found worthy of all this deep love! Yes I know you want to help. You shall have your choice. Either go to Ahmadabad and work there for the experimental school or come and work here even at the risk of imprisonment. 11 My work here gives me greater and greater joy day by day. The poor Raiyats delight in simply sitting round me, feeling that they can trust me to do the right thing. I only hope I am worthy of all this love. I constantly see the planters and do not despair of appealing to their sense of justice on behalf of the Raiyats who have groaned under the weight of oppression all these long years. I shall send you a copy of my representation to the Government. You may not understand some points in it. Do not hesitate to ask me please. 12

For me truth and love are interchangeable terms. You may not know that the Gujarati for passive resistance is truth-force. I have variously defined it as truth-force, love-force or soul-force. But truly there is nothing in words. What one has to do is to live a life of love in the midst of the hate we see everywhere. And we cannot do it without unconquerable faith in its efficacy. A great queen named Mirabai lived two or three hundred years ago. She forsook her husband and everything and lived a life of absolute love. Her husband at last became her devotee. We often sing in the Ashram some fine hymns composed by her. You shall hear and one of these days sings them when you come to the Ashram. 13 You may not know that the Gujarati for passive resistance is truth-force. I have variously defined it as truth-force, love-force or soul-force. But truly there is nothing in words. What one has to do is to live a life of love in the midst of the hate we see everywhere. And we cannot do it without unconquerable faith in its efficacy. A great queen named Mirabai lived two or three hundred years ago. She forsook her husband and everything and lived a life of absolute love. Her husband at last became her devotee. We often sing in the Ashram some fine hymns composed by her. You shall hear and one of these days sings them when you come to the Ashram. 14

My faith in Truth and Love is as vivid as in the fact that I am writing this to you. To me they are convertible terms Truth and Love conquer all. 15

Miss Faering’s letter this time is worth reading. Her love for the Ashram adds to our responsibility. We would do well to cultivate and maintain the purity which comes naturally to a heart of transparent honesty like hers. Such striving is the only justification for our existence. 16 May it satisfy all your wants and may it prove a place of joy and peace and of love such as you would find near your parents’ hearth. Every year that closes upon us may be so much valuable time gained or lost as we have well or ill used it. To us who want to walk in the fear of God, every added year is added responsibility. 17 Never mind if you have kept on the house-maid for some time longer. I had a letter from Fakira. In reply, I have asked him to go there. You and Chhotalal must get rid of cooking and miscellaneous chores. Unless that is done, I am, afraid; we shall make no progress in weaving. How this can be brought about, it is for you to consider. Set Satyadevji to the quern. It doesn’t matter if he has been supplied chillies. That is a yajna for us on his account. Let us see if it is rewarded. I wonder. One needn’t worry if he takes chillies only for the sake of health. A yajna must be performed cheerfully. We have done what we have done because we think it right and so must we do everything and supply him [the chillies] with love and in cheerfulness. 18

I have presented to the youths and to Indians in general in my humble way a better and more effective method and that is the method of soul force or truth force or love force which for want of a better term I have described as passive resistance. 19 I think the command of Jesus is unequivocal. All killing is bad for one who is filled with love. He will not need to kill. He will not kill. He who is filled with pity for the snake and does not fear him will not kill him and the snake will not hurt him. This state of innocence is the one we must reach. But only a few can reach it. It seems to me to be impossible for nations to reach it. Equal progress in all is an inconceivable situation. Nations will therefore always fight. One of them will be less wrong than the other. 20 There is no love where there is no will. In India there is not only no love but hatred due to emasculation. There is the strongest desire to fight and kill side by side with utter helplessness. This desire must be satisfied by restoring the capacity for fighting then comes the choice. Yes, the very act of forgiving and loving shows superiority in the doer. But that way of putting the proposition begs the question, who can love? A mouse as mouse cannot love a cat. A mouse cannot be commonly said to refrain from hurting a cat. You do not love him whom you fear. Immediately you cease to fear, you are ready for your choice to strike or to refrain. To refrain is proof of awakening of the soul in man; to strike is proof of body-force. The ability to strike must be present when the power of the soul is demonstrated. This does not mean that we must be bodily superior to the adversary. 21

I have a moment to spare today. The lines you send are good and true. Belief and hope are great. They are indispensable for success. But love is greater. I find here that too great a strain is put upon it. Only this morning a powerfully built man came to me and insisted on my giving him help which was not in my power to give him. He would not leave me. I begged of him. He began weeping and beating his breast. His case is nothing. He came out of hope and love. How would I, wanting to love him, treat him? Assuming that his weeping was sincere; must I put up with his presence and go on talking to him? Such problems arise every day. Love has to be patient. How to apply the injunction in cases such as I have quoted? The only safe guide is the monitor within if one is pure-minded and sure of one’s sincerity. We often deceive ourselves. 22 Satyagraha is pure soul-force. Truth is the very substance of the soul. That is why this force is called Satyagraha. The soul is informed with knowledge. In it burns the flame of love. If someone gives us pain through ignorance, we shall win him through love. “Nonviolence is the supreme dharma” is the proof of this power of love. Non-violence is a dormant state. In the waking state, it is love. Ruled by love, the world goes on. In English there is a saying, “Might is Right”. Then there is the doctrine of the survival of the fittest. Both these ideas are contradictory to the above principle. Neither is wholly true. If ill-will were the chief motive-force, the world would have been destroyed long ago; and neither would I have had the opportunity to write this article nor would the hopes of the readers be fulfilled. We are alive solely because of love. We are all ourselves the proof of this. Deluded by modern western civilization, we have forgotten our ancient civilization and worship the might of arms. 23

To be free from desire’ is a technical expression and means desire to be or possess something short of the highest. Thus, love of God is not ‘a desire’. It is the natural longing. But to possess a fortune so that I may do good is a desire and therefore to be curbed. Our good acts must be as natural to us as the twinkling of our eyes. Without our desiring, they act automatically. The doing of good should be just as natural to us. 24 You were quite right in not coming to Madras. Love must be patient and humble. It is the rich and leisurely who can afford to be demonstrative in their love. We humble folks have naturally a different and better method of showing love. True love acts when it must, meanwhile it daily grows silently but steadily In Motihari from 7th to 13th Then Ahmadabad. 25

After returning to India, I have been meeting students all over the country. They show me unbounded love. By inviting me to preside over this meeting today and permitting me to speak in Hindi and conduct the proceedings, too, in Hindi, you, students, have given me evidence of your love. I shall think myself fortunate indeed if I can prove myself worthy of this love and be of some service to you. You have shown great wisdom in deciding to carry on the proceedings of this Conference in the regional language of the province which also happens to be our national language. I congratulate you, and hope that you will continue this practice. Mahatma Gandhini Vicharsrishti It has been suggested that the progress made by Bengali literature in recent times is mainly due to the profound knowledge of English language and literature among the Bengalis. But the facts are against this assumption. The bewitching style of our beloved poet Rabindranath Tagore does not owe its excellence to his knowledge of English.

Its source lies rather in his love for his own language. Gitanjali was originally written in Bengali. This great poet always uses his mother tongue when in Bengal. The great speech he recently made at Calcutta on present-day conditions in India was in Bengali. Among those who went to hear him were some of the most prominent men and women from his part of the country. These three great speakers have acquired this power of eloquence not from their knowledge of English but from the love of their own language. Swami Dayanand did great service to Hindi not because he knew English but because he loved the Hindi language. English had nothing to do with Tukaram and Ramadas shedding lustre on Marathi. Premananda and Shamal Bhatt and, recently, Dalpatram, have greatly enriched Gujarati literature; their glorious success is not to be attributed to their knowledge of English. The above examples prove beyond doubt that, for the enrichment of the mother tongue, what is needed is not knowledge of English but love for one’s own language and faith in it. If we have a sincere love for our language, we can this very moment put to use the resources at our disposal. If lawyers start using Gujarati for their work, much of the clients’ money would be saved. Clients would also get the requisite knowledge of law and come to know their rights. The expenses on the services of interpreters would also be saved.

Legal terms would pass into current use. Of course, lawyers would have to put themselves to some trouble to do all this. I believe, and the belief is supported by experience, that this will not harm the interests of the client. There is no reason to fear that arguments in Gujarati would carry less weight with the Court than in English. It is compulsory for Collectors and other Government officials to know Gujarati. But, because of our unreasoning craze for English, we allow their knowledge to rust. I think there is not much that we can learn from America, but one thing we would do well to copy. Some of the biggest educational institutions there are run by a huge Trust. Wealthy Americans have donated millions to this Trust. It runs a number of private schools. If it has a huge fund, it also has at its disposal the services of a number of learned men who love their country and are well-equipped physically. They inspect all these institutions and help them in maintaining academic standards. They provide help wherever and in whatever measure they think necessary. It is available to any institution which agrees to adopt the approved constitution. An enthusiastic campaign launched by this Trust carried the results of new researches in the field of agriculture to elderly peasants. We can have a similar plan in Gujarat. There is wealth here and scholarship, too, and love of religion has not altogether disappeared. Children are only waiting to be taught. If we can take up this venture, we may show to the Government in a few years that our efforts are in the right direction. I am sure the Government, then, will not fail to adopt the plan. Actual work will speak to better effect than a thousand petitions. 26 A businessman is not in love with a “degree”; his choice will fall on the efficient man. 27

I am in love with the mother tongue, crazy over it. I think we just cannot get on without it, can hope for no progress. It is for this reason that I urge its claims wherever I go. Seeing that my pleas have been of some avail here, I offer my thanks to you. Why should you thank me? If, nonetheless, you do, I shall have no patience to hear what you say. I hope the various committees will carry out what they have been charged with. All obstacles must yield to determined human effort. I am sorry that, for want of time, I have not been able to meet the wishes of the audience for a long speech. I thank you all, sisters and brothers. Only if I die for India shall I know that I was fit to live. 28 Mr. Dhruva is a jewel not only of Gujarat but of the whole of India. The rest of India does not know him because he has not come out into public life in Gujarat. He is a scholar of great distinction. I could see his scholarship even from his speeches. Practical ability such as his is very necessary in the affairs of this world. I have had much experience of these affairs and gone through a great deal. It was a pleasure to me to listen to his sincere words and I would simply love to be in his company. 29

This is an instance of love-force. Love is atman: it is the very property of atman. If we have faith enough, we can wield that force over the whole world. Religion having lost its hold on us, we are without an anchor to keep us firm amidst the storm of modern civilization, and are, therefore, being tossed to and fro. I shall return to this idea at a later stage. By courtesy and through Satyagraha, we can bring them to join that mission. But, in order to be able to do this, we shall have to understand the question in its true bearing. Instead of killing our brethren, we should be ready to die ourselves. But we shall be able to do this only when we understand the real value of the cow and have pure love for her. Success in this will ensure several things simultaneously. Hindus and Muslims will live in peace, the cow will be safe, milk and its products will be available in a pure condition and will be cheaper than now, and our bullocks will become the envy of the world. If our tapascharya is pure, we shall succeed in stopping slaughter of cows, whether by the British, Muslims or Hindus. Even this one achievement will bring swaraj nearer. With truth for sword, he needs neither a steel sword nor gunpowder. Even an inveterate enemy he conquers by the force of the soul, which is love. Love for a friend is not put to the test. There is nothing surprising in a friend loving a friend; there is no merit in it and it costs no effort. When love is bestowed on the so-called enemy, it is tested, it becomes a virtue and requires an effort, and hence it is an act of manliness and real bravery. We can cultivate such an attitude even towards the Government and, doing so, we shall be able to appreciate their beneficial activities and, as for their errors, rather than feel bitter on their account, point them out in love and so get them rectified. Love does not act through fear. Weakness there certainly cannot be. A coward is incapable of bearing love; it is the prerogative of the brave. Looking at everything with love, we shall not regard the Government with suspicion, nor believe that all their actions are inspired with bad motives. And our examination of their actions, being directed by love, will be unerring and is bound, therefore, to carry conviction with them. Love can fight; often, it is obliged to. In the intoxication of power, man fails to see his error. When that happens, a satyagrahi does not sit still.

He suffers. He disobeys the ruler’s orders and his laws in a civil manner, and willingly submits to the penalties of such disobedience, for instance, imprisonment and gallows. Thus is the soul disciplined? The measure of dharma is love, compassion, truth. Heaven itself, if attained through sacrifice of these, is to be despised. Swaraj is useless at the sacrifice of truth. Such swaraj will ultimately ruin the people. The man who follows the path of duragraha becomes impatient and wants to kill the so-called enemy. There can be but one result of this. Hatred increases. The defeated party vows vengeance and simply bides its time. The spirit of revenge thus descends from father to son. It is much to be wished that India never gives predominance to this spirit of duragraha. If the members of this assembly deliberately accept Satyagraha and chalk out its programme accordingly, they will reach their goal all the more easily for doing so. They may have to face disappointment in the initial stages. They may not see results for a time. But Satyagraha will triumph in the end. The duragrahi, like the oilman’s ox, moves in a circle. His movement is only motion but it is not progress. The satyagrahi is ever moving forward. A cowardly refusal to defend the nation, or the weak, is ever to be shunned. In order to protect an innocent woman from the brutal design of a man, we ought to offer ourselves a willing sacrifice and by the force of love conquer the brute in the man. Lacking such strength, we should employ all our physical strength to frustrate those designs. The satyagrahi and the duragrahi are both warriors. The latter, bereft of his arms, acknowledges defeat, the former never. He does not depend upon the perishable body and its weapons, but he fights on with the strength of the unconquerable and immortal atman. Anyone who is neither of the two is not a man, for he does not recognize the atman. 30

Read this, meditate on it and read it again. Read it in English and translate it into Hindi. Strain every nerve to have at least a brief glimpse of love. Mira had felt the stab of this dagger of love, deep in her heart. If we could but get hold of this dagger and get also the strength to stab ourselves with it, we could shake the world. The thing is there in me, and yet I feel its lack every moment. There is much that is wanting. Sometimes, I behave like a half-filled pot. Only yesterday, I had no time to spare for people who wanted, in their love, to detain me. I felt sore over this all the time. This is no sign of love. That is just the way a half-filled pot spills over. May the New Year bring you prosperity? It is my wish, and my only blessing, that you may grow in your physical, mental and spiritual powers and dedicate them all, with love, to India. 31

Stay there without any worry and go on with your work. The Doctor is all love for you. Don’t be disheartened. You may not be doing as well as you would like to, but anyone who makes an honest effort is bound to produce a good impression on others. Let me also know how things are with Meva. How is your health? 32 To say that perfection is not attainable on this earth is to deny God. The statement about impossibility of ridding ourselves of sin clearly refers to a stage in life. But we need not search scriptures in support of the assertion. We do see men constantly becoming better under effort and discipline. There is no occasion for limiting the capacity for improvement. Life to me would lose all its interest if I feel that I could not attain perfect love on earth. After all, what matters is that our capacity for loving ever expands. It is a slow process. How shall you love the men who thwart you even in well-doing? And yet that is the time of supreme test. I hope that you are now enjoying greater peace of mind. Let your love for the Ashram be a source of strength in your attempt to do your duty there. The Ashram is undoubtedly intended to teach us to do our assigned task with the utmost attention and with cheerfulness. There is meaning in our wishes (however pure) not being fulfilled. Not our will but His will be done. 33

You will be glad to hear that I have four women working with me. They are all doing good work. They go about among the village women, teach them the laws of cleanliness and get hold of their girls. We have opened one girl’s school. People here are most reluctant to bring their girls out. They are distributing also medical relief. I know you would love this kind of work. But your time is not yet. I have my eyes upon you. When Waldo and Leon are able to take care of themselves and after you have had a few years of peaceful life together, I should not wonder if you do not feel the call to work among the villagers here. If India is to become the seat in the world of a mighty spiritual force, it would need to have international workers in her midst who are fired with spiritual zeal. Some of India’s problems are world problems. They can be solved in a narrow sectional spirit or from a broad humanitarian standpoint. 34

If you feel the need for the presence of my spirit, it is always present there. The more we give up our attachment to the physical presence of the one whom we love, the purer and wider our love becomes. If we ourselves cultivate the spirit which we are all trying to create in the Ashram, we would not only not feel a void in the Ashram but the social spirit also would be created so much the earlier. 35 I am, of course, in love with these ideas so that I would naturally desire that the largest number of people be given a chance to read them. At present, therefore, I am also one of the sponsors of the plan for publishing a volume. Where, then, is the need for a preface? My life itself is the best preface. Those who can will read it. 36 If we love anyone, the more indifferent we become to his physical presence the purer will be our love for him. The Ashram will not seem lonely if we cultivate in ourselves the spirit that we all strive to create in the atmosphere there; in fact, the community spirit will grow the sooner if we do this. 37

I do not know in what terms to praise you. Your love and your character fascinate me and so also your self-examination. I am not fit to measure your worth. I accept your own estimate and assume the position of a father to you. You seem almost to have met a long-felt wish of mine. In my view a father is, in fact, a father only when he has a son who surpasses him in virtue. A real son, likewise, is one who improves on what the father has done; if the father is truthful, firm of mind and compassionate, the son will be all this in a greater measure. This is what you have made yourself. I don’t see that you owe your achievement to any effort of mine. Hence, I accept the role you offer to me as a gift of love. I shall strive to be worthy of it; and, if ever I become another Hiranyakashipu, oppose me respectfully as Prahlad, who loved God, disobeyed him. 38

I think you have realized its worth and will cherish it with love. I dreamt last night that you betrayed my trust in you stole currency notes from a safe and changed them. You spent the amount on vices. I came to know about it. I took alarm; felt very miserable. Just then I awoke and saw that it was all a dream. I thanked God. This dream bespeaks my attachment to you. You of course want it. You need not fear that it will ever disappear altogether during this present life. I am making a supreme effort to bear equal love to all but, from you, I do hope for something more than from others. 39 This relationship of ours was formed in the year 1896.1 I had no idea of its nature then; nor had he. About the same time, I had the good fortune to wait on the master’s master [Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade, Lokamanya Tilak, Sir Pherozeshah Mehta, Justice Badruddin Tyabji, Dr Bhandarkar, as also the leaders of Madras and Bengal. I was but a raw youth. Every one of them showered his love on me. These were among the occasions which I can never forget while I live. But the peace of mind which my contacts with Gokhale gave me, those with others did not. I do not remember that any special affection was shown to me by Gokhale. If I were to measure and compare the love I experienced from them all, I have an impression that no one else showed such love to me as Dr. Bhandarkar did. 40

References: