For Global Peace with Social Justice in a Sustainable Environment

Messages of Mahatma Gandhi; Part-13

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338

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

Messages of Mahatma Gandhi; Part-13

Mahatma Gandhi a different man. He met a lot of persons daily. He had a lot of work and their concerning people. He gave a message everybody time to time. Those messages had a lot of meaning. The person who had gotten it, change his life according to it. Those messages may be useful today. We can solve many problems by help of them.

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Vijayalaxmi Pandit; “Mahatma Gandhi conveyed his feelings of grief to Mrs. Pandit on the death of her husband through Mr. Devdas Gandhi when the latter saw him during Mrs. Gandhi’s illness. Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Mahatma Gandhi could not write to her personally as he feels his hands are tied. He has asked Mrs. Pandit to remember that henceforth Mr. Pandit would live in her actions.”343 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to China; “My heartiest good wishes to China from which the world expects much. I am sorry that I cannot write Chinese.”344 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Nationalist Christian Party; “I thank you all for having taken the trouble to come to Juhu and offer prayers for my health. If God has any service still to take from me, I am sure that your prayers and that of so many others in many lands will be answered. God bless you all.”345

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Frank Moraes; “I have complete and categorical replies to all the charges. As soon as I get well, and if I am left free, I shall deal with the questions put.”346 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Bombay Keraleeya Samaj; “I am glad you took the trouble of coming to me and giving me a purse for the Harijans. I hope your efforts on behalf of the poor in the country will prosper. God be with you.”347 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Bengal Provincial Student; “Fight and you will win through your work even without a message.”348

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Bengal Provincial Students; “My blessings you have in abundance for all the good work you may have done. My advice to all the workers is that they should learn to regard all good service as in itself a blessing. What is the use of blessings of any man, however great he may be, if there is no real, sustained work? Blessings often deceive receivers into believing 17th, Mahatma gave us another interview. We told him that we worked in Assam according to our understanding of the Congress programme. We had called for unity to resist the Japanese, to fight hoarders, to secure food for the people and for relief to Bengal. In response to our request for his blessings.”349 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Ajit Rai and Arvind das Gupta; “My blessings you have in abundance for all the good work you may have done. My advice to all the workers is that they should learn to regard all good service as in itself a blessing. What is the use of blessings of any man however great he may be if there is no real sustained work? Blessings often deceive receivers into believing that their work is finished. Let these words be an incentive to greater effort. You should keep me in touch with your activities.”350

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to People of Assam; “If the people feel that the present policy of the Government on settlement and immigration is oppressive and anti-national, let them fight it non-violently or violently, if necessary.”351 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message for Tagore; “Organizing yourself, you will achieve success. This is the message of Gurudev. Make this message your motto.”352 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to People of Assam; “I have no message of hope for my Assamese brothers and sisters but I send my deep sympathy for them. May God bless you all to come out of the ordeal successfully?”353 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message for All-India Students’ Federation; “Conduct your proceedings in your mother tongue, in the national language or if necessary in all the languages of India, but not in a foreign language. And for the sake of Daridranarayana, do spin for at least half an hour every day. If you cannot do these two things kindly return this to me.”354 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message; “ I have omitted sending messages to a number of friends but I must associate myself with the Acharya’s cause since we are childhood friends. We have been together since the days of his father. Please let him see this.”355

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Students’ Conference; “The fourteen-point programme is dear to Gandhiji and if you can implement it and give it a dynamic drive you will advance the country towards freedom, peace and progress. The blessings always go to workers in the cause of freedom.”356 Mahatma Gandhi gave a Christmas Message; “I had hoped that I would be able to speak a few words today. But God willed otherwise. Today is Christmas Day. We hold all religions in equal respect and all such festivals deserve respect. But our respect is different from the common kind. For us such festivals are for meditation and introspection. On such occasions we should search our hearts and cleanse it of all impurity. We should know that God is one, whether we call Him Ishwara or Khuda, and that His commands are the same for all. We should not harm others for what we regard as Truth or right. We should be prepared to die for Truth and when the call comes give our life for it and sanctify it with our blood. This in my view is the essence of all religions. On this day we should ponder upon this and remember that Jesus mounted the Cross for what he considered to be the Truth.”357

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message on Death of Hermann Kallenbach; “South Africa has lost a most generous-minded citizen and the Indians of that subcontinent a very warm friend. In Hermann Kallenbach death I have lost a very dear and near friend. He used to say to me often that when I was deserted by the whole world, I would find him to be a true friend going with me, if need be, to the ends of the earth in search of Truth. He used to spend at one time £75 per month on his person alone. But he so revolutionized his life that his monthly personal expenses amounted to under £8. This lasted while we lived together in a cottage seven miles from Johannesburg. When I left South Africa, he reverted in

large part to his original life though mostly eschewing the things of life he had deliberately left. He came in close touch with the late patriot Mr. G. K. Gokhale, who held him in high esteem. It may be noted that together with Henry Polak, Mr. H. Kallenbach was arrested for marching with me from Natal to Transvaal.”358 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Indian in South Africa; “As India holds the key to the freedom of all the exploited races and nations of the earth so do Indians in South Africa hold the key to the protection and freedom of the exploited people in the overseas. For it was in South Africa that satyagraha was fairly tried and became largely successful. Will the Indians there unite and sacrifice themselves for the common cause?”359.

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to K. Ramkrishna Pillai; “You are the best judges of what to do under the circumstances. You know also what I have done in similar situation. Beyond this I am unable to say anything.”360 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to People of Ceylon; “Gandhiji said that India and Lanka were one, the latter being a pendant of a long chain which was India. He said that he had felt that people in Lanka sought to be separated from India, although the culture and problems of both were similar. He was glad, however, to learn that there were people in Lanka who realized this unity. Such people, he added, needed no message from him. They have only to understand the message of the charkha, khadi and the constructive programme, including village uplift and fostering of a national language. He referred to his tour of Ceylon 15 years ago and his embarrassment then to notice European and alien habits and customs of the people there, and wished that the Ceylonese had known more about India and the message of the charkha.”361

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message for Jawahar Jain Jyoti; “The Jain sadhus in the country should understand Yuga dharma, that is, the religion of the age, and their duty towards it; otherwise their preachings and teachings would be useless.”362 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message for Bharati Memorial; “My blessings to efforts to perpetuate Bharati’s memory.”363 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Hanumant Rao Kaujalgi;s Death; “Hanumantharao Kaujalgi has gone. His debt is discharged. My condolences to the bereaved family. I hope his place will be worthily filled.”364

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message; “The students from Sind who seek my blessings should become Atishudras. Will they marry among them? Do they spin? Do they wear khadi? Do they speak the truth and practice ahimsa? If they answer ‘Yes’, my blessings are with them.”365 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Students; “Study and work for the country’s freedom. This is my message to the students of India. Gandhiji said that he realized the despondency of the student community on the failure of the Simla Conference and the danger of ill-feeling that might creep in between Hindu and Muslim students. Hopes must not be lost. Gandhiji stressed the need of unity among students and said it was deplorable that a number of parties existed and things had reached such a stage that the police were sometimes required to intervene. He wished that students of every creed, colour and caste worked as a united body for the common cause. He advised the people to refrain from indulging in mutual recriminations. Asked if the Simla Conference failed on the issue of one seat given to a non-Leaguer, Mahatma Gandhi refuted the contention. He said that he would publicize his views regarding this problem at the earliest opportunity.”366

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Student Congress Worker; “Do and do as much as you can. Collect each one pice.”367 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Bhagwanji Pandya; “I cannot guide you about your work from here. Do whatever you think proper.”368 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to All-India Spinners’ Association; “I say ‘spin’. Swaraj lies in every thread of yarn. If all Indians spin and come to me I will give them swaraj. Forty crores of people live in India. Leaving children aside, if all the rest spin it will be a great achievement. I have been, therefore, laying stress on spinning. Spinning is not a small thing. This is my message for “Liberty Week”. I am not joking. Great power lies latent in spinning.”369

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to America; “In spite of my disinclination to answer the question like the one put to me by Mr. Emanuel Celler, I feel that I shall be wanting in courtesy, if I do not meet Mr. Celler’s wishes. The best way for America to assist India’s struggle for independence is to study the question, so as not to be misled by the untruth that is being spread by British Agency at a great cost about India. Americans have to get out of the way of her struggle. For the rest, India has to fight her own battle of independence which she is trying to secure by a non-violent technique.”370 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Rajendra Prasad Birthday; “Rajendra Prasad is a true patriot. Long live Rajendra Prasad.”371

References:

343.The Hindu, 19-2-1944

344.The Bombay Chronicle, 26-5-1944

345.The Hindu, 4-6-1944

346.A MESSAGE TO FRANK MORAES; May 29, 1944

347.The Hindu, 14-6-1944

348.The Bombay Chronicle, 21-7-1944

349.Chronicle, 21-7-1944

350.MESSAGE TO AJIT RAI AND ARVIND DAS GUPTA; July 17, 1944

351.The Bombay Chronicle, 19-12-1944

352.The Hindu, 6-8-1944

353.The Bombay Chronicle, 17-8-1944