Messages of Mahatma Gandhi; Part-3

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338

E-mail- [e-mail]

 

Messages of Mahatma Gandhi; Patr-3

 

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. Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Utkal, “Interviewed by Sjts. Bhagirathi Mohapatro, Gopbandhu Chowdhury, Niranjan Patnaik and Naba Krishna Chowdhury, Mahatmaji delivered the following message on the 30th December last (1921):

Utkal haunts me. The scene I have witnessed is simply shocking. Banish poverty from the land. Give the message of charkha to every home. Make Utkal the store-house of khaddar for the rest of India. Feed the hungry men and women. This is the best political training that you can give to your people. Don’t worry yourselves with the question of aggressive mass civil disobedience. If the Government throws a challenge, go on recruiting volunteers and at least fifty thousand Utkalis, I hope, will fill up the jails”49

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to public, “(1) That there should be no demonstration or hartal on his arrest.

(2) That mass civil disobedience should not be taken up and non-violence should strictly be adhered to.

(3) That full attention should be paid to the removal of untouchability and drunkenness and the use of khaddar should be encouraged.

(4) That, after his arrest, people should centre their hopes in Hakim Ajmal Khan.”50

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Ashram People, “His parting words to the Ashram people were that all who bore patriotism and love for India should strain every nerve to propagate peace and goodwill all over India, among all communities.”51 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Bombay, “I do not want Bombay to mourn over the arrest of one of its mute Secretaries and myself, but to rejoice over our rest. Whilst I would like an automatic response to all the items of non-co-operation, I would like Bombay to concentrate upon the charkha and khaddar. The moneyed men of Bombay can buy all the hand-spun and hand-woven khaddar that could be manufactured throughout India. The women of Bombay, if they really mean to do their share of work, should religiously spin for a certain time every day for the sake of the country. I wish that no one will think of following us to jail. It would be criminal to court imprisonment till a complete non-violent atmosphere is attained. One test of such atmosphere will be for us to put the Englishmen and Moderates at ease. This can be done only if we have goodwill towards them in spite of our differences.”52

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to The Country; “I am delighted that heavenly peace reigned supreme throughout the country during the last six days. If it continues to the end of the chapter, it is bound to be brief and illuminating.”53 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Mahomed Ali, “I can send you no message because I am in prison. I have always disapproved of people sending messages from prison. But I may say that I am deeply touched by your loyalty to me. I would, however, ask you not to allow your loyalty to me to weigh with you so much as your loyalty to the country. My views are very well known. I expressed them before I went to jail, and there has been no change in them since. I may assure you that if you choose to differ from me, it will not affect by one jot the sweetness of relations between you and me.”54 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to The Country; “I am deeply touched by manifestation of deep affection shown to me by my countrymen during the critical period of my health. They need have no anxiety because every possible attention is being given me by medical authorities here.”55

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Gujrat Vidyapeeth, “The message was to the effect that the release from imprisonment was no cause for rejoicing but rather for greater humility. The burden of responsibility would be now heavier than ever to bear, and they must prepare themselves and get ready to be strong enough to bear it when the time came.”56 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Poona Meeting, “I wish the meeting every success. Had we developed enough strength, we could have secured Mr. Horniman’s return long ago. The Government has sinned doubly, first in deporting him and secondly in not permitting him to return, but they have sinned because we were weak.”57

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Delhi Provincial Political Conference, “Your Conference has no more important work before it than the promotion of Hindu-Moslem unity. It will be like balm to my troubled heart to know that Hindu and Moslem members of the Conference have resolved with God as witness never to distrust each other, but are prepared to die for one another. May God guide you all right.”58 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Khadi Exhibition, Bombay, “It is beyond doubt that exhibitions of pure khadi are very useful in propagating khadi. But how strange it is that we still have to hold khadi exhibitions! If anyone talks of holding an exhibition to propagate our country’s wheat and bajra, we consider him an idiot. Is khadi, then, less useful than wheat and bajra? If we do not wish to eat oats imported from Scotland in place of our wheat and bajra, why do we then insult khadi by importing and wearing cloth from Manchester or Japan? Every patriot and everyone who loves his or her religion must consider this point. We shall surely remain under foreign rule as long as we cannot do without foreign cloth. It is strange that complicated arguments appeal to us rather than this simple one. And until we all learn to take to the royal road of khadi, hand-woven from handspun yarn, we have to continue holding khadi exhibitions. Hence I wish all success to the exhibition at Mandvi.”59

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to South African Europeans, “If you continue to oppress us, we shall leave your Empire and, if we do, where will your Empire be then?”60 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Bharti, “The only message that I have for men and women of India, but more especially for the latter, is that of the spinning-wheel. The nonviolent movement is one to enable the weakest of human beings to vindicate their dignity without an earthly protector. Woman has been regarded as weakness personified. She may be weak in body, but she can be as strong in soul as the strongest. The spinning-wheel, with all its implication, is the weapon, in India at least, of the strong in soul. The universal adoption of that wonderful wheel robs Great Britain of her purely selfish interest in India. It is only then possible for the connection between India and England to become pure and predominantly unselfish, and therefore, for the good of the world. May the women of India adopt hand-spinning as a part of their daily duty, and take their full share in the struggle for the freedom of the weakest in body of our country.”61

Mahatma Gandhi had sent a message to Suburaban District Conference, Bombay, “that owing to his illness he was unable to take any part in their Conference, but he fully realized their great love for him. He was sure God would make their Conference a success. But what next? Most important of all their resolutions was the one about khadi, because in it women, men, children, old men, the educated and uneducated, co-operators and non-co-operators could equally take whatever part they liked. They had money and sense. Numerically they were few. Did they not think they could make them all lovers of khadi? If they could not achieve this much in their small community, where all circumstances were favorable to them, then a doubt would arise whether they were fitted to undertake even bigger tasks. He was sure that they would all come to a united resolve to see this work to a successful end.”62 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Bombay Chronicle, “Mr. Horniman must be permitted to return if we will it. How is that will to be expressed? Certainly not by words. Bombay’s more than India’s honour depends upon a proper answer to the question.”63

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to The Country, “There is no need now for me to give a message. People know what my message is. Tell them that each and every Indian must remain peaceful and make every possible effort to maintain the peace. They must wear only khadi and spin. If they want to secure my release, they should do so only through peace and non-violence. Please remember that if you resort to violence, I would much rather stay in the prison.”64 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Gujrat political Conference, “Borsad has won glory for Gujarat. By offering Satyagraha and making sacrifices, it has served both itself and the country. It has cleared the ground; the job of construction remains and this is difficult work. I know that it is in progress. It will have been completed when the Borsad taluka does not use or buy any cloth other than hand-spun khadi, when there is not a single shop within its limits selling foreign or mill-made cloth, when no one in the taluka drinks liquor or consumes hemp or opium and no tone is guilty of theft or immorality, when children, girls as well as boys whether of Antyaja or other families attend national schools, when there are no disputes or quarrels among the people and, even if there be any, these are settled by a pancha, when Hindus and Muslims live amicably like blood-brothers and no one looks down upon Antyajas. If we make up our minds, all this is quite easy. I am sure that, if Borsad succeeds in bringing it about, it will secure swaraj for India. Let the people pledge themselves that they will work to this end; I pray that they will have the strength to take such a pledge. They should, however, take it only if they are determined to fulfil it. Unless they are as determined as Harishchandra1 was to keep his word, it will be wiser for them not to take any pledge.”65

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Antyaja Conference, Borsad, “The problem of untouchability is becoming more and more important day by day, and this is but right. You and I both know that we have not taken up work among Antyajas in order to make political capital out of it. The eradication of untouchability is primarily a religious problem, though it is also true that it holds the key to swaraj. I am getting more and more convinced every day that Hinduism cannot survive if it clings to the practice of untouchability. By trying to abolish it, we purify ourselves and not the untouchables. In doing our duty in this matter, I would leave out the consideration of self-interest, namely, its importance for swaraj. True, I have had a hand in getting it included in the Congress programme; I did so, however, with no political motive but from a purely religious point of view. It was included in the Congress programme in order to impress on the minds of the people the simple truth that, without its abolition, swaraj cannot be won. Even if, however, we could get swaraj today, we would still have this problem with us. If anyone promised to give us swaraj on condition that I gave up working for the abolition of untouchability, I would reply without a moment’s hesitation that I did not want such swaraj. To let the people cling to this practice means, for me, renouncing my Hinduism. Though physically I shall be at Juhu at the time of the Conference, you may rest assured that in spirit. I shall be with you.”66

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Ravishankar Vyas, “I have still not forgotten what you told me about your first fruitful meeting with the robbers. Today, you have advanced far beyond that. You have bound the Dharala brothers and sisters to you with bonds of love. I pray that your bond with them may become stronger and that you may be the instrument of all-round improvement in the conditions of these brothers and sisters of ours. I am certain that a community which throws up robbers and wicked men has only itself to blame. It is not as if robbers like being what they are. They take to robbing under pressure of circumstances. A robber becomes confirmed in his ways when the community punishes him and in this way the disease spreads. If we cultivate friendly relations with robbers and others like them, they realize their error and reform themselves.

You are engaged in this invaluable work. I know that all Dharalas are not robbers. Many of them are upright men, but, in our ignorance, we have kept them away from us. I regard your work as of supreme importance. One may say that it holds the key to India’s regeneration. Let your love not become blind. Persuade the Dharala brothers and sisters to take up some honest work. I am sure you are exerting yourself to see that they wear khadi woven by themselves from yarn which they themselves have spun, that they give up drinking and addiction to opium and other vices, that their children get education and the grown-ups learn bhajans and kirtans; even so, you should work harder still. May God, I pray, make the Conference a success and may He give you more strength for service.”67

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Saurashtra Rajputs Conference, “On the eve of the first Parishad of Rajputs, I wish to say only this much: Begin the Parishad by observing the fundamental truths of religion. You will pass many resolutions as regards your rights, but it is my request that you should not forget your duty. God always gives rights to those who perform their duties with religious zeal. Try to be the protectors of the poor, and in doing this, you will come to know that charkha is their very life. Make the charkhas circulate among them by yourselves taking to spinning. I hope you will today take a vrata to put on hand-spun and hand-woven khaddar only and this will bring the blessings of the poor on you. I can add nothing to the above.”68

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Vykom Satyagrahis, “The unexpected development in Vykom puts a severe strain on the satyagrahis. But, two things are needful for success unlimited patience and unconquerable courage. Patience means non-violence. Let orthodoxy do its worst. Reformers will take the severest blows without retaliation. Courage means ability to suffer. There must be satyagrahis enough ready to suffer the most refined tortures. It is my experience that those who fight in a just cause and in the name of God receive just enough capacity for suffering.”69 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Non-Changers, “To the No-changers I have but one word. No one can prevent us from working but ourselves. There is no active programme but that of hand-spinning and production and distribution of khaddar. To this, therefore, all young and old men and women should apply themselves. If our neighbours do not listen, we get all the more time for spinning. No true worker can, therefore, complain of having no work to do. I regard national schools as aids to the khaddar programme.”70

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Bande Matram, “I wish the readers of Bande Mataram will contemplate the life of the Lokamanya on his anniversary. They will then realize that he required of us selfless devotion to the cause of the country. Will they give a paltry half hour’s labour in the shape of spinning with religious punctuality till India becomes free?71 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Sanj vartaman, “In wishing the Parsi readers of the Sanj happy new year, I can think of nothing but the ever-growing poverty of the masses of India from whom we, the literate classes, derive the means as well of our sustenance as of our enjoyments. It will be a false happiness if we shut our eyes to the facts that stare us in the face. Will the Parsi readers of the Sanj earn true happiness for the ensuing year? They cannot do better than turn their attention to the spinning-wheel and its produce. If they spin in the name of the motherland, they will encourage the poor to do likewise and cheapen khadi. And if they use hand-spun khadi, they will help its sale.”72

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Hindu Lahore, “I am averse to the multiplication of newspapers at the present moment. A large number are simply fomenting trouble and increasing the tension between Hindus and Mussalmans. If your paper being a Hindu paper does not pledge itself to the surrender by the Hindus of every material interest to the Mussalmans, I for one cannot welcome the enterprise.”73 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Gunasundari, “The cord of swaraj is in the hands of women. At present they have lost hold of it. If they spin strong and beautiful yarn, they would be able with its help to draw swaraj from wherever it may be.”74 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message on Anni Besant’s Birthday, “It grieves me that I cannot be present at the celebration of Dr. Besant’s birthday. I was looking forward to the privilege of presiding at a Bombay meeting; but what are man’s resolutions before God’s dispositions? I had no notion that I would have to undertake the penance that God has imposed on me. I hope that the meeting will forgive me. But although I shall not be present in body, I shall be present in spirit. Dr. Besant is a world figure. It is no small gain to India that she has adopted Bharat Mata as her mother and dedicated all her matchless gifts to her services. At her time of life, when people should be entitled to complete rest from all toll, she, with amazing energy, is writing, making speeches, moving about, and hatching plans for India’s deliverance. Her indomitable courage in the face of all odds, her great organizing power, her literary and oratorical gifts, and many other qualities that I could name are all treasures for us to prize and to utilize. It was painful to me, therefore, to differ from her. It is an equal pleasure to me that we seem to be coming closer. May God give her long life and enable her to witness the establishment of swaraj, for which she and we are all striving, and for the achievement of which she is not to be surpassed by anybody in perseverance and ceaseless efforts.”75

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to International Opium Conference, “The following has been signed by Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore: The undersigned, viewing the growing addiction to narcotic drugs to be a deadly menace to individuals and to nations, and also an insidious, rapidly spreading poisoning of the human race, which can be overcome only by co-operation among nations, respectfully petition the International Opium Conference assembling in November, 1924 to adopt measures adequate for total extirpation of the plants from which these drugs originate, except as found necessary for medicine and science in the judgment of the best medical opinion of the world.”76 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to The Statesman, “Unity above everything else.”77

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to The Press on Fast, “God is indeed great and merciful I can feel both His greatness and mercifulness. He has brought me successfully through the ordeal. Though I have not been permitted to see all the postal and telegraphic messages received, the few I have seen have overwhelmed me. In the abundance of love of which these messages are typical I also see God’s mercy. I thank all those loving friends for their messages. I shall expect them also to help in the work that lies before me. It is God’s work. I know my responsibility is far greater today than it was three weeks ago. The fast, I am sane enough to know, does not end my work. It only commences and in this I seek the prayer and co-operation of every son and daughter of India.”78 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Transvaal Indian, “Hope that Indians of Transvaal as other parts of Union will see struggle through for honourable existence in South Africa at the cost of suffering, no matter how great.”79

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to U.P. Political Conference, “The policy that the Government has lately adopted in Bengal has distressed all. The distress is natural. It is not, however, owing to the lawlessness of policy; it is owing to our inability to give it a prompt reply. I hope and I want that we shall not lose patience at this critical juncture. I firmly hold that by becoming angry or impatient we shall not find the right remedy. Action can only be answered with action. And I dare say that we can answer the Government’s policy of violence only by a policy of non-violence; we can answer its violent action only by non-violent action. If this is true we have to consider what non-violent action we can undertake. On a little reflection we see that the biggest obstacle in the way of any practical work that we can do is the schism between Hindus and Muslims. The obstacle to our bringing the common people together is our indifference to the charkha and khadi; and untouchability is a thing that is ruining the Hindu society. So long as we have not rid ourselves of this threefold sin our portion can only be, in my humble opinion, Government lawlessness, slavery and poverty. I can, therefore, offer no other counsel to the nation. If we can achieve these three aims, we can demonstrate strength even fiercer than what we showed in 1920-21. Then we can remove the misery not only of Bengal but of the whole of India.”80

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Gujrati Journalist, “In our country, I believe, whoever fails to find a better occupation takes to journalism provided he can scribble. I am, at present, obliged to go through a number of Urdu journals from upper India, and this has confirmed my belief. My experience of the Gujarati Press is much the same. In these circumstances, no one will dispute that it is desirable that newspaper editors should confer together and impose some restraints on themselves. Editorship should 1 Addressed to the Gujarati journalists’ conference which was to meet at Ahmadabad be accepted only as a medium of social service and not as a means of subsistence. An institution which awakens in us this sense of responsibility is welcome, and I do hope ours will be one such.”81 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Bengali, “I have no message to give. What shall I say? I am thinking. I am trying to see light out of darkness.”82

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to World Tomorrow, “My study and experience of non-violence have proved to me that it is the greatest force in the world. It is the surest method of discovering the truth and it is the quickest because there is no other. It works silently, almost imperceptibly, but none the less surely. It is the one constructive process of Nature in the midst of incessant destruction going on about us. I hold it to be a superstition to believe that it can work only in private life. There is no department of life public or private to which that force cannot be applied. But this nonviolence is impossible without complete self-effacement.”83 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Tamiland Conference, “I hope the Conference will understand and appreciate the agreement between the Swarajists and myself in my individual capacity. Proper appreciation of non-violence will give the key to understanding the agreement. Non-co-operation is left untouched by the agreement. In any event, I hope the Conference will result in a greater use of Khaddar.”84

Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to The Bombay Chronical, “There is no swaraj without the spinning-wheel.”85 Mahatma Gandhi gave a message to Devchand Parekh, “I understand that the Reception Committee of the Kathiawar Political Conference is ready to give an assurance to the Ruler that due decorum will be observed at the Conference and that none of the Princes will be subjected to personal criticism. I have also come to the conclusion that before recommending to the Reception Committee that the Conference should be held at Bhavnagar the Working Committee which met at Porbandar ought to have consulted Sir Pattani. By omitting to do this they have been guilty of incivility.

Sir Prabhashanker holds strongly the view that this year the Conference should not be held at Bhavnagar. I can see that he may find it difficult to permit this. He has written to me saying that if the Conference is held at Sonegarh, he will give every kind of help possible. He would even encourage subjects of the Bhavnagar State to attend the Conference. Moreover, he also promises to arrange for the next session of the Conference to be held within the State territory and give any other help required of him. His only condition is that proper restraint in speeches; etc., is maintained at this year’s convention. He does not wish to impose conditions for the next year’s session. He takes for granted that the Conference will, of its own accord, keep within limits.

In view of all this, the Reception Committee should not, I think, insist on holding the Conference at Bhavnagar. They should respond to Sir Pattani’s request and prove themselves to be true satyagrahis by maintaining perfect discipline at the Conference. If the people take this course of action they will have nothing to be ashamed of. It will not discredit Satyagraha and will moreover make things easy for the future. But suppose everything goes away, Sir Pattani goes back on his word, or he is not in Kathiawar then, or in spite of his best efforts he fails to enable the Conference to hold its session within the territory of the State, even then the satyagrahis will have nothing to lose. A true satyagrahi is never weary of showing modesty and courtesy and he never has to repent for a “lost opportunity”. He is ever ready to answer the call.”86

 

References:

 

1. The Bombay Chronicle, 14-1-l922
2. The Searchlight, 19-3-1922
3. The Hindu, 13-3-1922
4. MESSAGE TO BOMBAY; March 11, 1922
5. Speeches and Writings of M. K. Gandhi, p. 758
6. Young India, 4-10-1923
7. Young India, 17-1-1924
8. The Bombay Chronicle, 9-2-1924
9. The Hindu, 3-3-1924
10. MESSAGE TO DELHI PROVINCIAL POLITICA; CONFERENCE, POONA, On or before March 7, 1924
11. MESSAGE TO KHADI EXHIBITION, BOMBAY; March 10, 1924
12. The Hindu, 26-3-1924
13. MESSAGE TO BHARATI; End of March 1924
14. Amrita Bazar Patrika, 23-4-1924
15. The Bombay Chronicle, 26-4-1924
16. Hindi Navajivan, 19-3-1922
17. Navajivan, 18-5-1924
18. Navajivan, 18-5-1924
19. Navajivan, 18-5-1924
20. The Bombay Chronicle, 17-6-1924
21. The Hindu, 2-7-1924
22. Amrita Bazar Patrika, 8-7-1924
23. The Bombay Chronicle, 5-8-1924
24. The Bombay Chronicle, 6-9-1924
25. MESSAGE TO”HINDU” LAHORE; On or after September 15, 1924
26. Gunasundari, October 1924
27. New India, 2-10-1924
28. Young India, 2-10-1924
29. The Hindustan Times, 9-10-1924
30. New India, 9-10-1924
31. MESSAGE TO TRANSVAAL INDIANS; October 20, 1924
32. Hindi Navajivan, 2-11-1924
33. Navajivan, 2-11-1924
34. Amrita Bazar Patrika, 7-11-1924
35. MESSAGE TO”WORLD TOMORROW;November 14, 1924
36. Amrita Bazar Patrika, 19-11-1924
37. The Bombay Chronicle, 21-11-1921
38. MESSAGE TO DEVCHAND PAREKH; After December 16, 1924