Spinning-Wheel and Self-Purification- Mahatma Gandhi

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

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

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Spinning-Wheel and Self-Purification- Mahatma Gandhi

 

One is rewarded according to one’s faith. A Farahad breaking stones for a living got a Shirin. The spinning-wheel will have the power which we put into it. If the sacred mantra and similar verbal symbols have immense power in them, it is because we have absolute faith in their power and do tapascharya in order that our faith may bear fruit. In the same way, if we try to spread the use of the spinning-wheel with the faith that we shall thereby serve the poor and purify both society and ourselves, and if we do tapascharya, even lay down our lives, in order that our faith may be rewarded, it certainly will be rewarded. Something like this has happened in Vedchhi. Propaganda against the drink-evil can succeed only if carried on in this spirit.

A drink addict will not respond if we simply ask him to give up drinking. It is a language which he does not understand. If, however, we live as his neighbour and, by our example, persuade him to employ himself in useful work, he would give up drinking. The drink-addicts in Vedchhi seem to have responded to such an appeal. We would succeed in all other places if we worked with similar patience and faith. But I should like to say one thing to all workers so that they may be vigilant. The change which we see now will prove illusory and disappear in a few days if the work is not kept up. To ensure that the transformation in the lives of the people becomes permanent, the workers in the respective villages should remain alert and go on with their work without stopping or relaxing their effort.

Reference:

Navajivan, 19-9-1926