காந்திஜியின் பொன்மொழிகள் (2)

காந்திஜியின் பொன்மொழிகள் (2)

மகாத்மா காந்தியின் பொன்மொழிகளில் இரண்டாம் பகுதி இது. இந்த பாரத பூமி பழம்பெரும் பூமி நீரதன் புதல்வர், இந்நினைவகற்றாதீர் என்றான் பாரதி. அதே கருத்தை இங்கே வலியுறுத்துகிறார் மகாத்மா. இந்தியாவை நேசிக்காத மனிதர் இல்லை. இதன் வளமும், செல்வமும் பல நாட்டினரை இங்கே வரச் செய்தது அல்லவா? இனி மகாத்மா சொல்வதைக் கேட்போம்.

TO THE LOVERS OF INDIA

INDIA was once a golden land, because Indians then had a heart of gold. The land is still the same, but is a desert because we are corrupt. It can become a land of gold again only if the base metal of our present national character is transmuted into gold. The Philosopher's stone which can effect this transformation is a little world of two syllables SATYA (Truth). If every Indian sticks to Truth, Swaraj will come to us of its own accord.

AN ANCIENT NATION

We are children of an ancient nation. We have witnessed the burial of civilizations, those of Rome, Greece and Egypt. Our civilization abides even as the ocean in spite of its ebbs and flows. We have all we need to keep ourselves independent. We have the mountains that kiss the sky, we have the mighty rivers. We have the matchless beauties of Nature and we have handed down to us a heritage of deeds of valour. This country is the treasure-house of Tapasya. In this country alone the people belonging to different religions live together in amity. In this country alone do all the Gods receive their due measure of worship.

LET US BE MORALLY SUPREME

Western nations are to-day groaning under the heel of the monster God of Materialism. Their moral growth has become stunted. They measure their progress in Pound, Shilling and Dollar. American wealth has become the standard. She is the envy of the other nations. I have heard many of our countrymen say that we will gain American wealth but avoid its methods. I venture to suggest that such an attempt, if it were made, is fore-doomed to failure. We cannot be 'wise, temperate and furious' in a moment. I would have our leaders teach us to be morally supreme in the world.

This land of ours was once, we are told, the abode of the Gods. It is not possible to conveive Gods inhabiting a land which is made hideous by the smoke and the din of mill-chimneys and factories, and whose roadways are traversed by rushing engines, dragging numerous cars crowded with men who know not for the most part what they are after, who are often absent minded, and whose tempers do not improve by being uncomfortably packed like sardines in boxes and finding themselves in the midst of utter strangers, who would oust them if they could and whom they would in their turn, oust similarly. I refer to these things because they are held to be symbolical of material progress. But they add not an atom to our happiness.................