Page Text
________________ Memoirs about Shrimad by Gandhiji 143 simultaneously). During the course of the evening, someone suggested that I should say a list of words in different languages which Raichandbhai would then repeat accurately in the same chronological order, irrespective of the language from which the words were chosen. I was astounded to hear this about Raichandbhai. I was a young man with airs about me having returned from England. I was proud of my command of English and a smattering of other languages. Anyone returning from England had an air of superiority about him and I was no exception. Using my knowledge and ability to the full, I selected a few words from different languages along with English words and wrote them down on a piece of paper lest I myself forgot them or their order. I read them out to Raichandbhai. He repeated them in the same chronological order without error. I was amazed at this feat and my esteem for him went up. It was also a good experience to deflate all my pride about my foreign education. Raichandbhai had no knowledge of the English language, nor any other from which I had drawn the words. He was no more than twenty-five years old and had received only elementary education at a Gujarati school. Despite these limitations, his phenomenal memory, his knowledge, along with the esteem with which he was looked upon by all, impressed me greatly. One cannot acquire a powerful memory like his through school education, and such knowledge can only be gained if one has the eagerness and the desire to acquire it. One does not have to visit England or any other foreign country to earn any honour or felicitation, those who are virtuous will gain that anywhere. I learnt this lesson on the very first day I returned from England. My relationship with Raichandbhai began to develop,
| SR No. | 034032 |
| Book Title | Shrimad Rajchandra And Mahatma Gandhi |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Kumarpal Desai |
| Publisher | Raj Saubhag Satsang Mandal |
| Publication Year | 2017 |
| Total Pages | 107 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 19 MB |