Gurudev Ke Saath

Author(s): Gurdial Mallikji, Pratap J Tolia, Sumitra P Toliya
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

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Gurudev derived inspiration of his best Play "The Post Office", from this incident. This was second significant episode of his life in East Bengal.
* This episode exactly resembles and reminds of two highly knowledgeable daughters of Rishabhdev, first Jain Tirthankara and sisters of meditating mighty Bhaubali (Sravanabelagola Statue), who was awakened from his Egoistic Upper realm of external Meditation with these similar words: "BELOVED BROTHER! WHEN WILL YOU DESCEND DOWN FROM ABOVE THE ELEPHANT-ELEPHANT OF EGO?"-Ed. Tr.
"THE POST OFFICE"
Later on, after writing this Play of "The Post Office", Gurudev had said once :
"READ 'POST OFFICE' TO UNDERSTAND MY LITERATURE. THERE HAS REMAINED ONLY ONE OBJECT OF MY LITERATURE - 'TO RELATE THE FINITE WITH THE INFINITE AND INFINITE WITH THE FINITE !'..........."..
Until no holes were made in the 'bamboo pipe' and until it was a piece of bamboo only, it was possible to measure it. But when it became FLUTE after making holes in it and when Sri Krishna began to render musical notes & tunes from it, was it ever possible to measure the songs being heard from it? The flow of the Infinite begins from the FINITE in this way only. This very thing is the gist, substance, quintessence of Literature........!
Gurudev has presented a vision INFINITE from FINITE, of the LIMITLESS from the LIMITS, in "The Post Office". There is a sick child (named Amal). All go away by closing down the windows of his room. The child asks daily, "Please keep one window, even half of it, open!"
Thereafter, half window is being kept open. From it he sees the far off mountain, visualises the Nature, looks at the people, comes across the Curd - Seller coming from far away place, learns from him how to sell the curd....... thus he takes interest in everybody's work and learns new new things.
One who stays inside the room, remains closeted in it, doesn't get anything. One who opens the door, keeps the window open, sees the limitless far beyond the limits, he gets some vision. Gets the glimpse of the Limitless, the Infinite, as soon as he opens the window !
Once, a few days before his passing away, Gurudev was enacting rehearsal of this Drama of The Post Office in Santiniketan. All of a sudden, he commenced humming and by going in adjoining room, wrote down a song :. "SAMUKHE SHANTI PARABAR.........!"
The song was taught to Shantidev Ghosh and after dictating the notations, was sealed in an envelope. Handing over that sealed cover to Shantidev Ghosh, Gurudev said:
"On the day of my death, this envelope is to be opened and the song is to be sung."
Thereafter within six months only Gurudev fell ill. He was shifted to his Paternal Building Jodasanko Bhavan at Calcutta. That day of Seventh August 1941.......! That sealed cover is being called for and opened. Everyone is being made to sing that "SAMUKHE SHANTI" song. Listening to this constantly running Song, Gurudev from the depths of his being, prays unto his "LIFE-BOAT-SAILOR", his beloved God, :
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