Life of Shrimad Rajchandra

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 49

service? What, if that woman had been a sister of Gladstone? What, if she had been a loyal servant and would be serving tea with the same affection? Can we not get the illustrations of such sisters or servants at present? Moreover, if you had noticed such affection in a male instead of the female, would you not be surprised? Please think over what I say.'
"Räychandbhai was married. I remember that I found his words bitter that time; but those words dragged me like a magnet. The loyalty of that type of a male servant would be thousand times greater than that of a wife. There would be unity between husband and wife; as such it is not surprising that they might love each other. Between an employer and employee such affection has to be cultivated.
"What type of relation should I maintain towards my wife. Where is the sense of loyalty in treating her as a means for sensual pleasure? So long as I remain under the influence of sense organ, my loyalty would be worthless." Gandhiji was thus led towards celibacy.
Moreover, on November 15 1921 Gandhiji said from the chairmanship of Shrimad Räjchandra birthday celebration in Ahmedabad, "My contact with Räychandbhai was not for one day. I exactly remember the house, where I had been soon after landing at Bombay by the end of June 1891. Dr. Mehta and Rewäshankar Jagjivanan introduced me to him. From that time our contact remained very close till the end of his life. I have written several times that I have taken a lot from many people, but the maximum I have taken from the life of Shrimad. Even the religion of compassion I have learnt from his life.... He taught me the concept of loving even a murderer. I have drunk from him the bowlfuls of that concept. He frequently used to say, 'I can bear, if someone pierces knives all over the body, but it is not possible to bear the lies, intrigues and wickedness going on in the world, to bear the knife of irreligion prevailing in the name of religion.' I have seen him several times boiling over the brutality. For him the entire universe was like a relation. The grief, which we experience on witnessing the death of our brother or sister, occurred to him on seeing the misery of the world.
"He used to say, 'If Jainism would not have been in the hold of Shravak Banias (the present day Jain laymen), the world would have been amazed to notice its fundamentals. Banias are disgracing Jainism."
During his contact for two years, the state of detachment in which Gandhiji saw him is effectively portrayed in the following stanzas.
1) "Apoorva Avasar Evo Kyäre Ävashe? Kyäre Thaishun Brähyäntar Nirgranth Jo Sarva Sabandhanun Bandhan Tikshna Chhedine Vicharshun Kav Mahat Purushane Pantha Jo? Apoorva.
When shall the unprecedented occasion arise, when we may stay externally and internally unattached and by breaking the acute bondage of all connections, we can proceed on the path laid by the great men? When shall that unprecedented occasion arise?
2) Sarva Bhavathi Audäsinya Vrutti Kari, Mätra Deh Te Sanyamahetu Hoy Jo; Anya Kärane Anya kashun Kalpe Nahin, Dehe Pan Kinchit Moorchhä Nav Joy Jo. Apoorva.
By adopting objective attitude towards all the situations, we may be holding the body only for the sake of restraint without the slightest attachment for it and aspire for nothing else on any other account. When shall that unprecedented occasion arise?
“During my close contact with him for two years I had marked that the detachment radiating in the above lines prevailed within him every moment. The extraordinary feature of his writing is that he