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MAHATMA GANDHI AND KAVI RAJCHANDRAJI
It is remarkable that Mahatma Gandhi had grown a close intimacy with Kavi Rajchandraji. Mahatmaji had expressed this experience of his life in very impressive language. He writes :
"Tolstoy, Ruskin and Raychandbhai-the three great personalities have influenced me much. Tolstoy through his book and correspondence Ruskin by his "UNTO THIS LAST!" and Raychandbhai by his close contact. When I had grown up doubts about Hinduism, it was Raychandbhai who helped me (to remain firm in my belief). In the month of July 1891, when I returned from England and reached Bombay, that I first met Raychandbhai. Dr. Pranjivandas introducing him to me, as a "Kavi' (Poet), said, that inspite of being a poet, he is a partner with us in business. He is very wise, a 'SHATAVADHANI' also.' I was simply amazed to hear this and out of curiosity read out to him a big list of words from various languages, which I had written beforehand for my convinience. After hearing me, Raychandbhai repeated those words exactly in the same order as I read them. I was satisfied and wondered (at this extraordinary feat of memory). Indeed I had a great regard and impression about his faculty of memory. The wonder is that the 'Kavi' had no knowledge of English and he was only 25 years old at the time. A student only of vernacular classes, yet he developed his wisdom and knowledge such that commanded respect from all! My acquaintance with 'Kavi' continued for long, as a "Gnyani” (af) he was!"
QUESTIONS ANSWERED While Mahatma Gandhi was in South Africa, he came into the contact of the Christian Missionaries and had religious and philosophical discussions with them. As a result he had to face a mental storm which arose in his mind. He at once wrote to Kavi Rajchandra and sought his help to clear the doubtful points, which were troubling his mind He put no less than 27 ques. tions to the Kavi, which were duly answered. Since they have a particular importance and meaning because they come from two great geniuses, who India gave to world in this century, we reproduce a few of them for the benefit of our readers :
1. SOUL AND ITS FUNCTION
Q.-" What is a soul and what are its functions ? Do the Karmas bound it !
A.- Just as the pot, table etc. are material substances, similarly a soul is a conscious substance. But pots, tables etc. all material substances are transient & impermanent. They cannot remain static in their nature through all the ages : past, present and future. While on the other hand, soul retains all its characteristics, because it is permanent and eternal. 'Eternal' is that substance which is not created by the processes of integration and disintegration. There is nothing to show that soul has been created by any such processes. We may make thousands sorts of combinations and permutations of material objects, but it is impossible to create consciousness. It is a thing of common experience that if a particular characteristic is wanting in a substance,
