Bharatham : Uthishtatha-Jagratha : (wef-05/11/2012. )

Bharatham : Uthishtatha-Jagratha : (wef-05/11/2012. ): 60. A WARNING : : I am afraid I must continue the digression until the next chapter. Along with my experiments in earth treatment, those in dietetics w...

I am afraid I must continue the digression until the next chapter. Along with my experiments in earth treatment, those in dietetics were also being carried on, and it may not be out of place here to make a few observations as regards the latter, though I shall have occasion to refer to them again later. I may not, now or hereafter, enter into a detailed account of the experiments in dietetics, for I did so in a series of Gujarati articles which appeared years ago in Indian Opinion, and which were afterwards published in the form of a book popularly known in English as A Guide to Health. Among my little books this has been the most widely read alike in the East and in the West, a thing that I have not yet been able to understand. It was written for the benefit of the readers of Indian Opinion. But I know that the booklet has profoundly influenced the lives of many, both in the East and in the West, who have never seen Indian Opinion. For they have been corresponding with me on

Bharatham : Uthishtatha-Jagratha : (wef-05/11/2012. ): 59. EXPERIMENTS IN EARTH AND WATER TREATMENT : : With the growing simplicity of my life, my dislike for medicines steadily increased. While practising in Durban, I suffered for so...

With the growing simplicity of my life, my dislike for medicines steadily increased. While practising in Durban, I suffered for some time from debility and rheumatic inflammation. Dr. P. J. Mehta, who had come to see me, gave me treatment, and I got well. After that, up to the time when I returned to India, I do not remember having suffered from any ailment to speak of. But I used to be troubled with constipation and frequent headaches, while at Johannesburg. I kept myself fit with occasional laxatives and a well-regulated diet. But I could hardly call myself healthy, and always wondered when I should get free from incubus of these laxative medicines. About this time I read of the formation of a 'No Breakfast Association' in Manchester. The argument of the promoters was that Englishmen ate too often and too much, that their doctors' bills were heavy because they ate until midnight, and that they should at least give up breakfast, if they wanted to improve th

Bharatham : Uthishtatha-Jagratha : (wef-05/11/2012. ): Bharatham : Uthishtatha-Jagratha : (wef-05/11/2012... : Bharatham : Uthishtatha-Jagratha : (wef-05/11/2012. ): 57. RESULT OF INTROSPECTION : : When, in 1893, I came in close contact with Christian...

58. A SACRIFICE TO VEGETARIANISM : As the ideals of sacrifice and simplicity were becoming more and more realized, consciousness was becoming more and more quickened in my daily life, the passion for vegetarianism as a mission went on increasing. I have known only one way of carrying on missionary work, #viz#., by personal example and discussion with searchers for knowledge. There was in Johannesburg a vegetarian restaurant conducted by a German who believed in Kuhan's hydropathic treatment. I visited the restaurant myself and helped it by taking English friends there. But I saw that it could not last as it was always in financial difficulties. I assisted it as much as I thought it deserved, and spent some money on it, but it had ultimately to be closed down. Most theosophists are vegetarians more or less, and an enterprising lady belonging to that society now came upon the scene with a vegetarian restaurant on a grand scale. She was fond of art, extravagant and ign

Bharatham : Uthishtatha-Jagratha : (wef-05/11/2012. ): 57. RESULT OF INTROSPECTION : : When, in 1893, I came in close contact with Christian friends. I was a mere novice. They tried hard to bring home to me, and make me ...

When, in 1893, I came in close contact with Christian friends. I was a mere novice. They tried hard to bring home to me, and make me accept, the message of Jesus, and I was a humble and respectful listener with an open mind. At that time I naturally studied Hinduism to the best of my ability and endeavoured to understand other religions. In 1903 the position was somewhat changed. Theosophist friends certainly intended to draw me into their society, but that was with a view to getting something from me as a Hindu. Theosophical literature is replete with Hindu influence, and so these friends expected that I should be helpful to them. I explained that my Samskrit study was not much to speak of, that I had not read the Hindu scriptures in the original, and that even my acquaintance with the translations was of the slightest. But being believers in #samskara# (tendencies caused by previous births) and #punarjanma# (rebirth), they assumed that I should be able to render at least so

Bharatham : Uthishtatha-Jagratha : (wef-05/11/2012. ): 56.QUICKENED SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE : : Before I narrate the struggle for the Indian settlers rights in the Transvaal and their dealing with the Asiatic Department, I must ...

Before I narrate the struggle for the Indian settlers rights in the Transvaal and their dealing with the Asiatic Department, I must turn to some other aspects of my life. Up to now there had been in me a mixed desire. The spirit of self- sacrifice was tempered by the desire to lay by something for the future. About the time I took up chambers in Bombay, an American insurance agent had come there a man with a pleasing countenance and a sweet tongue. As though we were old friends he discussed my future welfare. 'All men of your status in America have their lives insured. Should you not also insure yourself against the future? Life is uncertain. We in America regard it as a religious obligation to get insured. Can I not tempt you to take out a small policy?' Up to this time I had given the cold shoulder to all the agents I had met in South Africa and India, for I had though that life assurance implied fear and want of faith in God. But now I succumbed to the temptation

Bharatham : Uthishtatha-Jagratha : (wef-05/11/2012. ): 55. POCKETED THE INSULT : : I smarted under the insult, but as I had pocketed many such in the past I had become inured to them. I therefore decided to forget th...

I smarted under the insult, but as I had pocketed many such in the past I had become inured to them. I therefore decided to forget this latest one and take what course a dispassionate view of the case might suggest. We had a letter from the Chief of the Asiatic Department to the effect that, as I had been found necessary to omit my name from the deputation which was to wait on him. The letter was more than my co-workers could bear. They proposed to drop the idea of the deputation altogether. I pointed out to them the awkward situation of the community. If you do not represent your case before Mr. Chamberlain,' said I, 'it will be presumed that you have no case at all. After all, the representation has to be made in writing, and we have got it ready. It does not matter in the least whether I read it or someone else reads it. Mr. Chamberlain is not going to argue the matter with us. I am afraid we must swallow the insult.' I had scarcely finished speaking when

Bharatham : Uthishtatha-Jagratha : (wef-05/11/2012. ): 54. AUTOCRATS FROM ASIA : : 54. AUTOCRATS FROM ASIA : The officers at the head of the new department were at a loss to know how I had entered the Transvaal...

54. AUTOCRATS FROM ASIA : The officers at the head of the new department were at a loss to know how I had entered the Transvaal. They inquired of the Indians who used to go to them, but these could say nothing definite. The officers only ventured a guess that I might have succeeded in entering without a permit on the strength of my old connections. If that was the case, I was liable to be arrested! It is a general practice, on the termination of a big war, to invest the Government of the day with special powers. This was the case in South Africa. The Government had passed a Peace Preservation Ordinance, which provided that anyone entering the Transvaal without a permit should be liable to arrest and imprisonment. The question of arresting me under this provision was mooted, but no one could summon up courage enough to ask me to produce my permit. The officers had of course sent telegrams to Durban, and when they found that I had entered with a permit, they were

Bharatham : Uthishtatha-Jagratha : (wef-05/11/2012. ): 53. LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST'? : Mr. Chamberlain had come to get a gift of 35 million pounds from South Africa, and to win the hearts of Englishmen and Boers. So ...

Mr. Chamberlain had come to get a gift of 35 million pounds from South Africa, and to win the hearts of Englishmen and Boers. So he gave a cold shoulder to the Indian deputation. 'You know,' he said 'that the Imperial Government has little control over self-governing Colonies. Your grievances seem to be genuine. I shall do what I can, if you wish to live in their midst.' The reply cast a chill over the members of the deputation. I was also disappointed. It was an eye-opener for us all, and I saw that we should start with our work de novo. I explained the situation to my colleagues. As a matter of fact there was nothing wrong about Mr. Chamberlain's reply. It was well that he did not mince matters. He had brought home to us in a rather gentle way the rule of might being right or the law of the sword. But sword we had none. We scarcely had the nerve and the muscle even to receive sword-cuts. Mr. Chamberlain had given only a short time to the