Page 26 - GANDHI A Biography for Children and Beginners

GANDHI – A Biography for children and beginners

views. He had not yet overcome his shyness to speak. Even when he had

prepared himself or had a prepared text, the moment he stood up he would

start feeling that his head was reeling. His mouth would dry up. Someone else
would have to read out his speech for him.

There was an occasion on which the Vegetarian Society had to consider a

proposal to remove an important member from membership. The ground was
that the member was in favour of birth control. The proposal had the backing

of the Chairman. But Gandhi had a different view. He was much younger, and

inexperienced. Yet he felt that he should not sit silent when something wrong
happened in his presence. He felt that since the society was concerned with

vegetarianism, it could remove a person only for views or action inconsistent

with vegetarianism, and not for a matter that was outside the concern of the

society. He was on the losing side, but that did not deter him. Nor did the
stature of other members overwhelm him.

His activities in the Vegetarian Society brought him in touch with many well-

known men who had become vegetarians. Among them were men of all
religions including Theosophists. They introduced him to Theosophy, Madam

Blavatsky and Dr. Annie Besant who later became very famous in India. Two of

the theosophists wanted him to help them to study the Gita. Gandhi had not
read the Gita in Sanskrit or Hindi while he was in India. He confessed this to

them. But he thought his acquaintance with Sanskrit would help him to explain

the meaning of the stanzas. It was thus that he came across Edwin Arnold's

English translation of the Gita, entitled The Song Celestial. Its message,
particularly the description of the man of abiding wisdom (Sthitaprajna) made

a deep impression on Gandhi's mind. The verses echoed in Gandhi's mind. He

also read Edwin Arnold's The Light of Asia, the life and message of the Buddha

with even greater interest than he did the Bhagawad Gita. Once he began
reading he could not leave the book. The renunciation and compassion of the

Buddha left a lasting impression on his mind. A good Christian friend suggested

that he should read the Bible. He was not attracted by the Old Testament. But
the New Testament produced a different impression. The Sermon on the Mount

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