"Sometime after Kasturabai had been
publicly rebuked, Gandhi was sentenced to prison on a political
charge. As he was calmly bidding farewell to his wife, she fell at
his feet. 'Master,' she said humbly, 'if I have ever offended you,
please forgive me.'" {FN44-9}
At three o'clock that afternoon in Wardha, I betook myself,
by previous appointment, to the writing room of the saint who had
been able to make an unflinching disciple out of his own wife-rare
miracle! Gandhi looked up with his unforgettable smile.
"Mahatmaji," I said as I squatted beside him on the uncushioned
mat, "please tell me your definition of AHIMSA."
"The avoidance of harm to any living creature in thought or deed."
"Beautiful ideal! But the world will always ask: May one not kill
a cobra to protect a child, or one's self?"
"I could not kill a cobra without violating two of my vows--fearlessness,
and non-killing. I would rather try inwardly to calm the snake by
vibrations of love. I cannot possibly lower my standards to suit
my circumstances." With his amazing candor, Gandhi added, "I must
confess that I could not carry on this conversation were I faced
by a cobra!"
I remarked on several very recent Western books on diet which lay
on his desk.
"Yes, diet is important in the SATYAGRAHA movement-as everywhere
else," he said with a chuckle. "Because I advocate complete continence
for SATYAGRAHIS, I am always trying to find out the best diet for
the celibate.
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