Triveni Journal
1927 | 11,233,916 words
Triveni is a journal dedicated to ancient Indian culture, history, philosophy, art, spirituality, music and all sorts of literature. Triveni was founded at Madras in 1927 and since that time various authors have donated their creativity in the form of articles, covering many aspects of public life....
One day as I was going with Rajaji to the beach he said, Suddenly, “You are restless. You are terribly upset over something. What is it?”
I answered. “Nothing. Nothing in particular!”
He said, “Shall I tell you what it is?”
“Two bad proof mistakes have occurred in this week’s Swarajya. You discovered them after the whole printing was done. You are unable to get the wrong lines out of your mind. So you arc unhappy.” I was astonished at his accurate understanding of what had happened, but I said nothing.
We drove on in silence. After a little while he said. “There is no use regretting what is done and past. Regret will not rectify an error already committed. Be as careful as you can, and resolve to avoid mistakes in future. But do not cry over spilt milk.”
“I am giving you excellent advice,” Rajaji said. “It is very easy to give advice to others. But it is not at all easy to act on the same advice in one’s own case. To this day I have not been able to get over the feeling of regret for something that happened years and years ago.
“Forty years ago,” Rajaji continued, “my wife was very ill. I nursed her with great care. She had become soweak that it was difficult for her even to lie on a mattress. To ease her pain and make her more comfortable, I took her in my lap. After sometime my legs got benumbed and I gently moved her the bed. She was sensitive with the augmented physical suffering of the acutely helpless. She said. ‘I am such a burden. How long is it possible for you to hold me in your lap? There must be a limit to the endurance of the greatest love.’ Ten Duties later she passed away.”
Rajaji said, “My sorrow over this breakdown, ten minutes early, is as vivid now as on the day she died forty years ago. The greatest regrets of our life we carry with us for ever and there are griefs that Time cannot heal.”
Rajaji is not superficially demonstrative. But his capacity for affection is all-absorbing. His preoccupation in the care of those for whom he cares is unremitting and continuous. Except for rare moments of self-revelation, he loves to hide it in reticence. His service to fellowmen is a silent dedication.
November 6, 1960.
–From Sidelights