পাতা:প্রবাসী (চতুস্ত্রিংশ ভাগ, প্রথম খণ্ড).djvu/১৬৮

38Ն * o ఏ98S স্বরাজলাভার্থ-আইনলঙ্ঘন-প্রচেষ্টা স্থগিত রাখিবার কারণ বিবৃতি । মহাত্মা গান্ধী স্বরাজলাভার্থ নিরুপদ্রবভাবে আইন লঙ্ঘনের ব। তাহ প্রতিরোধের প্রচেষ্টাকে স্থগিত রাখিতে পরামর্শ দিয়াছেন । বিশেষ কোন অভিযোগের প্রতিকারার্থ নিরুপদ্রব প্রতিরোধ করিতে তিনি নিষেধ করেন নাই । এইরূপ পরামর্শ দিবার কারণ তিনি যে মতবিবৃতি পত্রে প্রকাশ করিয়াছেন, তাহা দৈনিক কাগজসকলে মুদ্রিত হইয়াছে। কিন্তু দৈনিক কাগজ অল্প লোকেই বাধাইয় রাখেন, মাসিক কাগজ তাঁহা অপেক্ষ অধিক লোক রক্ষা করেন । মহাত্মাজীর মতবিবৃতিটি পুনঃ পুনঃ পড়িয়া উহার মৰ্ম্ম গভীর ভাবে অনুভব করা আবশুক । এই জন্য আমর উহ! প্রবাসীতেও আদ্যোপাস্ত ছাপিতেছি । উহার বাংলা অনুবাদে উহার অস্তর্নিহিত সত্য সম্পূর্ণ পাওয়া যাইবে না বলিয়৷ মূল ইংরেজী বিবৃতিটি আগে ছাপিতেছি। This statement owes its inspiration to a personal chat with the inmates and associates of the Satyagraha Ashram who had just come out of prison and whom at Rajendra Babu's instance had sent to Bihar. More especially is it due to revealing information I got in the course of a conversation about a valued companion of icng standing who was reluctant to perform the full prison task and preferred his private studies to the allotted task. This was undoubtedly contrary to the rules of Satyagraha. More than the imperfection of the friend, whom I love more than ever, it brought home to me my own imperfection. The friend said he had thought that i was aware of his weakness. I was blind. Blindness in a leader is unpardonable. I saw at cnce that i must for the time being remain the representative of civil resistance in action. During the informal conference week at Poona in July last. 1 had stated that while many individual civil resisters would be welcome, even one was sufficient to keep alive, the message of Satyagraha. Now after much searching of the heart, I have arrived at the conclusion that in the present circumstances cnly one, and that myself and no other, should for the time being bear the responsibility of civil resistance if it is to succeed as a means of achieving Purna Swaraj. ADULTERATİON 1 feel that the masses have not received the full message of Satyagraha owing to its adulteraticn in the process of transmission. It has become clear to me that spiritual instruments suffer in their potency when their use is taught through non-spiritual media. Spiritual messages are self-propagating. The reaction of the masses throughout the Harijan tour has been the latest forcible illustration of what I mean. The splendid response of the masses has been spontaneous. The workers themselves were amazed at the attendance and the fervour of vast masses whom they had never resched. Satyagraha is a purely spiritual weapon. It may be used for what may appear to be mundane محيي ends and through men and women who do not understand its spiritual (nature ?), rovided the director knows that the weapon is spiritual. ΕΧΡΕΡΤ ΙΝ ΤΗΕ ΜΑΚΙΝG Everyone cannot use surgical instruments. Many may use them if there is an expert behind them directing their use. i claim to be a Satyagraha expert in the making. I have need to be far more careful than the expert surgeon who is complete master of his science. I am still a humble searcher. The very nature of this science of Satyagraha precludes the student from seeing more than the step immediately in front of hini. St ISPEND CIVIL RESISTANCE The introspection promoted by the conversation with the Ashram inmates has led me to the conclusion that I must advise all Congressmen to suspend civil resistance for Swaraj as distinguished from a specific grievance. They should leave it to me alone. It should be resumed by others in my lifetime only under my direction, unless one arises claiming to know the science better than do and inspires confidence. | give this opinion as the author and instigator of Satyagraha. Henceforth, therefore, all who have been impelled to civil resistance for Swaraj under my advice, directly given or indirectly inferred, will please desist from civil resistance. I am quite convinced that this is the best course in the interest of India's fight for freedom. I am in deadly earnest about this greatest of weapons at the disposal of mankind. It is claimed for Satyagraha that it is a complete substitute for violence or war. It is designed, therefore, to reach the hearts both of the so-called “terrorists” and the rulers who seek to root out the “terrorists” by emasculating the whole nation. But the indifferent civil resistance of many, grand as it has been in its results, has not touched the hearts either of the “terrorists" or the rulers. Ulnadulterated Satyagraha must touch the hearts of both. To test the truth of the proposition, Satyagraha needs to be confined to one qualified person at a time. The trial has never been made. it must be made now. Let me caution the reader against mistaking Satyagraha for mere civil resistance. It covers much more than civil resistance. It means relentless search for truth and the power that such a search gives to the searcher. The search can only be pursued by strictly non-violent means. What are the civil resisters thus freed to do if they are to be ready for the call whenever it comes P. They must learn the art and the beauty of self-denial and voluntary poverty. They must engage, themselves in nation-building activities, the spread of Kfiaddar through personal hand-spinning and handweaving, the spread of communal unity of hearts by irreproachable personal conduct towards one ancther in every walk of life, the banishing of untouchability in every shape cr form in one's cwn person, the spread of total abstinence from Intoxicatin drinks and drugs by personal contact with individua addicts and generally , by cultivating personal purity. These are services which provide maintenance on the poor man's scale. Those for whom the poor man's scale is not feasible should find a place in small unorganized industries of national importance which give a better wage. Let it be understood that civil resistance is for those who know and perform the duty of voluntary obedience to law and authority.