Satyagraha

“ Satva, Rajas and Tamas — they are the Gunas of Buddhi (Prakriti) , not of Âtmâ — control Rajas and Tamas by means of Satva and control Satva by Satva itself. When Satva grows in Man, he acquires Dharma, which is Devotion to Me. By worshipping Sâtvic objects Satva increases and Dharma is the outcome. That Dharma kills Rajas and Tamas and it increases Satva. When Rajas and Tamas are killed, Adharma which is an outcome of Rajas and Tamas is also killed. The scriptures, water, men, land, time, karma, regeneration, meditation, mantra and purification these ten are accessaries to the Gunas. ”

“ However, as I dared not smile, I maintained a solemn silence.
‘I have now understood,’ Satish went on, ‘why cur Scriptures say that it is better to die in one’s own dharma rather than court the terrible fate of taking the dharma of another. All else may be accepted as gifts, but if one’s dharma is not one’s own, it does not save, but kills. I cannot gain my God as alms from anybody else. ”

“ The story alluded to by the poet is this;—"Daksha was the son of Brahma and father of Satí, whom, at the recommendation of the Rishis, or Sages, he espoused to Siva, but he was never wholly reconciled to the uncouth figure and practices of his son-in-law. Having undertaken to celebrate a solemn sacrifice, he invited all the Gods except Siva, which so incensed Satí, that she threw herself into the sacrificial fire."— (Wilson, Specimens of Hindu Theatre, Vol. II. p. 263.) The name of Satí meaning good, true, chaste woman, is the modern Suttee, as it is pronounced and corruptly written. ”

“ Sati was undoubtedly a rite sanctioned by the Hinduism of the day, with which according to the principle they had adopted they should not interfere, yet it was impossible for them to stand by and see human life, as they considered it, wantonly sacrificed. ”

“ Durgā, who is also called Satī and Annapurnā, is the goddess who distributes rice to the hungry. To the world she is as mother, who cares not for herself, but for her children only; and Çiva is the ideal of a Hindu householder, never ruffled in temper, immoveable, immaculate and merciful, their union representing the fulfilment of the spiritual vows given and accepted in marriage, that two will live for one another and for others. How perfect this mutual love was, is proved in the death of Satī. Her devotion to Çiva was so great that she could not bear to hear him abused by her father Dakṣa. ”

“ I realised that the world into which Satish had been transported had no place for me, his particular friend. The person, whom Satish has so effusively embraced, was not Srivilas, but a representative of all humanity,—just an idea. Such ideas are like wine. When they get into the head any one can be embraced and wept over—I, only as much as anybody else. ”

“ III Two years had passed since we lost sight of Satish. My mind revolted against harbouring the least thing evil against him, nevertheless I could not help suspecting that the high pitch at which he used to be kept strung must have been flattened down by this shock.
Uncle Jagamohan had once said of a Sannyasin: ‘As the money-changer tests the ring of each coin, so does the world test each man by the response he gives to shocks of loss and pain, and the resistance he offers to the craze for cheap salvation. Those who fail to ring true are cast aside as worthless. ”

“ But there were many in Rajagriha who were disturbed to see the great number of converts the Buddha was making, and they went about the city, voicing their anger.
"Why has he settled in our midst, this son of the Sakyas?" they would ask. "Were there not enough monks already, preaching to us about virtue? And they did not lure our young men away like this master. Why, even our children are leaving us. Because of this son of the Sakyas, how many women are widows! ”

“ And God said, 'Even though a man be the lowest social outcast, yet if he be a saint of Mine, he is dear to Me and worthy of worship.'
There is a legend to the effect that Sadhna became the object of further persecution. A king, who was probably incensed against him on account of his religious opinions, ordered him to procure meat for him at an unusual hour of night. Sadhna was unable to do so, and the king thereupon ordered that he should be put to death by being built alive into a wall. ”

“ We and you, will serve Sitā, and Rāghava." Thus afflicted with grief, the women of the city spake unto their husbands. "In the forest Rāghava will attain for you the unattainable and protect what is attained; and Sitā being a female will do the same for these (women.) Who will take pleasure in residing in a dwelling where the heart dies within itself, which is devoid of delight, where the people are always agitated with anxiety and which is exceedingly disagreeable? If this kingdom devolves on Kaikeyi it will be divested of all virtues and will be like unto one without a master. ”

“ Thereupon shorn of his matted hairs, bathed, with paste excellent garlands and precious clothes on, he appeared there shining in grace. The valiant and graceful Satrughna, the upholder of the dignity of Ikshwaku race, himself got ready the dresses for Rāma and Lakshmana. And all the high-minded wives of Daçaratha with their own hands decked Sitā with various charming (ornaments) . Thereupon Kauçalyā, delighted and fond of her son, herself with great care, decorated the wives of monkeys. Thereupon at the words of Satrughna, the charioteer by name Sumantra got ready the perfectly beautiful car. ”

“ Jagamohan started up from his chair and bellowed out:
‘You want to throw me your dirty leavings, as you throw a dog a bone! I am an atheist—remember that! I am not a pious man like you! I neither take revenge, nor beg for favours.’
Harimohan hastened round to Satish’s lodgings. He cried out to him:
‘Satish! What in the world are you going to do? Can you think of no other way of ruining yourself? Are you determined to plunge the whole family into this hideous shame?’
Satish answered: ‘I have no particular desire to marry. ”

“ It would be a disgrace on my house to have him become a mendicant. The kings of Kosala, of Magadha, and all the others look with envy on our sturdy people; they dislike our free institutions and our warlike spirit. They would scoff at us if a Sakya prince had become a monk. But if Siddhattha does flee, I swear by Lord Indra that I shall disown him; I will no longer recognize him as my son. I will disinherit him and make Rahula my heir apparent. ”

“ Therefore, the foremost of intelligent persons, and conversant with every lore, thou shouldst along with councilors like me, strive to beat thy foe. Find I none in the three worlds, O Rāghava, who can stay in fight before thee equipped with thy bow. Thy business entrusted to these monkeys shall not (anyway) suffer. And soon, crossing over the boundless main, thou shalt behold Sitā. Therefore, O king, renounce thy sorrow, and call up wrath. Those Kshatriyas that conceive no anger in respect of their enemies, have their activity annulled; and all fear furious persons. ”

“ It had been predicted by a wise old man, in the days of Rungeah's infancy, that "she was born under the fatal star Sathimara, who would assume the form of a fair and beautiful angel to lead her on to her own destruction." ”

“ We had never been able to fathom how deeply Satish loved his uncle. Jagamohan was alike father and friend to him,—and, it may be said, son as well; for the old man had been so regardless of himself, so unmindful of worldly concerns, that it used to be one of the chief cares of Satish to look after him and keep him safe from disaster. Thus had Satish received from and given to his uncle his all. ”

“ This name Sattyam consists of three syllables, sat-tî-yam [264] . Sat signifies the immortal, t, the mortal, and with yam he binds both. Because he binds both, the immortal and the mortal, therefore it is yam. He who knows this goes day by day into heaven (svarga) .
Fourth Khanda.
1. That Self is a bank [265] , a boundary, so that these worlds may not be confounded. Day and night do not pass that bank, nor old age, death, and grief; neither good nor evil deeds. All evil-doers turn back from it, for the world of Brahman is free from all evil. ”

“ That they should be held unfit even to cultivate atheism made their minds all the more bitter against Satish.
II Jagamohan was Satish’s uncle. He was a notorious atheist of that time. It would be inadequate to say that he did not believe in God. One ought rather to say that he vehemently believed in no God. As the business of a captain in the navy is rather to sink ships than to steer, so it was Jagamohan’s business to sink the creed of theism, wherever it put its head above the water. ”

“ He would give a wide berth to men of power, lest the slightest suspicion of snobbishness should cling to him. It was this same sentiment which had greatly to do with his defiance of the gods. His knees were too stiff to bend before those from whom favour could be expected.
Harimohan got himself married at the proper time, that is to say, long before the time. After three sisters and three brothers, Satish was born. Everybody was struck by his resemblance to his uncle, and Jagamohan took possession of him, as if he were his own son. ”

“ I would follow none else. Give me some creed—higher than all this—which can save me. Do not let me be destroyed, together with the Divinity which is in me.’
Satish drew himself up straight, as he responded: ‘So be it.’
Damini prostrated herself at his feet, her forehead touching the ground, and remained long thus, in reverential adoration, murmuring: ‘Oh, my Master, my Master, save me, save me, save me from all sin.’
VII Once more there was a mighty sensation in our world, and a storm of vituperation in the newspapers—for Satish had again turned renegade. ”

“ Thereupon casting his eyes on Satrughna, Bharata said, "A woman is incapable of being slain by any. Do thou therefore excuse her. I myself would have slain this wicked Kaikeyi of impious deeds, if the righteous Rāma should not be displeased with me on account of my slaying my mother. And if Rāghava knows that the hump-backed one hath been slain, he surely will speak neither with thee nor me." Hearing Bharata's words, Satrughna, younger brother unto Lakshmana, refrained from that wrong and set free the hump-backed woman in a swoon. ”

“ I The last words of Jagamohan, the atheist, to his nephew, Satish, were: ‘If you have a fancy for funeral ceremony, don’t waste it on your uncle,—reserve it for your father.’
This is how he came by his death.
When the plague first broke out in Calcutta, the poor citizens were less afraid of the epidemic than of the preventive staff who wore its badge. Satish’s father, Harimohan, was sure that their Mussulman neighbours, the untouchable leather-dealers, would be the first to catch it, and thereupon defile him and his kith and kin by dragging them along into a common end. ”

“ People, who possess firmness, endure for a long time mutual separation to which no termination is assigned; hear in proof of this the tale of Rámabhadra and Sítá."
Story of Ráma and Sítá.:— Long ago king Daśaratha. the sovereign of Ayodhya, had a son, named Ráma, the elder brother of Bharata, Śatrughna and Lakshmana. He was a partial incarnation of Vishnu for the overthrow of Rávana, and he had a wife named Sítá, the daughter of Janaka, the lady of his life. As fate would have it, his father handed over the kingdom to Bharata, and sent Ráma to the forest with Sítá and Lakshmana. ”

“ The beautiful and faithful soul of Sati had indeed fled.
Then Nandi, her old attendant, set out swiftly for Kailash, to report to Siva what had happened. But as he did so, shaking in every limb, he turned round in the doorway and said, "If you, O Duksha, survive these deeds at all, may it be only with a goat's head on your human body!" In such great moments men see truly, even into the future. ”

“ Being an absolute preponderance of sattva it has nothing else to manifest, but it is its pure-shining self. 50Both tamas and rajas being mostly suppressed they cannot in any way affect the effulgent nature of this pure shining of contentless knowledge in which there is neither the knower nor the known. ”

“ And that Sitā whom formerly the very rangers of the sky could not see, is to-day beheld by the passers-by. Now summer's heat and winter's cold and the rains of the wet season will speedily stain Sitā, whose person is worthy of being dyed, and who used to daub her limbs with red sandal paste. Surely to-day Daçarātha speaks thus, possessed by some evil spirit; for the king ought by no means to banish his beloved son. Who ever exiles his son, albeit he be worthless? And what is to be said concerning a son that has fast secured all men's hearts by his behavior? ”

“ Ever steady in virtue, you do not yourself intend to stay here." Hearing these words, Daçarātha's son tied the dress on Sitā having a similar character with himself. When she had put on the upper and under garments, the preceptor of the king, Vasistha, his voice choked with the vapour of sorrow, dissuading Sitā, said unto Kaikeyi,—"O thou whose desires outrun thy sense of honor, O thou of perverted understanding O befouler of thy line, deceiving the monarch, thou stayest not within the pale of the promise. O thou bereft of good behavior, that noble lady, Sitā, should not go to the forest. ”

“ I had been arguing with my fellow-students that Satish could not possibly be an atheist.
I had received two severe blows at the outset of my short acquaintance with Satish. I had imagined that he was a Brahman, but I had come to know that Satish belonged to a Bania family, and I in whose veins flowed a bluer blood was bound duly to despise all Banias. Secondly, I had a rooted belief that atheists were worse than murderers, nay, worse even than beef-eaters. ”