Find Your Doubts Melt Away: One of Mahatma Gandhi's last note

Today is Mahatma Gandhij's 140th birthday. He was born on 2nd October 1869 in the state of Gujrat to Karamchand Gandhi and Putali Bai. Last night before leaving my hospital, I watched CNN in my office for a while where the news of $700 billion bail-out debate and financial turmoil across the world markets were prominently flashing. Following thoughts crossed my mind whilst driving back home....

A state, somewhere between belief and disbelief is the state of doubtfulness; whether it exists in an individual, society, a nation or in this world. World is created by nations, which are created by societies. Individuals create societies and therefore, their mutual existence is so intricately intertwined that a state of doubt in a single individual will affect the will of a nation or this world (however, miniscule or invisible it may be). This may delay or sometimes even reject a relevant action out of concerns for its appropriateness or mistake. What we are seeing around us, are the effects of this, whether it is "a nuclear bill in the Indian parliament", "decision on subsidies to farmers and poor at Davos economic summit", "question of unemployed youth across the world" or latest being "the financial bailout bill in the US senate". Doubts amongst us and between us, has led to delays, inadequate and sometimes even, rejected right actions. I wish every one of us when in doubt "applies" the following formula given by Mahatma Gandhi which he called "talisman (magic)".

Following is one of his last thought (Jan 1948, a cuople of his days before his assasination), I post it for you to gain from it........ Nirmal Gupta

"Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man or woman whom you may have seen, and ask yourself;

• If the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her.
  
• Will he or she gain anything by it?
  
• Will it restore him or her to a control over his or her own life and destiny? In other words,
• Will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spirituality to starving millions?
  

...............Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."

*One of the last notes left behind by Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, expressing his deepest social thought. Source: Mahatma Gandhi [Last Phase, Vol. II, Page. 65].

A verse from Gitanjali: Rabindranath Tagore

This morning when I wokeup I did not have sufficient time to work on the medical textbook that I am authoring. I therefore, decided to go through Rabindranath Tagore's "Gitanjali" which I bought when I was 14 years old and lived in Hoshangabad (M.P.). Following is the vesre that I read this morning, I share with you... Nirmal Gupta

"When I bring to you coloured toys, my child, I understand why there is such a play of colours on clouds, on water, and why flowers are painted in tints---when I give coloured toys to you, my child.

When I sing to make you dance, I truly know why there is music in leaves, and why waves send their chorus of voices to the heart of the listening earth---when I sing to make you dance.

When I bring sweet things to your hands I know why there is honey in the cup of the flowers and why fruits are secretly filled with sweet juice---when I bring sweet things to your hands.

When I kiss on your forehead to make you smile, my darling, I surely understand what pleasure streams from the sky in morning light, and what delight that is which the summer breeze brings to my body---when I kiss you to make you smile.