Page:Mahatma Gandhi, his life, writings and speeches.djvu/228

M. K. Gandhi also that these two qualities may be trained in us in a manner detrimental to ourselves and in a manner detrimental to those with whom we may come in contact. That is a dangerous statement almost to make, but when I make that statement I would like you to consider that truth comes not as truth but only as truth so called. You will recall the instance of Ravana and Rama. You will recall the instance of Lakshmana on the one hand and Indrajit on the other in that inimitable book Ramayana. Both Lakshmana and Indrajit performed austerities, both of them had attained to a certain kind of self-control, and yet we find that what Indrajit possessed was as mere dross and that what Lakshman possessed was of great assistance and he has left a treasure for us to cherish and to value. What was that additional quality that Lakshmana possessed? I venture to suggest to you that Lakshmana was divinely guided, that he had religious perception and that his life was guided upon principle and based upon religion, while, that of Indrajit was based upon irreligion. Life without religion, I hold, is life without principle, and life without principle, is like a ship without a 108