Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/327

 interpret our own religion but he says, our religion consists in four letters '*D-u-t-y" and not in the five letters "R-i-g-h-t". And if you believe that all that we want can go from a letter discharge of our dutv, then think always of your duty and lighting along those lines ; you will have no fear of any man, you will fear only God That is the message that rny master if I may say so, your master too Mr. Gokhale ha^ given to us. What is that message then ? It is in the constitu- tion of the Servants of India Society and that is the message by which 1 wish to be guided in my life. The message is to spiritualise the political life and the political institutions of the country. We must immedi- ately set about realising its practice. The students cannot be away from politics. Politics is as essential to them as religion. Politics cannot be divorced from religion. Mv views may not be acceptable to you, I know. All th* same, I can only give you what is stirring me to my very depths. On the authority of my experiences in South Africa 1 claim that your countrymen who had not that modern culture but who had that strength of the Rishis of old, who have inherited the tapascharya performed by the Rishis, without having known a single word of English lite- rature and without knowing anything whatsoever of the present modern culture, they were able to rise to their full height. And what has been possible for the uneducated and illiterate countrymen of ours in South Africa is ten times possible for you and for me to-day in this sacred land of ours. May that be your privilege and may that be my privilege. (Applause.)

�� �