Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/494

 404 EARLIER INDIAN SPEECHES

do tapasya and keep our Hinduism undefiled. Pure and enlightened orthodoxy must be matched against superstitious and ignorant orthodoxy. To restore to their proper status a fifth of our total population is a task worthy of any Social Service organisation.

The bustees of Calcutta and the chawls of Bombay badly demand the devoted services of hundreds of social workers. They send our infants to an early grave and promote vice, degradation and filth.

Apart from the fundamental evil arising out of our defective system of education I have hitherto dealt with evils calling for service among the masses. The classes perhaps demand no less attention than the masses. It is my opinion that all evils like diseases are symptoms of the same evil or disease. They appear various by being refracted through different media. The root evil is loss of true spirituality brought about through causes, I cannot examine, from this platform. We have lost the robust faith of our fore- fathers in the absolute efficacy of Satya (truth) Ahimsa (love) and Brahmacharya (Self-restraint.) We certainly believe in them to an extent. They are the best policy but we may deviate from them if our untrained reason, suggests deviation. We have not faith enough to feel that though the present outlook seems black, if we follow the dictates of truth or love or exercise self- restraint, the ultimate result must be sound. Men whose spiritual vision has become blurred mostly look to the present rather than conserve the future good, He will render the greatest social service who will re- instate us in our ancient spirituality. But bumble men that we are, it is enough for us if \ve recognise the loss and by such ways as are open to us prepare the way

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