Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/881

 shoots, non-co-operation and civil resistance, are nothing but new namea for the law of suffering, The Biebis, who discovered! the law of non-violence in fche midst of violence, were greater geniuses than Newton. They were themselves greater warriors than Wellington. Having themselves known the use of arms, they realised their uselessness and taught a weary world that its salvation lay not through violence bat through non- violence*

Non-violence in its dynamic condition means con- scious suffering- It does not mean meek submission to the will of the evil-doer, but it means the putting of one's whole soul against the will of the tyrant. Working under this law of our being, it is possible for a single individual to defy the whole might of an unjust empire to save his honour, his religion, his soul and lay the foundation for that empire's fall or its regeneration,

And so I am not pleading for India to practise non- violence because it is weak, I wanb her to practise non -violence being conscious of her strength and power, No training in arms is required for the realisation of her strength. We seem to need ib because we seem to think that we are but a lump of flesh, I want India to recognise that she has a soul that cannot perish and that can rise triumphant above every physical weakness and defy the physical combination of a whole world. What is the meaning of Eama, a mere human being, with his host of monkeys, pitting himself against the insolent strength of ten-headed lUvan surrounded in supposed safety by the raging waters on all sides of Lanka ? Does it not mean the conquest of physical might by spiritual strength ? However, being a praotial I do not wait till India recognises the praotioabi-

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