by M K Gandhi
391 Buddha Charitra in the original.
392 The Blavatsky Lodge was founded in 1887, which was the second theosophical lodge in England after the London Lodge. Archibald and Bertram Keightley were among the fourteen members who had founded the lodge, which was attended every Thursday by Mme. Blavatsky. The lodge was at 19, Avenue Road, North of Regents’ Park.
393 Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831–91). Among her books are Isis Unveiled (1877), The Secret Doctrine (1888), The Voice of Silence (1889).
394 Mrs. Annie Besant (1847–1933), second president of the Theosophical Society (1907–33), founder of the Home Rule Movement and president, Indian National Congress (1917). In 1919, the editor of New India asked MKG for a birthday message to Mrs. Besant. He, in the message, recalled his first meeting with her in London and went on to add: ‘I have sharp differences of opinion with her as to the methods of work. I have also been hurt to feel at times that she has lost her robust independence of 1888 and her uncompromising search after and adherence to truth at all cost. But in the midst of my doubts I have never wavered in my belief in her great devotion to India.’ CWMG, vol. 16, p. 202.
395 In May 1889.
396 The Key to Theosophy. Being A CLEAR EXPOSITION, IN THE FORM OF QUESTION AND ANSWER, OF THE ETHICS, SCIENCE, AND PHILOSOPHY FOR THE STUDY OF WHICH THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY HAS BEEN FOUNDED, first published in 1889.
397 ‘Genesis’ in the original. It has an explanatory phrase: ‘the origin of the universe’.
398 ‘Numbers’ in the original.
399 See n. 200 in Chapter XI, Part I.
400 ‘“For a bowl of water, give a goodly meal”, etc.’ added in the English translation. The original has ‘Shamal Bhatt’s verse.’
401 Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881). Heroes and Hero-worship and the Heroic in History was first published in 1841.
402 ‘with religion’ added in the English translation.
403 Charles Bradlaugh (1833–91), Liberal member of the British parliament, founder of the National Secular Society (1866).
404 Bradlaugh was cremated at the Brookwood Cemetery; Mme. Blavatsky was cremated at the Woking Cemetery.
405 MD’s footnote: ‘Nirbal ke Bal Rama—The refrain of one of Surdas’s famous hymns. Its meaning is, “He is the help of the helpless, the strength of the weak.”’
406 ‘Dharmashastra’ in the original; ancient body of jurisprudence in India, composed in Sanskrit and divided in three categories: (a) Sutras (maxims), (b) Smriti (treatise in stanza) and (c) Nibandha (compendium of Smriti verses) and Vrittis (commentaries on Smriti). In this context, Principles of Religion.
407 ‘what’ in the first edition.
408 See CWMG, vol. 27, p. 109.
409 The year was 1891.
410 This was the Vegetarian Federal Union Conference held on 5 and 6 June 1891. MKG was appointed a delegate of the London Vegetarian Society and read out his essay, ‘The Foods of India’.
411 His sailing companion T.T. Majumdar.
412 ‘Both of us went. We were provided lodgings in a house of a woman.’ To add.
413 ‘ourselves’ in the first edition.
414 ‘and I desired to play games with her.’ To add.
415 ‘soon.’ To add.
416 From ‘Abide with Me’, a hymn by Henry Francis Lyte:
‘Abide with me, fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens, Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.’
417 ‘experience’ in the first edition.
418 ‘emptied of all but love’ added in the English translation. The phrase is from a hymn by Charles Wesley:
‘He left his father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite his grace,
Emptied himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race.’
419 The line is from Alfred Tennyson’s ‘Locksley Hall’:
‘Love took up the harp of Life, and smote on all the chords with might;
Smote the chord of Self, that, trembling, pass’d in music out of sight.’
420 ‘heartfelt’ to add.
421 This chapter was first published, without a title, in Gujarati in Navajivan, vol. VII, no. 47, 25 July 1926, after Chapter XI of Part II. In Young India it was published in vol. VIII, no. 40, 7 October 1926, after Chapter XXI of Part II under the title ‘Narayan Hemchandra’ with a footnote by MD: ‘This is one of the two chapters newly added to the “Story of My Experiments with Truth,” Part I. It will follow Chapter XXI, Part I.’
422 ‘Late’ to add.
423 Narayan Hemchandra (1855–1904) in 1900 published his autobiography Hu, Pote (lit., I, Myself). In his ‘Guide to London’ MKG wrote of him, ‘Sadhu Narayan Hemchandra has been living on one pound a week. He has a room for 6s a week. He spends 3 or 4d for washing and 7s for food per week.’ CWMG, vol. 1, p. 8.
424 ‘I know of a biography of the Prophet [that] was written by Narayan Hemchandra.’ CWMG, vol. 11, p. 154.
425 Elizabeth Adelaide Manning (1828–1905), secretary, Frobel Society, honorary secretary, National Indian Association (1887–1905), and editor, The Indian Magazine and Review. Writing her obituary in 1905, MKG said: ‘She was a true friend of Indians who went to England to study. Her house was ever open to receive them. Her guidance was always at their disposal.’ CWMG, vol. 5, p. 62.
426 National Indian Association (1870–1948), founded by Mary Carpenter in Bristol with assistance of Keshub Chunder Sen. It was originally called National Indian Association in Aid of Social Progress in India. In 1871, Elizabeth Manning and her stepmother Mrs. Charlotte Manning started the London branch. Its initial aim was to encourage female education in India. As the number of Indians in Britain grew, it sought to facilitate social intercourse between visiting Indians and the British.
427 Her house was at Pembridge Crescent in Notting Hill.
428 ‘at the collars’ to add.
429 ‘coat’, ‘necktie’, ‘collar’ English words in the original.
430 ‘With perfect nonchalance he said:’ added in the English translation.
431 Maharshi Devendranath Tagore (1817–1905), son of Prince Dwarkanath Tagore, one of the founders of the Brahmo Samaj (1848), large landowner, father of poet Rabindranath Tagore.
432 ‘But I am quite satisfied with what I have achieved without the help of grammar.’ Added in the English translation.
433 ‘Bengali’ added in the English translation.
434 ‘without knowledge of grammar’ to add.
435 ‘soup’ English word in the original.
436 MD’s footnote: ‘An Indian pulse.’
437 Henry Edward Manning (1808–92), Cardinal Manning, was Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster (appointed 1865).
438 The London Dock Strike of 1889 involved 1,00,000 dock workers. The strike began on 14 August 1889 over a dispute of payment of ‘plus money’ or bonus for speedy completion of work. It led to the establishment of trade unions among dock workers.
439 John Elliot Burns (1858–1943), trade unionist, Liberal member of the British parliament.
440 Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881), twice served as the prime minister of the UK, his novel Lothair was published in 1870.
441 In ‘Guide to London’ MKG wrote about Cardinal Manning: ‘There are, to take a noted and living example, few harder working men in England than Archbishop Manning, a man full of cares and labours, yet I am assured by those who have had the most intimate personal relations with him that Mr. Disraeli in “Lothair” has not in the least exaggerated his habitual abstinence and that his ordinary meal, in public or private, is a biscuit or a bit of bread and a glass of water.’ CWMG, vol. 1, p. 87.
442 Cardinal Manning’s residence was at Carlisle Place, Vauxhall Bridge Road, near Westminster Cathedral.
443 ‘The house was indeed a mansion.’ To add.
444 ‘a’ in the first edition.
&
nbsp; 445 This chapter was first published, without a title, in Navajivan, vol. 7, no. 49 of 8 August 1926, after Chapter XIII of Part II. In Young India it was published in vol. VIII, no. 41, after Chapter XXII of Part II dated 14 October 1926, under the title ‘The Great Exhibition’, which was later adapted for Gujarati as well. It carried a footnote by MD: ‘This is the second of the two chapters newly added to the “Story of My Experiments with Truth”, Part I. It will follow chapter XXII.’
446 The Great Exhibition opened in Paris on 5 May 1889.
447 According to James Hunt, this was probably the hotel of Madam T. Walker at 21, Avenue Carnot, l’Arc de Triomphe, which was advertised in The Vegetarian Messenger of this period. ‘Gandhi in London’, p. 223.
448 ‘and debauchery’ to add.
449 ‘and reverence’ added in the English translation.
450 ‘Having visited an exhibition, one also reads accounts of it.’ To add.
451 Count Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828–1910). The specific reference is to his essay ‘Why do Men Stupefy Themselves?’
452 ‘Tolstoy declared that’ to add.
453 ‘these’ in the first edition.
454 ‘certainly’ to add.
455 There are two classes of lawyers in England: solicitors and barristers. All barristers are members of one of the four societies called the Inns of Court. They are the Inner Temple (1388), the Middle Temple (1388), Lincoln’s Inn (1422) and Gray’s Inn (1388). In his ‘Guide to London’ MKG does not recommend, from the point of view of economy, his own inn, the Inner Temple, the most prestigious and the most expensive of the four. He says, ‘From an economic point of view, the Lincoln’s Inn is the best Inn, which boasts also of the best library.’ CWMG, vol. 1, p. 108.
456 A pupil at the Inner Temple was required to attend seventy-two dinners, called ‘keeping terms’ to qualify for being called to the Bar. English word ‘term’ in the original.
457 ‘Of course, they had to be paid for.’ To add.
458 The word in the original is ‘sudhriya’, from ‘sudhar’. Generally translated as ‘reform’; MKG consistently writes of sudhar as civilization, not just in the Autobiography but also in his philosophical text, Hind Swaraj.
459 ‘benchers’ English word in the original. The Gujarati has an explanation of the word within parenthesis, which literally translates into ‘elders of the temple of learning’.
460 ‘table’ English word in the original.
461 In the original ‘grand night’ is in parenthesis. The term used literally means ‘heavy night’.
462 ‘champagne’, ‘port’, ‘sherry’, in the original.
463 ‘The taste of champagne is considered a class by itself.’ To add.
464 ‘the benchers always sitting at a respectable distance from the students.’ In the first edition.
465 ‘slow-changing’ to add.
466 ‘dinner barristers’ in the original. The Gujarati has in parenthesis the word ‘khana’, literally, ‘meals’.
467 In the original ‘Laws of England’.
468 The examination in Roman Law could be taken after keeping four terms and the one in Common Law required the eligibility of nine terms. MKG took his Roman Law examinations from 25–28 March 1890, in the Easter Term, and the Common Law examination from 15–20 December 1890.
469 ‘brief’ to add.
470 ‘These convenient examinations’ in the first edition.
471 MKG would have spent £10 for the books. In his ‘Guide to London’ he gave a list of books required, with their prices after a 20 per cent discount, which the booksellers offered on law books. CWMG, vol. 1, p. 111.
472 Thomas Collett Saunders, The Institutes of Justinian; with English Introduction, Translation and Notes (1859).
473 Herbert Broom, Commentaries on Common Law, Designed as Introductory to its Study, eighth edition (1888).
474 Edmund H.T. Snell, The Principles of Equity, Intended for the Use of Students and the Profession, eighth edition (1887).
475 Frederick T. White and Owen D. Tudor, Leading Cases in Equity, sixth edition (1886).
476 Joshua Williams, Principles of the Law of Real Property, Intended as a first book for the use of students in conveyancing, sixteenth edition (1887).
477 William Douglas Edwards, A Compendium of the Law of Property in Land (1888).
478 Two volumes by Louis A. Goodeve, The Modern Law of Real Property, with an Introduction for the Student, second edition (1885), and The Modern Law of Personal Property (1887).
479 John D. Mayne, A Treatise on Hindu Law and Usage (1876).
480 He passed it on 12 January 1891. He was 34th in the field of 109 of whom 77 passed.
481 ‘by paying two and a half shillings’ to add.
482 In Navajivan the title is ‘Mari Pamarta’, literally, ‘My Timidity’. The word ‘pamarta’ was changed to ‘munjvan’, which would translate as predicament, dilemma, quandary, plight.
483 ‘easy enough to be called’ in the first edition.
484 In the original the maxim in Latin is not given. MKG called it a ‘grand doctrine of life’ and added, ‘It is the key to a proper practice of ahimsa or love.’ CWMG, vol. 13, p. 224.
485 ‘case’ to add. ‘case’ English word in the original.
486 Sir Pherozeshah Mehta (1845–1915), drew up the Municipal Act of 1872. He was of the Bombay Legislative Council, elected to the Governor General’s Supreme Legislative Council in 1893. President, Indian National Congress (1890), knighted in 1904, vice-chancellor, University of Bombay (1911), founded Bombay Chronicle (1910) and helped found the Central Bank of India.
487 ‘in this life’ to add.
488 East India Association, founded in 1867. The meetings took place at the Westminster Town Hall.
489 ‘had’ to add.
490 Frederick Pincott, also the translator of ‘Chaturbhujmasa’ of Lallu Lal Kavi as Prem Sagara or the Ocean of Love (1897).
491 Sir Badruddin Tyabji (1844–1906), called to the Bar in April 1867 from the Middle Temple, third president of the Indian National Congress, appointed judge, High Court of Bombay, 1895.
492 Sir John William Kaye (1814–76) and George Bruce Malleson (1825–1898), History of the Indian Mutiny of 1857–58 (1889).
493 Johann Kasper Lavater (1741–1801), Essays on Physiognomy.
494 Mary Anne Shemmelpennick (1778–1856), Theory on the Classification of Beauty and Deformity (1815).
495 ‘affection’ in the first edition.
496 He sailed from London on 12 June 1891, by S.S Oceania. At Aden the passengers for Bombay were transferred to S.S Assam on 30 June 1891 and reached Bombay on 5 July 1891.
497 ‘launch’ English word in the original.
1 The Modh Bania caste of Porbandar, at the request of the Gandhi family, had resolved on 2 July 1891 to take MKG back into the caste fold, provided he performed purification rites.
2 Revashankar Jagjivan.
3 ‘I was pining to see my mother.’ Added in the English translation.
4 Putlibai passed away probably around 12 June 1891.
5 ‘in the flesh to receive me back into her bosom’ added in the English translation.
6 His house ‘Mani Bhavan’ on 19, Laburnum Road, Bombay, hosted MKG on numerous occasions and is now a memorial museum and a library.
7 Raychandbhai Ravjibhai Mehta (1867–1901), born at Vavania village, died at Rajkot. He was married to Jhabakbehn, daughter of Revashankar Mehta. On his passing MKG wrote: ‘It was hard to believe the news. I can’t put it out of my mind.’ CWMG, vol. 3, pp. 230–31. MKG wrote five chapters towards a biography of Raychandbhai—CWMG, vol. 32, pp. 1–13—and referred to him as Kavi, poet, a title he later used for Rabindranath Tagore.
8 ‘and manager’ to add.
9 The explanation ‘(one having the faculty of remembering or attending to a hundred things simultaneously)’ added in the English translation. In 1887 Raychandbhai is said to have given a demonstration in Bombay before an audien
ce which included Sir Charles Sargent, the chief justice, Bombay High Court.
10 ‘of all the European tongues I knew’ added in the English translation.
11 Muktanand (1758–1830), a poet of the Swaminarayan sect.
12 ‘The’ in the first edition.
13 ‘the endeavour’ to add.
14 ‘to attain self-realization’. To add.
15 ‘other’ in the first edition.
16 In 1951, all his writings were published in a single volume, Srimad Rajchandra (Srimad Rajchandra Ashram, Agas). MKG quite often quoted two lines from Raychandbhai’s poem: ‘When shall I know the state supreme, when will the knots, outer and inner, snap?’ CWMG, vol. 32, p. 6.
17 ‘or twice’ added in the English translation.
18 ‘religious’ to add.
19 ‘The throne has remained vacant’ added in English translation.
20 In the first edition: ‘An imperfect teacher in mundane matters may be tolerable but not so an imperfect one in spiritual matters.’
21 MD’s footnote: ‘A Knowing one, a seer.’
22 ‘my’ in the first edition.
23 ‘It will suffice here to state that’ to add.
24 In an appendix to his Hind Swaraj, MKG cites the following books by Tolstoy as ‘Some Authorities’ which were recommended as a follow-up study of the ideas expressed in the text: The Kingdom of God Is Within You, What is Art?, The Slavery of Our Times, The First Step, How Shall We Escape, Letter to a Hindoo.