I take exception to the “indignant” Upendra Kapadia’s comments on my letter (AV 13 May) about the Mahatma’s mentor. I would refer him to the article about this drama at page 17th of the same issue of AV which corroborates everything that I have said in my letter. I quote the relevant paragraph verbatim from that article as “The historical significant, yet little known relationship between Mahatma Gandhi and “his spiritual mentor”, Shrimad Rajchandraji was a friendship that framed the character of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi into the “Mahatma” and shaped the independence of India through the principles of non-viloence and truth.”
I would ask Mr Kapadia to go through this article with a fine tooth comb and then retract his unwarranted comments. If Gandhiji himself referred to Rajchandraji as his spiritual mentor, then what is Mr Kapadia’s problem? Everything that has been said in that article and elsewhere would conclude that Shrimad Rajchandraji did direct Gandhiji towards the path of non-viloence and truth.I would also ask Mr Kapadia to read the article on Gandhiji’s and Rajchandraji’s relationship as mentor and disciple on page 6 of Gujarat Samachar of 13 May which corroborates the contents in my letter.
If one is under the misconception that Ramayana and Mahabharata taught the lessons of “ahinsa”, then who killed Ravana in Ramayana and why Pandavas and Kauravas killed their cousins?
Dinesh Sheth
Newbury Park, Ilford
