PREFACE:
For apt quotation, easy memorizing and for imparting elegance to speech or to writing, epigrams are handy and useful. My love for epigrams and for Gandhiji had prompted me to accept the assignment to compile epigrams from his writings. There was another reason also, years back, I had complied a smaller book of epigrams form Gandhiji which, at the suggestion of my old friend, Prof. D. D. Vadekar of Poona, I had called Gandhi-grams. That was just a pocket-book.
The present Project has a wider field to cover. Time too has worked in favour of a larger compilation. Tendulkar's eight tomes are authoritative and useful. The Government of India's grand series, the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, has proved verily a mine for me. Twenty-six volumes in the series have been scanned. Prabhu and rao, "Saturated with Gandhism" as no one else perhaps in, have provided that valuable, ready-made collection of Gandhiji's thoughts, Mind of Mahatma Gandhi. Prabhu has, in Addition, many other shorter Gandhian compilations to his credit and they all proved an open quarry for me. No deep diving was necessary here to park up pearls from them. To all these and other Authors and editors I am deeply indebted, as I have freely drawn on them.
Some of the epigrams have been chosen for an elaboration of a Gandhian Teaching. At places three or four sentences are included together. That is for underlining the beauty of Gandhiji's expression. A slight departure from the normal definition of epigrams may be tolerated in favour of a better understanding Gandhism.
The classification here adopted is broad and there will always be many other ways of doing it. There are epigrams which could equally rightly be classified under two or more heads. In such cases, I have included the same epigram under different heads.
It may sound strange but it is quite true that the Gather of the Indian Nation, who was staunchly in favour of using Indian Languages, has enriched the English language to a great extent. Gandhiji has contributed richly to world thought. But the way in which he has expressed his thoughts for the world is his particular contribution to English literature.
To be busy with the impressive thoughts of Gandhiji was really to enjoy the company of the Mahatma. During the Dandi March (12th March-5th April, 1930) and later in Yeravda Central prison I was privileged to enjoy the company of Gandhiji, and all those memories were revived while working on the compilation. What a great gift is given to man to re-create the past! It was indeed a unique pleasure to so enjoy the days spent with the Mahatma in that grand Yatra.
Young helping hands provided much needed relief. Miss K. Konkar took up the lion's share of typing, followed by Shri S. M. Kale. Aroon, Anand and Nandan Shouldered the rest of the burden cheerfully. Ashok, Visudha and Sunil were also occasionally requisitioned as helping hands.
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