Marmik Kathayen (Stories that touch our hearts):

                                                     Mother's Choice

The state of affairs at Sholapur during the struggle for Independence was similar to Jalianwalabag. Martial Law was imposed there. Congress volunteers who visited Sholapur would be greeted with bullets. Several innocent congress workers laid down their lives in indiscriminate firings.

Lal Bahadur Shastri also got his name enrolled as a volunteer. When Tandon ji heard of this he got worried about Shastri ji's safety. He wrote a letter to Shastri ji's mother, "Please stop him from going to Sholapur ; that place is not safe for him and he would not listen to anyone else other than you."

Indian mothers' love towards their children is considered exceptional. Especially when children's life is at stake. Out of affection, they aggressively try their level best to stop their children from treading on dangerous path. Shastri ji's mother had lived in a rural environment. Tandon ji had expected that hearing this news, she would be distraught and would prevent Shastri ji from going to Sholapur.

But what happened was exactly opposite. The moment she heard the news she replied in a rage, "My child must fulfill the vow he has taken. I cannot stop him. I would consider it my good fortune if my child attains martyrdom, but I can not accept him falling short of his duty. Vows are taken to complete important tasks, and to fulfill those is every human's foremost duty. If one tries to avoid his duty, his soul becomes weak. It would be a blot on our family's glory if my child has a weak soul and like a coward runs away from his duty. I readily command him to go to Sholapur."

Ideals are protected by such mothers alone who adore their children's personality and qualities more than their physical bodies, who love self-respect more than their skin. Had Shastri ji been prevented from going to Sholapur, his soul would have got subdued under the load of inferiority and repentance. Only those who take up vows and then devote themselves completely to fulfil them, can achieve something great.

Shastri ji went to Sholapur. He was not afraid of death. He was sent to jail where he suffered immense torture, but he never stepped back on the vows he had taken. This strong determination and conscientiousness made this man of short stature into a great personality. This ordinary rural man became an internationally renowned prime minister of India.

His mother must become an ideal for every mother. In the development of a child the most important aspect is the development of good qualities and character. If a child has to pass an arduous test to prove his character, the mother must encourage him to go through the ordeal even if this could mean a great physical loss.

Upakhyan (Anecdote):

This is an incident from Mahatma Gandhi's life. Once he had to attend a committee meeting but had to wait for about forty-five minutes beyond the appointed time because the leader who was supposed to initiate the proceedings of the meeting arrived late. As soon as he arrived on the dais Mahatma Gandhi suddenly said that if the same situation continued amongst our prominent leaders then Swaraj would arrive forty-five minutes late. This expression came from the inner soul of the religiously punctual and duty conscious Bapu, in a very spontaneous and natural manner.

SADVICHAR (Thought of the week):

He alone is a true warrior who maintains his integrity, courage, and patience in adversity.

SAMPARK (Contacts):
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