I went to the Ashram as Bapu had instructed. There the houses for the teachers of the National School were under construction. ‘Hriday Kunj’ was also being built. Bapuji also arrived there in a few days. I used to supervise the building work during the day and at night I would keep account of everything. There was a hutment of ‘Paradhi’ community near the Ashram. The atmosphere used to be fearsome. Quite often thefts also took place in the Ashram. So it was decided to patrol during the nights. Mahadevbhai and myself were assigned the responsibility of patrolling every night from 12 to 3 o’clock.
Once a person came from Bharuch. He had literary inclinations and used to compose poems. He wished to stay at the Ashram. He had a talk with Bapu. Bapu said to him, “Tell me, what you can do?” He said, “Anything.” Bapu asked me to let him help in the building work. He accompanied me to the site. I asked him to count the bricks, which were unloaded there, arrange them and give me the account in the evening. He did it for a few days but soon lost interest. He thought, ‘Why am I asked to do such things? What’s the use? I can write books, compose poems too. But for the last few days I have had no time for it. If this continues for a few more days I will become sluggish.’ He told me all this. I said, “Tell Bapuji about this. He will give you a satisfactory solution to it. He went to see Bapu. He said, “I am stuck with the bricks and the lime since I came here. I can’t spare time to do anything else.” Bapuji said, “Very good, I like it.” He said, “Bapuji I get no time to read or think.” Bapu said, “Is there any need for it? You will get enough time when you will need it. Keep busy with the job assigned to you and don’t be tempted to read. If you can learn this much even, it will be sufficient.”
This literary connoisseur, who had come to stay at he Ashram, said to Bapu, “I have purposely come here to learn the mystical revelations of Gita from you, so that I will be able to write something special about Gita.” He had been assigned to look after the building work that was in progress there. His statement made Bapu laugh. Bapu then said to him, “You want to comprehend the mystical revelations of Gita! If you would concentrate on the job you are doing, you will easily comprehend it. Gita’s mystical revelation is in ‘Karmayoga’. Being indifferent to the result of the work you are doing, concentrating on the work you have accepted, is the mystical revelation of Gita. You too are doing the same.
“You won’t get any profit out of the job you are doing here. Don’t expect anything out of it. Just meditate on the job, do it spiritually and you will know the real meaning of Gita. What else do you need? If we apply the teachings of Gita in our day to day life, we won’t need to read anything else or write anything different about it!”
The gentleman was stunned listening to this sermon. He said after some time, “I am going to be sluggish here. I came here with an intention to read, think and be inspired. But if I stay here like this, month after months, I won’t gain anything.”
Admonishing him, Gandhiji said, “Friend, this is the way of life here. You should be able to derive inspiration from whatever job you have accepted. I too could comprehend the mystical revelation of Gita in this way only and I urge others also to go along it.”
The gentleman stayed there for a few more days and then left.