580804 - Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1947 to 1964

[handwritten]
[text missing] August 04, 1958

Pandit Sri Jawaharlal Nehru,
Prime Minister of India,
New Delhi-2

My dear Pandit Ji, [text missing]

Please accept my respectful Namaskar. I beg to inform you that your speech on 2/8/58 at the Gurukul Vishwavidyalaya Haridwar, has given me some inspiration to inform you something about Indian culture. The basic principle of Indian culture is spiritualism which defies the external attraction of phenomenal materialism.

You are thinking of adjusting western ways of material adjustment with Indian culture of spiritualism and I beg to give you herewith the clue that materialism conducted with an aim of reaching spiritual perfection, is the right adjustment of human activity.

If the aim of spiritual realization is missed, the whole plan of materialism is sure to be frustrated and that is the law of Nature. The law of nature is so made by a superior authority and no body can surpass the intricacies of material nature simply by partial adjustment of material science. The history of the West beginning from the time of the Greeks and the Romans down to the modern age of atomic war—is a continuous chain of materialism or sense gratification and the result is that the westerners were never in peace at least within the memory of 3000 years of historical records. Neither it will be possible for them at any time in future to live in peace till the message of spiritualism [text missing] just suitable to the present age does not [text missing] reaches their heart.

Therefore India may not waste her time in imitating the western way of life. You have admitted it that the position of India's culture is of very high order. But at the same time you want to bring in material prosperity by scientific advancement of knowledge. But what is that scientific Knowledge? Spiritualism is also advanced scientific knowledge. Material advancement of scientific knowledge cannot give even the desired material prosperity to the people in general [text missing] without spiritual help. Swaraj of Mahatma Gandhi was adjusted in spiritualism more than materialism. [text missing] Do you think that horseless carriage or telephonic or radio communication or any other such ephemeral facilities of life, can bring in material prosperity? No it cannot. Material prosperity means that the people must have sufficient to eat or to maintain the body very soundly. Do you think that your different plans have brought in that standard of material prosperity or that modern western civilization can bring in that prosperity? Even they are given that facility- the unrest will continue to go on till there is spiritual satisfaction of life. That is the secret of peace.

Both the Americans and the Russians are better materially advanced and although they have different ways of philosophy still they are not materially peaceful because both of them are hankering after spiritual realization. You can help the people of the world for satisfying their spiritual hankering as the true Indian messenger of peace. The world has recognized your sincere service effort for peace in the world and this is the suitable time to help your friends in the west by holding Indian high order position of spiritual knowledge.

Poverty means poverty of knowledge. Prime minister Chanakya used to live in a thatched house or cottage but he was the dictator of India in the days of Emperor Chandra Gupta. Mahatma Gandhi voluntarily accepted the ways of living of the so called poor man and was the dictator of Indian destiny. But was he actually poverty sticken ? He was proud of his spiritual knowledge. Therefore spiritual knowledge makes a man really rich man and not the radio set or the motor car etc. Please therefore try to understand this position of Indian culture and try to give it to the western brothers in the prescribed standard method of the liberated persons and that will be an exchange of mutual friendship.

Here is a programme of spiritual movement and I am struggling alone very hard to give it an effective shape. You can help the movement a lot without the least difficulty or disturbances.

My humble advice to you, as I am your old friend from Allahabad, is that you should now take leave form you present responsibility of Prime ministership and as a popular gentleman of the world , engage the rest of your life in this organized spiritual movement to make a real adjustment of the western material science combined with Indian way of spiritual realisation.

Please think over it seriously and let me know your reaction upon it and oblige. If you kindly spare a little time, I am sure to convince you about its importance more quickly. Thanking you in [text missing] anticipation and awaiting your early reply.

Yours sincerely,
A.C.B.
Private letter per registered post

Enclosure:-1.