GUJARAT POLITICAL CONFERENCE 39J
disobedience are suffered merely by him and his com- panions. A Passive Resister is not at sixes and seven* with those in power tout the latter willingly yield to him. They know that they cannot effectively exercise force against the Passive Resister. Without his concurrence they cannot make him do their will. And this is the full fruition of Swaraj, because in it is complete indepen- dence. It need not be taken for granted, that such decorous resistance is possible only in respect of civi- lised rulers. Even a heart of flint will melt in front of a fire kindled b-y the power of the soul. Even a Nero becomes a lamb when he faces Love. This is no exag- geration. It is as true as an algebraical equation. This Satyagraha is India's special weapon. It has had others but Satyagraha has commanded greater attention. It is omnipresent, and is capable of being used at all times and under all circumstances. It docs not require a Congress license, He who knows its power cannot help using it. Even as the eye-lashes automatically protect the eyes, so doss Satyagraha when kindled automatical- ly protect the freedom of the Soul.
But truthlessness has opposite attributes. The terrible war going on in Europe is a case in point. Why should a nation's cause be considered right and another's wrong because it overpowers the latter by sheer brute force ? The strong are often seen preying upon the weak. The wrongness of the latter's cause is not to be inferred from their defeat in a trial of brute strength, nor is the Tightness of the strong to be inferred from their success in such a trial. The wielder of brute force does not scruple about the means to be used. He does not question the propriety of means, if he can somehow achieve his purpose. This is not
�� �
