Page:The Pilgrims' March.djvu/73

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MRS. MOTILAL NEHRU
51

life which can stand the hardships of jail makes my heart weep. And yet my Atma whispers to me that I should rejoice with my husband and my son over their arrest. I will not disgrace them by sorrowing over the very happenings they had set their hearts upon.

I have seen it in my life that those who sleep on feather beds hardly ever know true happiness. Suffering and penance have a joy and happiness all their own. My heart trembles to think of the life of hardships that Jawaharlal has been leading, but my soul rejoices in the fact that that great capacity to lead a life of suffering is a fortune which rarely falls to the lot of the greatest of men.

That is the ancient way. Ramchandraji, Nalaraja and others found happiness by treading that path of suffering, and made the world also happy. Was Sita ever out of Rama’s heart? And yet apparently for her, but for the good of mankind, God chose to enforce a life of penance on Rama. These reflections bring me joy and peace. Let them bring the same to you.

And how may I sorrow over the imprisonment of my only son? Mahatma Gandhi told me once that others in the world have also their only sons. And a time is coming when whole