Mahatma Gandhi was to visit Sind for an important gathering of the Indian National Congress. There was jubilation and excitement among the people—but a sense of rivalry was building up among some of the Congressmen themselves.
There was to be an important election for a seat in the Congress Working Committee—a powerful body that determined the policy and programmes of the Congress. There were two candidates contesting for the post—Shri Jairamdas Daulatram and Swami Gobindananda. Their supporters had divided the party into two rival groups.
Mahatma Gandhi sent for Shri Jairamdas, who had always been a disciple of Bapuji.
“My dear Jairam,” Gandhiji said to him. “I understand you are contesting for the seat in the Working Committee.”
“That’s right, Bapuji,” said Shri Jairamdas, respectfully.
“I would like you to go to Swami Gobindananda and tell him—‘My brother! You first! You first!' Will you please do it?”
Without the least hesitation, in immediate obedience to the command of his leader, Shri Jairamdas Daulatram went to meet his rival and said to him, “Brother, you first! You first!” Swami Gobindananda was astonished!
What a wonderful place the world would be if we were to say to one another, “You first! You first!”
* October 2 is the Gandhi Jayanti.
Dada J P Vaswani was a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader.
