Unflinching faith

Gandhiji was traveling in Noakhali to pacify the communal violence. On January 30, 1947, exactly a year before his assassination, he reached a village where the goat milk was unavailable. So, coconut milk was given to him as a substitute to the goat milk. This caused problem and he suffered from dysentery and was feeling very weak.

After going to the toilet in the evening, he started perspiring a lot and he was also frequently yawning. Manuben was with him. She feared that he might become unconscious. Therefore, she held him. She wiped away the sweat and made him sleep with the help of some other person.

Manuben immediately wrote a detailed letter to Dr. Sushila Nayar. Within a short while, Bapu opened his eyes. He told Manuben: "I did not like your calling the other person for a support, but you are still young and therefore I forgive you. In such a time one should repeat the Rama Nama with full devotion. Even I was repeating the same. Now, do not inform anybody about this illness, not even to Sushila. Only Rama is my true doctor. As long as He wishes to derive some work from me, He would keep me alive, and otherwise He would take me away."

Manuben was startled. She tore away the letter. Bapu understood the matter. He asked, "Oh, you had already written a letter as well?"

Manuben said, "Yes."

So he again told: "Today God has saved you and me.

Sushila would have rushed here leaving her work incomplete in the village and therefore, God would have become angry with you and me."