The Story of My Experiments with Truth · Chapter
Settled in Bombay? explained
Gandhi considers settling in Bombay to practice law and engage in public work, encouraged by Gokhale and Kevalram Dave.
What happens
Gandhi considers settling in Bombay to practice law and engage in public work, encouraged by Gokhale and Kevalram Dave. He recounts his initial legal successes in Rajkot and Jamnagar, his disdain for flattery in the legal profession, and an incident highlighting the insensitivity of English officials to Indian hardships during a plague outbreak.
Themes in this chapter
Education and Self-Improvement
Gandhi studies the Indian Evidence Act during his voyage, applying his legal knowledge from South Africa to succeed in Indian courts.
Social Justice and Anti-Colonialism
Gandhi criticizes the English official's disregard for the hardships of poor Indians during the plague, highlighting colonial ignorance and injustice.
Characters to notice
- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Reflects on his legal career, his reluctance to use flattery, and his decision to move to Bombay.
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Anxious for Gandhi to settle in Bombay and help with Congress work.
- Mavji Dave
Urges Gandhi to leave Rajkot and settle in Bombay, providing him with initial legal work.
- Sir Pherozeshah Mehta
Mentioned as a successful barrister whose mastery of the Evidence Act inspired Gandhi.
Key passages
“As the elephant is powerless to think in the terms of the ant, in spite of the best intentions in the world, even so is the Englishman powerless to think in the terms of, or legislate for, the Indian.”
Gandhi uses a metaphor to argue that English officials, despite good intentions, cannot truly understand or legislate for the Indian people due to vast differences in experience and perspective.
This reflects Gandhi's critique of colonial governance and the disconnect between rulers and subjects.
“Winning or losing is no concern of yours. You will simply try your best, and I am of course there to assist you.”
Kevalram Dave reassures Gandhi that his duty is to do his best in a case, not to worry about the outcome, and offers his support.
This advice encourages Gandhi to focus on effort rather than results, a principle he later applies to his activism.