“I may deliver up my soul with the remembrance of God on my lips.” ~ Gandhi, Pyarelal, Last Phase, II, p. 101

It seems fitting to end our second year with Gandhiji with this magnificent testimony. For this, of course, was exactly what he did, deliver up his soul with the words “Rama Rama Rama”—the name of God he had repeated since learning it from his childhood nurse, Ramba—on his lips; a blessing to all present, including his assassin, Nathuram Godse, and in its remembrance a blessing to all of us. As it is said in the Bhagavad Gita, “Whatever occupies the mind at the time of death determines the destination of the dying.” We need have no concern, therefore, for the Mahatma and his final moment. Let us save our concern for ourselves and the world that bred his assassination, and still breeds “man’s inhumanity to man.” Gandhi continues, “I shall be content to be written down as an imposter if my lips utter a word of anger or abuse against my assailant at the last moment.” At present this stature is beyond the reach, I daresay, of myself or any one of us; but if we absorb its inspiration and renew our dedication to make every moment count in our efforts to redeem that world, we will be no imposters either, but full realizations of all we can be.

Thanks for sharing a comment below.

About Daily Metta

Stephanie Van Hook, the Metta Center’s executive director, launched Daily Metta in 2015 as a way to share Gandhi’s spiritual wisdom and experiments with nonviolence.

Our 2016 Daily Metta continues with Gandhi on weekdays. On weekends, we share videos that complement Michael Nagler’s award-winning book, The Search for a Nonviolent Future: A Promise of Peace for Ourselves, Our Families, and Our World. To help readers engage with the book more deeply, the Metta Center offers a free PDF study guide.

Enjoy more Daily Metta: See the  archives

Get Daily Metta by email: Subscribe