A Warning

I am afraid I must continue the digression until the next chapter. Along with my experiments in earth treatment, those in dietetics were also being carried on, and it may not be out of place here to make a few observations as regards the latter, though I shall have occasion to refer to them again later.

I am afraid I must continue this digression into the next chapter. Alongside my experiments with earth treatment, I was also experimenting with diet. It may be worth making a few observations about diet here, though I will return to the subject later.

I may not, now or hereafter, enter into a detailed account of the experiments in dietetics, for I did so in a series of Gujarati articles that appeared years ago in Indian Opinion, and which were afterwards published in the form of a book popularly known in English as A Guide to Health. Among my little books this has been the most widely read alike in the East and the West, a thing that I have not yet been able to understand. It was written for the benefit of the readers of Indian Opinion. But I know, that the booklet has profoundly influenced the lives of many, both in the East and the West, who have never seen Indian Opinion. For they have been corresponding with me on the subject. It has therefore appeared necessary to say something here about the booklet, for though I see no reason to alter the views set forth in it, yet I have made certain radical changes in my actual practice, of which all readers of the book do not know, and of which, I think, they should be informed.

I may not give a detailed account of my dietary experiments, either now or later. I wrote about them years ago in a series of Gujarati articles in Indian Opinion. The articles were later published as a book popularly known in English as A Guide to Health. Of my little books, this has been the most widely read in both the East and the West. I still cannot understand why. I wrote the book for the readers of Indian Opinion. But I know that it has deeply influenced the lives of many people in both the East and the West who have never seen Indian Opinion. I know this because they have written to me about it. So it seems necessary to say something here about the book. Although I see no reason to change the views expressed in it, I have made some radical changes in my own practice. Not all readers of the book know about these changes, and I think they should be told.

The booklet was written, like all my other writings, with a spiritual end, which has always inspired every one of my actions, and therefore it is a matter for deep distress to me, that I am unable today to practise some of the theories propounded in the book.

Like all my other writings, the booklet was written for a spiritual purpose. That purpose has always inspired everything I do. So it deeply distresses me that I cannot now put some of the ideas in the book into practice.

It is my firm conviction, that man need take no milk at all, beyond the mother’s milk that he takes as a baby. His diet should consist of nothing but sunbaked fruits and nuts. He can secure enough nourishment both for the tissues and the nerves from fruits like grapes and nuts like almonds. Restraint of the sexual and other passions becomes easy for a man who lives on such food. My co-workers and I have seen by experience, that there is much truth in the Indian proverb, that as a man eats, so shall he become. These views have been set out elaborately in the book.

I firmly believe that people do not need any milk beyond the mother’s milk they drink as babies. Their diet should consist only of sunbaked fruits and nuts. Fruits like grapes and nuts like almonds can provide enough nourishment for both the tissues and the nerves. A person who eats this way can easily control sexual and other passions. My co-workers and I have learned from experience that there is much truth in the Indian proverb: as a man eats, so shall he become. These views are explained in detail in the book.

But unfortunately in India I have found myself obliged to deny some of my theories in practice. Whilst I was engaged on the recruiting campaign in Kheda, an error in diet laid me low, and I was at death’s door. I tried in vain to rebuild a shattered constitution without milk. I sought the help of the doctors, vaidyas, and scientists whom I knew, to recommend a substitute for milk. Some suggested mung water, some mowhra oil, some almond-milk. I wore out my body in experimenting on these, but nothing could help me to leave the sickbed. The vaidyas read verses to me from Charaka to show, that religious scruples about diet have no place in therapeutics. So they could not be expected to help me to continue to live without milk. And how could those who recommended beef-tea and brandy without hesitation help me to persevere with a milkless diet?

But unfortunately, in India I have found myself forced to go against some of my theories in practice. While I was recruiting in Kheda, a mistake in my diet made me gravely ill. I was at death’s door. I tried in vain to restore my shattered health without milk. I asked the doctors, vaidyas, and scientists I knew to recommend a substitute for milk. Some suggested mung water, some mowhra oil, and some almond-milk. I wore out my body trying these, but none helped me get out of my sickbed. The vaidyas read me verses from Charaka to show that religious objections to foods have no place in medical treatment. So I could not expect them to help me keep living without milk. And how could those who recommended beef-tea and brandy without hesitation help me continue a milkless diet?

I might not take cow’s or buffalo’s milk, as I was bound by a vow. The vow of course meant the giving up of all milks, but as I had mother cow’s and mother buffalo’s only in mind when I took the vow, and as I wanted to live, I somehow beguiled myself into emphasising the letter of the vow and decided to take goat’s milk. I was fully conscious, when I started taking mother goat’s milk, that the spirit of my vow was destroyed.

I could not drink cow’s or buffalo’s milk because I had taken a vow. Of course, the vow meant giving up all milk. But when I took the vow, I had only mother cow and mother buffalo in mind. And because I wanted to live, I somehow tricked myself into focusing on the letter of the vow. So I decided to drink goat’s milk. When I started drinking mother goat’s milk, I was fully aware that I had destroyed the spirit of my vow.

But the idea of leading a campaign against the Rowlatt Act had possessed me. And with it grew the desire to live. Consequently one of the greatest experiments in my life came to a stop.

But the idea of leading a campaign against the Rowlatt Act had taken hold of me. Along with it, my desire to live grew. As a result, one of the greatest experiments of my life came to an end.

I know it is argued, that the soul has nothing to do with what one eats or drinks, as the soul neither eats nor drinks; that it is not what you put inside from without, but what you express outwardly from within that matters. There is no doubt some force in this. But rather than examine this reasoning, I shall content myself with merely declaring my firm conviction, that for the seeker who would live in fear of God, and who would see Him face to face, restraint in diet both as to quantity and quality is as essential as restraint in thought and speech.

I know some argue that the soul has nothing to do with what we eat or drink, because it neither eats nor drinks. They say that what matters is not what we take into ourselves from outside, but what we express outwardly from within. There is certainly some force in this argument. But rather than examine it, I will simply state my firm conviction. For a seeker who wishes to live in fear of God and see him face to face, restraint in diet is essential. Such a seeker must be as careful about how much and what they eat as they are about their thoughts and speech.

In a matter, however, where my theory has failed me, I should not only give the information, but issue a grave warning against adopting it. I would therefore urge those who, on the strength of the theory propounded by me, may have given up milk, not to persist in the experiment, unless they find it beneficial in every way, or unless they are advised by experienced physicians. Up to now my experience here has shown me, that for those with a weak digestion and for those who are confined to bed, there is no light and nourishing diet equal to that of milk.

However, when my theory has failed me, I should do more than share that information. I should also issue a serious warning against following the theory. Some people may have given up milk based on the theory I put forward. I urge them not to continue the experiment unless they find it beneficial in every way or experienced doctors advise them to continue. So far, my experience has shown me that no light, nourishing diet equals milk for people with weak digestion or those confined to bed.

I should be greatly obliged, if any one with experience in this line, who happens to read this chapter, would tell me, if he has known from experience, and not from reading, of a vegetable substitute for milk, which is equally nourishing and digestible.

I would be very grateful if anyone with experience in this area who reads this chapter could tell me of a plant-based substitute for milk that is equally nourishing and digestible. I ask for knowledge gained from experience, not from reading.