013 Gandhiji's immense faith in Gita

ybrem (Remarks of yb- i.e. this blogger): Mr. Shyam (Gupta) elsewhere in his comments at this blog, wanted source of some quotes of Gandhiji on Gita. That acted as trigger for me. Mr. Shyam may please see the advice Gandhiji gave to Ramdas Gandhi. I (yb blogger) converted vol. 32 of Gandhiji's work into a text format. Hence I could not restrain myself from reading and processing it. Some more blog posts will come from volumes 32 and 64.

12. LETTER TO RAMDAS GANDHI
Wednesday, June 17, 1925

CHI. RAMDAS,

I am waiting for a train at Khulna. On reaching Khulna
from Barisal by steamer I received a telegram that Deshbandhu
Das was no more. I am deeply shocked; because we had come very close at Darjeeling2 . My anguish has a selfish cause: But it is there and I am not able to get over it. I have sent a few telegrams. After debating whether I should eat or fast I came to the conclusion that it would be proper to eat. And then of course there was the meeting here. I attended it.4 But for that meeting I would have gone straight to Calcutta. At the meeting I broke down
although I did my best not to. After that I had no desire left to
write. So I span. Spinning brought comfort. Then I bathed and ate. Then the post was brought. It included your letter and many others. I went through them. And now I have sat down to write to you, because this is the most convenient time.

It means a lot to me that you have started taking interest in the work there. May that interest continue. Try to read the Gita occasionally, and if possible regularly. Even if you read only twoverses you must read them along with the meaning.
(ybrem: I am quoting only a part of Gandhiji's letter).

ybrem
*Readers may please see Gandhiji's stress on MEANING of the verses of Gita.
*There are people who read or recite some verses of Bible or Quran every-day. I am not sure whether people can really change (or not change!) by reading books. Some of my friends argue that people do not change by reading books or seeing films (good? bad?). I believe that changeability depends on numerous factors relating to the age, mental state, brought up, educational background, socio-economic conditions etc. of the reader. We may not be able to generalise.

*Did Ramdas Gandhi follow the advice of Mahatma Gandhi? Did he read two verses everyday? If he read, did he change in accordance with the precepts of Gita? Some Gandhian historian has to guide us on this. But please keep in mind. This will be a hind-sight view. Will have only limited utility.