PREFACE

Most people when they talk of India, most books when they treat of India, are concerned with its differences from the rest of the world. It is the appearance and the dress of its peoples, their customs and habits, their superstitions¹ and religions, that are explained and wondered at.

That is not so here. In this book little or nothing is said of any of these matters; they do not interest me; they are superficial², and I do not care for surface things; they are what divide, and truth is what unites.

It is of the humanity³ which India shares with the rest of the world, the hearts that beat always the same under whatever skin, the ideals⁴ that can never be choked by no matter what customs or religions, that this book is concerned with.

India sees life through different windows than we do; but her eyes are as our eyes, and she has the same desires as we have. She has been nearly dead or sleeping for long, but at last she moves. She is awake or waking. Should it not be our task, our pleasure and our pride, to help her early steps along the path of conscious strength that leads to a national life such as that we have been proud of? And to do so must we not try to understand her?

Have we ever tried?

I do not think we have; but the time is coming when, unless we can go hand in hand with her along her path to nationhood, she will desert us. Her destiny⁵ is calling her; shall we keep her back?

We cannot keep her back. "No one can be more wise than Destiny." And if we stand in her way, who will suffer like we shall? For her sake⁶ and for ours should we not try to understand?

This book is an attempt at a beginning.

1 superstitions   

迷信，迷信行为( superstition的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Old superstitions seem incredible to educated people. 旧的迷信对于受过教育的人来说是不可思议的。
• Do away with all fetishes and superstitions. 破除一切盲目崇拜和迷信。

2 superficial   

adj.肤浅的，浅薄的，表面的

参考例句：

• He has a superficial knowledge of this subject.他对这门学科略知皮毛。
• A superficial injury is not serious.表面的伤不太严重。

3 humanity   

n.人类，[总称]人(性)，人道[pl.]人文学科

参考例句：

• Such an act is a disgrace to humanity.这种行为是人类的耻辱。
• We should treat animals with humanity.我们应该以仁慈之心对待动物。

4 ideals   

n.理想的事物[人]( ideal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This terrorists brainwashed him into believing in their ideals. 恐怖分子迫使他相信他们的理想。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One of his ideals is to become a pianist. 他的理想之一是成为钢琴家。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 destiny   

n.命运，定数，天命

参考例句：

• Nobody knows his own destiny.没有人知道自己的命运。
• It was her destiny to become famous.她命里注定出名。

6 sake   

n.缘故，理由

参考例句：

• He loves poetry for beauty's sake.他因为爱美而喜欢诗歌。
• We can't risk big things for the sake of small ones.我们不能因小失大。