पान:ना. गोखले चरित्र.pdf/१२८

९६

रानड्यांची महती.

 "He was one of those men who appear, from time to time in different countries and on different occasions, to serve as a light to guide the footsteps of our weak and erring humanity. He was a man with a mission in life- the preacher of a new gospel, one who imparted a new impulse to our thoughts and breathed a new hope into our hearts. A great and a massive intellect, a heart that overflowed with the love of his country, an earnest and dauntless spirit, an infinite capacity for work, patience inexhaustible and an humble faith in the purpose of Providence that nothing shook- and a man so equipped could worthily undertake the task of moulding the thoughts, hopes and aspirations of his countrymen. The grandeur and nobility of his soul impressed itself on all who came in any kind of contact with him; men were afraid to think unworthy thoughts before him; they felt themselves to be in an atmosphere of holiness of love and of service— they felt as though they were in the presence of a being of a higher order. Well, gentlemen, such men are among the chosen instruments of God to work out His beneficent purpose."
 वरील भक्तिपूर्ण उद्गारांवरून रानड्यांकडे गोपाळराव कोणत्या दृष्टीनें पहात असत हें दिसून येईल. या साध्या व सरळ भाषणांत गोखल्यांचें हृदय ओतलें आहे.
 १९०४ च्या बजेटवरील भाषणांत त्या वर्षी लष्कराकरितां वाढविण्यांत येणाऱ्या खर्चावर त्यांनी टीका केली. सेनापतिसाहेबांनी हिंदुस्तानांतील आंग्लपुत्रांना सैन्यांत दाखल होण्यास आग्रहानें सांगितले. परंतु हिंदु लोकांस मात्र मज्जाव? 'May not the government consider the desirability of permitting- aye, inviting-carefully selected classes from among the children of the soil to share in the