________________ 107 Chapter 4 Three Letters M ahatma Gandhi and Shrimad Rajchandra had engaged in a prolific exchange of correspondence. However, only three of the letters written between these great souls are available to us now. In the first of these letters Gandhiji asks twenty-seven key questions along with secondary questions, making thirty-five questions in all. Gandhiji wrote in the true style of a barrister, deeply searching and with absolute clarity. Shrimad responded from the very depths of his knowledge, experience, and balanced view. These letters and the spiritual books Shrimad sent to Gandhiji quenched his spiritual thirst. Shrimad's all-encompassing universal adherence to the eternal truth, devoid of any sectarianism truly touched Gandhiji. Gandhiji received news of Shrimad's death prior to his return to India in VS 1957. On his arrival in India, Gandhiji met Shrimad's family members and developed a friendship with Shrimad's younger brother, Mansukhbhai. When he returned to South Africa in VS 1958, Gandhiji took with him the Atmasiddhi Shastra and other spiritual compositions written by Shrimad. The responses to the 35 questions given by Shrimad to Gandhiji have been published in the book "Shrimad Rajchandra" (Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram - Agas 5th Edition 1988) as letter numbers 530, 570 and 717. (Aso vad VS1950, Fagun vad 5th VS 1951 and Aso sud 3rd VS 1952). These are also appended in this publication.
