Sisters of Mercy

[January 1927]

...At the women's meeting yesterday, I started a fresh piece of propaganda. Women here [in North Bihar] wear heavy ornaments of silver, do not comb their hair, and keep their children dirty. I therefore condemned the wearing of jewellery, with the result that some of the sisters gave away their anklets and necklaces on condition that an on account should the jewellery donated be replaced. While receiving these gifts, I remembered all of you down there, for you could do this kind of work very much more effectively than I. And you must equip yourselves for it by renunciation and devotion. Ba has been very helpful to me these days.
Atmavat Sarvabhuteshu! That is, we must entertain the same regard for others as we have for ourselves. And if we did, we would be ashamed to find other people's children dirty, as we would be if they were our own. So also if we found others in distress, we would make that distress our own and try to relieve it.

Paush shudi 14.