59. Ba's sympathetic nature

In 1942, when Dr. Sushila Nayar was under detention in Poona, she received one day the sad news that her sister-in-law had died, leaving behind her a seven-day old new-born. Therefore, her elder brother and her mother applied to the Government to release her on parole for a few days. But the application was turned down. Hearing this Ba said to Bapu, "I think, Sushila should at this time be with her mother. "But if she goes," replied Bapu, "who will attend on you? You are not well at all."

"I know that I shall be inconvenienced by her going away," rejoined Ba, "but I am not so selfish as not to think of another's sorrow." Later on, she suggested to Sushilabehn to write home at least a letter of sympathy, at the same time explaining the whole situation. But Sushilabehn had sometime earlier informed the Government that she would not correspond with her family, and so had her brother Pyarelal. Accordingly, Ba asked Bapu to persuade both the sister and the brother to write the letter. Whereupon Bapu said to them, "It is on my advice you informed the Government that you would not write letters home. But in the present situation I feel you should write." This was done and Ba's mind was at rest.