29. To Rabindranath Tagore

Segaon, Wardha,
19-2-'37

DEAR GURUDEV,

I got your letter of the 10th inst. five days ago. Your trust in me and affection for me are there to be seen in every line but what about my amazing limitations? My shoulders are too weak to bear the burden you wish to impose upon me. My regard for you pulls me in one direction, my reason in the opposite and it would be folly on my part to surrender reason to emotion in a question like the one that faces me. I know that if I undertake the trust I would not need to go into details of administration but it does imply capacity for financing the Institution and what I heard two days ago has deepened my reluctance for I understand that in spite of your promise to me in Delhi you are about to go to Ahmedabad on a begging expedition. I was grieved and I would ask you on bended knee to forgo the expedition if it is really decided upon. And in any case I would beg of you to recall my appointment as one of the trustees.

With love and reverence,
M.K. GANDHI

From a photostat: S.N. 26412