Madhusudan_Das

His Life and Achievements 143
Those were in the core of their hearts. 1 produced below a letter written by
Mr. Das during the fateful days of the Non-cooperation movement which
will speak the depth of feeling and love he had for Gopabandhu. He said
: "I am anxious for your health. I have grown desperate and may pass
away any day. You are the only person with whom I should like in my
death bed. Take care of your health".
LET MY MORTAL BODY MINGLE IN THE DUST OF MY COUNTRY
Madhusudan was already 75 years old when he resigned from the
Ministership in 1923. By that time Gopabandhu was only 46. With his
youthful vigour and with no family burden, Gopabandhu dedicated his
life to the cause of the poor and the downtrodden and moved from village
to village to serve the suffering humanity without caring for his health,
by which he shattered his health. Because of this perhaps. Madhusudan
grew more apprehensive and asked him to take care of his health. But
Gopabandhu a man of the people, could not remain behind the doors
looking after his own self when the people faced starvation and death.
From the innermost part of his heart he sang the glorious song ' let my
mortal body mingle in dust of my country and let my countrymen walk
over it'. This was the philosophy of life of a true servant of the people and
a man of God. He passed away from this mortal world at the age of 51.
seven years before the death of Madhusudan. In the death of Gopabandhu.
the true spirit of Gandhism in Orissa disappeared though the Gandhian
methods were used as a strategy by some others to meet the challenges of
the time. In 1934 in the death of Madhusudan. the end of a glorious
chapter of the history of Orissa was marked.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE SAINT
Madhusudan and Gopabandhu abhorred the idea of making
personal gains dirough national service. In one of his famous writings
Madhusudan said :
Life is a race, the world is a race course. Birth is the starting point,
death the goal and duty the fence to keep us straight on the way
to that goal. It should be the aim of our young men to realize the
presence of soul within them, to feel that life is a mission The
object of life is not pursuit of pleasure for one's self, but to seek
opportunity and means to make others happy.
What Madhusudan said in his writings, Gopabandhu had shown
in practice in his life. He seldom lived in palatial buildings, seldom