I must not exaggerate. Let me admit that the realisation of ideals has its external part, which depends for its development upon materials. And materials—both human and non-human—offer resistance. To be overcoming such resistance is success, and therefore it must not be lightly spoken of.
But what I had in my mind was this, that the mastery of grammar and the creation of literature may not coincide. Emphasis upon grammar may hinder perfectness of expression. Success in materials may go contrary to the fulfilment of ideals. For material success has its temptation. Often our idealism is exploited for the sake of obtaining success—we have seen that in the late war. In consequence the battle has been won, but the ideal has not been reached.
Ever since the scheme of the International University has been made public, the conflict in my mind has been unceasing—the conflict between the vision of the ideal and the vision of success. The plan itself is big and has a great scope for the ambition of men, who love to show their power and gain it. It is not merely ambition which lures our minds; it is the wrong value which we set upon certain results. To be certain of the inner truth requires imagination and faith, and therefore it is always in danger of being missed, even when it is near at hand—whereas external success is obvious.
You remember how Chitra, in my play of that name, became jealous of the physical beauty lent to her by the Gods—because it was a mere success, not truth itself. Truth can afford to be ignored, but not to be allied to unreality for the sake of success.
Unfortunately, facts are cited to show that all over the world the prudent and the wise are in the habit of making pact with Mephistopheles to build roads to reach their God. Only they do not know that God has not been reached—and that success and God are not the same thing. When I think of all this, I feel a longing for the simplicity of poverty, which, like the covering of certain fruits, conceals and protects the richness and freshness of the deeper ideal. All the same, as I have said, the pursuit of success must not be abandoned for mere want of energy and spirit. Let it represent our sacrifice for the truth and not for itself. *