Page 73 - Acharya Vinoba Bhave in 21st Century ISBN

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the village Mullaji who had given him first lessons in the Quran, but several others too, were surprised
at the perfection he had achieved. When Mahatma came to know of Vinoba’s study of the Quran, he

was much pleased and said: ‘’Some one of us had to do it, it is a pleasure that Vinoba is doing it.’’
These blessings from Gandhiji further encouraged Vinoba and he continued to the study with increasing

zeal. In those days, the Arab countries used to broadcast recitations from the Holy Book which Vinoba
was hearing daily with such rapt attention that afterwards he is able to recite verses from the Quran

faultlessly like any learned Maulvi-Hafiz. His study continued and in course of time, he learnt not only
the meaning of verses, but also the origin of words, compositions and grammar. It went on even during

the periods of his imprisonments.

The love of understanding Quran
Vinoba read the Quran with such devotion that many times tears fall down his cheeks. This

reminds one of the ‘devotees’ referred to in the Book. Whenever he read the chapters of the Book
revealed at Mecca, he goes into ecstasy. Once when he narrated this experience to Badshah Khan-

Abdul Gaffar Khan,-the man of God, he disclosed that he, too, had similar experiences. In those days
Maulana Abdulkalam Azad used to come to Wardha to see Gandhiji. Once Mahatmaji asked Vinoba

to recite from the Quran in his presence. When he heard he was surprised at Vinoba’s pronunciations
and was much pleased to know that Vinoba had put in strenuous efforts to achieve such perfection.

The Maulana was an Arabic scholar and had a deep study of the Quran, as such Vinoba earnestly
desired that the Maulana completed his unfinished work of translation of the Holy Book. But it ever

remained an unrealized wish, for Maulana could not get the necessary peace of mind and time for such
a work, preoccupied as he was with other activities. The information was sought from ‘Cubbare

Khater’ and ‘India Wins Freedom,’ but posterity was not fortunate to have from him his valuable
translation of the Quran. It remained unfinished till the end of his life. 2

Vinoba was so well versed in Quran that he could reply to any question or clear any doubt, or
elucidate any important topic or subject dealt within the Holy Book. He has simply to turn a page here

or there. That is why editing the ‘Essence of the Quran’ he could grasp the subject in its entirety, take
appropriate selections and make a comprehensive subject-wise arrangement. For years this selective

study remained almost a passion with him except for a brief period during the Bhoodan Movement.
But the broken thread was taken up again when he had come to Ajmer to attend the annual Sarvodaya

Conference. He was determined this time to make a compilation of selected portions from it. After a
continuous labour of a year and a half with Shri.Achyut miya as Vinoba used to call him as he was the

scholar of Arabic, the ‘Essence of the Quran’ could take the present form. As a matter of fact, an
attempt at this had been going on for the last 25 years, and when one looks at the analytical study that

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