superior to them all, for the end attained by him is the most desirable. The last verse of the chapter then introduces the Yogin whose goal is God, the God-realiser, the sweep of whose experience is infinite, compared with that of the selfrealiser.

Far above all the Yogins, 'he who, with the mind fixed on me, worships me in full faith, is deemed by me to be the most accomplished of Yogins.' This sentence, introduces ' quite aptly' the subject of God-realisation explained in the next six chapters. And we cannot do better than close our remarks with a short extract from the exposition of Professor Rangachariar at the end of his book (p. 635).

"The injunction here intimated to Arjuna, to the effect that he should endeavour to become a

God-knowing, God-believing, and God-devoted Yogin, need not necessarily imply that he was called upon to give up his immediate duty of giving battle to the enemy and to enter instead upon the practice of the yoga of meditation and mental concentration, so as to achieve self-realisation and God-realisation by getting into the supra-normal state of Samadhi. On the other hand, what really appears to be the intended aim is, that he was asked to conduct himself in the manner in which the Yogin who has arrived at God-realisation and has become God-knowing, God-believing, and God-devoted, would conduct himself in the situation, surrendering himself to God, and making of himself no more than a ready and willing instrument to carry out the will of God."

1. MYSORE, 1914-15.

HE administration of Mysore differs in a very material way from the administration prevailing in other Native States, in the best of which an intelligent combination of Eastern and Western methods are seen to exist. Mysore was for half a century under direct British control, and the salient features of that rule in the British districts of the Presidency characterised Mysore when the Rendition took place. H. H. the Maharajah and the statesmen Dewans, who have from the Rendition, guided the destinies of Mysore, have in no special degree diverged from the administrative methods stereotyped by the British, but have not hesitated to modify conditions where and when they

the

who has had an intimate acquaintance with по doubt be read with interest. [Ed. 1.R.] found to be necessary. More, the Mysore Govern. ment have emerged from the well-worn rut of British routine and have dared, and adopted, measures of far-reaching importance with a courage and conviction which have justified their expectations. The adoption and financing of the Cauvery power scheme, for example, was quite a new departure in slow moving India. In social legislation, in introducing compulsory education, and in other directions, Mysore has moved forward with no hesitating step. In such matters a Native State Ruler is in a superior position to that of the British Government, with their cumbrous machinery, their endless red-tape, their myriad precedents and their limitations as administrators of alien race, religion and ideals. Since Sir Visves

raya's assumption of the Dewanship, things have progressed more rapidly than usual. Enthusiastic, optimistic, and persevering, Sir Visvesvaraya is unwearied in his purpose to infuse into the apathetic and unimaginative masses of the people in Mysore, some of the ambition for the welfare of the State over which he presides which dominates his mind. And it would seem that he is succeeding, in spite of the vaticinations of hypercritical publicists, who, when Indians are slow in any action, or undertaking, condemn them as apathetic and unenterprizing, and, when they are sanguine and enterprizing, declare that there is little use in their starting hares which cannot be pursued ! But no man who tries to rise above the average has escaped criticism of an unfavourable kind, and as Mark Twain remarked, a man with a new idea is a crank till the idea materializes in fact. There is not the remotest doubt that the measures taken by the Government of Mysore in educating the people their efforts in this direction culminating in a University, the need for which is much felt in South India-in organizing an Economic Conference, in encouraging the Cooperative Credit movement, in promoting Industrial schemes and establishing State factories of sandal wood-oil, distillation, etc., in Research work of sorts, in organizing industrial and agricultural Exhibitions and, in short, in earnestly endeavouring to better the material, the intellectual and the moral condition of His Highness' subjects are already bearing fruit, and in the not distant future will prove of immense benefit to the country.

There is no necessity to burden this brief record, of the advance Mysore is making in good government, with statistics. The financial condition of the State is sound, and the new sources of wealth which are beginning to be tapped are calculated to place Mysore's financial prosperity on-as far as ordinary circumstances promise an unassailable basis. But apart from

administrative success, there is visible in the people a growing consciousness-it cannot yet be termed a desire that it is their duty to co operate with the Government, and so to help themselves. In his speech at the last Representative Assembly, the Dewan instituted a comparison between Mysore and some of the advanced countries of the world in regard to their resources in materials and men which, at a glance, indicates that "in point of capacity and skill or what economists term personal wealth," Mysore islamentably deficient; aud this deficiency in the Dewan's view is due to the "lack of education of science and of world knowledge"-to say nothing of the low standard of living, the absence of full earning power, of aspiration, initiative, and of effort. "The best proof we can give that we realize our position is to make an energetic effort to develop the country to a higher level of efficiency." This is the raison d'être of the Government's activities, which are most praiseworthy. The main heads of such an effort are developments in administration, in the direction of economic efficiency, and in civic and social life. There is no necessity to enter into details. The important and essential factor under these heads is to enlist and utilise the knowledge and experience, the trust and confidence of the people by securing their wholehearted co-operation. In this process, the population will unconsciously get to realize their own strength and learn to do for themselves what they are incapable of doing now. India is an official-ridden country. Even in the great cities of Calcutta and Bombay and Madras, the official in civic life is still to a great extent the predominant influence, and it is only when the official becomes a negligible quantity in the public life of business, of enterprize, of wealth and the many-sided activities of this work-a-day world, can it be said that a people is able to manage their own concerns and have become independent in thought and action. As the Dewan said, "the

efficiency of an administration depends in the last resort on the energy, the capacity and the vigilance of the people."

Saint Nihal Singh, the author and journalist, in a recent book on the "Indian Princes of India" said that they were voluntarily surrendering their most precious privileges in the people's interests. This is quite true. Where autocratic rule and methods once held sway, there are now Legislative Councils of elected Members, the right of Interpellation, Representative Assemblies, and a voice on the disposal of the State finances. Last year H. H. the Maharajah of Mysore granted to the representatives of the people the privilege of discussing the budget, and in His Highness' rescript, of a few weeks ago, the privilege of holding two sessions of the Representative Assembly. This means extra work for officials, but it also means a whipping up of their activities, a bienniel stock taking, and keeping before the public their obligations with respect to their cooperation with the authorities.

"When nations so incomparably richer than ourselves, who already possess a connected scheme of national life are thinking of reconstruction, are we-who have no prosperity at all worth mentioning to sit still? Shall we remain content with our low standard of life and work, or adopt a policy of development of progress," said Sir Visvasvaraya in his concluding words. There is but one answer to such an interrogation, and Mysore is doing its best to respond.

2. BARODA 1914-15.

ARODA is one of the leading Native States in India, and though we have no idea of comparing what is being done in the State, with what is being done in other progressive States of similar standing in the matter of good government, we consider it disirable to briefly record the salient points of recent administrative achievement in the State. A careful perusal of the

Administration Report for last year convinces us that though His Highness the Maharajah, and his advisers, have a good grip of administrative problems and are keenly alive to their responsibilities, adverse natural conditions, and the ignorance and lack of resource in the people, are obstacles to the full realization of complete success. The financial position of the State is sound, inasmuch as the treasury is richer by about 44 lakhs of rupees than it was in the year previous. The reserve has been augmented by about 34 lakhs. Investments to the amount of about 2 crores of rupees in Railways, and about 40 lakhs in reproductive Irrigation Works, still further ensure the financial stability of the State. Among the natural obstacles to the complete well-being of the Maharajah's territory is the inequality in area, population and resources of the four divisions into which the State is divided, and which renders administrative control and achievement rather more difficult than would be the case in a compact block of country. Another and very serious hindrance to continued prosperity is famine. The famine of 1899-1900 left the State in a sad condition from which it has not yet quite recovered. Since 1900, though there has been no severe distress, no fat years of plenty have followed. The recuperative and resistant powers of the people are inadequate, as may be deduced from the fact that the population has decreased during the last 30 years by 150,000. Another obstacle is the toll levied on the lives of the people by malaria. Insufficient food and lack of stamina lead naturally to inability to withstand disease and the remedy for all this is education, sanitation, and economic development. With regard to supplying the first of these requirements, the Maharajah's Government spares no expense. Indeed, expenditure under this head is always on the increase, the amount disbursed in 1914-15 being 18,34,809, or Rs. 1,13,239 in addition to the year previous. There is a growing demand for secon

no

ary education. New primary schools have been opened and the provisions of the Compulsory Education Act were more strictly enforced. The Baroda College staff has been strengthened, the salaries of primary school teachers improved, foreign scholarships granted, a Sanskrit Pathashala opened mainly for the study of Sanskrit literature and imparting religious and practical instruction in the performance of rites and ceremonies, free of charge, to the children of the priestly class. There are boys and girls' high schools, anglo-vernacular schools, two training colleges, one for women, while the education of special classes, the education of forest tribes, technical and industrial education and workshops for practical instruction is borne in mind. Besides the special institutions for orphans and juvenile offenders, the instruction of music, Sanskrit and an institution for deaf-mutes, are in existence. The physical, the moral and religious sides of education are carefully attended to, while libraries and books are freely supplied.

The fruition of the seed thus being planted will be realized in, perhaps, another generation. Sanitation and medical relief are by no means neglected though there is much room for improvement. In the matter of economic development there is abundant scope for expansion. Only 12.3 per cent. of the population is engaged in industrial work. The general poverty of the population is seen from the fact that only 4 per cent, are living on their income. Professions and the liberal arts occupy 3.7 per cent. and only 6.4 per cent. are occupied in trade. Agriculture, as elsewhere in India, accounts the bulk, for 65.6 per cent.

Though an Economic Adviser has been appointed, a Department of Commerce and Industries organized, loans have been extended for keeping existing industries, and an industrial advisory committee formed, there is ample room for economic development, and

Mr. V. P'. Madhava Rao considers that a welldefined policy of State encouragement and practical assistance is essential if any further improvement is to take place. The growing emigration of the people to industrial centres outside the State is a serious menace to its well-being.

The pressing necessity appears to be to make a systematic attempt to manufacture the raw produce of the State, such as cotton, for instance, inside the State limits instead of permitting it to enrich Bombay and other industrial centres.

Local self-government is, and is not, a success in Baroda. The scheme of organization was well conceived. Taking the village as a unit, the village service was first improved, and this led to the formation of the village Panchayat. The next step was the Local Board and, lastly, the Legislative Council was the coping-stone to the structure of local self-government. So far success has been achieved, but the narrow resources of the local bodies do not enable them to undertake the responsibilities which fall to them, and there appears to be no spring, or energy, in the village Panchayats. Co-operative Credit may energize the Panchayat into activity, and the District Officers should infuse vigour into a system, the decay of which is so much deplored. There is much more of interest in the Report, which we regret we are unable to mention, and this brief review may fitly close with a quotation. Mr. Dutt, in 1903-4, wrote relative to economic development: "It may be that in Baroda, peace, order, and good government have been established later than in British Guzerat, and commercial enterprize is therefore somewhat belated. Whatever may be the reason, let us fully realize and candidly acknowledge that it will be our own fault as administrators if we fail to bring about those favourable conditions under which trade and manufactures prosper, to remove that feeling of uncertainty handed down from the past which deadens enterprize, and by liberal fiscal measures and a wise continuity of policy to create that feeling of security under which the people are always prompt to work out their own salvation."

These wise words apparently have been taken to heart. The economic condition of a people is not improved in a day. There is no royal road to achieve economic success, and only by patient and sustained endeavour is any improvement possible and the Maharajah and his advisers are going the right way to work.

mother, the daughter of the famous Nizam-ulDoulah, who renounced the life of the Persian Court to spend his days in religious retirement. She took care that I should continue the education commenced under my father's guidance." He was already grounded in Arabic and Persian literature and history, and now under able English tutors he was able to receive a liberal education on Western lines. The physical side of education was also well attended to, and the boy grew to have a passion for outdoor games. With training such as this, he grew up under the vigilant eye of Lady Ali Shah.

Even from his young age he began to take a keen interest in the welfare of his followers -the Khojas. These people were originally converts to Islam. They have come to regard themselves as followers of the Ismailia branch of Shiaism, of which the ancestors of the Aga Khan have claimed to be the religious heads. He holds practically the same position among them as does the Pope among the Roman Catholics. Some of them even go beyond this and venerate him as God incarnate. They pay him a certain share of their income called Zakaat. It is in this way that the Aga Khan makes a large amount of his income His religious authority and interest does not end with the Khojahs. The Ismailians are dispersed in different parts of Asia and Africa. Though he has had no opportunity of personally meeting his followers in the interior of Asia, he has from time to time travelled amongst his followers not only in India but along the Persian Gulf littoral, in Arabia, along the east coast of Africa and elsewhere. He has tried to take an active interest in their industrial and commercial advancement. His followers have from his very youth been much attached to him. His youthful commands were obeyed with as much willingness and zeal as his later ones. When, as early as 1893, the unfortunate Hindu-Muslim riots took place in Bombay, the Aga Khan kept his followers quite aloof from embroiling themselves in the muddle. He wis of especial help to them in the troubled days of famine and plague which broke out in the Bombay Presidency about the year 1897.