The Moral Vision
Capability and Alertness
~ 123 ~
CAPABILITY AND ALERTNESS
Raja Mohinder Pratap (1886-1979) was one of those
Indians who went to Russia and met Vladimir
Lenin (1870-1924). He was one of a delegation of
freedom-fighters who met the Russian leader in
1919. He tells how, when he entered the room of the
first ruler of communist Russia, Lenin rose to his
feet, and went himself to fetch a small armchair
from the corner of the room. Raja Mohinder Pratap
took his seat on the armchair and Lenin sat next to
him on a sofa. The revolutionary leader’s first
sentence was:
“In which language should I speak: English,
German, French or Russian?”
It was finally settled that the conversation would be
conducted in English. Raja Mohinder Pratap offered
Lenin a copy of his book ‘The Religion of Love’. “I
have read this book,” Lenin said, as soon as he took
hold of it. Raja Mohinder Pratap was astonished.
Where on earth could Lenin have obtained the
book? The previous evening, Lenin explained, when
Raja Mohinder Pratap had met his secretary to fix
