He had made clear to the nation the points on which they were in agreement and on which they could build a future even more glorious than their past. He had shown them the value and significance of the culture that they had inherited from their ancestors — a culture in comparison with which any other, past or present, paled into. insignificance. Indian nationalism was to be based on the nation's great past, but new things had also to he assimilated in the process of growth. Her heritage from the past, he pointed out, was essentially a religious one. The main current of Indian life had always flowed in the channel of religion, and from this the nation's needs in all departments of life had been supplied. More than once religion had come to the rescue of secular life. The fundamental problem in India was therefore to organize the country round the spiritual ideal. By religion he meant the eternal principles taught by the scriptures, not local customs and superstitions. These latter were growths that required weeding out. Above all, the nation depended on the character and qualities of its individual members. On the strength of its individuals depended the strength of the nation. So each person who desired the good of the nation as a whole, should try, whatever his walk of life, to build up his character by developing courage, strength, self-respect, and love and service for others. To the young men especially, he held out renunciation and service as the highest ideals.

During his discourses he used to lay stress on the steadiness of character of the British. He would say that if India was to rise, help and co-operation of a solid nature could be expected from England and England alone.