Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work/Chapter 14
CHAPTER XIV.
Principal of the Sanskrit College:—Female Education.
Shortly after he had been installed as Principal of the Sanskrit College, Vidyasagar had to meet with a most heart-rending, afflicting calamity in the death of his sincere friend and well-wisher, Mr. J. E. D. Bethune, who had been a member of the Legislative Council and President of the Education Council, and who, in 1849, had established a girl-school in Calcutta for the propagation of female education in this country. In this matter, Vidyasagar had been a great help to Bethune, who had, therefore, made him Honorary Secretary of his newly established girl-school. Bethune was a great friend of the natives of the soil.
But it should be noticed here, in passing, that the establishment of the girl-school by Bethune for female education was not the first move in the direction. A girl-school, known by the name of "Juvenile Pathsala" had been started in 1820 through the exertions of the School Book Society. From the educational report for that year, it is seen, that nearly 40 girls of poor families obtained prizes for their proficiency. Raja Radha Kanta Dev Bahadur, in his report, said:—"Several native girls educated by the Female Society were also examined, whose proficiency in reading and spelling, gave great pleasure." In 1842, there were fifty female schools in the different parts of Calcutta with nearly 800 pupils on their rolls. A detailed account of these schools is to be found in Raja Radha Kanta Dev's "Stri Siksha Vidhayaka," a manuscript paper in Bengali, which he offered to the Female Society. In this essay, he attempted to show, that female education had been customary with the Hindus from a long time, and that even recently many Hindu females of higher classes had won much celebrity for their attainments and accomplishments. Among these, he named Rani Bhavani of Murshidabad, who had attained much proficiency in her mother tongue, and superintended the management of her estate affairs personally; and another celebrated Brahman lady, by name Hati Vidyalankar, who was so vastly erudite in the Sanskrit Literature, that, like other eminent scholars of the male sex, she appeared at the meetings of Pandits, and discussed Sastric matters. He also mentioned a third Brahman lady, named Syamasundari, of the Faridpore district, who had attained a great proficiency in the Nyaya philosophy. Her husband too was a profound Sanskrit scholar. Raja Radha Kanta, by these and other means, encouraged the education of the females of his nation. But, in a few years, several Hindus having been converted into the Christian faith, there arose a disagreement between the Hindus and the Christians, which had a great derogatory influence on the girl-schools started and worked on European principle. At this time, Bethune, the greatest friend of the black natives, particularly of their females, came forward to their rescue, and started, in 1849, a girl-school with 25 pupils, in the premises of Babu Dakshina Ranjan Mukharji of Sukea's Street. It was afterwards removed to a part of the Hare School building, whence it was finally removed to its present site in Cornwallis Street, where it has now a building, of its own. Bethune was a kind and generous man of respectable station and influence. He was, a sincere well-wisher of the natives. His idea was, that to raise the sons of the Hindus, one of the most ancient civilised nations of the world, from their fallen state, it was necessary that the females of the nation should be properly educated. His object was to give the pupils of his girl-school a decent instruction without the admixture of anything of Christianity with it. He had, therefore, given his school the name, "The Hindu Female School" which was subsequently changed to the "Bethune Female School," after the name of its founder.
When Bethune thus appeared in the scene of action, he was glad to find a black native co-operator and fellow-worker in the person of Pandit Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar. As president of the Education Council, Bethune had known him, for some time past, as a most talented, energetic, and painstaking worker, and had unbounded confidence in his words and actions. He was happy to find such a co-adjutor in the same field, and at once made him Honorary Secretary of his school. In this affair, Vidyasagar obtained assistance and co-operation of some of his friends and a few respectable, influential natives. Among them, the names of Madan Mohan Tarkalankar, Sambhu Nath Pandit, Ram Gopal Ghosh, Raja Dakshina Ranjan, and some others, appear prominently. Most of them had sent in their daughters to the school, and co-operated so largely, that each of them might be separately called the founder of the institution. They had to suffer a great hardship at the hands of their countrymen; particularly Madan Mohan Tarkalankar, who was even boycotted from society, as he was the pioneer of them all, having been the first to send in his daughters, Bhuvanmala and Kundamala. Even the news-papers of the time indulged in side-glances and inuendoes against these martyrs.
Bethune often visited his dear school, in company with Vidyasagar. Like David Hare, he used to take with him toys of a great variety for the little girls. He distributed the toys among the girls, and played with them, as if he was a little boy himself. Babu Jogendra Nath Bandyopadhyay, in his biography of Madan Mohan Tarkalankar, says that Bethune generally took the two girls, Bhuvanmala and Kundamala, to his house, and there patiently bore with their childish freaks of naughtiness. He also says, that Bethune's excessive fond attachment to these two little girls was the incentive that generated Lady Dalhousie's fondness for them.
One of Vidyasagar's chief merits was, that when he knew anything to be good and beneficial, he espoused its cause in right earnest, and applied himself, heart and soul, to its furtherance. He sincerely believed, that female education was highly beneficial to his country, and he earnestly and diligently devoted his energies to its progress. Through his unremitting zeal, perseverance, and efforts, backed by the powerful influence and co-operation of the philanthropic Bethune, funds were raised for the stability of the institution, which wanted a building of its own. Bethune himself contributed largely to the building fund. It was the munificent Bethune, that bore the most part of the monthly establishment charges of the school, which were considerably great. It was he, who defrayed the cost of bringing the girls to school from their houses in a horse-carriage. In short, it was Bethune, who bore the greater part of the expenses.
The carriage, in which the girls were taken to school and back again to their houses, had the words "কন্যাপ্যেবং পালনীয়া শিক্ষণীয়াতিযত্নতঃ" painted on it. The passage was selected and taken from the Sastras by Vidyasagar. It means that daughters too (like sons) should be carefully brought up and trained. Vidyasagar's idea was, that the passage would attract the eyes of his countrymen, who would thus see that the education of the females was not interdicted by the Sastras, but rather made an obligatory duty for every householder. But, unfortunately, his countrymen were tightly bound down by the customs of the country. They did not venture to try to get loose from that bond, and open their eyes to pry into the true intent of the Sastras and act up to it. Vidyasagar, therefore, could not secure the co-operation of the Hindus in general. He had to row hard against the tide. However, through the disinterested exertions of some of his friends and influential Europeans, he succeeded in his attempts a great way.
In 1851, Bethune got an invitation to visit the girl school of Janai, a village some 12 miles from Calcutta. It was the rainy season of tropical Bengal, but the philanthropic Bethune did not mind it. On his way to the place, he met a heavy shower of rain, and he was drenched to his skin. With great difficulty he reached Janai, but this was his last work. That very day he had an attack of Pneumonia, which carried him off. The sad news came upon Vidyasagar like a thunderbolt. He was so much grieved at the death of his dearest friend, that he once resolved to cut off his connection with the girl school, which bore not only Bethune's name, but also other gifts from him, and to give up his honorary post of the secretary; but at the request of the authorities, he had to continue in his office till 1869. Vidyasagar had such a fond regard for Bethune, that he had the latter's portrait hung on his own walls.
Vidyasagar treated the little girls of the school as if they were his own daughters. He was kind and lovely by nature. He greeted them cheerfully and affectionately, some with the address of 'mother,' some with 'sister', some with 'aunt'. On one occasion, Raja Dinkar Rao visited the school in company with Vidyasagar, and gave 300 rupees for distribution of sweets to the pupils. Cecil Beadon, the president of the School Committee, was afraid that the eating of a large quantity of sweets might generate their disorder of bowels. He forbade distribution of confectionery. Vidyasagar then determined to give them clothes, instead of sweetmeats. He consulted his mothers, sisters, and aunts, all of whom liked the idea. Accordingly he gave them each a piece of fine, Dacca-made Sari (female cloth). Even after he had given up his honorary office of the Secretary, Vidyasagar had the school most at heart. But subsequent difference of opinions with respect to mode of instruction made him, in his later days, averse to the institution.
As Principal of the Sanskrit College, Vidyasagar introduced another great innovation into the institution. Heretofore, the students of the College were all free, that is, they had to pay no tuition-fee. Vidyasagar saw the injustice of the practice. His idea was, that only poor boys, who were unable to afford to pay tuition-fee, should be permitted to read free, and not the sons of well-to-do families, who had sufficient means to pay. Besides, he was afraid, that unless some fees were realised from the students, the authorities, at any time, might, on pretexts of economy, abolish the institution altogether. These considerations led Vidyasagar to bring the matter to the notice of the Education Council The authorities approved of his scheme, and the system of fees was newly introduced into the College. It was ruled, that hence-forth all new-comers must pay tuition-fee, only a limited number of free studentships being reserved for poor boys.
Another of his most important acts, on his installation to the post of Principal of the Sanskrit College was to get the worm-eaten, time-worn manuscripts on Belles-lettres in the Library of the College printed. If he had not, at that time, taken up the matter, most probably the manuscripts would have disappeared. Besides these, he struck off a reprint of all the philosophical works.
He now directed his attention to the publication of his own compositions. On the 6th April, 1851, appeared his Sisusikska, Part IV. It was a Bengali version of Chambers's "Rudiments of Knowledge." It was originally intended for the girls of the Bethune School. Its language is easy and plain, though some of the words used are a little too stiff for those for whom it was intended. Like the original, it deals with diverse subjects instructive to young children. The name of the book was afterwards converted to its present name Bodhoday. It was, at first, titled "Sisusiksha, Part IV," because Madan Mohan Tarkalankar had al ready issued his "Sisusiksha, Parts I, II, III", all of which Vidyasagar had obtained the copyright of, at the time of his separation from Tarkalankar, referred to in' a previous chapter.
He next devoted his thoughts to the publication of the text-books for the Sanskrit College, which he had suggested in his lengthy report to the Education Council. On the 16th November, 1851, appeared his Upakramanika Vyakarana, the groundwork of which, it may be still fresh in the reader's memory, he had built by a few hours' toil in the night, for the use of his dear pupil and friend, Raj Krishna Banarji. Although its compilation was made in imitation of the summary of the "Sankshiptasar Vyakarana," it must be admitted, that it clearly displays his fertile, creative genius. Although it cannot bring about a sound knowledge of Grammar, there is no doubt that it has shown the easiest way to the attainment of Sanskrit. Pandit Ramgati Nyayratna, one of the best Sanskrit scholars, and late Head Master of the Hugh Training (Normal) School, says:—'It must be said that Vidyasagar, by the compilation of his "Upakramanika" and other similar grammars dressed in Bengali, has brought about a new era in Sanskrit education. Formerly, many English-educated learned men wished for a little knowledge of Sanskrit, but they could not approach it, for fear of the grim, fierce-looking Grammar that stood in the door-way. Vidyasagar has cleared that way. It is his "Upakramanika" that has enabled the young and the aged, whether in the town or in the country, to obtain some knowledge of Sanskrit. If they had to begin with an original Sanskrit grammar, how many of them would have the fortune to learn the language? In fact, if Vidyasagar had done nothing else, he would still have won the gratitude of the natives for clearing the way to Sanskrit by the compilation of his "Upakramanika" and other similar grammatical works.'
Vidyasagar has done one great good to the schools of this country. To his credit it must be said, that it was he who introduced the practice of summer vacation into all the schools and colleges of Bengal. He saw that it was very difficult for both students and their teachers to work in the school during the sultry months of May and June, when the heat was quite unbearable. He brought the matter to the notice of the authorities praying for summer vacation, which was granted him. For this act of universal good, the educational institutions of Bengal will ever remain grateful to Vidyasagar.
On the night of the 11th May, 1852, a robbery was committed in Vidyasagar's house at Birsingha. He was then at his native village, enjoying the summer vacation. The reader has already been acquainted with Vidyasagar's love for humanity and unbounded benevolence, combined with liberality. His practice, when at home, was to visit to each house in the villas, and succour the distrest whereever he found one. He gave food to the hungry, clothes to the naked, help and medicine with proper diet to the diseased. In this way he walked over the village, day and night, distributing alms. He helped with money those poor persons of higher classes, who felt ashamed to beg in public. A rumour, therefore, had got up in the neighbourhood, that Vidyasagar was immensely rich. The foolish could form no idea of the greatness of his heart. They had not the power to comprehend, that a philanthropic, liberal man spends every pice that he earns for the succour of the needy. The robbers got scent of the rumour, and had also the information, that Vidyasagar was come home from Calcutta with a good, round sum of money. In fact, they had no idea that Vidyasagar was not a man to save his money, or that he lived from hand to mouth, and laid out all his savings on charities, without reserving a single pice for himself and family. They broke open the gates of his house at midnight, and entered into it. They were about 30 or 40 in number. Vidyasagar was in great peril. Though he was very robust and strong, it was not possible that he could cope with so many fierce robbers, all armed with swords, spears, and clubs. He at once fled through the back-door with his parents and all the family, and thus saved their lives. The robbers looted, at their pleasure, everything they could lay their hands on. When they had departed with their booty, Vidyasagar sent information of the occurrence, that very night, to the neighbouring Police Station of Ghatal, his sub-district.
On the next morning, the Daroga of Police (a most notorious department of the Government of India even to the present day), arrayed in his best uniform, appeared on the scene. When he heard that there was no chance of blackmail there, he lost his temper, and began to display annoyance at matters most trivial. Vidyasagar's father, old Thakurdas, approached him, and said:—'As you are the son of a Kulin Brahman, I may give you something as a token of respect on that account, but I cannot pay you a single pice in this affair (meaning, the enquiry of the robbery).' With this, Thakurdas left him, and went out to make purchases of necessary plates and clothes. His eldest son (Vidyasagar), in company with his younger brothers and some youths of the village, engaged himself in athletic sports in front of his house. The Police Officer waxed wrathful at what seemed to him to be nothing short of insolence on the part of Vidyasagar. He thus expressed himself:—'How is it that the Brahman (meaning Thakurdas) is so bold as to declare openly before my presence, that he will not pay me a single pice; and how strange is it, that his unknown eldest son, (pointing to Isvar Chandra), 'that young fellow, is apathetic about the occurrence, and is engaged in sports; what sort of a man is he?' At this, one of his subordinates came forward and cautioned him, that he was not an ordinary, vulgar man, that the Deputy Magistrate of Jehanabad paid him visits and showed him due respect, and that he had an intimate friendship with the Governors. The Daroga was now greatly terrified. He was a coward. Cowards are apt to show courage, where there is no fear of danger, but they have no true courage and are always afraid to approach a bold man. As soon as he heard that Vidyasagar was a great man, connected with most influential bodies, all his arrogance and wrath vanished in an instant. He precipitated his retreat, and soon left the field of action.
When he returned to Calcutta, after the vacation, Vdiyasagar had an interview with Halliday, the then Deputy Governor of Bengal. In course of conversation, he introduced the story of the robbery. The Governor accused him of his cowardice in leaving the house to the robbers and flying for life with his family. In reply Vidyasagar said to the following effect:—'Your Honour may now accuse me of cowardice. But supposing, I had faced the numerous armed robbers single-handed, I was sure to give my life. In that case, your Honour would have been the first to say, what a fool Vidyasagar was to meet rashly so many robbers and sacrifice his life for the sake of trifles. Now that I have saved my life and have been able to appear before you, your Honour calls me a coward. From this it is clear, that it is no easy thing to please you, great men.' Halliday was greatly pleased with the open frankness of Vidyasagar.
To show that Vidyasagar was never thrifty and that he spent his earnings on charity, we will relate here, in passing, an incident of his later years.
In 1868, when Mr. Harrison went to Midnapore on investigation as an Income Tax Commissioner, he had an occasion to visit Birsingha. Vidyasagar was, at that time, at his native village. He informed his mother of Harrison's advent, explaining, at the same time, the purpose for which he had come. She asked her son to invite the young civilian to dinner. Vidyasagar informed Harrison of his mother's request, but the latter declined it, saying that he would not go to his, unless invited by the mistress of the house. Vidyasagar's mother then sent him an invitation letter, and Harrison, in response, appeared before her in person. First of all, he bowed down his head at the matron's feet, and saluted her according to the custom of the Hindus. The elderly lady blessed him, as if he was his own son. He then squatted down to dinner on a low, wooden stool, as is the practice with the natives of Bengal. Vidyasagar's mother took her seat beside the civilian, and pointed out to him the various dishes, which she had prepared with her own hands, in successive order, to eat from. Harrison was highly delighted with the delicious dishes, and thanked her profusely. He could speak Bengali tolerably well, and was engaged in conversation with his hostess on various topics. At the conclusion of the talk, he asked Vidyasagar's mother, how much gold she had. The mother answered:—'How much? Why, I have four pitchers of gold.' Harrison was startled to hear of so much wealth; he could not grasp the real meaning of her words. Vidyasagar's mother then pointed to her four sons, who were standing by, saying, 'These are my four pitchers of gold.' Harrison was quite dumb-founded. He could give utterance to no word. At last, he said to Vidyasagar:—'She must be an uncommon woman. She is second Cornelia of Rome.' In fact, Vidyasagar was so liberal and open-handed, that he never cared to be thrifty.
But, to retrace. Contemporaneously with his "Upakramanika," appeared his Rijupatha, Part I. The prefaces to both the works bore the same date, viz. 16th November, 1851. The book is neither an original composition, nor a translation. It is only a selection book, containing extracts from easy Sanskrit prose and poetical works. The selections are very nice and judicious. It is one of the best elementary books for beginners.
Before he was made Principal of the Sanskrit College, Vidyasagar had commenced a Bengali version of Chambers's "Moral Class Book," with the title, Nitibodha, But for want of time, he could not finish it, and he made over its right to his dear friend and pupil, Raj Krishna Banarji. In the preface to the book, dated 18th July, 1851, Raj Krishna Babu says:—
'In conclusion, I acknowledge with thanks, that Pandit Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar has taken much pains to make corrections throughout, and that because he had done so, I venture to publish the book. It is necessary to mention here, that it was he who began to write this book. "Conduct towards Children," "Conduct towards Family", "Conduct towards Superiors and Inferiors," "Industry," "Self-reflection and Self-reliance," "Presence of Mind," "Modesty,"—these pieces are his composition. Of the illustrations to each piece, that of Napoleon Bonaparte is his composition. But, for want of time, he charged me with the completion of this book, and in compliance to that requisition, I applied myself to it.'
We will embrace this opportunity to notice here Vidyasagar's Kathamala. It contains many fables, narrated in the form of conversation between lower animals, in imitation of "Æsop's Fables," intended to impart moral instruction to young children, to whom it is a very agreeable book. It is also a translation, but the translation is as excellent as could be.
On the 4th March, 1852, appeared his Rijupatha, Part II. This is also a selection-book, compiled from easy Sanskrit prose and poetical works. It is a nice elementary book for beginners.
When these books were published, the new scheme of imparting instruction, suggested in his report, quoted above, was adopted in the Sanskrit College, under orders of the authorities.
Vidyasagar's Rijupatha, Part III appeared in 1853. This is also a selection-book, but the selections are very nice. Most of the pieces have been taken from such easy and plain, old Sanskrit works as the "Panchatantra," the "Hitopadesa", the "Ramayana," and the "Mahabharata." It was, for many years, prescribed as a text-book for the candidates for the Entrance-Examination of the Calcutta University.
In the same year, appeared his Vyakarana-Kaumudi, Parts I and II, and in the next year, Part III of the same book. These three parts of the "Kaumudi" are a step higher than the "Upakramanika." It has been a great help to the students of Sanskrit, though not bringing so sound a knowledge, as the Mugdhabodha, Panini, or other similar grammatical works.
After this, commenced the full working of the scheme, suggested in the report. Referring to it, Pandit Ramgati Nyayratna says:—
'Formerly, English was an optional subject for the students, but henceforth it was made compulsory in the higher classes. As to Sanskrit, the Mugdhabodha was done away with in the lower classes, and, in its stead, the Upakramanika and the three parts of the Kaumudi, compiled in Bengali by Vidyasagar, were introduced. With these were also introduced the three parts of the Rijupatha, compiled from such works, as the Panchatantra, the Ramayana, the Hitopadesa, the Vishnupurana and the Mahabharata. At this time, several intelligent boys, who had begun Sanskrit with the Upakramanika went up to the higher classes with leaps and bounds. Consequently, Vidyasagar paid no attention to the former proposal of imparting instruction in the Siddhanta-Kaumudi after the study of these grammars written in the vernacular.'
This policy helped to make the entrance to Sanskrit easy, and to confirm the stability of the College, but the attainment of a perfect Sanskrit education receded a great way. Henceforth very few students of the College have been able to acquire a profound knowledge of the Sanskrit Literature.
Vidyasagar was not content with merely writing and publishing his own Bengali books. Be joined some of the associations that were, at that time, engaged in compiling and publishing textbooks, and he encouraged them in different ways. He had some influence with the School Book Society and Vernacular Literature Society of the time, which issued a rule that authors intending to get their works published, must forward specimens of their books to Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar and Rev. Robinson, who should examine them first, and if approved by them, they were then to be forwarded to Rev. Long, who should read them in his village-school, and there settle whether the books were intelligible to village boys. Besides Vidyasagar, such illustrious persons of the time, as Wyllie, Colvin, Seton-Karr, Bayley, Pratt, Long, Woodrow, Radha Kanta Dev, Jay Krishna Mukharji, Rassomoy Dutt, were connected with the said association.
In 1853, Vidyasagar founded a free School in his native village, Birsingha, and attached to it a night school for the education of the sons of the cultivating class in the night. He purchased a plot of land for the site of the school out of his own funds. He paid the sole cost of the school building. He himself laid the foundation stone of the building. A girl-school was also started by him about the same time. He defrayed all the expenses for these schools out of his own purse. His free school cost him nearly four hundred rupees every month, 300 rupees as pay of the teachers and 100 rupees in purchase of books and slates for poor boys, and articles of furniture and Library books for the school. The night and the girl-schools cost him between 40 to 45 rupees a month. Besides these schools, he established, about this time, a charitable dispensary, in his native village, for treatment of poor patients, who received free visits, in serious cases, from the medical officer in charge, and medicines free of cost from the dispensary. This charitable institution cost him nearly one hundred rupees a month. All these expenses he met from his own purse. But the question is, how could he make means to meet them? The new scheme of instruction introduced by him into the College met with the approbation of the Education Council, and was productive of better results. The numerical strength of the College rose considerably. The authorities were satisfied with the working of the scheme, and, in January, 1854, they raised his pay from 150 to 300 rupees a month. His monthly income from the sale of his books averaged between four to five hundred rupees. So that, it is clearly seen that what he earned, he spent on charitable purposes, leaving no margin for times of need. He was liberal by nature, and he could not think of being thrifty.