Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work/Chapter 18

by Subal Chandra Mitra

CHAPTER XVIII.

The Sanskrit Press Depository.

Vidyasagar's retirement from public service was productive of incalculable good to the country. He had so long been chained down by the fetters of thraldom. As a lion when confined in a cage can not display its powers, so Vidyasagar had been incapacitated by his servitude from unfolding his abilities to their full extent. He now discovered fresh fields of action. He found ample opportunities to do a good turn both to his country-men and to himself. In his resignation letter he had stated, that although his direct official connection with the education and enlightenment of his countrymen would cease with his retirement, yet he would devote his remaining days to the advancement of the sacred cause in which his deep and earnest interest could only close with his life. He now applied himself in right earnest to the fulfilment of that sacred promise.

When Vidyasagar resigned his appointments under Government, his friend, Sir James Colvile, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at Calcutta, advised him to pass the Law examination and enrol himself as a pleader of the Sadar Adalat. He had, from his early years, a great aversion for the legal profession, and therefore, expressed his unwillingness to follow the advice of the Chief Justice. Yet when Colvile repeatedly goaded him to it, he visited for a few days his friend, Dwarka Nath Mitter, one of the best pleaders of the said Court, to have an inkling of the manners of the legal professionals. But from what he witnessed on those days, his aversion for the bar waxed ten-fold, and he gave up that forced project once for all.

Shortly after his retirement from public service he had to face a most heart-rending calamity in the death of his dear grand-mamma (father's mother). According to the custom of the Hindus she had been brought living to the shores of the Bhagirathi (the river Hugli) at the Salkea Ghat, where she lived for 20 days, and then breathed her last in the bed of the holy river.^[1] These 20 days she had lived simply on the sacred water of the Bhagirathi. Her Sraddha ceremonials made a large hole in Vidyasagar's purse. His Widow Marriage movement had turned most of the inhabitants of his native place to be his enemies. They now found an opportunity to be revenged upon him. They tried their best to dissuade the Pandits and the Brahmans of the locality from joining the ceremonials and eating in his house. But Vidyasagar had won a great reputation from his universal philanthrophy, and had done immense good to his countrymen in different forms. The reader has already been told that he had established a free English School, a night school, a girl-school, and a charitable dispensary at his native village, Birsingha. He had provided for board and lodging of upwards of 60 school boys, sons of Brahmans and Pandits, who were residents of the neighbouring villages. He was always eager to help and succour the distrest. Whenever anybody was in danger and in need of help, and sought for Vidyasagar's assistance, he would run at all risks to rescue the man, without at all considering whether he belonged to the high, middle, or low station of life, or whether he was a friend or foe. Besides the establishment of the charitable institutions in his own village, he had contributed largely to the opening of schools and other useful institutions in the different villages of the neighbourhood. He had secured employments to many young men of the locality. In short, he had endeared himself to all classes of people. Most of his neighbours were under deep obligations to him. How could then they be so ungrateful and impudent as to boycot him from Society and refuse to eat in his house for the only offence that he was the father of the Widow Marriage agitation and had associated himself with those who had formed such alliance? He had given no member of his family in such marriage. Many Pandits, other Brahmans, and lower class people, numbering in all nearly three thousand, feasted in his house for two days; Paka Phalahar (Bread fried in Ghee with sweat-meats of different kinds) was given on the first day, and rice on the second day.

Vidyasagar also spent a good sum of money on the occasion of her Sapindana (first annual Sraddha). We have no means of ascertaining exactly his religious faith, but this much has been known for certain that he did not observe the forms and rites of modern Hinduism. He was never seen to tell Mantras or to worship a Hindu god or goddess. But he, nevertheless, never objected to the members of his family following their own beliefs or acting up to the rites of their respective faiths. On the contrary, he rather encouraged them and helped them in the performance of those rites, and he was often heard to say that it was improper to throw obstacles in the way of one's acting up to one's faith.

Vidyasagar was very deeply afflicted at the death of his beloved grandmother, who bore a most tender affection for him. We have seen with what haste she ran down to Calcutta on the occasion of her dear grandchild's illness and attended his sick-bed with watchful care. In his childhood whenever Vidyasagar was refractory or naughty (as he usually was at that time) and any of his parents wanted to chastise him, he fled for protection to his grand-mamma, who never, in her life, upbraided him for even a grave offence. Vidyasagar too was fondly devoted to her, and felt a great filial veneration for her. Even when he was a young man and had entered into service, the grand-parent and the grand-child reciprocated the same feelings of affectionate attachment. It is no wonder, therefore, that he should be so sincerely grieved at the loss of such a dear, old grandmother.

The reader is aware that Vidyasagar had established in Calcutta a printing press, called the Sanskrit Press. He had also started, in connection with this Press, the Sanskrit Press Depository, where he kept for sale all the books that were printed in his Press. By degrees this Depository was converted to a regular Book-shop, where not only his own publications but those of other authors also were deposited for sale. On his retirement from service, he had to depend for his maintenance mainly on the income from the Press and the Depository. It is needless to say that in this business he had to employ a number of men, who thus found means of their livelihood. When he freed himself from the bonds of thraldom, and found leisure to look into its affairs, he was highly dissatisfied, with the working and conduct of his chief officer. The accounts were not kept properly, and everything was in disorder. He, therefore, requested his friend, Raj Krishna, to supervise the business of the Depository. Raj Krishna was, at this time, employed as Head-Assistant in the Fort William College on a monthly salary of 80 rupees, as the reader is already aware. He took six months' leave of absence, and engaged himself in superintending the management of the Depository. These six months he applied himself closely and diligently in examining and clearing the accounts, and after much efforts succeeded in so regulating method and order in every respect, that the business soon prospered, and a glance at the accounts would at once show the state of affairs. Vidyasagar's father was so pleased with Raj Krishna's management that he requested the latter to resign his office in the Fort William College and employ himself permanently as Superintendent of the Depository. Vidyasagar also urged him to it. Accordingly Raj Krishna was permanently appointed as Manager of the Sanskrit Press Depository on a pay of 150 rupees a month. The Depository soon rose to be a very prosperous and profitable business. But Vidyasagar was by nature excessively charitable, and the income from this business could not meet all the demands of his charity. As a matter of consequence, he had to meet them by loans, and slowly his embarrassments grew so heavy, that he was ultimately obliged to dispose of this profitable business, of which hereafter.

We will try to notice here, in passing one or two instances of Vidyasagar's gratefulness and benevolence, and the ungratefulness of the world. The reader has already had some inkling of Vidyasagar's and Raj Krishna's intimate friendly attachment to each other. The former often ate and slept in the house of the latter, whose mother loved Vidyasagar as dearly as if he was her own son. The other members of Raj Krishna's family, both male and female, looked upon him as if he was one of them. He also reciprocated the same feelings towards them. Raj Krishna had a little girl, who was named Prabhabati. Vidyasagar loved this girl exceedingly. Her babblings were a source of great delight to him. He was so much grieved at the untimely death of this little child of three years, that he gave up food and sleep for some time, and at last wrote a booklet, Prabhabati-Sambhashana, full of laments for her. Its language is very heart-rending and beautifully attractive.

It was not, therefore, very strange that a man of Vidyasagar's stamp should look to Raj Krishna's welfare, and employ him in his own business on a handsome remuneration.

Vidyasagar was so benevolent that he secured appointments to many persons quite unconnected, or only very distantly connected, with him. But unfortunately, some of these men, who through Vidyasagar's exertions had risen to high posts, behaved towards him most ungratefully.

On one occasion, there was a post vacant under a certain Babu (we shall not mention his name for decency's sake), who was at this time a high official of Government, but had originally secured the service through Vidyasagar's exertions. A candidate for the vacant situation came to Vidyasagar for a recommendation to this high official. Armed with Vidyasagar's recommendation, the candidate waited upon the Babu at his residence. The Babu was, at that time, reclining upon a sofa, enjoying his hookah and chatting with some of his friends. The candidate handed over to him Vidyasagar's letter. The Babu read it, and smiled. On his friends enquiring the cause of his smile, the Babu replied that Vidyasagar had opened a business of securing situations for others. The candidate was thunder-struck to hear the Babu, and left the place in utter disgust.

Shortly after this, there were five vacancies in a Government office under Babu Priya Nath Datta of Bagbagar, who was the Head Assistant of the department. The aforesaid candidate again came to Vidyasagar for a recommendatory letter to Priya Nath. Vidyasagar did not know Priya Nath personally, and he, therefore, declined to give him the letter. But, at the urgent importunities of the man, he very reluctantly gave him a note of recommendation. The authorities had directed Priya Nath to fill up the vacancies by an examination of the candidates. He, therefore, requested Vidyasagar's man to appear at the examination. The man stood seventh. There were only five vacancies. Priya Nath was in great peril. He then devised a plan. He reported to his superiors that two more hands were required for the efficient working of his office, and thus provided the man with one of the newly created posts. When Vidyasagar heard this, he was greatly amazed at Priya Nath's noble conduct. He expressed himself thus:—'How wonderful is this world! He who was benefited by me, slighted my recommendation; but one, who was quite unknown to me, has been eager to comply with my request.' With this, he at once ran to Bagbazar, and made an acquaintance of the noble Priya Nath.

On another occasion, a situation fell vacant under a European. A man came to Vidysagar for a recommendation. But he was not known to the European, and, therefore, declined. He was then told that a friend of his, whom he had made Editor of a newspaper, was intimately familiar with the European. Vidyasagar called on the Editor, and asked him for a recommendatory letter to his European friend for the man. The Editor plumed himself up and said that he was now Editor of a journal, and that if he should go to recommend others to Europeans for situations, he would be under obligations to them, and in consequence would not be able to review their actions freely. Vidyasagar was startled, and at once left the presence of the mighty Editor. While this conversation was going on, the Head Mate of a European mercantile firm was sitting there, and heard everything. No sooner did Vidyasagar leave the place, than he followed him to the street, and enquired of him very politely if a post of 20 Rupees would suit his man. He also said that a situation of that value was lying vacant at his disposal, and he was prepared to offer the post to Vidyasagar's man, if it suited him. Vidyasagar smiled, and admired the magnanimity of the Mate. The man was accordingly sent to his office, where he was provided with the situation.

There are plenty of such instances in Vidyasagar's life. Whenever he was told that a certain person had condemned his conduct, he would at once say,—'Why should that man go to abuse me? I have never done him a good turn!' Vidyasagar was often heard to declare that whoever had been benefited by him the most, did him the most evil.

Immediately after his retirement from service, he had given no less than fifteen widows in marriage in different parts of the Hugli district in the course of one year. We have already said that he had to bear all the expenses of these marriages. He had, besides, to provide for the maintenance of the married couples and their families. His income from his business, alluded to before, was not sufficient to meet these demands, which made him contract debts. Though he was thus highly embarrassed, yet he could not economise his outlays. He was always liberal and charitable. He even went so far as to borrow money himself on his own account to liquidate the debts of other persons. He was, no doubt, a very wise and prudent man, but the overflows of his charitable disposition found the uppermost place in his heart and drove away his wisdom and prudence, whenever an occasion presented itself. May be, he thought that these debts contracted solely for benevolent and charitable purposes must find their own means of liquidation. In fact, his debts had amounted to nearly 50,000 rupees, but he lived long enough to be able to clear them off before his death.

About this time, Gokulchand and Govinchand Basus, two brothers, of Bainchi, came to Vidyasagar, and said that Nilkamal Banarji intended distressing their homestead-land with premises for debts, and prayed for his assistance. Vidyasagar immediately paid 1,000 rupees to Nilkamal, and released the property of the Basu brothers. Subsequently, when Raj Krishna resigned his office of the Manager of the Sanskrit Press Depository, Vidyasagar appointed Gokulchand Basu to the vacant post on a monthly pay of 50 Rupees.

Some time after this, the premises of one Syama Charan Banarji were about to be put to auction sale for debts. Syama Charan supplicated Vidyasagar for help, who at once paid off his debts of 500 rupees and released his property.

We will notice here, in passing, an incident of his noble liberality, that happened some time after this. Baidya Nath Chaudhury, a respectable Zemindar of Radhanagar, a place not very far from Birsingha, had hypothecated his estate to Babu Rama Prasad Ray, son of the illustrious Ram Mohan Ray, on a loan of 50,000 rupees. After his death, his son had also taken from the same creditor another loan of 25,000 rupees. The debt thus amounted to 75,000 rupees. His son, Siva Narayan Chaudhuri went to Rama Prasad to make some arrangements for clearing the debt by instalments, and died quite suddenly of Apoplexy in the creditor's office. After this, his two sons came to Rama Prasad and implored mercy, but he was inexorable. At last, they with their mother and aunt earnestly solicited Vidyasagar for help. His tender heart was moved at their tears, and he promised to aid them. He tried in various places for the money, but Rama Prasad having previously prohibited other money-lenders, no one ventured to lend so much money. Rama Prasad was one of the best pleaders of the Sadar Adalat and he had an eager desire to grasp the mortgaged estate. Vidyasagar travelled for six months continually in diffierent places and spent nearly 2,000 rupees of his own to procure the loan. At last, with great difficulty, he borrowed 50,000 rupees of Babu Kali Das Ghosh, a relation of Raja Pratap Chandra Sinha, and a further sum of 50,000 rupees from another money-lender. But when this one lakh was offered to Rama Prasad, he refused to receive the money. Vidyasagar then placed the matter in the hands of Swinhoe & Co., Solicitors, who settled the affair and cleared off the debt, thus releasing the property of an ancient respectable family. All the country admired Vidyasagar's noble, disinterested exertions. But, unfortunately, for want of proper management, the estate failed to prosper, and the debt grew heavier. At last, the property was sold at auction, and the widows of Siva Narayan Chaudhuri and his brother were in great distress. Vidyasagar settled on each of them a monthly allowance of 30 rupees. Shortly after this, one Kasi Nath Ghosh of Monpur sued them for 800 rupees. Vidyasagar settled the debt on 150 rupees, which he paid out of his own pocket, thus relieving the poor widows of their embarrassments.

Even after the legislation of the remarriage of Hindu widows, several means were devised by Vidyasagar's friends to keep the movement alive. With this view, Umes Chandra Mitra, brother of the Hon'ble Sir Rames Chandra Mitra, one of the late native Justices of the Calcutta High Court, composed a drama, titled Bidhava-Bibaha Natak. The first performance of this play was opened to the public in the beginning of 1859. Keshub Chunder Sen, one of the greatest orators of Bengal, was intrusted with the management of the stage, and some of his friends and co-adjutors, such as Narendra Nath Sen, Krishna Vihari Sen, Protap Chunder Mozoomdar, and others played the different parts. Vidyasagar was always averse to dramatic performances. He had only once seen theatricals performed in the premises of the Paikpara Raj family at their urgent solicitations. Some time after, Babu Giris Chandra Ghosh, the great Bengali drama-writer and actor of the present day, compiled a play with the title Sitar Banabas, and dedicated it to Vidyasagar. At the first performance of this play, Giris Chandra requested Vidyasagar to be present, but he did not like to go there. But he was present at the threatricals of the Bidhava-Bibaha Nataka more than once. It would be better to quote what P. C. Mazoomdar, the author of "The Life and Teachings of Keshub Chunder Sen," says on this point:—

"In the splendid structure at Chitpore Road, to which the Brahmo School was removed in 1859, Keshub found a somewhat unexpected occupation. He was entrusted with the management of an institution very different from the Brahmo School. It was a dramatic club to put on the stage Bidhava-Bibaha Natak (widow marriage drama), written with the object of reforming the cruel custom of the forced celibacy of young Hindu Widows. * * * Since the inauguration of the widow marriage reform in 1856, Keshub, though then a very young man, wished well to the cause, and did what he could to contribute to its success. He therefore cheerfully accepted the management of the Widow Marriage Drama. * * * The plot of the drama was the miserable life of a Hindu widow shut up in the zenana who, in her solitary friendless condition, formed an attachment to a young neighbour, by whom she was led to a course of sin. The concluding scences depicted her sufferings, her suicide, her confessions, with appeals to all patriotic men to put an end to the cruel celibacy of Hindu widows. The performance was first opened to the public in the beginning of 1859, and produced a sensation in Calcutta, which those who witnessed it, can never forget. The representatives of the highest classes of Hindu society were present. The pioneer and father of the widow-marriage movement, Pundit Iswara Chandra Vidyasagar came more than once, and tender-hearted as he is, was moved to floods of tears. In fact there was scarcely a dry eye in the great audience. Undoubtedly the most wholesome effect was produced. Keshub, as stage manager, was warmly complimented on his energy and intelligence, and we, his friends, as amateur actors, who had done our best, also received our humble share of praise."

1. The Hindus believe that if one dies in the bed of the holy river, Bhagirathi, one is taken to the Vishnu Loka (the abode of Vishnu i.e. heaven).