Index:A History of the Brahmo Samaj.djvu

Title A History of the Brahmo Samaj Vol 1
Author Sivanath Sastri
Year 1911
Publisher R. Chatterji
Location Calcutta
Source djvu
Progress To be proofread
Transclusion Index not transcluded or unreviewed
Pages (key to Page Status)
- - - i ii Title iv v vi vii viii ix x xi xii xiii xiv xv xvi xvii xviii xix - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI XXII XXIII XXIV XXV XXVI XXVII XXVIII XXIX XXX XXXI XXXII XXXIII XXXIV XXXV XXXVI XXXVII XXXVIII XXXIX XL XLI XLII XLIII XLIV XLV XLVI 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 - - - -

Contents


CHAPTER I

State of Bengal at the time of the foundation of the Brahmo Samaj ... ... 1-13

Parentage, birth, childhood and early education of Ram Mohun Roy ... ... i$-*7

The composition of his first book protesting against idolatry ; expulsion from home and journey to Tibet ... ... 17-18

R. M. Roy returns from Tibet and settles down at Benares studying Sanskrit $ his father's death ; his acceptance of Govern- ment Service ; his stay at Rangpur till 1814, when he retires from office and commences reformatory work ... ... 18-23

Foundation of the Atmiya Sabha ; translation of the Upanishads ; the publication of the Precepts of Jesus ; conversion of Mr. Adam ; controversy with Serampore Missionaries ; foundation of the Brahmo Samaj ... 23-43

R, M. Roy's other works, such as the Suttee agitation, the spread of English education, the creation of Bengali literature and the fight for the liberty of the Press .... 46-62

R, M. Roy's visit to England ; work there ; visit to France, and Royal reception ; return to England ; visit to Bristol and death 62-65

The points of contention between R. M. Roy and his adversaries ... 66-76

R, M. Roy's Hymns ,,. .... 77

CHAPTER II

Babu Dwarakanath Tagore and Pandit Ram Chan'dra Vidyavagish were the two persons who prominently upheld the Church after R, M. Roy's death ... ... 80-82

The conversion of Devendranath ; foundation of the Tattwabodhini Sabha $ the starting of the Tattwabodhini Pathsala ; the public initia- tion of Devendranath ... ... 82-89

The starting of Tattwabodhini Patrika under Akshay Kumar Datta ; the first preachers of Brahmo Samaj appointed by D. N. Tagore ; the interesting history of I/ala Hazarilal, the chief of these preachers ; Pathsala or Theo- logical School transferred to Bansberia 91-95

The first mode of initiation introduced by D. N. Tagore ... ... ... 96-97

Anti-Christian" agitation in the Samaj ; as its consequence the question of Vedic infallibility props up for discussion ; D. N. Tagore gives up the doctrine of the infallibility of the Vedas ... ... ... 97-107

The first great revival of 1850 ; Natural Theism formally and publicly proelaimed ; many Samajes founded between 1850 and 1856 107-110

As the first effect of the proclamation of Natural Theism the young men under Akshay Kumar Datta, the Editor of the Patrika, run to rationalistic excesses, which shock D. N. Tagore and he retires to the Hills in 1856 110-112

Keshub Chunder Sen joins the Brahmo Samaj in 1857, during D. N. Tagore's absence ; the latter accords to him warm welcome after his return ; they two begin to act together .; the Samaj enters upon a new career of spiritual activity ; its second great revival ... Ii8-i22

With a rapid speed came the Brahmo School for delivery of lectures to young men, the Sangat Sabha, with its wonderful influence over the lives of its members, the Indian Mirror, the first fortnightly English journal of the Samaj and Mr. Sen's remarkable tracts called fl Young Bengal, This is for You" ... ... 124-135

Mr. Sen's missionary zeal ; he resigns his post in the Bengal Bank in 1861 and devotes him- self to mission work, his example being followed by others ... ... 137-138

Mr. Sen ordained as Minister by D. N. Tagore in 1862 ; but his elevation displeases the older members, who begin to complain ... 138-140

The Calcutta College founded by K, C. Sen on March ist, 1862 ; it becomes a meeting ground for the younger party, whose zeal for progress at the time was almost unbounded ; they proceed to celebrate an inter-marriage privately ; Mr. Sen is restored to his paternal house, whence he had been temporarily banished by his relatives after his ordination ; the namkaran ceremony of Karunakumar, his eldest son, is held there ... ... 140-143

The foundation of the Society of Theistic Friends; the starting of the Bamabodhini Patrika 143-144

Mr. Sen delivers his lecture on "Brahmo Samaj Vindicated?' in reply to a Christian critic; B. K. Goswami formally ordained as a Missionary ; men of the younger party installed in the offices of the Samaj, a step resented at by the older party, some of whom secede from the Samaj services at about this time ... 145-146

The great zeal and missionary activity of the younger party ; Mr. Sen's visit to Madras and Bombay ; B. K. Goswami's visit to Bag- achara ... ... ... 147-151

The younger party publicly break caste, and begin to celebrate inter-marriages, which bring in difference with the older men and with D, N. Tagore as their leader, inspite of which he appoints two men of the younger party as assistant ministers, which further exasperates the older members. Faced by the conflict, the younger men begin to try to organise a Representative Assembly for the control of the Church, which, however, fails to secure the full sympathy of D. N. Tagore ... 151-154

The weekly service of the Samaj is temporarily transferred to D. N. Tagore's house, owing to the damage done to the Samaj building by the cyclone of 1864 ; when quite unexpectedly the old dismissed assistant ministers were re-instated in their office by D. N. Tagore, before the arrival of the new assistant minis- ters, whereupon the younger men secede from the Samaj service ; their hostile attitude gives offence to D. N. Tagore and K. C. Sen and others are dismissed from the offices of the Samaj ... ... 154-156

Deprived of power in the Samaj itself the younger party take to propagatory work and to organising the Representative Assem- bly ... ... ... 156-162

After a struggle Mr. Sen takes hold of the Indian Mirror and starts a Mission Office of his own ... ... ... 163-166

The first Brahmika Samaj or Ladies' Weekly Service founded ; Mr. Sen leads some ladies to the house of Dr. Robson, a Christian Mis- sionary, which evokes .public criticism, but some of his friends want to go further 166-167

On 23rd July, 1865, Mr. Sen delivers a lecture on Struggles for Religious Independence and Progress in the Brahmo Samaj ; on the same day his party send a representation to D. N. Tagore, asking for permission to hold Weekly Services of their own in the Samaj chapel, but the permission is denied ; baffled here the progressive party take to mission work ; Mr. Sen visits Eastern Bengal and composes his remarkable booklet called "True Faitl? 167-173

Mr. Sen delivers his lectures on "Jesus Christ^ Asia and Europe" and on "Great Men 1 ' which further widen the breach between the two parties and schism is formally and publicly proclaimed on nth November, 1866 .;. i74-i8<3

The condition of the Brahmo Samaj at the , parting of ways .4, .*. ... 181

The subsequent history of the Adi Brahmo Samaj ; its exact position. ... 182-190

Personal Traits of Maharshi D. N, Tagore 191-220

CHAPTER III

The schism brings solidarity to Mr, Sen's party and work ; the unrestrained development of their pro-Christian proclivities ; their ideal Christ ; how they begin to celebrate the Christ- mas, in which Miss Carpenter takes part 204-208

the Female Emancipationists make their appear- ance ; how they evoke opposition and ridicule 206

Fresh propagandist activity ; the apostolic self- devotion of the first missionaries ; commence- ment of extensive mission operations in Eastern Bengal and in the North-Western Provinces ... ,.. ... 210-214

Mr. Sen faced by a new spiritual difficulty ; Maharshi D. N. Tagore comes to his rescue ; the introduction of the custom of daily Divine service in Mr. Sen's house j it leads to new devotional developments, ending in the introduction of Vaishnava Sankirtan ... 215-218

Second meeting of the Brahmo Samaj of India ; they vote an Address to Maharshi and appoint committee to confer on the validity of Brahmo marriages ... ... ... 218-219

The first whole-day festival with rapturous sankirtan held on 24th November, 1867 ; Maharshi joins it ; how that festival inaugu- rates a new revival ... .... 221

In the beginning of 1868, Mr. Sen lays the foun- dation of his Mandir the first street procession with a new characteristic sankirtan ; how it evokes wide-spread agitation and press criti- cism ; how the day concludes with a whole-day festival and Mr. Sen's lecture on Regenerat- ing Faith, which Lord Lawrence, the Governor- General, attends... .,. .... 222-224

Mission operations renewed with redoubled energy ; Mr. Sen starts on a mission-tour to the North- Western Provinces; he leaves his family at Monghyr and visits Bombay ; a whole-day festival held at Monghyr on his return, which is followed by a new and unprecedented revival ; extraordinary reverence begins to be shown to Mr. Sen ; Rajnarain Bose raises his voice against it, but it continues, till at last Bijay K. Goswami and Jadunath Chakraverty publicly bring the charge of man-worship against their friends ... ... 225-231

The agitation subsides after publication of a tract by Thakurdas Sen, in which Mr. Sen declares his want of sympathy with such manifestations of extraordinary reverence ; B. K. Goswami returns to Mr. Sen's party but Jadunath Chakraverty does not ; Mr. Sen proceeds to consecrate his new Mandir and initiates 21 young men, as a sort of reply to his adversaries ... ... 232-236

In the beginning of 1870, Mr. Sen visits England and does important work there ; he is warmly welcomed back by his friends and even by Maharshl D, N. Tagore ; there is for some time a talk about probable co-opera- tion between the two leaders ; but an unhappy incident widens the gulf ... ... 236-241

Mr. Sen's unbounded activitv after his return from England ; the foundation of the Indian Reform Association with its five departments of work ... ... ... 241-244

Mr. Sen commences an agitation for marriage reform in the Brahtno Samaj, and also for the passing of a law legalizing the reformed marriages ; the history of that agitation 244-251

Mr. Sen gives himself to other new activities ; such as the foundation of the Bharat Ashram, the Adult Female School, the revived Brahmo School, the revived Sangat Sabha^ the revived Society of Theistic Friends ; the establishment of the Missionary Conference, the opening of a new institution called the Brahmo Niketan, the conversion of the Indian Mirror into a daily paper ; and the publica- tion of a 7 keistic A nnual ... ... 251-255

The first note of discord sounded by a party of Female Emancipationists ; Mr. Sen's points of difference with them ; how they founded a rival institution in opposition to Mr. Sen's Adult Female School ... ... 256-259

The rise of the constitutionalists ; the Samadarshf party ; the Five Lamps party ; the history of evolution of these parties ; how thereby the- Church became divided into two conflicting parties, the sactrdotalists and the secularists,. as Miss Collet described them to be ; how from 1874 the constitutionalists take up the question of placing the Bkaratbarshiya Brahmo Mandir into the hands of trustees,, but are opposed by Mr. Sen ; how failing in that matter they take to the attempt to* organise a Representative Assembly for con- stitutional control over the affairs of the Church ; how Mr. Sen limits the scope of their operations ; how before any lasting results are achieved the Church is involved in the Kuch Behar marriage controversy ... 260-267

Great changes are noticed in Mr. Sen's preach- ing and practice almost from 1871 ; he becomes more and more self-assertive and decreasingly less and less appreciative of the difficulties of others ; he lays great stress on adesk or Divine command, and accuses those, who fail to agree with him, of infidelity ; he begins to preach and practise asceticism ; begins cooking his own food ; classifies his immediate followers into four orders of devotees ; purchases a garden within easy distance of Calcutta, where he practices ascetecism ... ... ... 269-273

Whilst Mr. Sen was thus engaged some young Brahmos in Calcutta formed a Secret League; one of its vows bound them to discourage the marriage of boys below twenty-one, and of girls below sixteen ... ... ... 273

During the autumn of 1877, Mr. Sen purchases a rich mansion on the Circular Road of Calcutta and furnishes it in a rich style for the reception of the Kuch Behar party, who wan ted to see his daughter previous to her engagement . .. ... ... ... 274

The Kuch Behar marriage controversy commences and passes through its many phases; till there comes the second schism and the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj is founded 274-293

Contributions of Keshub Chunder Sen to Brahmoism during the preceding two periods of its history ... ... ... 294-305