Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work/Chapter 6
CHAPTER VI.
FURTHER STUDIES—CONCLUSION OF SCHOOL-LIFE.
Shortly after he had passed the Law Committee examination, the post of the Judge-Pandit of Tippera, a district in East Bengal, fell vacant. Young Isvar Chandra applied for the situation, and was favoured with the appointment. But his father would not permit him to go to such a distance. He was, therefore, obliged to decline the offer. He had toiled hard to pass the law examination, and then had applied for the post, simply to help his father in his pecuniary difficulties. But when that father wished him not to go, how could Isvar Chandra accept the post, against his father's will? He was so much devoted to his parents, that he considered them to be his only objects of worship. He had no other gods or goddesses before them. He could not act against their wishes.
He had still two subjects to learn,—Vedanta (Theology) and Philosophy. He entered the Vedanta class at the age of nineteen. Sambhu Chandra Vachaspati, the learned professor of that class, was highly amazed at the merits of Isvar Chandra, and loved him as dearly as if he was his own son.
According to the practice then obtaining in the Sanskrit College, a separate examination on essay-writing, both prose and poetry, was held every year at the annual examinations of the Vedanta and Philosophy classes, and a prize of one hundred rupees in cash was given to each of the best essayists. Three hours were allowed for each essay,—10 A.M. to 1 P.M. for prose, and 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. for poetry. Isvar Chandra, fancying his inability, was absent from this examination. Prem-Chand Tarkavagis, the teacher of the Rhetoric class, not finding Isvar Chandra among the examinees, began to look for him. The teacher, at last, discovered him sitting in a corner of his class-room. He remonstrated with his favourite pupil on his shyness, and after much persuasion and pressure, induced him to appear at the examination at 12 O'clock. The subject for that year's prose composition was Truthfulness. Isvar Chandra's essay was considered the best, and he own the prize of one hundred rupees. He had now the satisfaction to see the tree of his hard toil fruitful. Sooner or later, honest labour must have its fruits. Such is God's dispensation. Isvar Chandra's second composition in poetry too was considered one of the best, and he won a prize for that also.
Here, again, at this young age, we find in Isvar Chandra a noble instance of strength of mind, independence of opinion, firmness of purpose, soundness of judgment, and gentleness of heart. While in the Vedanta class, his teacher Sambhu Chandra Vachaspati, like all his former teachers, was greatly attached to him for his merits, and consulted him on all points. He was a widower at this time, and was grown old and infirm; but he had a great mind to enter again into married life. He consulted Isvar Chandra, seeking his advice on the point. The young pupil heard the arguments of his teacher patiently, but could discover nothing important in them. He thought the professor's proposal extremely unreasonable and selfish, and openly expostulated with the old man on the impropriety of his resolution. Vachaspati was greatly offended with his pupil at his strong protests, and made strenuous attempts to bring him to his opinion, but in vain. Isvar Chandra was as fixed and immovable as the Himalayas. Sambhu Chandra was, at that time, the family-Pandit of Chhatu Babu and Latu Babu, sons of the late Ram Dulal Sarkar, the well-known selfmade millionaire of Calcutta. Through the influence of these two rich men and of Babu Ram Ratan Ray, the wealthy Zemindar of Narail, the old and decrepit Sambhu Chandra was married to a beautiful little girl of Barasat. Isvar Chandra was greatly displeased with his teacher for making such an unreasonable alliance, but being affectionately attached to each other, he could not cut off all communications with him. After the marriage was over, the old professor, one day, took his pupil to see his young bride. Isvar Chandra went with his teacher reluctantly, and placed two rupees at his wife's feet as a present of honour. He was then receding back without looking at the unfortunate girl's face, when his teacher caught hold of his arms, and did not leave him till he had a full sight of his new wife. Isvar Chandra only cast a glance at the beautiful girl's face, and immediately left the place. The sight move his gentle heart, and drew tears from his eyes. He foresaw the miserable, wretched life, which the unfortunate, little girl must live in a very short time, and he sobbed and wept like a child. It is superfluous to say that Sambhu Chandra died not long after the unfortunate alliance, leaving the little girl to live the austere, ascetic life of a Hindu widow.
It has already been mentioned, that his third brother, Sambhuchandra, had joined Thakurdas's little family in Calcutta, and the number of members had risen from three to four. Moreover, Thakurdas having, at this time, married his second son, Dinabandhu, he had contracted some debts. He was, therefore, constrained to considerably reduce his family expenses, which had never been very liberal. It is said that only one pice was now allowed for the tiffin of the four members. The dishes prepared for the daily meals were very poor, and hardly fit for eating. Nor did their troubles end here. Jagaddurlabh Babu, who had so long given them shelter, was also deeply immersed in debts. The room in the third floor of his house, where Thakurdas slept with his sons, Jagaddurlabh Babu had let to a tenant. Thakurdas was, therefore, obliged to remove with his sons to a room in the lowest floor, quite unfit for a gentleman's lodging. What trying difficulties! In later years, Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, alluding to the painful situation of these days, thus spoke to one of his friends:—'I suffered many troubles in my early years, but I never minded them for my own sake. They rather served to heighten my zeal—to invigorate me—to incite me to action. But the sufferings and privations of my brothers rent my heart. The very sight of their dejected, mournful faces drew tears from my eyes.' Such was the depth of Isvar Chandra's fraternal love. It was not at all strange that the universal philanthropist, whose heart melted at the very tale of other people's distress, should love his own brothers so affectionately and sincerely.
After finishing the Vedanta (Theology) course, Isvar Chandra entered the Nyaya (Philosophy) class. The great pundit Nimchand Siromani was, at that time, the teacher of this class. But shortly after this, he died, and Pandit Jay Narayan Tarkaratna was, at the instance of Isvar Chandra, appointed to the post. Was it not a glory to a pupil, that he could nominate his professor? At the second year's examination of this class, he stood first and won the first prize of one hundred rupees. His paper on poetical composition was also the best, and he won a further sum of one hundred rupees as prize for that composition. These two hundred rupees went a great way to help his father in the clearance of his debts. What wonderful talents did Isvar Chandra possess! During the period of his studies in this class, he used now and then to visit his native village, Birsingha, and there enter into debates on this difficult subject with the learned Pandits of the neighbourhood. It is said that, on one occasion, he had an earnest debate on old Nyaya with Ram Mohan Tarkasiddhanta, one of the greatest philosophers of the time. Tarkasiddhanta was defeated. When Thakurdas heard of the incident, he ran to the scene, and laid the dust of the vanquished pundit's feet on Isvar Chandra's head, because the latter was much younger in age.
While still-reading in the Nyaya Class, he was appointed for two months as officiating second teacher of Grammar on a monthly salary of forty rupees. He placed the whole of the eighty rupees of his first earning into the hands of his father, and requested him to go on a pilgrimage, which the father very gladly did. When he returned from the pilgrimage, he found that his son, Isvar Chandra, had won one hundred rupees as first prize for the Nyaya examination, a further sum of one hnndred rupees, as prize for the best poetical composition, twenty-five rupees as prize for proficiency in Law, and eight rupees for good hand-writing, making in all two hundred and thirty-three rupees. This sum the devoted son made over to his father, who paid it off to clear a part of his debts.
When Isvar Chandra passed the final examination of the Sanskrit College, he won the title of Vidyasagar from the College. He was then only twenty years old. How many are there who can attain to such eminence at such an early age? Surely, Isvar Chandra must have been uncommonly gifted. Every one of his teachers, from the village schoolmaster, Kalikanta Chattopadhyay, to the professor, of the College, was highly satisfied with his proficiency, and thought it a pride to have had Isvar Chandra for his pupil. Besides the Government certificate, the learned professors of the College granted him a separate certificate of his brilliant success, countersigned by Babu Rassomay Dutta, the then Secretary to the College.
Before bringing this chapter to its conclusion, we will try to notice briefly Isvar Chandra's attempts at essay-writing.
Essay-writing is a great help to the acquisition of knowledge in a language. A piece of written composition is one of the best tests of one's command of a tongue. When Isvar Chandra was a student of the Sanskrit College, both the teachers and the authorities of the College as well as the pupils, paid great attention to original composition. To encourage the students in this respect, prizes were awarded to the best essayists. Every student essayed at good composition. The pupils, as well as their teachers, had a great earnest zeal for this. The present University system had not then been introduced. The students were not forced to pay equal attention to the different branches. Every one was free to take up a particular branch according to his own inclination. He could thus devote his whole time and attention to that branch, and make a good progress in it. The present system of cramming leaves no room for culture of a particular branch, Although there were nice arrangements in the Sanskrit College for award of prizes to the best essay-writers, Isvar Chandra had no mind to attempt at these prizes. His impression was that, in this age of degeneration, no one was capable of writing good Sanskrit. He had formed that impression from the composition of several of his colleagues. It was, therefore, that he did not appear at his first examination on Sanskrit composition. We have seen, however, that he was pressed to attend the examination. He finished his essay on Truthfulness, which was the subject for that year, in one hour's time, and won the first prize of one hunred rupees, as we have mentioned before.
It is true that Isvar Chandra was not very eager to appear at these examinations, but whenever he did appear, his essay was considered the best, and he won prizes. Essay-writing is not practised in Tols, nor had there been any such practice in the Sanskrit College till 1838, when it was ruled that students of Smriti, Nyaya and Vedanta must undergo a separate examination on essay-writing.
The subject of essay for the second year was Knowledge, and Isvar Chandra won this prize too.
During the first two years of this examination, Mr. G. T. Marshall was Secretary to the Sanskrit College. In the third year, Babu Rassamay Dutta was the Secretary. This year, the subject of essay was "The Penance of Raja Agnidhra," Rassa-may Babu gave a few words, and required the examinees to write on them a poetical composition. Isvar Chandra's composition won the admiration of Rassamay Babu.
In the year 1838, Mr. John Mayor, a civilian, offered a prize of one hundred rupees in cash for the best poetical essay in one hundred Slokas on a description of this globe of the earth and the celestial globe, according to the ancient Hindu Puran, Suryyasiddhanta, and the modern European notions. Isvar Chandra's poem was considered the best, and he won the prize. These Slokas were under publication in the form of a booklet, while Vidyasagar was still alive, but were not out of press then. The publication has since been complete. The book now contains 408 Slokas. Most probably, the additional Slokas in excess of Mr. Mayor's requisition, were added in his later years. In the beginning of this book, there is ample evidence of Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar's belief in God, devotion to his preceptor, and humility of heart.