Page:Ramtanu Lahiri, Brahman and Reformer - A History of the Renaissance in Bengal.djvu/129

as to create a great sensation. They attracted the notice of the Raja of the Kathiawar State that was referred to, who, after some inquiry, discovered that the writer was a certain Sanyasi. The Raja had the Sanyasi brought before him, and heard from him that, moved by the ryots’ sad account of their grievances, and their entreaties for help, he had taken up their cause in the hope that their Raja would adopt a better and more considerate policy. The tyrant at first threw the Sanyasi into prison, where he remained for a year. But the agitation was continued; and the Raja, to follow a conciliatory policy, set him free, and offered him the post of Prime Minister. On this, the answer he gave was, ‘I have no such desire, otherwise I should not have taken the vows of asceticism. I can, however, give you the necessary instruction.’ That day, virtually, commenced the Sanyasi’s administration. His first order was, that the existing corrupt body of officials should be dismissed, and that English-speaking men with some knowledge of the principles of British administration should be appointed in their places. To secure the services of such men he himself came to Bombay. We had, in the meantime, heard everything concerning the Sanyasi’s doings; and great was our surprise when we found that the champion for the oppressed people of Kathiawar was no other than the Sanyasi who had previously been with us. He took a body of men with him to serve in the Kathiawar raj, and I was one of them. We had worked for about a year when the old officers, whose places we had taken, and who had ever since been plotting against us, at last succeeded in getting us dismissed, at forty-eight hours’ notice, and we all returned to Bombay. During our intercourse with the Sanyasi he, when asked his past history, among other things, talked highly of the teacher of his youth, Mr Derozio.”