Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/258

Rh here for the information of the reader, that neither of the two gentlemen had a very fair complexion. A loud roar of merry laughter rent the vaults of the sky. The man was quite abashed, and left the room in great haste. Here Vidyasagar killed three birds with one stone.

Once on a time, several Pandits of Bhatpara, a renowned seat of Sanskrit learning in Bengal, came to Calcutta to receive their yearly allowances from a wealthy Hindu gentleman of the city. On their way back, they paid a visit to our hero. In course of conversation, one of the visitors said,—'Now-a-days, the Brahma-Teja (superior influence) of the Brahmans has wholly vanished.' Vidyasagar contradicted him, and said merrily, by way of joke,—'What is it you say, sir? No, you are quite mistaken. On the contrary, it would be more correct to say, that it has redoubled now. Formerly your Teja was felt only when you approached any body; but, at the present day, your Teja (heat) is so intense, that no sooner you approach the gates of a rich man, than he begins to feel a burning sensation' (meaning the wealthy Hindus of modern times do not like to countenance Sanskrit education by giving pecuniary aids to Pandits, as in days gone by). A roar of loud, merry laughter rose from the whole assembly.

Now, to resume our narrative. Though Vidyasagar was generally witty and humorous, he was