Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/52

Rh by the threats of malicious persons. It was this love of independence and spiritedness that turned his brother-in-law (wife's brother) and his partisans to be his enemies. His idea was that the country, at that time, was devoid of men (i.e., good men) and that it was full of beasts. His amiability, modesty and truthfulness were equal to his spiritedness. It is said that while he was travelling to the different pilgrimages after leaving his home, one night he heard somebody say to him in dream:—"Your wife has left your native village, Banamalipur, and has been living in Birsingha." At this, he returned to Birsirgha, and once again took charge of his family.

The land-owner of the village, Birsingha, offered to him his homestead land free of rent, and his friends and relations urged him to accept the offer. But he thankfully declined it. Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, in his auto-biography, thus speaks of his grand-father:—

"He never depended upon, or flattered, any body. It was his firm conviction that death was preferable to dependence on another person. He was a vegetarian, and ate only one meal a day. His character was stainless and pure, and he always took great care to devote most of his time and attention, to the worship of his HevenlyHeavenly [sic] Father."

Ramjay Tarkasiddhanta's bodily strength was equal to the strength of his mind. Body and mind are so very closely connected that the strength