Page:Ramakrishna - His Life and Sayings.djvu/30

12 of jSuftkara and others. Even in preaching that religion, and in living the life of a recluse, as he did, R&nakr*sh*a by no means claimed to stand alone. There were several leading Ved&nta preachers in India during the last fifty years, sometimes called Paramahawsas. Keshub Chunder Sen, well known in England and America, who was a great reformer with a strong leaning towards Christianity, was not counted as one of them, because he never passed through the proper discipline and did not live the life of a SaamySsin. But he mentions four among his contemporaries who deserved that title : first, DaySnanda Sarasvati, for a time unfortunately connected with Madame Blavatsky; secondly, Paw&i BSba of Gharipur ; thirdly, the Sikh Nagaji of Doom- raon; and lastly, our R&maknshfta, commonly called the Paramahaxffsa of Dakshiaesvar. ' These/ he adds, ' are the four ascetic saints whom our friends have from time to time duly honoured, and in whose company they have sought the sanctifying influences of character and example. May we respect,' he continues, ' and serve with profound respect and humility, every ascetic saint whom Providence may bring to us. The impure become pure in the company of Sadhus.'

Daytoanda Sarasvati.

Of the life of the first, of Dayinanda Sarasvatf, we have very full accounts. He initiated a great reform of Br&h- rnanism, and seems to have been a liberal-minded man, so far as social reforms were concerned. He also was willing to surrender his belief in the divine revelation of the Brihmaoas,