Page:Ramakrishna - His Life and Sayings.djvu/34

16 at every custom or tradition of the Hindus, translate it literally by Great Goose, but it would be more faithful to render that ancient title by High-soaring Eagle. Besides, haasa, though it is the same word as goose, is not the same bird But though these Paramahaozsas form an Mite by themselves, we know how many men there have been and are even now m India who, by the asceticism and saintliness of their lives, deserve a place very near to the Paramaha#zsas in our estimation. We know how Udayashankar, the Prime Minister of Bhavnagar, tried hard to revive, in his own case, the strict rules of life prescribed for the ancient Sa#mysins. The life of Keshub Chunder Sen also, though he was a married man and travelled much and moved in the world, was a life of extreme self-denial, as much as that of any Paramahaozsa.

Debendranftth Tagore.

The same applies to Debendranith Tagore, the friend and constant patron of Keshub Chunder Sen. Though he was the head of a wealthy and influential family, he spent most of his life in retirement from the world, in study, meditation, and contemplation. He has reached now what is considered a very high age in India, eighty-two, and we are glad to hear that he has written an autobiography to be published after his death. As the friend and protector of Keshub Chunder Sen, though for a time separated from him, he has acted a far more important part in the history of the Biihma-SamaJ than is commonly supposed. The following account of a visit lately paid to him by some members of the BrShma-SamaJ will give us an idea of the life of this