Gora

Gora went on: “ Here, where we read and study, where we go about seeking employment, slaving away from ton to five without rhyme or reason -because we call this falsehood of some evil genie India, is that any reason why 360 millions of people should honour what is false and go about intoxicated with the idea that this world of falsity is a real world?. How oan we gain any life, for* all our efforts, out of this mirage? That is why we are gradually dying of inanition. But there is a true India, rich and full, and unless we take our stand there, wo shall not bo able to draw upon the sap of life either by our intellect or by our heart. Therefore, I say, forget everything— book-learning, tho illusion of titles, the tempta¬ tions of servile livelihood; ronounce the attractions of all them and let us launch tho ship towards its port. If wo muBt sink, if we must die, let us. It is because it is so vital for us that 1 at least can never forget the true and complete imago of “ Is this merely the ferment of excitement, or the truth? ” asked Binoy.

“ The truth of course 1 ” thundered Gora.

“ And what about those who cannot see as you do?

inquired Binoy gec, ». rPplied Gora, clenching his fist. " That is our work. If people are unable to see a clear picture of truth, they will surrender themselves to any phantom. Hold up before all the unbroken imago of India, and men will become possessed by it. Then you won t have to go begging for paltry subscriptions from door to door- people w2l jostle one another in their efiorts to offer up their “ Well, then, show me this image, or else send mo to join the unseeing multitudes! ” M “ Try and realise it for yourself, replied Gora. If only you have faith, you will find joy in the austerity of your devotion. Our fashionable patriots have no faith in truth, that is why they cannot make any strong claim, either on themselves or on others. If the God of Wealth himself offered them a boon, I verily believe thev would not have tho courage to ask for more than the gilt badge of tho Viceroy’s orderlies. They have no faith, therefore they have no hope.”

"Gora,” protested Binoy, “ every one has not the samo nature. You have faith yourself, and you can take shelter crv GORA 19 -In your own strength, that is why you cannot fully understand the mental condition of other people. I tell you plainly, give me somo task, it doesn’t matter what. Make mo work day and night. Otherwise I feel as if I had got hold of something ■tangible only while I am with you; but as soon as I am away from you, I find nothing at hand to cling to.”

“ You speak of work? ” replied Gora. “ At present our •only task is to infuse in the unbelievers our own unhesitating And unflinching confidence in all that belongs to our country. Through our constant habit of being ashamed of our country, the poison of servility has overpowered our minds. If each •one of us will, by his own example, counteract that poison, then wo shall soon find our field of service. So far, in what¬ ever we try to do, we simply copy what our school-book history teaches us that others have done. Can we ever give our heart And mind truly to such second-hand service? In this way ■we can only follow the path of degradation.”

At this juncture Mohim entered the room, hookah in hand, with alow and leisurely steps. This was his time, after return¬ ing from office and taking some refreshment, for sitting at the door of his house with his betel chew and his smoke. One by one his friends from the neighbourhood would join him, and then they would retire to the sitting-room for a game of cards.

At his entry Gora stood up, and Mohim, puffing at his .hookah, said: “ You, who are so busy trying to save India, 1 wish you’d save your brother! ” Gora looked inquiringly at Mohim, who went on: “ The new Burra Sahib at our office is a regular rogue. He has a face like a bulldog, and calls us Babus ‘ baboons.’ If any one loses his mother he won’t give him leave, saying that it is a lie. Not a single Bengali clerk gets his full pay at the end of the month, their salaries being completely riddled with fines. An anonymous letter about him has appeared in the papers recently /and the fellow will have it that it is my work. Not that he’s altogether wrong either I He threatens to dismiss mo unless I write a strong contradiction over my own name. You two bright jewels of our University must help me to •concoct a good letter, scattering broadcast such phrases as ‘ even-handed justice,’ ‘ never-failing generosity,’ ‘ kindly courtcousncss,’ etc., etc.”

Gora remained silent, but Binoy laughed and said: Bacia,1 4iow can one manage to express so many falsehoods in one breath I " * Dada= elder brother.

20 GORA CHAP.

“ One must give a tooth for a tooth and an eve for an eye,,r replied Mohim. “ I’ve had long experience of these sahibs, and there is nothing unfamiliar about them to me. The way- they can collect falsehoods is beyond all praise. Nothing stands in their way if necessity arises. If bne of them tells- a lie, the whole crowd of them howl in ohorus liko jackals, — not as we do, who arc not above taking credit for turning approver. Be assured that it is no sin to deceive them, so- long as you are not found out 1 ” With his last words Mohim laughed loud and long, audl Binoy also could not help smiling.

“ You hope to shame them by confronting them with the* truth 1 ” went on Mohim. “ If the Almighty had not endowed you with this kind of intelligence, the country would not have- come to such a plight 1 You really must begin to understand that the strong fellow from across the sea docs not bow his- head in shame when you catch him in tho act of liousti- breaking. On the contrary, he raises his crowbar on you will* all the assurance of innocence itself. Isn’t that so? ” “ True enough,” answered Binoy.

“ Well then,” continued Mohim, “ if we use a little oil from- the mill of falsehood to flatter them, saying: ‘ 0 righteous, one, 0 holy saint, kindly throw us something from your satchel, even if it be onlv its dust,’ then some small part of: our own may be restored to us. At the same time we shall avoid all chance of a breach of the peace. If only you think of it, this is real patriotism. But Gora is angry with me. Ho- has taken to showing great respect to me, his cider brother, ever since he turned orthodox. But to-day my words don’t strike him as coming from an elder. What am I to do, brother mine? I must speak the truth even about falsehood. However that may be, Binoy, you must writo that letter. Wait a moment and I will bring you my rough notes of tho points.” And Mohim went off, pulling hard at his hookah.

Gora turned to Binoy and said: “ Binu, do go to HadaV room, there’s a good fellow, and keep him quiet while I fining my writing.”

CHAPTER V An and a wo yi knocked at the door of her husband’s prayer- room. “ Are you listening? ” she called to him. “ Pm not trying to enter, you needn’t be afraid, but when you’ve finished GORA 21 I want a word with yon. Now that you have got hold of a new sannyasi, I won’t get a sight of you for a good long time, I know, so I’ve come here. Don’t forget to come to me, for a minute, wben.you'vo done.” And with these words sh returned to her household duties.

Krishnadayal Babu was a dark man, not very tall and inclined to bo stout. The moat prominent of \ns feature* i were- his large eyes, the rest of his face being almost under a bushy grey beard and moustache. Ho a ways affected ochre silk robes and wooden sandals, and earned a brass pot, in tae- mannor of ascetics. The front part of his head was bald, but ho woro his hair long and coiled up on the top.

Thoro had been a time, while his work kept him UPC0UD^ when in the company of the soldiers of theregment he^ indulged in forbidden meat and wino to Ins Heart a content. In thoso days he used to consider it a sign of moral courage to* go out of his way to revile and insult priests and wnnww and men of any kind of religious profession. Buv j anything savouring of orthodoxy had his allegiance H© ho on or caught sight of a sannyasi than he would sit at his feet in the hope of learning some novel form of religious exercise. His greed for finding some hidden short cut to salvation, some- ^fmethS of 'gaining mystical powers was houn^ess While he had recently been busy taking lessons in Tantnw practices, his latest discovery had been a Buddhist monk, and over the infant to his father-in-law and went o2 west m a fit oi a great I“«*“ appoiatment inthe Cora- 23£"te«» compelled, for lack of any other guardian, to.

“^a^hTfopTMntiny not miss certain opportunities of contriving to.save tMJ GORA CHAP.

'the child was five years old, Krishnadayal went on to Calcutta, .and taking his elder boy, Mohim, away from his uncle, began to educate him. Now Mohim, by favour of hia father’s patrons, had been taken into the Government Treasury, •where, as -we have seen, he was working enthusiastically.

Gora from his childhood had been a leader amongst the .boys of: his neighbourhood and his sohool. His chief work .and amusement was to make the lives of his teachers un¬ bearable. When he was a little older ho led the Students’ 'Club in their national songs, gave lectures in English, and was the acknowledged leader of a band of littlo revolutionaries. At last, when ho had been hatched from the egg of the •Students’ Club and started cackling in public at meetings of adults, that seemed to afford Krishnadayal Babu considerable j amusement.

Gora) began to gain quite a reputation outside hia home, •but none of his own family took him very seriously. Mohim -felt it duo to his Government service to try his best to restrain -Gora, at whom he jeered, calling him “ Patriotic Prig," “ Harish Mookerjec the Second,” etc., over which, sometimes, •the two nearly came to blows. Anandamoyi was very much upset at* heart over Gora’s militant antagonism to everything English, and tried every expedient to calm him down, but •without effect. Gora would in fact be only too delighted if he ;got a chance in the street of quarrelling with an Englishman. At the same time, he was greatly attracted towards the Brahmo Samaj, being under the spell of Keshub Chandra •‘Sen’s eloquence.

It was just at this time that Krishnadayal all of a sudden •turned strictly orthodox, so much so that he felt exceedingly •put out even if Gora stepped into his room. He actually had ;a part of the house reserved specially for his own use, calling ‘it the “ Hermitage,” and going to the length of displaying the •name on a signboard. Gora’s mind revolted against these ■ways of his father. “ I can't put up with all this folly,” ihe said; “ I simply won't stand it.” Gora, in fact, was on the point of cutting off all connection with his father, when Anandamoyi intervened and managed somehow to reconcile •them.

Gora,. whenever he got the opportunity, argued hotly with the Brahmin pandits who gathered round his father. It •could scarcely be called argument, however, his words being more like slaps-on the face. Most of these pandits had little -scholarship, but -an immense avidity for their perquisites.

v GOftA 23 They could not manage Gora at all, and were mortally afraid of his tigerish onslaughts.

But there was one of them for whom Gora began to enter¬ tain a great respect. His name was Vidyavagish, and he had been engaged by Krishnadayal for expounding the Vedanta philosophy. At first Gora tried to dispose of him with the same insolence, but he was soon disarmed. The man, ho found, had not only great learning, but his liborality of mind was something wonderful. Gora had never imagined that any one, read only in Sanskrit lore, could have such a keen anil open intelligence. There was such power and peace, Mich unwavering patience and depth, in the character of Vidyavagish that Gora could not but feel himself restrained in the pandit’s presence. Gora began to study tho Vedanta philosophy with him, and, as he could never do anything half¬ heartedly, ho plunged headlong into all its speculations.

As it happonod, this coincided with a controversy started in the papers by some English missionary, in which he attacked Hindu religion and Hindu society and invited discussion. Gora fired up at once, for although he was only too ready himself, when he got the chance, to worry his opponents by crying down scriptural injunctions and popular customs alike, he was goaded to the quick at this disrespect shown to Hindu society by a foreigner. So he rushed into the fray, and took up the defence. He would not acknowledge a single one, not even the smallest fraction, of the faults imputed to the Hindus by the opposite party. After many letters had been exchanged, tho editor finally closed the correspondence.

But Gora had been thoroughly roused, and ho set to work on a book in English on “ Hinduism,” in which he exerted himself to the utmost to get together arguments from reason and scripture to provo the blameless excellence of Hindu religion and society. He ended by succumbing to his own advocacy. He said: “ We must refuse to allow our country r to stand at the bar of a foreign court and be judged according to a foreign law. Our ideas of shame or glory must not depend on minute comparisons at every step with a foreign \ standard. We must not feel apologetic about the country of our birth— whether it be about its traditions, faith or its scriptures— neither to others nor even to ourselves. Wc must aavc our country and ourselves from insult by manfully bear¬ ing the burdens of our motherland with all our strength and f. all our pride.”.

Full of these ideas, Gora began religiously to bathe in the 24 GORA CHAP.

Ganges, regularly to perform ceremonial worship morning and evening, to take particular caro of what he touched and what he ate, and even to grow a tiki.1 Every morning he went to take the dust of his parents’ feet, and as for Mohim, whom he had had no compunction in calling “ cad ” and “ snob " — now, whenever he came into the room, Gora stood up and mado to him the obeisance duo to an elder. Mohim did not spare his sneers at Gora for this sudden change, but Gora never answered him back.

By his preaching and example Gora created a regular party of young enthusiasts round himself. They seemed to have gained from his teaching freedom from the strain of opposing pulls on their conscience. “ Wo need no longer offer explana¬ tions,” they seemed to say to themselves with a sigh of relief. “ It matters not whether we aro good or bad, civilised or barbarian, so long as wc arc but ourselves.”

But, curiously enough, it did not appear that Krishnadayal was pleased at this sudden change in Gora. On the contrary he one day called Gora and said to him: “ Look here, my son, Hinduism is a very profound subject. It is not easy for any and every person to sound the depths of the religion established by the Risnis. It is just as.well not to meddle with it without a full understanding. Your mind is not yet mature, moreover you have all along been educated in English. Your first impulse towards the Brahmo Samaj was more suited for your type of mind. So I was not at all annoyed about it, rather it pleased me. But the path you are now following is not your path at all. I am afraid it will not do.”

“ What are you saying, father? ” protested Gora. “ Am I not a Hindu? If I cannot understand the deeper meaning of Hinduism to-day I shall do so to-morrow. Even if I can never grasp its full significance, its path is the only ono for me to pursue. The merit of some previous Hindu birth lias brought me this time into a Brahmin family, and in this way, after repeated re-births through Hindu religion and socioty, I shall reaoh my final goal. If by mistake I swerve from my appointed path, that will only mean redoubled travail ia returning to it.”

But Krishnadayal kept on shaking his head as he said: “ But, my boy, simply to call oneself a Hindu is not to become one. It is easy to become a Mohammedan, easier still to become 1 A tuft of hair at the back of the head, grown by Brahmins in Bengal as a mark of orthodoxy.

GORA VI 25 i Christian— bat a Hindu! Good Lord, that’s a different matter! ” * "That’s true enough,” replied Gora; “but since I have been born a Hindu I have at least crossed the threshold. If only I kcop on tho true path I shall gradually make good progress.”

“I am afraid, my son,” answered Krishnadayal, “ I shall hardly be able to convince you by argument. What you say is quite right in its way. Whatever religion is reaily yours according to your own karma, to it you will have to return sooner or later, — no ouo can stand in your way. God’s will bo done I What arc wo but His instruments? ” Krishnadayal had a way of accepting, with equally open arms, tho doctrine of Ka*tua and trust in God’s will, identity with the Divine and worship of tho Divinity,— he never even felt tho need for reoonoiling these opposites.

CHAPTER VI Remembering his wife’s request, Krishnadayal, after finishing hi3 bath and taking his food, went to her room. It was the first time he had been thoro for many days, and ho spread his own mat on the floor and sat bolt upright, as if carefully dissociating himself from his surroundings.

Anandamoyi opened the conversation: “ You are making a bid for sainthood and do not trouble yourself about domestic matters, but I am getting worried to death about Gora.”

“ Why, what is there to be afraid of? ” asked Krishnadayal. “I can’t exactly tell,” replied Anandamoyi. “But I’m thinking that if Gora goes on with this Hinduism of his at this xato, it cannot last — some catastrophe is sure to happen. I warned you not to invest him with the sacred thread, but in those days you were not so particular and said: ‘ What does a piece of string matter one way or the other? ’ But it has come to mean much more than the thread now. And where are vou going to draw the line? ’’ “ Oh yes 1 ” grumbled Krishnadayal. “ Put all the blame on me, of course 1 But was not the original mistake yours? You woxJd insist on not giving him up. In those days I too was hot-headed, with no thought of the claims of religion. I could no*, dream of doing such a thing to-day I ” GORA CHAP.

" Say what von like,” replied Anandamoyi, I will never admit having done anything wrong. You remember that I left nothing untried in order to have a child of my own. I did whatever was suggested, — how many mantras I uttered! how many charms I wore! Well, ono day in a dream I saw child, as white as they were. ' I cannot tell you what J felt when I saw it, — my eyes filled with tears. 1 was just about give nun up to any one else i i muse nave ncia nun in my womb in eomo previous life, at the cost of great pain, and that is why he has como now to call mo ‘Mother.’ Just think how strangely ho camo to us! That midnight, when all around us there was bloodshed, and wo ourselves went in fear of our lives, the English lady took shelter in our homo. You were afraid to keep her in the house, but I put her in the cow¬ shed unknown to you. That very night she died on giving birth to a son. If I had not cared for that orphan child it would not have lived. What did you care? You wanted to hand him over to a padre. Why? Why should I give him to the padre? What was the padre to him? Had he saved the child’s life? Was such a way of getting the ohild less wonderful than giving birth to it myself? Whatever you may say, unless He who gave to me my child takes- him away from me, I will never give him up.”

“ Don’t I know that? ” said Krishnadayal. “ Anyhow, do as you will with vour Gora, I have never tried to interfere. I had to go through the thread investiture because, having given him out to be our son, society would not have it other¬ wise. There are only two questions remaining to bo settled.

Legally Mohim is entitled to all that I have — so - ” Who wants to share in your property? ” interrupted Anandamoyi. “ You may leave all your earnings to Mohim, — Gora will not claim a pice of them. He’s a man and well educated. He can earn his own living; why should ho hanker after another’s wealth? As for me, it is enough that he lives, — I have no need for any other possessions."

“ No, I don’t want to leave him altogether penniless,” objected Krishnadayal. “ There is the land which was granted to me, — that ought to bring in a thousand rupees a year. The more knotty question is that of his marriage. What’s already been done is done — but I can’t now go further and GORA actually marry him into a Brahmin family, according to Hindu rites — whether it pleases you to get angry or not.”

“ So you think I have no conscience merely because I am not like you, sprinkling holy Ganges water all over the place? Why should I want to marry him into a Brahmin family, or get angry about it, either? ” “ And what if I ami” replied Anandamoyi. “ I have- long ceased to take pride in my caste. Why, when our relatives mado a fuss at Mohim’s wedding because of my unorthodox habits, I simply kept at a distance without a word, of protest. Nearly everybody calls me a Christian, and what¬ ever else comes to their lips. I accept all that they say in f)od part, contenting myself with the reply: Aren’t Christians uman beings? If you alone are tho elect of God, why has He mado you grovel in the dust first before the Pathans, then before the Moghuls, and now before tho Christians? ” “ Oh, that’s a long story,” answered Krishnadayal some¬ what impatiently. “ You’re a woman and wouldn’t be able- to understand. But there is such a thing as society and you can’t ignore it — that at least you can understand.”

“ I’d rather not bother my head about all that,” said-. Anandamoyi. “ But this much I do understand, that if, after having brought up Gora as my child, I now start playing at orthodoxy, then, apart from its offending society, it would offend my own conscience. It is only because of -my fear of dharma that I have never hidden anything and let every one know that I do not conform to orthodox customs, bearing- patiently all tho hard words this has earned for me. There- is ono thing, however, which I have concealed, and for this I go in constant dread of God’s retribution. — -Look here, I think we ought to make a clean breast of it to Gora, let come what may.”

u No, no! ” exclaimed Krishnadayal, greatly perturbed at. this suggestion. “Not while I live, lou know Gora. If' once heneare the troth, there’s no telling what he will do. and then tho whole of society will be about our ears. Not only that, but Government may also give trouble, for, although. Cora’s father was killed in the Mutiny and we knew that his mother died, yet when the trouble was over we ought to have informed the magistrate. If once we raise this mare’s nest, all my religious exercises will be done for, and there’s no- knowing what further calamity may descend upon me.”

loyi remained silent, and after a pause Krishnadayal* 28 GORA "HAL*.

went on: “ With regard to Gora’s marriago I have an luea. Paresh Bbattacharya was a fellow student of mine. He has just retired from a school-inspectorship with a pension and is staying in Calcutta. He’s a full-fledged Brahmo, and I huvo heard that there are many marriageable girls in his house. If only we could steer Gora to that establishment, then, after a few visits he might easily take a fancy to one of them. After that we may safely leave matters to tho God of Love.”

“ What! Gora go visiting in a Brahmo household? Those days for him are long past! " exclaimed Anandamoyi.

As she spoke Gora himself camo into tho room calling out in Ids thundoring voice, “ Mother! ” but, seeing his father sitting there, ho paused for a moment in astonishment. Anandamoyi went quickly up to him os she asked, with affcotion radiating from her countenance: “ What is it, my child? what do you want of me? " “ Nothing very urgent: it can wait." With which Gora turned to go, but Krishnadayal stopped him, Baying: “ Wait a moment, Gora, I have something to say to you. I have a Brahmo friend who has recently come to Calcutta, and is living near Bcadon Street.”

“Is it Paresh Babu? " asked Gora.

“ How do you come to know him? " asked Krishnadayal in surprise.

“ I’ve heard of him from Binoy, who lodges near his house," explained Gora.

“ Well," pursued “Krishnadayal, “ I want you to call and inquire after him.”

Gora hesitated a moment, apparently revolving something in his mind, and then came out with: “ All right, I’ll go over to-morrow first thing."

Anandamoyi was xather surprised at Gora’s ready com- liance, but the very next moment he said: “No, I forgot, can’t go to-morrow.”

“ Why not? " asked Krishnadayal. r “ To-morrow I have to go to Tribeni.”

“ Tribeni of all places 1 ” exclaimed Krishnadayal.

“ There is the bathing festival for to-morrow’s eclipse of the sun,” explained Gora.

“ You make me wonder, Gora,” said Anandamoyi. " Haven’t you the Ganges here in Calcutta, that you can't bathe without going all the way to Tribeni1?— You are out¬ doing orthodoxy itself! ” But Gora left the room without answering.

GORA 29 vn The -reason why Gora had decided to bathe at Tubeni was because there would bo crowds of pilgrims there. Gora snatched at every opportunity for casting away all his diffidence, all his former prejudices, and, standing on a level with the common people of his country, to say with all his heart: “ I am yours ana you are mine.”

CHAPTER VII In the morning Binoy awoko and saw the early light blossom¬ ing as pure as the smile of a newborn child. A lew white clouds ■were floating aimlessly in the sky.

As he stood in the verandah recalling the happy memory of another such morning, he saw Paresh Babu coming slowly Along the street, a stick in one hand and Satish holding the •other.

As soon as Satish caught sight of Binoy he clapped his hands and shouted, “ Binoy Babu! ” Paresh Babu also looked up and saw him, and Binoy hurrying downstairs met them both as they entered the house.

Satish seized Binoy’s hand, saying: “ Binoy Babu, why haven’t you been to see us? You promised to come in that -day.”

Binoy, putting his hand affectionately on the boy’s shoulder, emiled at him, while Paresh Babu, carefully placing his stick upright against the table, sat down and said: “ I don’t know wnat we should have done without you the other day. You were so very good to us.”

“ Oh, that was nothing; pray don’t speak of it,” said Binoy •deprecatingly.

“ I say, Binoy Babu, haven’t you got a dog? ” usked Satish suddenly.

“ A dog? ” replied Binoy with a smile. “ No, I am afraid J haven’t/’ “ Why don’t you keep a dog? ” inquired Satish.

“ Well, — the idea of keeping one never occurred to me.”

“ I am told,” said Paresh Babu, coming to his rescue, " that Satish came here the same day. I’m afraid he must have pestered you a lot. He talks so much that his sister has nicknamed him Mr. Chatterbox.”

Binov said: “I too can chatter when I like, so we got on very « together, — didn’t we, Satish Babu? ” so GOKA CBAP.

Satish went on with his ouestions and Binoy with his answers, but Parcsh Babu spoke very little. He only threw- m a word now and then with a happy and tranquil smile. When about to go, he said: The number of our house is 78 • from here it is straight along the road to the right.*' "He know;3 our h°*,se quite well,” interrupted Satish.

He came right up to the door with me that very day.”

There was no earthly reason for feeling ashamed of this- fact; nevertheless Binoy was overcome with a sense of bashful- ncss, as though ho had been suddenly found out/ “ Then you know our house,” said the old gentleman.

So if you aro ever - ” “ That goes without saying— whenever I - ” faltered Binoy.

" We arc such near neighbours," said Parcsh Babu ns he- rose. ‘ It is only because we live in Calcutta that wo have- remained so long unacquaiutcd.”

Binoy saw his guests to the street and stood at the door for a little, watching them, as Parcsh Babu walked slowlv along leaning on his stick, while Satish carried on a ceaseless chatter by his side.

Binoy thought to himself—” I have never seen an old man. „ like Parcsh Babu. I feel I want to take the dust of his feet And what a delightful boy Satish is! When he grows up hi will be a real man. He is as frank as he is clever.”

However good the old man and the boy might be, that was- hardly enough to account for this sudden outburst of respect and affection. But Binoy’s state of mind did not need a. longer acquaintanceship.

“ Aftcr thia.” added Binoy in his mind, “ I shall have to- go to Parcsh Babu’s house unless I want to be rude.”

But the India of Gora’s party admonished him: ” Beware r Thou shalt not enter there! ”