154. Raja Ram Mohan Rai


Raja Ram Mohan was born of a distinguished Brahmin family in Bengal. He was born in a village called Ramanagar, in the district of Murshidabad in Bengal, on the 22nd of May 1772. His father, Ramakanto Roy was an orthodox Brahmin. Ram Mohan’s parents were devoted to God and strictly performed the duties set by their religion. He himself was devoted to lord Vishnu. He wanted to become a monk in his 14th year but his mother, Tarini opposed his desire. He was married to three wives by the age of nine which was the custom of the day.


Young Ram Mohan was reputed for having a tenacious memory and was intelligent even at an early age. Ram Mohan was educated in Sanskrit, Bengali, Arabic and Persian in his own village. He started to learn English when he was 24 years old. It was in Patna, where he came across the translations of Aristotle and Euclid when to went to study Arabic. He read their books in Arabic. By studying their books, he developed the ability to think for himself.


His wide education and his exposure to different cultures led to many comparative religious questions. He condemned idol-worshiping and he opposed his parents who were doing so. He admired the spirit of freedom as advocated in the Vedas and the Upanishads. He proclaimed that simple living and high thinking should be a man’s motto in life and he lived accordingly.


Ram Mohan joined the service in the Revenue Department of the East India Company. He worked as an assistant to Mr. John Digby, an English officer. Ram Mohan was introduced to western culture and literature shortly following his employment, through Digby. As a lover of knowledge Ram Mohan studied Jainism with the help of Jain scholars, learnt Sufism from Muslim scholars. He translated the Upanishads and other sacred books into English and Bengali.