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it. He had a very high opinion of the book and recommended it to those
who found it difficult, on account of advanced age, domestic
encumbrances &c., to study the Ashtadhyai. Some gentlemen at his
suggestion began to learn the book, and found, before they had
advanced much, that they could understand tolerably long passages
of Sanskrit. All the office bearers of the Multan Samaj were
interested in the progress of Guru Datta and once they examined
him in Arya Uddesh Ratan Mala and Vedadi Bhashya Bhumika.6
He used to attend the Samaj regularly and was much liked by the
Samajic people.
There is hardly any branch of study that did not receive the
attention of Guru Datta while at school. Of English literature, he
had read Milton, Cowper, and Shakespeare; of Persion, he had a
thorough mastery over Masnavi Maulana Rumi, Hafiz and another
works of note; of Arabic, he had read Saraf Nahav and Mara Naha.
Physical science was his favourite subject while he had gone through
several books on Logic, Psychology and Philosophy. This is
extraordinary in a boy of fourteen or fifteen years. Pandit Guru
Datta had acquired a fair proficiency in these, before passing the
Entrance Examination. He was a brilliant student in his class. Much
of his time being spent in extra study, he did not always occupy
the foremost position, the other boys who devoted themselves
exclusively to the study of the text books, having advantage over
him in this respect, sometimes outstripped him in class lessons, but
none of them could boast of learning so vast and varied in range
and extent. Guru Datta could, while reading in the High School,
compete successfully with F.A. students. Whatever he read, he not
only retained in his memory but fully comprehended it.
The various shades of meaning that a philosophical question
was susceptible of, he could decipher without much exertion,
Shakespeare he recited with warmth and passion as though the
drama was being really enacted— the tone, gestures and
modulations of voice exactly suited the occasion. And his teachers
were not unconscious of these capabilities. Once there was a
difficult piece from a well known author ending with "Here it is".
The Head Master, in order to test the merits of the students and
quicken them to effort, said that he would give Rs. 5, as reward to
the students, who would recite it in the proper manner. All
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