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members of the Arya Samaj, frequented his house and gathered round
him in numbers in the mornings and evenings and held conversations
on deep and recondite questions of Vedic Philosophy. These
conversations were generally cheerful and animated and continued
for hours together. Panditji never sent any man back without satisfying
him on every point connected with his inquiry. The questions were
varied and embraced various departments of learning and it is a
wonder indeed how Panditji had managed to master difficult and
abstruse subjects. He was, as it were, an embodiment of learning;
Sanskrit, Arabic, Physical Sciences, Geology, Chemistry, Botany,
Physiology, Astronomy, Mathematics, Philosophy, Philology in all
these and in many more he appeared to be quite at home and those
who approached him for the removal of their doubts were simply
struck at his profound scholarship. He died while yet he was hardly
26 years of age and how in this short time he contrived to gather such
a vast store of knowledge will ever remain an object of wonder and
admiration. His very presence was quieting. There are men who say
that after they had once heard him talk at his residence not a doubt
arose in their minds on any subject. .This might seem somewhat
paradoxical and some men would be inclined to think that is a vein of
exaggeration in all that we have said about Panditji, but if any testimony
from those that have been in personal contact with the illustrious
scholar can be valid, we can assure the reader that we are giving an
exact and faithful description of facts.
The year 1888 was the most eventful in the life of Pt. Guru Datta.
It was during this year that he delivered lectures by way of criticism
on Monier Williams'Indian Wisdom,'3° studied the science of
Swars
and introduced the right mode of the recitation of the Vedic texts.31
This was a task of which the magnitude cannot be easily conceived. If
he had done no other work, this alone was enough to entitle him to a
high position among the greatmen of the age. But by far the most
valuable work which he did and which is worthy of being cherished
with gratitude by us all, is his staunch and uncompromising advocacy
of the Vedic religion. The Vedic religion was in those days much
traduced by the Brahmans. The educated men, imbued with western
ideas, raised a host of objections on the principles of the Arya Samaj.
To meet these persons on their own ground, a very powerful exponent
of
dharma
was needed. A man of learning was in requisition who
should not only refute the objections of the opponents in a rational
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