KESHUB CHUNDER SEN (KESHAVA CHANDRA SENA) Indian religious reformer, was born of a high-caste family at Calcutta in 1838. He was educated at one of the Cal cutta colleges, and became a clerk in the Bank of Bengal, but resigned his post to devote himself exclusively to literature and philosophy. As early as 1857 he joined the Brahma Samaj, a religious association aiming at the reformation of Hinduism. In 1862 he helped to found the Albert College, and started the Indian Mirror, a weekly journal in which social and moral sub jects were discussed. In 1863 he wrote The Brahma Samaj Vindicated. The steady development of his reforming zeal led to a split in the society, which broke into two sections, Chunder Sen putting himself at the head of the reform movement, which took the name "Brahma Samaj of India," and tried to propagate its doctrines by missionary enterprise. Its tenets at this time were the following: (I) The wide universe is the temple of God. (2) Wisdom is the pure land of pilgrimage. (3) Truth is the everlasting scripture. (4) Faith is the root of all religions. (5) Love is the true spiritual culture. (6) The destruction of selfish ness is the true asceticism. In 1866 he delivered an address on "Jesus Christ, Europe and Asia," which led to the false impression that he was about to embrace Christianity. In 1870 he paid a
visit to England where he was warmly welcomed. His own impres sion of Christianity in England was somewhat disappointing. It ap peared to him too sectarian and narrow, too muscular and hard, even. Christian life, in England, he considered more materialistic and outward than spiritual and inward.
After his return to India, Chunder Sen developed a tendency towards mysticism and a greater leaning to the spiritual teaching of the Indian philosophies, as well as a somewhat despotic atti tude towards the Samaj. He gave his child daughter in marriage to the raja of Kuch Behar; he revived the performance of mys tical plays, and himself took part in one. These changes alienated many followers, who deserted his standard and founded the Sadharana (General) Brahma Samaj (1878). Chunder Sen did what he could to reinvigorate his own section by a new infusion of Christian ideas and phrases. During the intervals of his last illness he wrote The New Samhita, or the Sacred Laws of the Aryans of the New Dispensation. He died in January 1884, leaving many bitter enemies and many warm friends.
See the article BRAHMA SAMAJ ; also P. Mozoomdar, Life and Teachings of Keshub Chunder Sen (1888).