Keshab Chandra Sen, j ust as his religious genius was at its highest point of fruition, came under the influence of Rama Krishna Paramahansa, who believed that idols are merely symbols employed to visualise God, and that therefore idolatry is defensible, that all religions are true, that every one should keep to his own faith and that the whole of Hinduism— every element of it—must be jealously preserved.
Owing to his severe penances and passion for God, his great adoration of Mother Kali, and his tolerance of all religions, Rama Krishna had earned a great reputation for himself. Keshab was simply mag netised by him, and would go to him frequently for exchange of views. Rama Krishna was a brilliant conversationalist and had crystallised his views in short epigrammatic sayings. He had.com pletely conquered the sex instinct, the caste-instinct and the desire for possessions. Needless to say, these frequent interviews somewhat modified Keshab's reforming zeal ; the Hindu ceremony of Arati or waving of censers was introduced in the Brahma ritual, just as baptism and the Lord's supper were already adopted. A simpler mode of life was adopted by Keshab and his friends, much to the decline of the combative attitude towards orthodoxy.
In 1869, when a new building was just declared open for Brahma worship, Keshab Chandra decided to take a short trip to England. There was lack of organisation in the Samaj ; hardly any constitution or democratic government, everything was in Keshab's hands, so the members felt that this would be a serious inconvenience, and might even com promise the security of the new Society. But Keshab's temporary absence during this critical stage turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for not only did his powerful oratory and spiritual earnestness draw round him notable men and women in England, but it revealed to them what was most progressive in the Indian tradition. He interpreted the heart of India to appreciative audiences, in words that breathed and thoughts that burned. Besides, his eloquence and catholicity of mind enlisted the sympathies of advanced thinkers in religious movements in India. But his study of the home life in England, and of the general social conditions prevailing there, opened his eyes to the need for much constructive work on his return to his own country. His new ideas took
visible shape in the Normal School for Girls, an Industrial School for Boys, an Institute for the education of women and the Bharata Asrama which he established for the instruction of women and children and for fostering larger ideals of home life. This, by the way, is a distinct advance on his pre vious views, since he was originally opposed to the education and social enfranchisement of women, and felt that the younger men in the camp were ardent radicals and scarcely realised the danger of conceding much freedom to women.
Ever since his assumption of leadership Keshab rendered valuable services to the Samaj in compiling a liturgy for devotional purposes, enriching its ritual and introducing modes of worship congenial to the temperament and the general environment of the people. Among these may be mentioned Sankirtana or chanting of hymns to the accompaniment of musical instruments, and Nagarkirtana or pro cession of singers, shouting and dancing and singing hymns and songs of praise, while marching through public thoroughfares. The keen enthusiasm of Bhakti, i.e., devotion to God and implicit trust in Him, he had no doubt inherited from his Vishnuite ancestry, who were followers of Chaitanya, the great Bhakti revivalist of the sixteenth century.
It seems highly probable that the development of Unitarianism in England has had some share in facilitating the Indian transition to a pure form of monotheism. This seems to be almost entirely ignored by modern European writers on Indian religious developments. The present writer has found such books as Dr. Martineau's " Seat of Authority in Religion," " Principle of Ethics," " Quiet Half-hours with Jesus," along with Stopford Brooke's publications and • Charles Voysey's voluminous sermons, in the private libraries of Brahma Samajists. Besides, some remarkable books on ethics and metaphysics, included in the University curriculum are by prominent representatives of the Unitarian revolt against the traditional formula; of the Reformed Church. Without doubt, these have influenced the minds of university educated men, and given them somewhat of their bias.