RAJA RAMMOHAN ROY

His differences with his father regarding idol-worship and the manner in which he conducted himself in Tibet show clearly one thing. Rammohan was a man who thought for him. In the Vedas and the Upanishads we see great freedom of thought. Rammohan admired this spirit of freedom. He proclaimed that simple living and high thinking should be a man’s motto in life. And he lived accordingly.

Once a man brought a conch for sale. He wanted a price of Rs 500. He said: "This conch can give anything a man wants. He can get all prosperity by possessing it." Kalinath, a friend of Rammohan, wanted to by it. He asked Rammohan for his opinion. Rammohan laughed and said, "If this conch can give all the wealth of the world, it must be Goddess Lakshmi herself. I can’t understand why this poor fellow wishes to sell Goddess Lakshmi!" As soon as the man heard this, he disappeared.