Sen, Keshab Chunder

Sen, Keshab Chunder
(1838–1884)
   social reformer and philosopher
   Keshab Chunder Sen was a philosopher and social reformer, whose career reflected the variety of responses to the modern world that emerged in Hindu society.
   Sen was born on November 19, 1838, into a wealthy family in Calcutta (Kolkata) who were very involved in both Bengali and Western cul-tural movements. He was recruited at age 19 by Debendranath Tagore, father of the poet RABIN-DRANATH TAGORE, to the celebrated BRAHMO SAMAJ reform movement, which attempted to purify Hinduism from practices such as caste, child mar-riage, purdah (seclusion of women), ill treatment of widows, and particularly idol worship. He became secretary of the movement in 1859. Sen broke away in 1865 because of personal disagree-ments and formed the Brahmo Samaj of India. This organization also split after Sen married his daughter to a maharajah when she was only 14 years old, an action that was seen as a major betrayal of the movement’s principles.
   In 1878 Sen formed the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj. His views had changed under the influ-ence of the teacher RAMAKRISHNA, who persuaded him to accept image worship and see the Hindu pantheon in a new light, as a way for the ordinary devotee to engage the divinity concretely.
   His New Dispensation, which he announced in 1879, has often been taken as tantamount to his conversion to Christianity, but it is more complicated. He considered his movement to be on a par with the Jewish and Christian traditions and as a fulfillment of Christ’s prophecy. He also believed that his movement would lead to the harmonization of all religions. Though he referred to himself as Jesudas, servant of Jesus, he empha-sized Christ’s Asiatic character and saw Christ in a VEDANTIC light as the one god, who is worshipped under different names by all those who worship God.
   He died on January 8, 1884.
   Further reading: Keshub Chunder Sen in England: Dia-ries, Sermons, Addresses and Epistles (Calcutta: Writers Workshop, 1980); Glyn Richards, ed., A Source Book of Modern Hinduism (London: Curzon Press, 1985); David C. Scott, ed., Keshub Chunder Sen: A Selection (Madras: Christian Literature, 1979).

Encyclopedia of Hinduism. . 2007.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Keshab Chunder Sen — ▪ Hindu philosopher and social reformer also spelled  Keshub Chandra Sen   born Nov. 19, 1838, Calcutta died Jan. 8, 1884, Calcutta       Hindu philosopher and social reformer who attempted to incorporate Christian theology within the framework… …   Universalium

  • Keshub Chunder Sen — Keshab Chandra Sen কেশবচন্দ্র সেন Keshab Chandra Sen Born 19 November 1838(1838 11 19) Died 8 January 1884( …   Wikipedia

  • List of people from West Bengal — This is a list of famous and notable people from West Bengal, India. This would include persons who are known to a large number of people and is not based on the extent of their popularity. Neither is the list viewed from the context of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Brahmo Samaj — /brah moh/ a modern Hindu movement advocating a monotheistic religion based on the Upanishads, and social and educational reforms according to Western principles. Also, Brahma Samaj. [ < Bengali brahma samaj assembly of Brahma] * * * Monotheistic …   Universalium

  • Hinduism — /hin dooh iz euhm/, n. the common religion of India, based upon the religion of the original Aryan settlers as expounded and evolved in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, etc., having an extremely diversified character with many… …   Universalium

  • Indira of Baroda — Indira Raje of Baroda (19 February 1892–6 September 1968), later the Maharani of Cooch Behar, was the consort of Maharaja Jitendra of Cooch Behar and a princess of Baroda in her own right. She also served as regent of Cooch Behar during the… …   Wikipedia

  • Tagore, Debendranath — born May 15, 1817, Calcutta, India died Jan. 19, 1905, Calcutta Hindu philosopher and religious reformer. Born into a wealthy landowning family, he was educated in both Eastern and Western philosophy. Striving to purge Hinduism of abuses, he… …   Universalium

  • chronology — 3600 B.C.E. to 1700 B.C.E. Indus Valley civilization, including sites at Mohenjodaro and Harappa, prospers. Archaeo logical finds include a seal that some scholars identify as a proto Shiva. 2050 ¶ Indo Iranian people settle in Iran (Persia) and… …   Encyclopedia of Hinduism

  • Prarthana Samaj — ▪ Hindu reform society       (Sanskrit: “Prayer Society”), Hindu reform society established in Bombay in the 1860s. In purpose it is similar to, but not affiliated with, the more widespread Brahmo Samaj and had its greatest sphere of influence in …   Universalium

  • United Kingdom —    The National Census of April 2001 reported 559,000 Hindus living in Britain, approximately 1 percent of the population, making Hinduism Britain’s third largest religion. In 1977, 70 per cent of Hindu residents were Gujarati, 15 percent Punjabi …   Encyclopedia of Hinduism

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”