ogis
avoid appearing in public, and spend their lives in secluded retirement
and studies, except when, as in Dayanand's case, they come forth in
time of need to aid their country. However, it is perfectly certain that
India never saw a more learned Sanskrit scholar, a deeper metaphysician,
a more wonderful orator, and a more fearless denunciator of every evil,
than Dayanand, since the time of Sankharacharya, the celebrated founder
of the Vedanta philosophy, the most metaphysical of Indian systems,
in fact, the crown of pantheistic teaching. Then, Dayanand's personal
appearance is striking. He is immensely tall, his complexion is pale,
rather European than Indian, his eyes are large and bright, and his
greyish hair is long. The Yogis and Dikshatas (initiated) never cut
either their hair or beard. His voice is clear and loud, well calculated
to give expression to every shade of deep feeling, ranging from a sweet
childish caressing whisper to thundering wrath against the evil doings
and falsehoods of the priests. All this taken together produces an
indescribable effect on the impressionable Hindu. Wherever Dayanand
appears crowds prostrate themselves in the dust over his footprints;
but, unlike Babu Keshub Chunder Sen, he does not teach a new
religion, does not invent new dogmas. He only asks them to renew their
half-forgotten Sanskrit studies, and, having compared the doctrines of
their forefathers with what they have become in the hands of Brahmans,
to return to the pure conceptions of Deity taught by the primitive
Rishis--Agni, Vayu, Aditya, and Anghira--the patriarchs who first gave
the Vedas to humanity. He does not even claim that the Vedas are a
heavenly revelation, but simply teaches that "every word in these
scriptures belongs to the highest inspiration possible to the earthly
man, an inspiration that is repeated in the history of humanity, and,
when necessary, may happen to any nation....."

During his five years of work Swami Dayanand made about two million
proselytes, chiefly amongst the higher castes. Judging by appearances,
they are all ready to sacrifice to him their lives and souls and even
their earthly possessions, which are often more precious to them than
their lives. But Dayanand is a real Yogi, he never touches money, and
despises pecuniary affairs. He contents himself with a few handfuls of
rice per day. One is inclined to think that this wonderful Hindu bears
a charmed life, so careless is he of rou