শ্রীশচন্দ্র বসুর যৌবনকাল ও যোগ সাধনার রচনাকর্ম | The Youth of Srisacandra Basu and Works on Yogic Sadhana

Abstract

This article provides a short biographical sketch of Srisacandra Basu /Vasu (1861-1918), one of the most important Bengali author-translators of the nineteenth century. Special reference here is given to Basu's parentage, family, and ancestral home in what is today modern Bangladesh, as well as his experience at college and university in Lahore. I further attempt to demonstrate how his unique upbringing and the early loss of his father contributed to his interest in spiritual pursuits and membership in a variety of societies current at the time, such as the Arya Samaj, Dharma Samaj, and the Theosophical Society. Finally, some consideration is given to the fact that his translations and yogic commentaries were later adopted by Europeans interested in yoga, such as for example Carl Kellner, Theodor Reuss, and Aleister Crowley who all utilized his editions of Hathayogic texts. As such, Basu's work formed an important avenue through which teachings on yoga spread among alternative religio-philosophical and occult traditions.