In the year 1893 Chitta Ranjan came back to India and joined the Calcutta Bar. The profession of law was not to his taste, for his literary talents dictated1 him to take up the role of a teacher. But the consideration of the heavy liabilities of his father left him no other alternative. He thought that in the legal profession alone was there any chance of clearing off his paternal2 debts. To choose a profession is always a perplexing business and it was doubly so in the case of Chitta Ranjan. It is especially perplexing if to choose a profession means to discover one's own capability3 and to do the work one is fitted to undertake in life. "How unfold one's little bit of talent; and live, and not lie sleeping while it is called To-day." That is the great problem. But it occurs only to those who are troubled with a sense of duty and not to those whose ambition is to "get on". It was therefore no small embarrassment5 for Chitta Ranjan to choose the legal profession.
Within a short time of his joining the Calcutta Bar, Chitta Ranjan took upon himself the responsibility of all his father's debts; but as a newly enrolled6 Barrister, he earned very little and therefore could not hope to clear the heavy debts of his father immediately. This forced him at the very commencement of his professional career to join his father in seeking the protection of the Insolvency8 court. It was not because he wished to get rid of the liabilities but in the absence of any other alternative he declared himself as an Insolvent9 which act weighed heavily on his mind and was the source of much uneasiness. However it was not only a[10] filial duty, but a point of honour with Chitta Ranjan to share the indignity10 with his father. This was the first instance of Chitta Ranjan's honesty and uprightness during his professional career.
The first stage of a professional career is very tormenting11. There lies all around only palpable darkness where occasionally beams forth12 the flickering13 light of hope. At that time the whole future life appears to be a desert where the faint ray of hope glimmers14 like a mirage15. But it is almost unconceivable how tormenting must have been the state of mind when over and above this uncertainty16 there was the uneasiness arising from heavy liabilities and consequent loss of social prestige. But one thing haunted his mind day and night and caused him the greatest pain. By his insolvency he was very seriously handicapped not only in his professional but also in his public life. But for it, Chitta Ranjan would have long ago thrown himself into all political and patriotic17 movements of his country and won the position of leadership which has now fallen upon him and to which he was entitled by his capacity, patriotism18 and uncommon19 talents.
Though his exceptional abilities were universally recognised, from the very beginning of his career, as a member of the High Court Bar, he could not secure adequate scope for them for a good many years; pecuniary20 struggles forced him to abandon the chances of a successful practice in the High Court for the mofussil practice which is more profitable to a junior Barrister. Indeed at that time he was put into such pecuniary difficulties that he could not even meet his house-hold expenses with all his exertions21 and on many an occasion he had to walk the whole way to the court for want of tramfare. But his was a spirit which the frowns of adversity could not daunt22. By dint23 of energy and perseverance24 he pushed on and on till at last he became one of the most prominent and honoured members[11] of the Bar. True genius does not long remain concealed25, it waits for an opportune26 moment to reveal itself. Chitta Ranjan's genius as a lawyer waited for such an opportunity and in no time manifested itself before the admiring gaze or the public.
The years 1907 and 1908 are ever memorable27 in the history of Bengal. The current of a new spirit had flowed in, inundating28 every nook and corner of the province. The soul of the nation became awake. A divine touch had just broken the eternal sleep of the nation. Lashed29 into action by the high-handed measures of Lord Curzon, the lethargy of the people died away, they tried for the first time to stand upon their own legs and boldly face the world without fear of death. In an evil moment Lord Curzon sanctioned the partition of Bengal against the united voice of the people. This led to the manifestation30 of a new spirit in Bengal. A heavy out-burst of Anti-European feeling followed; a strong hatred31 against every form of Europeanism, a revengeful attitude to their commerce and industry, a growing apathy32 to everything associated with them, led to the repudiation33 or abandoning immediate7 Anglicised past, and a new spirit entered into politics and created a mighty34 and dynamic yearning35 towards a truly national future. This had for its realisation at its basis Swaraj, National Education and Boycott36.
Persecutions were inaugurated by the Bureaucratic37 Government. On the third of May 1908 in the still hours of night Srijut Aravinda Ghosh, the leader of the national movement of Bengal, along with other brilliant young men were arrested on a charge of being implicated38 in a conspiracy39 against the established government. Evidence of all sorts was piled up by the prosecuting40 counsel. At this critical moment Providence41 sent Chitta Ranjan to take up the case in defence of Aravinda and other accused. The[12] prosecution42 dragged on for more than a year. For this long period Chitta Ranjan conducted the defence case at a great personal sacrifice. This celebrated43 conspiracy case pushed Chitta Ranjan into the fore4 front of the Calcutta Bar. For more than six months he was engaged in this case, and even for his house-hold expenses during these months, he had to incur44 a large debt. The acquittal of Aravinda at once raised the reputation of Chitta Ranjan in the eyes of his countrymen. After this he took up the defence of the famous Dacca Conspiracy case without charging any fees at a great personal loss and also volunteered to defend the boycott cases of Bengal earning thereby45 the lasting46 gratitude47 of the whole nation. Providence also rewarded him amply for his good work and from the very day that he came back to take up the broken threads of his High Court practice, he found himself on the high road to both fame and wealth.
We have already said that under peculiar48 circumstances Chitta Ranjan was forced to take shelter in the Insolvency Court. But it was never his intention to deceive his creditors49 and no one could with propriety50 ascribe this motive51 to Chitta Ranjan who spent his earnings52 right and left for allaying53 the distress54 of the needy55 and the poor. Consequently as soon as he found his position in the legal profession secure, Chitta Ranjan's first thought was to remove the stain of insolvency from his father's name and his own and he started to pay off every pie of those old debts. "This is the first time", said Mr. Justice Fletcher, "that a discharged insolvent publicly accepted his old liabilities and applied56 for a formal discharge of his insolvency." This unusual act of strict uprightness raised Chitta Ranjan Das to the position of a great moral hero.
During his professional career Chitta Ranjan conducted many cases. Since the release of Aravinda he was engaged in almost all the note-worthy cases of the High Court and[13] of the mofussil on one side or the other, his daily fees exceeding a thousand rupees. His reputation as a profound lawyer spread even outside Bengal. In the long-drawn Dumraon Raj case he has all along been engaged on the side of the Dumraon Raj. When Mr. Vaidya, the then secretary of the Home Rule League in the Central Provinces was sentenced to eighteen months' rigorous imprisonment57, Chitta Ranjan went to Nagpur to defend him. Mr. Vaidya was acquitted58 and Chitta Ranjan became very popular in the Central Provinces. On the acquittal of Mr. Vaidya, Chitta Ranjan addressed many meetings on Swaraj and although he earned nothing in the case, he gave a large donation to the local Home Rule League. The citizens of Nagpur as a mark of deep gratitude and respect presented to him an address in a silver casket. After a few months of this case Chitta Ranjan went to Rangoon to defend Dr. Mehta and his co-workers in the national cause who were convicted under the Defence of India Act. Mr. Das addressed the court on the illegality of the Act itself securing thereby the release of Dr. Mehta and others. Shortly after this he was engaged by the Kutubdia Internees at Chittagong. Those young men were kept in a house infested59 with serpents and they were compelled to fly away for fear of death. But this was a grave offence in the eyes of the Government.
In all these cases Chitta Ranjan charged no fees, but conducted them with the utmost zeal60. Whenever he was engaged in a case he made it a point to bring all his intelligence and capacity to bear on it. It was not rare in his life that he meditated61 on a case for hours together before coming to any conclusion. He would then be so deeply immersed in contemplation that he lost all external consciousness like a Yogi wrapt in meditation62 upon something serene63 and divine.
He had often returned briefs of cases to which he thought he would not be able to give proper attention. Legally he[14] was not bound to return the fees but moral scruples64 dictated him this course. For such acts of honesty he was much respected by the litigants65. Often he had taken up the cases of the poor without charging them any fees and thereby earned the lasting gratitude of his countrymen. It was for his honesty and integrity apart from his legal acumen66 that the Government of India selected Chitta Ranjan from among the leading counsels of India to conduct the Munition67 Board case even when they knew him to be the leader of the extremist party in Bengal. At first Chitta Ranjan hesitated to represent the Crown and told the Government that unless he was allowed to follow the dictates68 of his conscience to the best interests of his country he would not accept the brief. When the Government agreed in all these conditions he gave his consent to the contract. The accused party knew that Chitta Ranjan had not yet received brief for the Crown, they came to his house, placed before him a cheque of several lacs and entreated69 him again and again to come to their defence. But Chitta Ranjan, true to his words, said with a smile, "Gentlemen, I am sorry I cannot comply with your request, when I have once given the Government my words of consent, I am morally bound to take up their case." The greedy merchants were taken aback at such indifference70 to money and faithfulness to his promise; they could not but admire this act of Chitta Ranjan, though they had to go away disappointed.
Throughout his professional career he showed courage and independence. We shall here cite an instance of his uprightness. In a case at Noakhali one Mr. Cargil, the local magistrate71, was an witness for the Crown. He was given a special seat in the Court. Chitta Ranjan was on the defence-side, his searching cross examinations annoyed Mr. Cargil who in an insulting tone called him "Babu." Chitta Ranjan would not tolerate this. He said with a[15] retort "Mr. Cargil, you know that out of courtesy I have allowed you a special seat instead of making you stand in the witness box. I hope you will not fail to return the same courtesy to others." Chitta Ranjan was not made of such stuff as to bear any insult. Whenever there was any injustice72 done in a court, he would protest against it fearlessly and if it was not rectified73 he would leave the court unhesitatingly. It was for this reason that Chitta Ranjan left the court in the Dacca Conspiracy case when in spite of his protests the court was not just to his cause.
As a lawyer Chitta Ranjan earned a good deal. For the last three years his income was about fifty thousand rupees a month. Many are of opinion that no lawyer of India had ever earned so much. More over there is no doubt that his income would have been much enhanced if he could exclusively engage all his time in the legal profession. He took up the political cases almost without any fees and also served on the Punjab Enquiry Committee for more than four months at a great personal sacrifice. This unrivalled practice he has given up unhesitatingly at the call of his mother country.
Such was the career of Chitta Ranjan at the Bar for about a quarter of a century, rich in details, famous for acuteness and noble in uprightness.
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1
dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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paternal
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| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
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capability
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| n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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enrolled
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| adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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insolvency
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| n.无力偿付，破产 | |
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insolvent
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| adj.破产的，无偿还能力的 | |
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indignity
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| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
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tormenting
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| 使痛苦的，使苦恼的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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glimmers
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| n.微光，闪光( glimmer的名词复数 )v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的第三人称单数 ) | |
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mirage
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| n.海市蜃楼，幻景 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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20
pecuniary
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| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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daunt
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| vt.使胆怯，使气馁 | |
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dint
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| n.由于，靠；凹坑 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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opportune
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| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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inundating
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| v.淹没( inundate的现在分词 )；（洪水般地）涌来；充满；给予或交予（太多事物）使难以应付 | |
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lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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manifestation
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| n.表现形式；表明；现象 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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repudiation
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| n.拒绝；否认；断绝关系；抛弃 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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boycott
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| n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与 | |
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bureaucratic
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| adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的 | |
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implicated
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| adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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prosecuting
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| 检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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43
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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44
incur
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| vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇 | |
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45
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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48
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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49
creditors
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| n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 ) | |
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50
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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51
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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52
earnings
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| n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得 | |
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53
allaying
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| v.减轻，缓和( allay的现在分词 ) | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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needy
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| adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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infested
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| adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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litigants
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| n.诉讼当事人( litigant的名词复数 ) | |
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acumen
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| n.敏锐，聪明 | |
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munition
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| n.军火；军需品；v.给某部门提供军火 | |
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dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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rectified
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| [医]矫正的，调整的 | |
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