Chari Prashna Religious Text by Raja Ram Mohan Roy Bengali PDF.
Title — Chari Prashna (Four Questions),
Author — Raja Ram Mohan Roy,
Genre — Religious Text,
Pages: 184, Format: PDF, Size: 4MB,
Main Theme and Explanation of Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s “Chari Prashna” (Four Questions)
Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s Chari Prashna (meaning Four Questions) is one of his earliest and most important theological and rational treatises. It is written in the form of a dialogue — a series of four questions and their reasoned answers — where Ram Mohan critically examines certain traditional Hindu beliefs and practices through the light of logic, the Vedas, and the Upanishads.
Background of the Work:
‘Chari Prashna‘ was composed around 1817. At that time, Hindu society was dominated by polytheism, idol worship, and rigid priestly customs. Ram Mohan, influenced by Vedantic monotheism and rational thought, sought to revive the original spiritual essence of Hinduism — the belief in one, formless God. Through this book, he aimed to clarify the true nature of God, worship, and moral duty.
Structure of the Book:
The treatise is built around four fundamental questions, each answered with logical reasoning and references from sacred texts. The questions deal respectively with:
1. The nature of God,
2. The form of worship,
3. The meaning of the scriptures, and
4. The purpose of religious practice.
First Question: Is God One or Many?
মূল উদ্ধৃতি (Sanskrit & Bengali):
“एकोং সদ্ বিপ্রাঃ বহুধা বদন্তি।” — ঋগ্বেদ (— Based on the Rig Veda: “Ekam sad viprā bahudhā vadanti”)
“ব্রহ্ম এক, তদনন্তর নানারূপে প্রকাশ পায়। যাহারা এই বিভেদে বিভ্রান্ত, তাহারা মূল একত্ব বুঝিতে পারে না।”
Original quote (Sanskrit & Bengali):
“That which truly exists is One; the wise speak of it in many ways.”— Rigveda.
“The Supreme Spirit is one, though appearing under diverse forms. Those who see difference fail to grasp the unity.”
Main Idea:
Ram Mohan Roy argues that God is one and indivisible. The concept of many gods in Hinduism actually represents various aspects or attributes of the same Supreme Being.
Explanation:
He cites the Rig Veda verse — “Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti” (“Truth is one, the wise call it by many names”) — to show that the diversity of deities (Agni, Vayu, Surya, etc.) are all manifestations of one divine reality.
Thus, he upholds monotheism as the true doctrine of the Vedas and denies any literal polytheism.
Second Question: What Should Be the True Form of Worship?
মূল উদ্ধৃতি:
“নিরাকারং ব্রহ্ম; তস্মাৎ তস্য পূজা ন সযোজ্যা মূর্তিতে।”
“যে ঈশ্বরের না আছে আকার, না রঙ, না সীমা — তাহাকে কাঠ, পাথর বা ধাতুতে ধারণ করিতে চাওয়া মূর্খতার চূড়ান্ত।”
English Translation: Original quote (Sanskrit & Bengali):
“The Supreme Being is formless; hence His worship through form is inappropriate.”
“He who is beyond color and shape cannot be contained in wood or stone. Such worship blinds man to His truth.”
Main Idea:
Since God is formless, infinite, and beyond physical attributes, worship through images or idols is unreasonable and misleading.
Explanation:
Ram Mohan accepts that idol worship may help beginners to concentrate their minds, but he insists that such external rituals ultimately obscure the true spiritual understanding of God.
According to the Upanishads, God is realized through meditation, knowledge, and devotion — not through the worship of material forms. True worship is an inner spiritual communion, not an external ceremony.
Third Question: What Is the True Meaning of the Vedas and Scriptures?
মূল উদ্ধৃতি:
“বেদবাক্য তত্ত্বজ্ঞানার্থং প্রণীত, ন তু যজ্ঞকর্মার্থং।”
“যে আত্মার জ্ঞান লাভ করিল, সই ব্যক্তি বেদ জানিল; যজ্ঞ, মন্ত্র বা আচারে নয়।”
English Translation: Original quote (Sanskrit & Bengali)
“The Vedas were revealed not for sacrifice, but for the attainment of divine knowledge.”
“He who realizes the Spirit within himself, he alone knows the true Veda — not he who recites hymns without understanding.”
Main Idea:
The real purpose of the Vedas and Upanishads is to establish monotheism, moral righteousness, and spiritual knowledge — not ritualism or priestly control.
Explanation:
Ram Mohan demonstrates that the sacred texts consistently teach that there is only one Supreme Spirit, who is just, merciful, and all-knowing. Therefore, blind faith, superstitious practices, and the authority of ritualistic priests are against the true spirit of the Vedas.
He argues that the so-called “Vedic religion” of the Brahmin priests, filled with idol worship and sacrifices, is in fact a later corruption of the original Vedic truth.
Fourth Question: Why Should Humans Practice Religion?
মূল উদ্ধৃতি:
“ধর্মসাধন তত্ত্বজ্ঞান ও আত্মশুদ্ধির নিমিত্ত; না যে ভয়ে, না যে লোকে।”
“সত্য বলিবে, পরের হিত করিবে, ঈশ্বরকে অন্তরে আরাধনা করিবে — ইহাই সত্য ধর্ম।”
English Translation: Original quote (Sanskrit & Bengali)
“The purpose of religion is the purification of the soul and the realization of truth — not fear or social display.”
“He who speaks truth, does good to others, and worships God with sincerity — his is the true religion.”
Main Idea:
The true purpose of religion is self-purification and realization of God, not fear of punishment or desire for social prestige.
Explanation:
According to Ram Mohan, genuine religion makes a person truthful, kind, and just. Outer rituals and sacrifices are meaningless without inner virtue.
Hence, love of God, service to humanity, and moral conduct form the real foundation of religion.
Summary of the Work
সারকথা / Summary Quotation
Bengali (as inspired by Rammohan’s conclusion):
“যে ব্যক্তি জ্ঞান, প্রেম ও ন্যায়ের দ্বারা একেশ্বরের উপাসনা করে, তিনিই প্রকৃত ধর্মানুসারী।”
English Translation:
“He who worships the One God through knowledge, love, and righteousness is the true follower of religion.”
In essence, Chari Prashna is a declaration of monotheism, rationalism, and humanism. Through this work, Ram Mohan Roy:
- Upholds the unity and formlessness of God.
- Rejects idol worship and meaningless rituals.
- Interprets the Vedas and Upanishads as sources of pure reason and truth.
- Declares morality, love, and human service as the core of true religion.
Historical Importance
Chari Prashna marks the beginning of Ram Mohan Roy’s religious reform movement. The ideas expressed in this book later became the philosophical foundation of the Brahmo Samaj.
His rational interpretation of religion heralded the dawn of the Indian Renaissance, inspiring a new age of critical thought, ethical spirituality, and social reform.
Chari Prashna: Conclusion
Ram Mohan Roy’s Chari Prashna is not merely a religious text — it is a manifesto of spiritual and intellectual awakening.
In this treatise, he calls upon humankind to follow the path of reason, self-knowledge, and true religion — where God, morality, and humanity are united in harmony.
Readers can download and read the complete volume from the link provided below on this webpage.