We stayed in Calcutta for about three years and became acquainted with the learned Brahmans. Here my brother and I were once invited to attend a Christian gathering. We saw many people there who received us very kindly. Men like K. M. Benerjee, Kali Charan Benerjee whose names sounded like those of Brahmans but whose way of dressing showed that they had become Sahibs. In their worship one gentleman opened the Bible and read something, then all closed their eyes and prayed to their God without any image before them. This way of worship impressed on my mind. After that one of them came to me and gave me a Sanskrit Bible. I tried to read it at home but did not understand. The language was so different. I thought it quite a waste of time to read that Book but I have never parted with it since then.

Calcutta: Deeper Studies and Skepticism

We stayed in Calcutta for about three years and became acquainted with many learned Pandits. Some of them requested me to lecture to the Pardah women on the duties of women according to the Shastras. I had to study the subject well before I could lecture on it; so I bought the books of the Hindu law published in Calcutta. Besides reading them I read other books which would help me in my work. While reading the Dharma Shastras I came to know many things which I never knew before. There were contradictory statements about almost everything. What one book said was most righteous, the other book declared as being unrighteous. While reading the Mahabharata I found the following: The Vedas differ from each other; Smrities, that is, books of sacred laws, do not agree with one another, the secret of religion is in some hidden place: the only way is that which is followed by great men.

What came NEXT was unbelievable and life-changing, to learn that a woman has no rights!