A FRESH TRANSLATION OF SWAMIJI'S COMPLETE WORKS NECESSARY IN BENGALI

A FRESH TRANSLATION OF SWAMIJI'S COMPLETE WORKS NECESSARY IN BENGALI 

Swamiji's words lose much of their power in translation that fails to catch the vigour of the original, that virility of expression which Swamiji termed 'manhood', a feature that ought to be manifest in every fibre of one's being. His works were packed with power, simple yet penetrating to the depths of one's being to ignite and alight the individual, set aflame his whole self with the light of superior reason, realisation following in its wake. As such Swamiji's works need a re-rendering in Bengali, the original translation by Swami Shuddhananda being archaic in expression and difficult of common access today. Swamiji's English was simple, lucid and conversational, even more modern than today's literary English, and that element must be brought out in a fresh translation done by seminal literary figure of the day. Its appeal will be more widespread then. This is the call of the hour. But the language must be kept robust and manly, devoid of all effeminate expressions that we, Bengalis, are so prone to on account of a weak inheritance both in linguistic and genetic terms. Let the power of the original words issuing from the lips of the Swami pour out once more on the pages of its new rendition in his vernacular in much the way he would have liked. In one phrase, 'let manliness prevail'.

Written by Sugata Bose