down in Benares for a number of years, devoting his time, it is supposed, to the study of the Sanskrit language and of the sacred literature of the Hindus.
It seems that during this period of his residence at Benares some sort of reconciliation took place between him and his father, and he was allowed to have his family by his side or to visit them occasionally; for, his eldest son Radhaprasad was born in the year 1800 during his residence at Benares. It was also during this period that he began to acquire the knowledge of the English language by self-study and extraordinary diligence.
Soon after the death of his father, which occurred in 1803, Ram Mohun Roy seems to have moved down to Murshidabad, whence he published a Persian treatise with an Arabic preface, entitled Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhiddin, or 'A Gift to Monotheists', a work protesting against the idolatries and superstitions of all creeds and trying to lay a common foundation of universal religion in the doctrine of the unity of the God-head. We also find the mention of another work in Persian called Manazaratul Adyan, i.e. Discussions on various Religions, published about this time. In it Ram Mohun Roy is said to have used some sarcastic expressions against Mahomet, which gave great offence to
