Rasasagar Vidyasagar by Sankari Prasad Basu [Hardcover]

"When I began writing this, I was in a somewhat agitated and rebellious mood. The weeping Vidyasagar who consumed grief—fearless and generous Vidyasagar—the indomitable and unyielding Vidyasagar—and several other Vidyasagars. But wasn’t there a simple, natural, cheerful Vidyasagar as well? Indeed, there was. That’s what I wanted to assert strongly. Initially, the title 'Anandasagar Vidyasagar' (Vidyasagar, the Ocean of Joy) was chosen, and traces of that intention can be found in the first chapter. I compiled various humorous and lighthearted anecdotes about Vidyasagar from writings about him with this purpose in mind. I thought that extracting and presenting only the humor from his life would suffice.
But can any piece of writing ultimately remain confined to the author’s original intention—especially if the subject is a tempestuous personality like Vidyasagar? Gradually, I became entangled in the web of Vidyasagar’s life. The man who accomplished so much—don’t we wish to see what he looked like, how his voice sounded, how he spoke—his ailments, habits, tastes? Everything came together, and I felt a special desire to bring the man closer to the reader.
I am, after all, a Hindu who worships idols; my dream is to see the gods face-to-face. To see the gods up close and even joke with them a bit—don’t we have that right? If so, why shouldn’t we have the same right when it comes to Vidyasagar, who was called a 'human god' in those days? In this mindset, when I finished writing the book, it became evident that the title 'Anandasagar Vidyasagar' could not be retained—it had to be changed to 'Rassagar Vidyasagar' (Vidyasagar, the Ocean of Emotions).
He embodied many of the nine rasas (emotional essences)—a blend of humor with pathos, valor with fury, and even a touch of divine sentiment.
— Shankariprasad Basu."