CHAITANYA.

JANUARY, 1873.]

beloved, hail! hail to him who is the joy of the existence of his well-beloved

hail to the de

light of the eyes of his comrades in Braj hail to the charm of the sight of the women of Nadiya | hail! hail to Sridam, Sudam, Subal, and Arjun,” bound by love to him whose form is as a new cloud l hail to Râm and the rest, beautiful and dear companions ! hail to the charmer, the in comparable Gora (Chaitanya) hail to the mighty younger brother of Balarām' hail! hail to Nitya nand (who is) joy (personified) Hail to him who destroys the fear of good men, the object of the hope of Gobind Dás!” I would call attention here, once for all, to what is one of the principal charms of Vaishnava hymns, the exquisitely musical rhythm and cadence. They seem made to be sung, and trip off the tongue with a lilt and grace which are irresistible.

This hymn is interesting as shewing how com pletely Chaitanya is by his followers invested with the attributes of, and identified with, Krishna; it has no other special merits; nor anything specially interesting from a philolo gical point of view as it is nearly all Sanskrit. The next six are in praise of the sect itself, of Adwaita, and the principal disciples. That on Adwaita by his contemporary Brindaban Dás gives a lively picture of the old Brahman, then follow seven in praise of the Kirtanias or the old master-singers—Bidyapati, Jayadeva, Chandi Däs; then four on Krishna and Rādhā,

containing only a succession of epithets linked together by jay ! jay ! The twenty-third begins the adhibás or con secration, and is curious less for its language than for the description it gives of the ceremo nies practised. It is by the old masters Para meshwar and Brindaban, with the concluding portion by a younger master Bansi. The poem is in four parts and takes the form of a story how Chaitanya held his feast. It runs thus:– 23.

Atha sankirtanasya adhibása.

Eka dina pahun häsi, Adwaita mandire basi, Bolilen Šachir kumâra ;

Nityananda kari sange, Adwaita basiyā range, Mahotsaber karila bichára :

Šumiya finande häsi, Sità thakuráni äsi, Kahilen madhura vachana:

Tá šuni ānanda mana, mahotsaber bidhãne. Bole kichhu Sachir nandana :

• Names of Chaitanya's disciples.

5

Šuna thakuráni Sitā, Baishnaba aniye ethâ,

Ámantrana koriyājatane: Jebā gåe jebajãe, àmantrana kari tāe, Prithak prithak jane jane : Eta boli Gorarāya, āgyä dila sabhākāya, Baishnaba karaha àmantrane :

Khola karatāla laiyā, aguru chandana diyā, Purna ghata karaha sthāpane: Aropana karū kalā, tàhe bandhi phulamālā, Kirttana mandali kutuhale:

Mälä chandana guyá, ghrita madhu dadhi diyā, Kholò mangala sandhyākāle :

Suniyā prabhur kathá, prite bidhi kaila jathá, Nānā upahāra gandhabāse : Sabe Hari Hari bole khola mangala kare, Parames'wara Dasa rase bhāse:

“One day coming and smiling, sitting in Ad waita’s house, spake the son of Sachi, having Nityanand with him and Adwaita, sitting in en

joyment, he planned a great festivity.

Hearing

this, smiling with joy, Sitā. Thākurāni coming spoke a sweet word : hearing that with joyful mind the son of Sachi spoke somewhat in regard to arranging the festival. “Listen, Thäkurāni Sità,f bring the Baishnabs here, making pressing invitation to them : whoso can sing, whoso can

play, invite them separately, man by man.’ Thus Gora Rai speaking gave orders for an

assembly: “Invite the Baishnabs' Bring out the cymbal and drum, set out full pots painted with aloes and sandal-paste : plant plantains, hang on them garlands of flowers, for the Kirtan place

joyfully. With garlands, sandal, and betelnut, ghee, honey, and curds consecrate the drum at evening-tide.’ Hearing the lord's word, in lov ing manner she made accordingly various offer ings with fragrant perfumes: all cried “Hari, Hari” thus they consecrate the drum ; Para meshwar Dás floats in enjoyment.” Of the remainder of the adhibás I give merely a paraphrase omitting the numerous repeti tions.

2. Having prepared the entertainment she invites them, “kindly visit us, to you and Vaish navas, this is my petition, come and see and

complete the feast;” thus entreating she brought the honoured guests, they consecrate the feast. Joyfully the Vaishnavas came to the feast : “to-morrow will be the joy of the great festi

vity, there will be the enjoyment of the singing Sri Krishna's sports, all will be filled with de light.” The merits of the assembly of the devo † Sità was the wife of Adwaita.