38

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.

spelling, inasmuch as the poems were handed down orally for a long time before they were reduced to writing.

To-day I will give thee instruction : . First indeed thou shalt sit on the edge of the couch ;t

In making selections from this master, we are to a great extent confined to the amatory portions of the collection. The contemporaries of Chai tanya were the first to introduce the chaster

poems, which treat of Krishna's early life in Braj (goshtha) and Jasodă's maternal cares (båtsalya). The pre-Chaitanya writers seldom speak of any thing but love of the grossest and most sensual kind.

[FEBRUARY, 1873.

-

In transliterating there is much uncertainty and irregularity in respect of the short final a sound. Strictly speaking, though omitted in

When thy lover would look (at thee), thou shalt turn away (thy) neck; When he touches (thee) with both hands, thou shalt put aside (his) hand; Thou shalt be silent even when he speaks a word ;

When I shall deliver thee (to him) hand to hand,

Quickly turning thou shalt seize me tremblingly. Bidyāpati saith—This is delight indeed ; The tutor of love (am I), I will teach you the lesson.

II.

prose, it should always be pronounced in verse; but if this rule were observed in these poems, the metre would be destroyed. As a general rule, Hindi words end with the consonant, and words still in their old Sanskrit form sound the

(Speech of Krishna's messenger to Rādhā.) Jibana châhijaubana bara rañga, Tabe jaubana jab supur ukha sañga; Supurukha prem kabahu jāni chhari,

vowel; thus we should read jab, him, but bachana, not bachan. This rule again, however,

Tuhun jaichhe nāgari kānu rasabant,

is constantly neglected ; and I have therefore been guided by the practice of the Kirtanias, or professional singers, whose method of pronuncia tion depends upon the tune, and has been handed down by immemorial tradition. The Sanskrit

v and b are both pronounced b in Bengali, and I have so written them throughout. The text and translation will be accompanied by a few notes explaining the difficult words or con structions; and I shall conclude with an attempt at sketching an outline of the grammar used in the poems.

I

(Rādhā’s confidante instructs her how to be have at her first interview with Krishna)

Šun, Šun, e dhani, bachana bisesh 'Aju ham deyaba tohe upades: Pahila hi baithabi šayanaka sim,

Heraite piyā morabi gim, Parasite duhun kare bārabi pāni,

Dine dine chand kalā sama bari. Bara punye rasabati mile rasabant.

Tuhun jadi kahasi, kariye anusang, Chauri piriti haye lakh guna sang, Supurukha aichhan nähi jag måjh, 'Artãhe anurata baraja samājh : Bidyāpati kahe ithe nåhi lája Rúp gunabatikä iha bara kāja.-I. iii. 4. (63.) Translation.

Youth is the greatest delight in life. Youth is then, when with (one's) lover. Having (once) known the good man's love, when wilt thou leave it 2

Day by day, like the digits of the moon, it grows. Sportive as thou art, just so amorous is Kánh : By great virtue the amorosa meets the amoroso : If thou sayest, influenced by desire, Stolen love has a myriad merits, (Yet bethink thee) such a lover there is not in the world :

Mauna karabi pahun kairate bani,

All the denizens of Braj are enamoured of him. Bidyāpati saith—In this there is no shame;

Jab ham son paba kare kara àpi Sāth se dharabi ulati mohe känpi.

This is the great business of a beautiful and

Bidyāpati kaha iha rasa sathât, Kāmguru haſ Šikhāyaba pât.—I. ii. 22. (49.)” Translation.

Hear, hear, O lady, a special word

• The first number is that of the S'akhâ of the Pada-kal

pataru ; the second, the Pallab; the third, the song ; and that in brackets is the consecutive number which runs

through the whole collection, and is after all the easiest to refer to.

virtuous woman.: III.

(Rādhā’s confidante describes her mistress's condition to Krishna.)

Khelata nä khelata loka dekhilāj, t cf. Horace Epod. is al-Manum puella suavie opponºt tuo, eart rema et in sponda cubet. † To wit, the gratification of sensual desires

One can

not help wondering what results such teaching as this can be expected to produce ; fortunately these parts of the Vaishnawa creed are not often sung before women.