Dutt, Romesh Chunder: The literature of Bengal: being an attempt to trace the progress of the national mind in its various aspects, as reflected in the nation’s literature from the earliest times to the present day ; with copious extracts from the best writers (Calcutta, 1877)

46 LITERATURE OP BENGAL.

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Ifcarn from the Panji tha,t Siva Sinha had three wives,

Padmabati, Lakhima Devi and Biswa Devi who after

*

the death of their husband successively reigned for 18
months, nine years and 12 years.

When to these facts are added others, viz., that Siva
Sinha and Lakhima Devi find frequent 'mention in the ■•
songs of Bidyapati, that the descendants of Bidyapati
still live at Tirhut, that that province is( replete with
traditions and tales about Bidyapat^ and lastly that the
.v-nguage^ef Bidyapati is that of Behar, whereas that of
his contemporary Chandidas is pure Bengali,—there can-
not we believe, be the least doubt that Bidyapati was
born in Tirhut in the 14th century A. D., and adorned I
the Covit of King Si,va Sinha by whom his talents were
recognized and rujhly rewarded.

There are other evidences too to shew that Bidyapati
wrote in the l#h and l5th centuries, A. D.

The fame of Bidyapati as a poet was established and
spread throughout Bengal at the time of Chaitanya, and
Chaitanya in his early yoifth was edified and amused with
reading the poetry of Bidyapati and Chaudidas.

Glory to Jayadeva, the king and ornament of poets,1 and to
Bidyapati the source of sweetness ; glory to Chandidas, for sweet-
ness unequalled in the world, whose sweet and pure strains in prose
and verse my Master Gour Chandra (Chaitanya) relished with
Shoroop Itai.*

my "s^tifti <r c*t"*f7 ^rf*r*r ^*tsr n
■ aft* *r$?r *r f^^m mi *\wi?ni i ?

Pada Kalpataru.