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)

50 LITERATURE OF BENGAL, '

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oi^her head. The worshipper was awe-struck, and ei>

quired what strange virtue the flower could possess, so as

to induce the goddess to appear in person, and to wis'n to

keep it on her head, instead of allowing the poet to place

it at her feet, as usual. The goddess replied, " Foolish'

child, my Master has been worshipped with that flower,

it is not fit for my feet, let me hold it on my head."

<£ And who may thy Master be ?" enquired the poet.

Krishna, was the reply ; and from that day t*ne poet exr

changed the worship of the inferior goddess for that of

Krishna. "

It is scarcely necessary to add, that later Vaishnava,
writers have taken hold of the opportunity of Chandidas's
conversion (to prove the superiority of their favourite
deity, and have, with such an intention, invented this fa-
ble. One thing however is plain, namely, that the
Contest between the two religions began from very remote <
times. ,

Another and a similar story is told about the same sub-
ject. Chandidas, it is said, .was excessively fond of smok-
ing. One night he was going to another village for fire
as there was none in his own. IJe was misled by a .false
light which moved before him, and when the light dis-
appeared, Bhagavati appeared in person, and ordered him
to sing of Krishna; and of Krishna the poet sang to the
end of his life. ,

One of the preposterous maxims of the Tantrika
religion in its worst phase, is, that Siva is present
in every man and Sakti in every woman.* Intimacy,
therefore, between man and woman, however promisr