DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16242#0087
BiDY&PATT THAKUR AND CHANDIDAS THAKUR. 51
»
cuous, is union between the god and the goddess, and
can therefore never be sinful,1* but is an act of virtue.
The Vaishnavas, too, of the period borrowed this hate-
ful idea, and imitated the acts of Krishna under
the abominable idea that Krishna and Radha, being
present in ev^ry man and woman, enjoyed the loves
of their followers and worshippers. It was such ideas
that led to all the mystic practices called Sadham,
by the early Vaishnavas, which was performed by mau
and woman together; and then they bo^th became
Siddha persons. Bidyapati is said to have perform-
ed such practices with Lakshmi Devi the princess, and
Chandidas with a washerwoman named Rami of whom
we shall speak below. We need only remarkttb^t it was
such notions as these that brought on a loud protest and
reaction under the leadership of the "great Chaitanya, a
»century after. * *
Chandidas has immortalized, the washerwoman Rami
in his poems. Numerous are the stories told about their
loves. The poet was informed that he could not perform
Sadhan till he had affair companion,—not by marriage,—
not for mbney,—but one to whom his heart would be
spontaneously drawn at the first sight. Our poet went
out in search of such a person, and it was not long
before he found one. A washerwoman was washing
clothes on t^e river side, the poet saw her and was fasci-
nated. Day after day he would go to the river side with
a fishing rod, as a pretext, and sat there, gazing entranced
on the maiden. Words followed, and love ensued; and
the poet left his home and parents, and ever afterwards
' lived with Rami, a washerwoman as she was by caste. >
»
cuous, is union between the god and the goddess, and
can therefore never be sinful,1* but is an act of virtue.
The Vaishnavas, too, of the period borrowed this hate-
ful idea, and imitated the acts of Krishna under
the abominable idea that Krishna and Radha, being
present in ev^ry man and woman, enjoyed the loves
of their followers and worshippers. It was such ideas
that led to all the mystic practices called Sadham,
by the early Vaishnavas, which was performed by mau
and woman together; and then they bo^th became
Siddha persons. Bidyapati is said to have perform-
ed such practices with Lakshmi Devi the princess, and
Chandidas with a washerwoman named Rami of whom
we shall speak below. We need only remarkttb^t it was
such notions as these that brought on a loud protest and
reaction under the leadership of the "great Chaitanya, a
»century after. * *
Chandidas has immortalized, the washerwoman Rami
in his poems. Numerous are the stories told about their
loves. The poet was informed that he could not perform
Sadhan till he had affair companion,—not by marriage,—
not for mbney,—but one to whom his heart would be
spontaneously drawn at the first sight. Our poet went
out in search of such a person, and it was not long
before he found one. A washerwoman was washing
clothes on t^e river side, the poet saw her and was fasci-
nated. Day after day he would go to the river side with
a fishing rod, as a pretext, and sat there, gazing entranced
on the maiden. Words followed, and love ensued; and
the poet left his home and parents, and ever afterwards
' lived with Rami, a washerwoman as she was by caste. >