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)

THE COMPANIONS OP CHAITANYA. 83
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by name Rupa (Joswami, Sanatana Goswami, Jiva Gos-
wami, Gopal Bhatta, Raghunath Bhatta and Raghunath
Das*. It is much to be regretted that they have all written
in Sanskrit; the highest efforts of their genius.(and some
'of them, at least, were men of undoubted genius) appear
feeble and ccinmon-place because they are misdirected.
High indeed, in the rolls of the early Bengali authors, had
the names of Rupa'and Sanatana stood, if they had writ-
ten in their n-^jye tongue, and the Bengali language too
had greatly benefited. As it is, their names are generally
known only among Vaishnavas, and the proud posi-
tion which they might have occupied, is ceded to Makun-
da Ram and Kirtibas, writers of the same century, of
whom we shall speak hereafter. It is a lesson which has
a special application in the present day.

We have already noticed the prominent facts in the
lives of the brothers Rupa an»d Sanatana in the preced-
ing chapter. They were of ro^al blood being descended
from a king of the Carnatic, and held high positions
under the Muhammadan king of Behar. We have also
seen in the preceding chapter that a Hindu king of
Oris3a sdnght to be a follower of the Reformer. Fana-
tics and enthusiasts have always succeeded in gathering
round them a number of ignorant and poor people, but
the poor Reformer of the sixteenth century must have
indeed had,a strange power, to induce kings and courtiers
descend from their high position in society, to be his
humble followers. Rupa and Sanatana gave up their
posts, sacrificed wealth, rank and royal favor, disregard-