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)

160 LITERATURE 09 BENGAL,

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nu«ed story, and are in reality but,, one work. Like
Makunda Ram, Bharat Chandra intends to glorify „the
name a».d deeds of the goddess Uma, Kali or Sakti, and
instead ofi celebrating the deeds of an imaginary hero, he
has taken up the story of the life of Bhabanand Mazum-

• dar, the renoSvned ancestor of his patron and benefactor,
Raja Krishna Chandra Rai of Nadiya. The poet begins
■with an account of the birth of Uma, the, great feast
given by Daksha to which Siva was not invited, the sfelf-
immolation o| Uma in consequence, her second birth
as daughter of the Himalayas, her marriage with Siva,
and .such like mythological stories with which every
Hindu is familiar. The poet's rare power of a flowing
graceful versification enables him to tell these stories
with effect; the reader goes on page after page with the
same sense of pleasure; while at times he is struck with
passages in which the poet displays a keen sense of
humour. Such, for instance, is the description of Siva's
marriage, and such again is the account of his disputes
with his young wife. We must remind our readers how-
ever that in all these descriptions Bharat is a close imita-
tor of Makunda Ram.

We shall not dwell in detail on these traditions and
stories, nor narrate at length how the great prophet,
poet and saint Vyasa quarrelled with Siva, and made an
abortive attempt to build up a new Benares in rivalry
to the town of Benares where Siva is worshipped by all.
We pass over all these, and at last find Uma on her way

tta, the house of Bhabanand Mazumdar. She" has to
cross a stream, and the account she gives of herself to the