INTRODUCTION. 75 The song of Madanamohana (pp. 1419–1421) relates the sorrows of the people of Visnupur (Dt. Bankura), at their being deprived of a sight of the stone-image of that god, once installed in one of the finest of the Raja's temples. This stone image possesses special sanctity. During a critical hour when the town of Visnupur was attacked by Bhāskara Pandit, the Marhattā general, about the middle of the 18th century, the king of the place found himself quite powerless to resist the foe, and asked the people who sought his help to rely on Madanmohana. Instead of making preparations for war, he called in parties of singers to his palace and ordered them to sing the praises of that deity. At the dead of night the people heard the roar of cannons and the residents of the town attested to having seen a stalwart black soldier riding through the streets. In the morning they found that the Marhattās had mysteriously disappeared, leaving many dead on the field. And the priest of the temple of Madanmohana came before the king with the strange news that the hands of the image of that deity showed marks of gun-powder and its feet were full of the dust of the war ground. The king and the people went to the temple and found the account of the priest true. It was then he who had saved them from the crisis, and they fell prostrate before him with tearful eyes of gratitude. This is the story related in the poem by one who believed it. The stone; image was mortgaged by one of the Visnupur Rājas to Gokul Mitra of Bagh-bazar, Calcutta for a lakh of Rupees and it so happened that the Rājā af Visnupur could not secure the image again. Though our readers may not share in the beliefs of the unassuming country bards, the devotional fervour which characterises these writings cannot but appeal to the heart. I6. Song of Sakhi Senā. ( 1 ) When the son of the Kotowāl spoke thus to the princess Sakhi-senā, it seemed as if a thunder-bolt had fallen on her head and in great rage did she reply. “You would elope with me, vile fellow! For this object did you extort a pledge from me! Our teacher is not present, and thus you escape punishment to-day! Your action is like that of a lame man wishing to ascend to the top of a mountain You would quarrel with a crocodile and still live safely in the depth of a river? You are like a dwarf stretching his hands to touch the Moon I Fie that a sense of shame did not stop you in making such a roposal If I tell the king—my father, your body will no
