যষ্ঠ পরিচ্ছেদ । تتمية it has been popularized by the simple and sweet verses of Kasiram, written as it is believed about 200 years ago. There is not a ryot in the country who has learnt to read but who does not seek religious solace in the pages of the Mahavaratha. There is generally a reader in the villages in the Muffossil, who after the day's work is done, reads in the evening to crowded audiences the sacred verses of Kasiram or Keertibas. A work so popular, so revered, and so valuable as a literary treasure, ought not to have been suffered to remain as a sealed book to the student of vernacular literature except in the vulgar garb which the unhewn genius of Kasiram had woven. The attention of the first Bengalee writer of the day was early drawn to this desideratum. About tem years ago Pundit Eswar Chunder Vidyasagar began to translate the Mahavaratha into Bengallee, and the first few instalments were published in the Tuttobodhinee Puttrica, of which he was then one of the directors. But owing to diverse engagements he could not proceed with the translation with the desired despatch, and he readily consented to withdraw when Babu Kaliprossunno Sing cypressed a desire to undertake this gigantic work. łuoyed up with a zeal, which never sor a moment flagged, and with vast resources at his command, the Baboo has completed within 8 years what might fairly occupy the whole life-time of a man. One of the greatest difficulties which stood in his way was that of obtaining accurate texts. He however procured texts from the mostreliable sources, viz from the Asiatic Society, from Rajah Radhakant Rahadoor, and srom the libraries of the late Baboo Ashutosh Dey, as well as of Bahoo Joteendra Mohun Tagore. He had also an old text in his own house, which his great grand-father Dewan Santiram Sing had brought from Benares. He received material assistance from Pundit Taranath Vidyaratna in reconciling the different texts and
