Chaitanya and the Vaishnava Poets of Bengal | Page 5

seem made to be sung, and trip off the tongue with a lilt and grace which are irresistible.
This hymn is interesting as shewing how completely Chaitanya is by his followers invested with the attributes of, and identified with, K.rish.na; it has no other special merits; nor anything specially interesting from a philological point of view as it is nearly all Sansk.rit.
The next six are in praise of the sect itself, of Adwaita, and the principal disciples. That on Adwaita by his contemporary Brindaban Das gives a lively picture of the old Brahman, then follow seven in praise of the Kirtanias or the old master-singers--Bidyapati, Jayadeva, Cha.n.di Das; then four on K.rish.na and Radha, containing only a succession of epithets linked together by jay! jay!
The twenty-third begins the adhibas or consecration, and is curious less for its language than for the description it gives of the ceremonies practised. It is by the old masters Parameshwar and Brindaban, with the concluding portion by a younger master Bansi. The poem is in four parts and takes the form of a story how Chaitanya held his feast. It runs thus:--
23. Atha sankirtanasya adhibasa.
"One day coming and smiling, sitting in Adwaita's house, spake the son of Sachi, having Nityanand with him and Adwaita, sitting in enjoyment, he planned a great festivity. Hearing this, smiling with joy, Sita Thakurani coming spoke a sweet word: hearing that with joyful mind the son of Sachi spoke somewhat in regard to arranging the festival. 'Listen, Thakurani Sita,[Footnote: Sita was the wife of Adwaita.] bring the Baishnabs here; making pressing invitation to them: whoso can sing, whoso can play, invite them separately, man by man.' Thus Gora Rai speaking gave orders for an assembly: ' Invite the Baishnabs! Bring out the cymbal and drum, set out full pots painted with aloes and sandal-paste: plant plantains, hang on them garlands of flowers, for the Kirtan place joyfully. With garlands, sandal, and betelnut, ghee, honey, and curds consecrate the drum at evening-tide.' Hearing the lord's word, in loving manner she made accordingly various offerings with fragrant perfumes: all cried 'Hari, Hari!' thus they consecrate the drum; Parameshwar Das floats in enjoyment."
Of the remainder of the adhibas I give merely a paraphrase ommiting the numerous repetitions.
2. Having prepared the entertainment she invites them, "kindly visit us, to you and Vaish.navas, this is my petition, come and see and complete the feast;" thus entreating she brought the honoured guests, they consecrate the feast. Joyfully the Vaish.navas came to the feast: "to-morrow will be the joy of the great festivity, there will be the enjoyment of the singing Sri K.rish.na's sports, all will be filled with delight." The merits of the assembly of the devotees of Sri K.rish.na Chaitanya singeth Brindaban Das.
3. First set up the plantains, array the full pots, adorned with twigs of the mango; the Brahman chants the Vedas, the women shout jay! jay! and all cry Hari! Hari! Making the consecration with curds and ghi, all display their joy; bringing in the Vaish.navas, giving them garlands and sandal-paste, for the celebration of the Kirtan; joy is in the hearts of all, hither come the Vaish.navas, to-morrow will be Chaitanya's kirtan; the virtue of Sri K.rish.na Chaitanya's name, and the indwelling of Sri Nityanand singeth Das Brindaban. [Footnote: The poet's name is inverted to make a rhyme for Kirtan in the preceding line.]
4. Jay! jay! in Nawadwip; by Gorang's order Adwaita goes to prepare the consecration of the drum. Bringing all the Vaish.navas with sound of "Hari bol," he initiates the great feast. He himself giving garlands and sandal-paste, converses with his beloved Vaish.navas, Gobind taking the drum plays ta-ta-tum tum, Adwaita lightly clashes the cymbals. Hari Das begins the song, Sribas keeps time, Gorang dances at the kirtan celebration. On all sides the Vaish.navas crowding echo "Hari bol," to-morrow will be the great feast. To-day consecrate the drum and hang it up, joyfully saith Bansi sound victory! victory!!
Having thus concluded the initiatory ceremonies in the lst Pallab, the 2nd Pallab begins the real "Kirtan." It contains 26 hymns by masters who are mostly of comparatively recent date. Of the old masters Gobind Das and Cha.n.di / Das alone appear in this Pallab. We now commence the long and minutely described series of emotions and flirtations (if so lowly a word may be used) between Radha and K.rish.na, and this Pallab and in fact the whole of the first Sakha is on that phase called "purbaraga" or first symptoms of love. In No. 2, Cha.n.di / Das represents two of Radha's Sakhis, or girl-friends, whispering together as they watch her from a distance (the punctuation {i.e. colon (:)} refers to the caesura, not to the sense):
"She stands outside the house, a hundred times restlessly she comes and goes: depressed in mind, with