TULSI DAS AND THE RAMA CULT 59 sect and that of the Ramanandis seems to be that the teachers of the Maluk Dasis are not ascetics, but, like their founder, laymen. Maluk Das was a trader by occupation, and is said to have been born at Kara, in the district of Allahabad, and to have died at Jagan- nath. Monasteries of his followers at Kara and other places are still in existence. The works ascribed to Maluk Das include the following : — Das Ratna ("The Ten Jewels ") ; Bhaktavatsal, which deals with Krish- na's regard for his devotees ; Ratna- khd7ia, which is a dissertation on the soul and God. He is also the reputed author of a large number of detached verses and apophthegms which are still quoted amongst the people. A famous one is translated as follows, and has been compared with the teaching of St. Matt. vi. 26 :
- ' The python doth no service, nor hath the fowl of the air a duty
to perform (to earn its living); Quoth Maluk Das, For all doth Rama provide their daily bread." The idea of the couplet is based on the belief current in India that the python ( ajagara) is unable to hunt for its food, but has to wait with its mouth open for its prey to walk into it. Other Works connected with the Worship of Rama.— r A disciple of Tulsi Das, who was also his constant companion, was Benl Madhav Das (fi. 1600). He is said to have written a biography of his master called Gosdm Charity, and was also the author of other works, including a Nakhsikh. Besides the Rdmdyan (or Ram- char it-md7ias) and other works of Tulsi Das dealing with the story of Rama, there appeared during this period several other works connected with the same subject. Chintdmani Tripdthl (fl. 1650), who is mentioned in the previous chapter as a writer on the art of poetry, also wrote a Rdfndyan in kavitta and other metres. Md7i Dds (born 1623), of Braj, wrote a Hindi poem entitled Rdmcharitr, which is founded on two Sanskrit works, the Rdmdyana of Vdlmiki and the Ha7iuma7i Ndtaka.
