Page:Biographical Sketches of Dekkan Poets.djvu/158

He had an elder brother named Pada Virana, who by diligent application to his studies soon became a poet of respectable talents; while China Virana on the other hand spent his time in idleness and dissipation, and for a long time exhibited no signs of genius. Both the brothers, were in the habits of attending the court of the reigning prince, who held Pada Virana in high estimation, on account of his miscellaneous productions in verse. This king commanded the last mentioned poet, to compose at work on a subject, never yet handled by any bard of the country; Peda Virana without considering on the difficulties, he should have to encounter agreed to do so in a very short period. When, he returned home, he mentioned this affair to his wife and desired her to apprize his brother of the circumstance, as he was absent from the house just at this moment. When China Virana returned to his dwelling, his sister-in-law agreeably to her husbands directions, acquainted him with the perdicament in which his brother was placed. China Virana desired her not be uneasy that he