IV.] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 229 them was Bhavani Prasad Kar, a Vaidya by caste The tran- who lived in the earlier part of the 16th Century. নস ৪ রন কন 7 Bhavani Here are a few lines 2 a long autobiographi Saas cal.account that he gives of himself. the blind poet, “T was born in a Vaidya family of Kahthalia (in the district of Mymensing). I have attempted to compose this poem in honour of Durgg (Chandi). She has made me miserable from my birth. Pro- vidence did not grant me eyes. I have taken refuge at the feet of Durga, having no place to stand on in this world.’”’* After having described his domestic troubles chiefly brought about by the wickedness of his nephew, he says,—'‘' I was born in the Kar family of Kahthalia. My father’s name is Nayan Kkrisna Kkar. God created me without eyes. So I do not know the alphabet and cannot write.” + His translation of Chandi is very close to the text,—a novel feature in a work of this class, for which we ought to be thankful to the blind poet, but as he did not know how to read or write, and
- নিবাস কাটালিয়। গ্রাম বৈদ্য কুলজাত ।
দুর্গার মঙ্গল বোলে ভবানী প্রসাদ ॥ জন্মকাল হতে কালী কবিলা ছুঃখিত। চক্ষুহীন করি বিধি করিল লিখিত ॥ মনে দঢ়াইয়াছি আমি কালীর চরণ। দাড়াইতে আমার নাহিক কোন স্থান ॥ 1 কাটালিয়৷ গ্রামে করবংশেতে উতপত্তি। নয়নকৃষ্ণ নামে রায় কাহার সম্ততি ॥ জন্ম অন্ধ বিধাতা যে করিল! আমারে। অক্ষরপরিচয় নাহি লিখিবার তরে ॥
