Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/696

Krisna Rama 1686 A.D. Ksema- 17217 02. Madhu Sudana, Rama Prasada. 656 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [ Chap. After Govinda Das the next writer of Vidya Sundara that we have been able to trace is Krisna Rama. He was a Kayastha by caste, born at Nimta a village close to Belgharia, a station on the East Bengal Railway. Krisha Rama’s Vidya Sundara was written in the year 1686 A. D. Of Ksemananda’s Vidya Sundara—the date of composition is quite unknown. It is evidently very old to judge from the hand-writing of the in- complete manuscript that has been obtained. Vidya Sundara by Madhu Sudan Kavindra—The story is told very briefly in the poem. The date of composition is not known. Vidya Sundara by Rama Prasada Sen. Rama Prasada was that great saint and poet of the 18th century whose name is known and revered throughout Bengal. Whatever was the cause, this saintly poet conceived the whim of writing the in- decent story of Vidya Sundara. His poem was the model which inspired Bharata Chandrato write in a similar strain. Ram Prasada was favoured by Raja Krisna Chandra as appears from the grant of 100 bighas of rent-free land which was conferred on him by the Raja in 1785 A.D. It may have been under court-influence or due to some juvenile poetic freak that Rama Prasada set his hand to the task of writing a poem for which nature had not fitted him. He has been outdone by Bharata Chandra whose poem of Vidya Sundara far excels the one he wrote. But Rama Prasada in his vulgarities, his pedantry, and other faults of the age was not a whit behind his more successful rival. The de- tails of vulgar and indecent love which are found