Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/721

VI, ] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 681 of the monuments, the Ekucaratna, the Navaratna and the Dolmancha seemed during the cataclysm to struggle for a few moments with the stream: of 15176008862 which in its fierce play dashed against the blocks of massive stone and bricks of which the town was built, till the whole scene passed from the sight like a dream, and the waves danced over the town, disclosing nota sign of its former grandeur and pomp. Raja Rajavallabha’s Rajanagara is now reduced toa dream. But the Raja had not only built a city, far outshining in its glory the town of Civanivasa, but in his court there were poets of great power who were not unworthy rivals of Bharata Chandra. In The poets their elegance of style,—in the sweetness of choice ০22 Sanskrit expressions with which their poems are Raja- replete, Jayanarayana and his gifted niece Bnanda.- /Vatabhe: mayi showed poetical powers of a remarkable order, and it isa pity that the Harilila and Chandi by Jayanarayana in which there occur many noble lines composed by Anandamayi, could not have the circulation and the far-reaching fame which Bharata Chandra’s poems attained in the more favourable soil of Western Bengal. Jayanarayanha as a poet was certainly a match for Bharata Chandra, though all points considered, his poems lack the finish of his great rival’s works. There are passages in the 2 poem of the East Bengal poet which may rival the Narayana sparkling lines of Bharata Chandra; but in com- ৪৩87 mon details Bharata Chandra’s hand moves more _ Bharata. freely, and though the poems of both the poets have a family likeness in their ornate classical style, and in the depraved taste of the age, the favourite poet of Krishna Chandra is a more finished master of his art, as he is also more 86