* 



1917.] Bardic and HistL Survey of Rajputana 233 



of Bikaner — , and promised that her daughter should marry 

 Vlko, if Sekho were liberated. Karanljl granted the prayer, anil 

 flying off to Multan, brought Sekho, who, though unwillingly, 

 bestowed his daughter on rava Vlko. Incorrect and absurd as 

 the above account is, it is not the less interesting as showing the 

 tendency prevalent in these later times, to attribute everything 

 that happened in Bikaner since the days of rava Vlko. and 

 even before, to the influence of Karanljl. For this tendency, 

 which is much detrimental to the merits of the princes wh< 

 with their swords conquered the country and maintained it 

 in their hands, it is the Caranas who are the only respon- 

 sible. 



Much more ci editable to ra va Vlko on one side, and more 

 conformable with common reason and with the meaning of 

 our song on the other, is a version of the same fact, contained 

 in an anonymous poem in Chandas in honour of rava Jeta Si. 

 An old manuscript of this poem is extant in the Darbar 

 Library in the Fort of Bikaner, and it has been described in 

 Descriptive Catalogue of Bardic and Historical Manuscript*, 

 Section ii, part i, under No. 2 (a). Though the subject of the 

 Chandas is principally formed by a description of the exploits 

 of rava Jeta Si, yet the poem' contains also an introductory 

 part, in which an account is given of the predecessors of Jeta Si 

 from Sajakho down to Jeta Si's father Luna Karana. It is 

 here that, in the part devoted to rava Vlko, we find the 

 following trustworthy account of the particular event with 

 which we are concerned. Eava Sekho was a thorn in the ribs 

 of the Langahs, therefore thev conjured to capture him with 

 the help of Sekho's own brothers Tilho, i.e. Tiloka Si, and 

 Jaga .Mala. Apparently, it was the two latter who made Sekho 

 a prisoner and delivered him into the hands of the Langahs. 

 Captured Sekho, Tilho with the assistance of his Muhammadan 

 allies marched on Pugala and took it. But their success was 

 only a momentary one, for Vlko was not slow in gathering his 

 army and falling upon the Langahs and their Bhatl allies. 

 The enemy forces were dispersed, Mumana and Marota were 

 expugnated, the Langahs were pursued back into their own 

 territory, and Sekho was liberated from their hands Appa- 

 rently J og 6, i.e. Jogaila, the third brother of Sekho had also 

 a part in the coalition and was defeated with the others It 

 was after this victory, concludes the Poet, that Vlko went to 

 Pugala in the sarb of a bridegroom and married the da ugnter 

 of Sekho. , _ .. 



n The name of the Poet is given as Cohatha, a Baratha 

 Carana who notoriously lived under Vlko. The text ot tie 

 £<«, Which follows below, is derived from a manuscript in the 

 Parbar Library in the Fort of Bikaner. The MS. was written 

 between Sam vat 1615 and 1634, and has been described m 

 D <*cr. Cat., etc., Sect, ii, pt. i, under Xo. 15 (?). 



