10 F. S. Growse — The Prologue to the Bamayana of Twhi Das. [Ko. 1 



to Eama will by itself be sufficient embellishment to make the good hear 

 and praise his melody. Though no poet, nor clever, nor accomplished : 

 though unskilled in every art and science ; though all the elegant devices 

 of letters and rhetoric, and the countless variations of metre, and the infi- 

 nite divisions of sentiment and style, and all the defects and excellencies of 

 verse and the gift to distinguish between them are unknown to me, I de- 

 clare and record it on a fair white sheet — 



Doha 13. 

 That though my style has not a single charm of its own, it has a charm 

 known throughout the world, which men of discernment will ponder as they 

 read — 



Chawpdi. 

 The gracious name of Raghupati ; all-purifying essence of the Puranas 

 and the Veda, abode of all that is auspicious, destroyer of all that is inaus- 

 picious, ever murmured in prayer by Uma and the great Tripurari. The 

 most elegant composition of the most talented poet gives no pleasure, if 

 the name of E.ama is not in it ; in the same way as a lovely woman adorned 

 with the richest jewels is vile if unclothed. But the most worthless pro- 

 duction of the feeblest versifier, if adorned with the name of Eama, is heard 

 and repeated with reverence by the wise, like bees gathering honey : though 

 the poetry has not a single merit, the glory of Eama is manifested in it. 

 This is the confidence which has possessed my soul : is there anything 

 which good company fails to exalt ? Thus smoke forgets its natural pun- 

 gency, and with incense yields a sweet scent. My language is that in vul- 

 gar use, but my subject is the highest, the story of Eama, enrapturing the 

 world. 



Ghhand 1.* 

 Though rapturous lays befit his praise, who cleansed a world accurst, 

 Yet Tulsi's rivulet of song may slake a traveller's thirst. 

 How pure and blest on Siva's breast shew the vile stains of earth ! 

 So my poor song flows bright and strong illumed by Rama's worth. 



Doha 14. 15, 



From its connection with the glory of Eama, my verse will be most 



grateful to every one ; when you apply sandal to your forehead, do you 



think of it as merely a production of wood ? Though a cow be black, its milk 



is pure and wholesome and all men drink it y and so, though my speech is 



* A Chhand is generally a somewhat enthusiastic outburst, in which the offc-re- 

 peated rhyme is a little apt to run away with the sense. Whenever one occurs, I shall 

 indicate its special character by giving it a metrical version. Its first line always re- 

 peats some word that occurred in the last line of the preceding stanza. 



