26 F. S. Qiovrse—The Prologue to the Mmdyana of Tulsi Das. m i 



tue, it gives new life to the faithful, and as its holy drops fall to the earth 

 they are collected in the channel supplied by the ears, and flowing into the 

 lake of the soul fill it and then settle down permanently cool, beautiful 

 and refreshing. 



Doha 45, 



This pure and holy lake has four beautiful ghats, viz. the four charming 

 dialogues contrived by divine wisdom ; 



Chaupdi. 

 The seven Books are its beautiful flights of steps which the eyes of the 

 soul delight to look upon ; the unqualified and unsullied greatness of Ra- 

 ghupati may be described as its clear and deep expanse. The glory of 

 Eama and Sita as its ambrosial water ; the similes as its pretty wavelets • 

 the stanzas as its beautiful lotus-beds ; the elegance of expression as lovely 

 mother-of-pearl ; the ehhands, sorathas and couplets as many-coloured lotas 

 flowers ; the incomparable sense, sentiment and language as the lotus-pollen, 

 filaments and fragrance ; the exalted action as beautiful swarms of bees \ 

 the sage moral reflections as swans ; the rhythm, involutions and all poeti- 

 cal artifices as diverse graceful kinds of fish ; the precepts regarding the 

 four ends of life, the wise sayings, the thoughtful judgments, the nine 

 styles of composition,* the prayers, penance, abstraction and asceticism, of 

 which examples are given, are all the beautiful living creatures in the lake ; 

 the eulogies on the faithful, the saints, and the holy name are like flocks of 

 water-birds ; the religious audience are like circling mango groves and their 

 faith like the Spring season ; the expositions of all the phases of devotion 

 and of tenderness and generosity are like the trees and canopying creepers ; 

 self-denial and holy vows are as flowers, and wisdom as the fruit ; the love 

 for Hari's feet as the sound of the Vedas ; and all other stories and episodes 

 as the parrots and cuckoos and many kinds of birds. 



Doha 46. 

 Pleasant is the sporting of the birds in grove, garden, or parterre, 

 where good intention like a gardener bedews the eyes with the water of 

 affection. 



Chaupdi. 

 Those who accurately recite these lays are like the diligent guardians of 

 the lake y the men and women who reverently hear them, these excellent 



* The 9 poetical styles (or Indian Muses) are the Sringar-ras, or erotic ; the 

 Hasya-ras, or comic ; the Karuna-ras, or elegiac ; the Bir-ras, or heroic ; the Kaudra- 

 ras, or tragic ; the Bhayanak-ras, or melancholic ; the Vihhatsa-ras, or satiric ; the 

 Shant-ras, or didactic ; and the Adbhut-ras, or sensational. 



