462 Notes on the " Mahdpurushyas." [No. 6. 



In his youth he was married, but his wife died, and shortly after on 

 the death also of his father, which appears to have taken place about 

 the same time, he distributed all his property amongst his relations, 

 went on a pilgrimage, visited Gyah, Jagannath and other places, and 

 returned after an absence of twelve years. He found the civil govern- 

 ment of his country in a very disorganized state and was importuned 

 by his friends to resume his position as a chief to assist in restoring 

 order, but this he declined urging that he had now to meditate on all 

 that he had read and seen. They, however, persuaded him to take 

 another wife, and the free gifts he received on the occasion of his mar- 

 riage were of greater value than all the wealth he had formerly been 

 possessed of. In his meditations on the Bhagavat and Purans he 

 appears about this time to have been assisted by a Brahman named 

 Rama Kama Guru, whom the Lila Charitra introduces to us rather 

 abruptly. This Brahman was, however, the progenitor of the family, 

 who for many generations have held the office of Shasturiah or head 

 of the Shostro, and that may account for his being so prominently 

 brought forward ; but his assistance was not very valuable, as Saiikar 

 did not fully comprehend the sacred books he was studying till in- 

 structed in their meaning by a Brahman who was specially deputed by 

 Jagannath himself to Saiikar and made a long journey for the pur- 

 pose with no other address than " Sri Saiikar, Xsam." The name of 

 this Brahman is not given in the Lila Charitra but in some other 

 work he is styled Jagadisa Misra. It was about this time that his 

 intimacy with Madhab commenced. Madhab was a '* Sakta," a wor- 

 shipper of the female principle. One day he gave directions to his 

 brother-in-law Ramadasa to procure a goat for sacrifice, at an approach- 

 ing festival in honor of Kali. Ramadasa having made known to Saiikar 

 the commission he had received, was advised by him to return to Ma- 

 dhab without having executed it. The latter displeased at what appeared 

 to him an unwarrantable interference sought an interview with Saii- 

 kar and entered on a violent altercation with him — but Saiikar mildly 

 reproved him and quoting from the Bhagavat expounded to him how 

 all adoration should be paid to " Vishnu the Supreme." " For" said 

 he, ■' if you pour water on the roots of the tree the leaves and 

 branches are refreshed and strengthened by it, applied to the leaves 

 and branches and not to the roots it is of no avail." Madhab is stated 



