S^ .: RELIGIOUS SECTS 



that city : his spiritual preceptor was Jagannat'h Das, a pupil, as well as Na- 

 BHAJi of Agradas: he followed this teacher to Go'verdhan, near Bindraba7iy but 

 afterwards returned to Benares, and there commenced his Hindi version of the 

 JRdmayam, in the year of Samvat 1631, when he was thirty-one years of age — ■ 

 besides this work, which is highly popular, Tulasi Das is the author of a Sat 

 Sai, or collection of one hundred stanzas on various subjects : of the Ram Gu- 

 ndvali, a series of verses in praise of Rama, of a Gitdvali, and Vinaya PatriM, 

 poetical compositions of a devotional or moral tendency, and of a great variety 

 of Hymns — as Rdgas, Kamts, and Padas, in honour of his tutelary deity and 

 his consort, or Rama and Sita. Tulasi Das continued to reside at Benares, 

 where he built a temple to Sitd Rama, and founded a Mafh adjoining, both 

 which are still in existence: he died in the year of i\\Q Samvat evo,, 1680, or 

 A. D. 1624, in the reign of Jehangir,* and the legendary story therefore 

 of his intercourse with Shah Jehan, is consequently an anachronism. 



Jayadeva was an inhabitant of a village called Kinduvilwa, where he led an 

 ascetic life, and was distinguished for his poetical powers, and the fervour of 

 his devotion to Vishnu. He at first adopted a life of continence, but was 

 subsequently induced to marry. A Brahman had dedicated his daughter to 

 Jagannath, but on his way to the shrine of that deity was addressed by him, 

 and desired to give the maiden to Jayadeva who was one with himself. The 

 saint, who it should appear had no other shelter than the shade of a tree, was 

 very unwilling to burthen himself with a bride, but her father disregarded his 

 refusal, and leaving his daughter with him departed. Jayadeva then addres- 

 sed the damsel, and asked her what she proposed to do, to which she replied ; 

 " whilst I was in my father's house, I was obedient to his will ; he has now 

 presented me to you, and I am subject to your pleasure ; if you reject me. 



* According to this memorial verse — 



s9 



4n-^ m^^ w^ ^^ ^m^ ^t i wm^ m^ ^^ri'€\ h^^ n^i ^ftT i \ 



