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Essay on Telugu Literature. 



[Oct. 



1 vvldhambunam alaiincbi ya mrigamu 

 davvula poda zupu dana jera vaccu 

 patta boina mitt'i para p5vu 

 catt' alca Ramuni gann anta nilueu 



140 lali desala ku ba.ru, lala to' guda 

 selavul ambu'u rc,lcu obeshtalu maracju 

 n esagi vlxincbi pell egasi I §11" 'urucu 

 pasa rnincu minnula pai baiuc' imdli 

 cuppinchi datl cbenguua tlge merupu 



145 drippina gati jihva diippun and anda 

 coravi drippina rlti cummara sarS 

 teraeuna, bbramarlga dlridlram dirugu 

 badalina gati mraggti pazza-k-etera 

 vadl salvuvatnmu cai vadi.minta baru 



150 alasi Ramudu verag andi mlucutayu 

 gelacula boda zupu kicurirhchi tolagu 

 &c. &c. I Sec. 



The reader will perceive from this /extract that the style of the Dwi- 

 pada Ramayan, though poetical is clear, easy, arid free from pedantry. 

 The next extract is taken from a very popular poem, now about to be 

 published at Madras. It is the tale of Saranga Dlmra written in the 

 Dwipada metre : the other version written in padyams by Chemacura 

 "Vengal Raz is remarkable for brilliancy and sweetness of style : but 

 the Dwipada version is as usual in a conversational strain, and there- 

 fore more useful to a foreigner. The style in some places proves that 

 this poem is ancient, but it is familiarly read at the present day. It ex- 

 emplifies the rustic dialect of poetry which like the style of Burns shews 

 more genius than classical exactitude. The author states that he com- 

 posed it in couplets as an improvement upon the story as told by 

 Chemacura Appanna. To furnish a notion of the Hindu romances 

 (not connected with pauranica legends), I will give a summary of this 

 story. It is considered by Bramins as very immoral : it is precisely 

 similar to Byron's tale of Parisina ; but the braminical criterion of 

 morality is oddly inconsistent; it condemns such narratives while it 

 sees no harm in the foulness that fills the Mahabljarat and Bhagavat. 

 TALE OF SARANGA DHARA. 



Introduction : genealogy of the hero : his birth. His lather had a 

 portrait of Saranga Dhara taken, and sent it to other kings: one of 

 whom offers his daughter Chitrangi to be wedded to him. Description 

 of her charms. The prince's sword being sent to her she is wedded to 

 it and brought home. But his father on seeing her was so greatly 

 enamoured that he persuaded her that the painting represented not 

 his son but himself. Hereupon he made her his second wife : the 

 first who was still living being the mother of Saranga Dhara. 



