128 G. A. Grierson — A specimen of the Padumdwati. [No. 2, 
discarded all the favourite devices of pandits, who tried to make their 
language correct by spelling (while they did not pronounce) vernacu- 
lar words in the Sanskrit fashion. He had no temptation to do this. 
The Persian character did not lend itself to any such false antiquarian- 
ism. He spelled each word rigorously as it was pronounced. His 
work is hence a valuable witness to the actual condition of the verna- 
cular language of Northern India in the 16th century. It is, so far as 
it goes, and with the exception of a few hints in Alberuni’s Indica, 
the only trustworthy witness which we have. It is trustworthy, how- 
ever, only to a certain extent, for it often merely gives the consonantal 
frame work of the words, the vowels, as is usual in Persian MSS., being 
generally omitted. Fortunately, the vowels can generally be inserted 
correctly with the help of a few Devanagari MSS. of the poem which 
are in my possession. 
Besides its interest as a key to a philological puzzle, the Paduma- 
wati also deserves notice for its contents. In itself it is a fine poetical 
work, and one of the few original ones, not dealing with either Rama 
or Krishna, with which I am acquainted in any Indian language. It 
is also remarkable for the vein of tolerance which runs through it, — a 
tolerance in every way worthy of Kabir or of Tul’si Das. The story of 
the poem has been a favourite one with eastern authors. Husain 
Ghaznawi wrote a Persian poem on the subject, entitled Qissae Padmd- 
wat. Rai Gobind MunshI in 1652 A. D. wrote a version in Persian 
prose, called (after the chronogram of its date) Tukfatu'l-Kulub. Again 
Mir Ziyau’d-dln ‘Ibrat, and Ghulam ‘All ‘Ishrat wrote a joint version in 
Urdu verse in 1796 A. D. Malik Muhammad’s poem was written in 
1540 A. D. 
Concerning the author little is known. He tells us himself that 
he was the disciple of Sayyad Muhlu’d-dln. He studied Sanskrit 
Prosody and Rhetoric from Hindu Pandits at Jayas. He belonged to 
the Ghistiyd Nizamiyd, that is to say, he was the eleventh disciple in 
descent from the well-known Nizamu’d-dm, who died in 1325 A. D. 
Muhiu’d-dln’s teacher was Shaikh Burhan, who resided at KalpI in 
Bundel’khand, and who is said to have died at the age of a hundred 
years in A. D. 1562-63. The poet was patronized by Slier Shah. 
The only other fact which we know for certain is that he was blind 
of one eye. I have collected the following traditions about him. One 
of Slier Shah’s allies was Jagat Dev, (enthroned 1527 A. D. : died 
1573 A. D.), Maharaj of Ghazlpur and Bhoj’pur. He was present at 
the battle of Bagh’sar (Buxar) in which Sher Shah defeated Humayun. 
Malik Muhammad is said to have attended his court. Two of Malik 
Muhammad’s four friends, whom he mentions in his poem (22) were 
