2 A 
58 H. P. Qasfri —Buddhism in Bengal, [No, 1, 
caste, performed by pandits of the Dom tribe, and these Dorns are 
the constituted Purohitas of Dharma, a deity whom I venture to 
identify with Buddlia-deva. One of the names of Buddha is Dharma- 
raja, and this is precisely the name by which the deity Dharma is 
spoken of by his worshippers. The ancient Bengali literature consists 
of works describing the way in which different deities manifested 
themselves in this world and the way their worship became prevalent. 
I have elsewhere given an account of the prevalence of the worship of 
Manasa, or Goddess of serpents. There are works also describing how 
the deity Dharma-raja manifested himself, and how his worship became 
prevalent. 
According to Ghana-rama who wrote in 1710 his magnificent work 
the Qri-dharma-maygala , on this subject, his work is based on two 
previous works, one by Rupa-rama and another by Mayura-bhatta. 
All these again are said to be based on the Hakanda-purana. My 
enquiries have led to the fact that works of Rupa-rama and Mayura- 
bhatta are still extant, but I have not yet succeeded in getting copies 
of these works. 
The story as given by Ghana-rama, is this. The son of the great 
king of Gauda, Dharma-pala, had appointed his brother-in-law Maha- 
mada, as his minister. Malia-mada had another sister named Ranja, 
for whom he had a dislike, but she was a special favourite of Dharma- 
raja. Malia-mada tries in various ways to destroy his sister’s son, 
Lau-sen, but Dharma always protects him. Lau-sen is persecuted in 
various ways, but all these persecutions fail. Lau-seen is then sent to lead 
arduous expeditions against distant countries, such as Kama-riipa and 
Orissa. In all of these Dharma makes him successful. Maha-mada 
at last comes to his senses and takes his nephew into favour. Kalu 
Dom, Lau-sen’s favorite general, becomes the constituted Purohita of 
Dharma and obtains the privilege of being allowed to drink wine and 
eat hog’s flesh. Dharma is described as superior _toJBralima, Visnu, and 
Mah^vara, and as having Hanumat as his great general. Ghana-rama’s 
work is a lengthy one, it repays perusal both as a work of poetic art 
and as embodying curious informaton about ancient Bengal. 
fh The great Buddhist monarch Dharma-pala, is very well known. 
He was the first great monarch of the Pala Dynasty, who were Bud¬ 
dhists. It is also known that he conquered Gauda and led expeditions 
to Kama-rupa, where also a branch of this dynasty ruled for a long time. 
It js ^ probable that Buddhism mixed up with some aboriginal form of 
i w orship, gave rise to a new form of worship, namely, that of Dharma 
[ d uring the ascendency of the Pala Dynasty in Bengal, and that it 
being suited to the genius of £he people, obtained a currency which 
