§ 37 .] 
THE KRISNA-CULT OF BRAJ. [ 1500 — 1600 .] 
23 
killed in battle with the Musalmans ; I alone, Stiraj Chand, blind 1 
and worthless, remained alive. I was fallen into a well, 2 and 
though I called for help, no one saved me. On the seventh day 
Jadupati (Krish’n) came and pulled me out 3 and, making himself 
visible to me (or giving me my eyesight), said “Son, ask what thou 
desirest as a boon.” I said, “ Lord, I ask for the boon of perfect 
devotion, for the destruction of the enemy, 4 5 and that now that I have 
seen the form of my Grod, mine eyes may never see aught else.” As 
the Ocean of Compassion heard me, he said. “So let it be. Thine 
enemy will be destroyed by a mighty Brahman of the Deck an” 
Then named he me Stiraj Das, Stir, and Stir Syam, and disappeared, 
and thereafter all was darkness to me. 6 7 8 I then went to live in Braj, 
where the holy master ( Bitthal Nath) entered my name in the Ashta 
ChhapJ 1 We thus get the following genealogy :— 
Brahm Rad, the Jag at. 
Chandr’. (FI. 1190 A.D.) 
Second son, Gan Chandr 
i 
SU Chandr '. 
I 
Bir Chandr '. (FI. 1300 A.D.) 
I 
Hari Chandr ' (of Ag’ra). 
v-;. i i 
Descendants unknown. 
Ram Chandr ' (of Gop-chal). 
Stiraj Chand ( FI. 1550) and six others. 
It is evident that he was not of a Brahman, but of a royal stock. 3 
According to tradition he was born about Sambat 1540 (1483 A.D.), 
1 Either literally or figuratively. Owing to the undoubted fact of his 
blindness, every blind singing mendicant is nowadays called a Sur Das. 
2 This may by taken literally, i.e. fallen into a dry well {andha kiid), or 
figuratively that he was a sinner. 
3 Or, taken figuratively, after seven days of internal conflict I became 
converted and obtained salvation. ^ 
4 I.e. of his evil passions, or perhaps of the Musalmans. 
5 I.e. Ballabhachar’j. 
6 I.e. he became literally blind,—the fulfilment of his third request, dusard 
nd dekho ru'pa, dekU RadhaSyama. The line may also be translated, ‘he 
disappeared in the last watch of the night.’ 
7 The list of the eight great poets of Braj. See No. 35. 
8 He calls Chand’r’s eldest son naves. 
B 4 
