1898.] M. M. Chakravarti— Language and literature of Orissa. 335 
to be more than three hundred years old. Hunter’s list 1 puts its date 
as 500 years old; but the reasons for this conclusion are not given. 
The song is based on an incident of the Bhagavata. Qri-Krsna had 
gone to Mathura, leaving his mother Ya^oda. Ya^Oda felt unhappy at 
the separation and poured out her grief addressing the cuckoo. The 
verse runs easy, and the subject—a mother’s lamentation for her absent 
son—appeals to Indian hearts. Ho wonder therefore that the song is 
so popular in Orissa. 
The other songs in current use are much later : but from the works 
of the chief Oriya poets the names of several earlier songs can be traced. 
These songs passed into favourite tunes, and came to be thus noticed. 
Among the oldest may be named Rukmani Cautisa 
Madhupa Cautisa (*ryr and Biprasirhha Cautisa 
Several other old songs are quoted as tunes by Upendra Bhanja, 
and in the Bicitra Ramayana. 4 ’ It is a matter of regret that most of 
these songs are now known only by their names. 
1 Hunter’s Orissa, Vol. II, App. IX, p. 206. Here Markancla Dasa is credited 
wrongly with the authorship of another song—GyanSdaya Ko-ili. This song 
was really composed by LSkanatha Dasa, a disciple of one Trilocana, and is much 
later. It deals with the mystical doctrines and symbols of Ydga, and some of the 
stanzas are really creditable, e.g. 
f 
i 
5tfrf?r jfnaj i 
ftq ^fr i 
*1^13 i 
JJI ^fT^t tt <*H 1 I 
“ Lnminous is the door to the universe where shineth the foiunless. Light unto 
light darkening, behold, the lamp is burning the whole night. Watch ye with care, 
then age after age ye can be a Yogi [26].” 
2 DInakrsna Dasa’s Rasakallbla, 25th Chanda; Upeqdra Bhanja’s BaidehTsa- 
bilasa, 46th Chanda. 
b Mathura Maggala, 5th Chanda for Madhupa; and for Biprasimha, see Mathura 
Mar)gala 27th and 3Uth Chandas, Upendra Bhahja’s Baidehlsabilasa, 45th Chanda. 
4 Upendra Bhanja mentions Jadusimha Cautisa Baidehlsa¬ 
bilasa, 43rd Chanda; Hamsaduta Cautisa ^f<TSU) Baid. Bil. 44th Cli.; 
Gopajlbana Cautisa (jfrq^t«r*r Do. 47th Ch.; Chap5-i 
Rasapancaka 1st Pancaka. Similarly in the Bicitra Ramayana one comes across 
Ba Cautisa (cff Adyakanda 16th Ch.; “ Cala-i R'atha ” (‘^53^ 
Ayodhya Ka. lltlx Ch.; “ Kusutna Sanrava ” ( ) Aranyaka ivu. 17th 
