134 
G. A. Grierson —The Song of Bijai Mat. 
[Sp, 
at the king’s doorway, and saith king Gorakh Singh, ‘ Hear, my son 
Randhir Chhattri, (145) the Tilah of the prince has come, haste 
and make the necessary preparations. Qnickly give them sharhat, 
and inquire as to what will he a lucky time for the marriage.’ 
He called a well-read Pandit, (150) ‘ 0 Pandit, hear my words. 
Haste and look for a lucky time.’ Up rose the well-read Pandit and 
said, ‘ 0 king, now is an excellent lucky time; haste and olfer the 
tilalv.'’ (155) Up rose now Randhir Chhattri and said, ‘ Prince Manik 
Chand, hear me, come now within the courtyard, and haste to offer the 
tilak. 
Kuar Bijai* * * § sate himself down, (160) with some of his relations 
and Manik Chand, and now arose the (sound of) marriage songs. They 
now commence to offer the tilah, and behold, it was offered. (165) 
They then all went into the outer hall, and in excellent manner were 
called to dinner.f The whole assembly ate and drank and became 
ready. Excellent was the manner in which they were ready. The 
eighth day was the one fixed for the wedding (at the bride’s house), 
(170) and Manik Chand returned to his palace. 
Up rose king Gorakh Singh and said, ‘ Hear, my son Ran-dhir 
Chhattri, send invitations abroad, and in excellent manner make ready 
the wedding procession.’ (175) On hearing these words he invited 
many of his brotherhood, and in excellent manner made ready the marriage 
procession. In excellent manner did king Gorakh Singh the mighty 
prince, make ready the procession and set out.J (180) They arrived 
at the country of the fortress in the mountains, and Gorakh Singh 
sent news of his arrival. ^ Ho watchman, hear; go to the King’s 
audience chamber and tell him (185) that the procession of the monarch 
has come.’ The news reached the king,§ and then said Bawan Suba, 
‘ Hear, 0 my son Manik Chand ; in excellent manner escort the proces¬ 
sion, (190) to the fortress of JirhuL’ On hearing these words Manik 
Chand escorted the procession and caused them all to enter the fortress, 
* This is the name of the prince, who was the boy-bridegroom. 
f is the summoning to dinner, equivalent to the English, ‘ Dinner is 
served, my Lady,’ of the fashionable novel. 
J This marriage procession is the one in which the boy-bridegroom is carried in 
state to the bride’s house for the wedding ceremony. After the ceremony the party 
return with like pomp leaving the bride with her parents. When the bride is 
old enough for the consummation of the marriage, she is fetched in a similar 
manner to the bridegroom’s house. This last ceremony is called the gaund, and 
will bo referred to later on in the poem. See vv. 777 and ff. 
§ is a contraction of the weak genitive termination and of the pro- 
nominal adverb 5,.^! here. 
