36 
G. A. Grierson —Song of Gopi Chand. 
[No. 1, 
tlie mouths of singers in different parts of Bihar. The Bliojpuri version 
was found in Shahabad, and the Magalii one in Gaya. They are excellent 
examples of these two closely related dialects. 
The following is a brief account of the whole tale of Gopi Chand 
taken from the Gopi Chand Bharthari ka Jog above referred to. The 
two Bihari versions only contain the latter portion of the legend. Gopi 
Chand was a king of Dhara. His mother’s name was Mainawati, and 
her brother was the famous Bharthari, who, after being a king, himself 
became a disciple of Gorakhnath and a Jogi. When Gopi Chand grew up 
and was married, his mother attempted to induce him also to take vows 
of asceticism. After making various objections he finally consented and 
went off to look for Gorakhnath who was his mother’s guru. On the 
way he found his mother’s brother Bharthari, who at first attempted to 
turn him from his purpose, but finally took him to Gorakhnath. The 
latter also dissuaded, but finding the king persistent ordered him, as a 
test to go forth as a beggar, and ask for alms from his wife, Queen 
Ratan Kumari, After wandering through many lands, he reached his 
palace, and asked for alms. A maid-servant came out but he refused to 
take anything from her, telling her to go and tell the Queen that he 
wished to receive alms from her. The Queen came, and also endeavour¬ 
ed to dissuade him from becoming an ascetic, and entreated him to stay 
with her. He refused. The author then* continues :— 
xaral sira graft aft xw %, Jvfft f^t 
sm ranmxt mm ^ 3 }, suit rag ram m %t 
vnfci % iraiir fraix 1 mr ram % w<ft wffa % mxffa 1 
era mm % rarax % m*st sxmrax: xpg sraxft % «xx:mT fasr 1 
era ram % ik 3 tix ftm %3i uk- 
xxra srara mm ra iftft % 1 
^ fxgfrail I 
fr?x 11 wz fw fit fix: 1 
flfci rasra §it <f rav fit: 11 
11 (% 3 i sftt) % <1 rat xk %fx: *raii mimft l 
ifsx axtuT ra«t ^xrax xrai m*i vmft 11 
* The metre of the following version is often incorrect in the original, and is 
given as dohas and chawpctis. It is really not very correct Jcundaliyd. The last 
word of each kdbya should properly be same as the first word of the preceding doha, 
but this is not the case. 
f The words beta ji &c., do not form part of the metre. Such additional words 
are known in prosody technically as jor, and should be react iu a lower toue than the 
rest of the poem. 
