G. A. Grierson —Song of Gopi Chand. 47 
‘ So beloved is he of us who goeth forth 
1885.] 
who came to fetch water. 
as an ascetic.’ 
4. Thou wilt have to wander 
through the three worlds, but go 
not to the land of thy sister Birna. 
The heart of thy sister will burst 
and she will die when she heareth 
that her brother hath become an 
ascetic.’ 
Young Satraniya whom he had 
married in his youth, she also 
catcheth him by the cloth and stand- 
eth. ‘ Thou, my husband,art becom¬ 
ing an ascetic, what support wilt thou 
give me before thou goest.’ # Gopi 
Chand (refused to hear her and) 
became like an image of stone.f 
5. His first halting place J was 
in the plantain-forest and the does 
of the forest as they see him, weep. 
(Banspati, the Egeria of the 
forest) plucked and offered him 
fruits of the forest to eat. £ Eat 
O ascetic, the fruit of my forest.’ 
£ I will not eat food, 0 mother, nor 
will I drink water. Tell me where 
is Birna’s city.’ When she heard 
these words Banspati said ‘ Birna’s 
# or a sup¬ 
port. 
t \/ means to settle upon, but 
the sentence in which occurs is 
quite unintelligible. The words are 
written exactly as the singer gave them, 
but even he did not know their meaning. 
The sentence might perhaps mean ‘ The 
bee (i. e. Gopi Chand) immediately on 
settling flew away,’ as if he was only 
paying a short visit to his home. A 
reference to the introduction will show 
that this was the case. 
t Wf is literally 4 a roosting place.’ 
4. Then said his mother Maina 
£ Hear, my son, my words. 
Throughout the three worlds may’st 
thou ask for alms, but go not thou 
to the land of thy sister.’ £ Well 
hast thou done, 0 mother, to re¬ 
mind me. Thou hast caused me 
to remember my forgotten sister.’ 
‘ Thy sister hath been weeping for 
these six months, for all her 
hopes are fixed upon her parent’s 
house.’ 
5. Gopi Chand’s first stage fell 
in the Plantain forest. At even 
mother Banspati of the wood 
weepeth. The does of the forest 
wept, and as they heard it the 
leaves of the forest fell down. 
When she saw his form and ap¬ 
pearance Banspati opened (her 
flute) and played in the second 
watch after midnight. She felt 
pity for him. £ Great tigers and 
