34 
The Bengali Poem , Candi. 
III. 
KHULLANA’S OEDEAL. 
The merchant Bhanapati was one day playing backgammon with some 
friends, when his family priest entered and reminded him that the first 
anniversary of his father's death was near at hand, at which time he would 
have to offer the customary ancestral sacrifice called the Qraddh. Bhanapati, 
who had been absent on the king's commission in Gaur when his father died, 
determines to perform the rites with every mark of honour ; and he invites 
all his kinsmen and the principal members of the merchant caste in all the 
neighbouring towns to be present. They come in great numbers and assemble 
at his house on the appointed day. Bhanapati performs the Qraddh,* and then 
follows the description of the reception of the guests. 
The graddh was over and the Brahmans gone, 
Loaded with costly presents every one, 
"When, full of care, his way the merchant wends 
To pay due honours to th’ assembled friends. 
How shall he likeliest give the least offence, 
To whom presume t’ assign the precedence ? 
Cand is the first in character and race,— 
Cand is the one who best deserves the place. 
’T is Cand to whom he turns the first to greet, 
And brings the water first to wash his feet, 
Then draws the sandal-mark upon his brows, 
And round his neck the flower-wreathed garland throws. 
But Qankha Datt in sudden wrath out burst, 
“ I in these meetings am by right the first. 
Lo ! Dhusha Datt can witness how of late 
His father’s qraddh he had to celebrate ; 
* The original has a description of the qraddh which I omit. A full account of the 
various ceremonies is given in Colebrooke’s Essays, vol. i. 
