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viz., that the reformers helped on the happy delusion and fiction by drawing immensely upon pre-Buddhistic literature and traditions for most of the names and romances and associations that they bád to engraft upon their own reforms. This satisfied orthodox cravings. and, to lure the heretic Buddhists into this new cobweb; all conflict with the social and moral innovations of Buddhism was carefully avoided, and these innova- tions were retained and even cherished in the new sys- tem. Even Buddha himself, the very enemy of the Voda, was given place in the new pantheon of the masses and allowed to be worshipped as an Avatar of Vishnu !
The majority of Gujarati poets have felt the flame of this new system, and a proper appreciation of that flame is a necessary introduction to their poetry. It is no less instructive than interesting to see how these poets have received this flame, and how they have fanned it.
The soul and spirit of this new religion was Bhakti -a word which, with its numerous associations, bas. no English word for it. Worship, prayer, and even devotion are words which fall short of the full con- notation of Bhakti. It means standing in the pre- sence of God, serving Him, loving Him, being loved by Him, talking to Him, seeing Him, hearing Him, and in fact enjoying the Deity. But how was this to be done? How to love and enjoy an Intangible
