244 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. ([Chap. under the clear autumnal sky of Bengal and the breeze blows softly in the season of these songs. ae dy The singers generally have an Ekatara or one- Pujatime stringed lute with them, which chimes in well with in the . eee ২ - : month of their plaintive voice in the modulation of grief. Asvina. ~The month of Acvina, in the eyes of every Hindu, is inseparably associated with these songs even as it is with the Gephalika flower and the clear sky of autumn. During the Pujas which take place in this month, friends and relations meet in Bengali homes, the joyful tears of many a mother are mingled with her daughters’ while they narrate to one another, how the bitter days of separation were passed. The pictures, drawn by our village-painters are pleasant to us on account of many delicate asso- ciations. In them the queen Menaka stands with arms out-stretched, and Uma comes to her with her sons and daughters—the scene suggesting the suffer- ings of the whole year. But old Civa, it must be remembered, is the Great God. He can, at his will, assume a young and handsome appearance and Uma, inspite of her yearnings to meet her mother, is a devoted wife. Civa, beggar and eater of intoxicating drugs though he Is, is tenderly devoted to Uma. He cannot bear separation from _ her. When she goes to her father’s house, there in the picture, the Great God follows her above, through the skies, with looks indicating immeasurable love Reverence for Civa. The cha- ence is not wanting for Civa inspite of the humble and tenderness, and in the Agamani songs, rever- Yogi re- characteristics attributed to him. Here is a song tained in ° hi 2, } ‘ c ৮ তা শত নদ পিক ich queen Menaka says : ‘(Q Himavata, I have this desire in my heart. Let me bring my daughter with my son-in-law and
