HISTORY
of
Bengali Language & Literature.
CHAPTER I.
Early Influences on the Bengali Language.
Aryan Settlement in Bengal.Bengal was a very ancient centre of Aryan settlement in India. The pre-historic kingdom of Pragjyotiṣ, which extended from modern Jalpaiguri to the back-woods of Assam, was one of the earliest Aryan colonies in this country. 'Vanga' is mentioned in the Aitereya Āraṅyaka[1] and frequent references to this land are found in the great epics—the Rāmāyaṅa and the Mahābhārata. According to Manu, Bengal formed a part of the Aryyāvarta.[2] The two great heroes of the Dwāpara yuga, who are said to have been the sworn enemies of Çri Kriṣṅa—the great upholder of Brahmanic power, were (1) Jarāsandha, the King of Magadha and (2) Pouṅdraka Vāsu Deva,[3] the King of Pānduā in Bengal, and both of them led expeditions to Dwaraka to subvert the power of Kriṣṅa.
- ↑ Aitereya Āraṅyaka 2.1.1.
- ↑ আসমুদ্রাত্তু বৈ পূর্ব্বাদাসমুদ্রাত্তু পশ্চিমাৎ।
তয়োরেবান্তরং গির্য্যাবার্য্যাবর্ত্তং বিদুর্বুধাঃ॥—Manu. - ↑ See Hari Vaṁça, Bhavisya Parva, Chap. 19.
