V.] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 549 lost in love that 1f a venomous snake had coiled round my feet, I should have considered it as nupura to adorn them,—says Govinda Das, it is not possible for him to forget this great love.’’ Next to Govinda Das we may name Jnana Das and Valarama Das. Jnana Das was born at Kandra, in the district of Birbhum and Valarama Das belonged to the Vaidya caste and was an inhabi- tant of Crikhanda. His father was one Atmarama Das. Both Jnana Das and Valarama Das imitated the style of Chandidas in their songs as Govinda- das did that of Vidyapati and the two poets were contemporary with Govinda Das. One of the most important festivals of the Vaisnavas that was ever held in Bengal was the Mahotsava ceremony of Crikheturi. Narottama Das who had renounced the world and embraced the vow of Sanyasin was the heir to the gad: of Kheturi, the deceased Raja, Krishna Chandra Datta being his father. As however he did not accept the Raj, but made a gift of it to his cousin Santosa Datta, the latter out of gra- titude and admiration for the Vaishnava worthy called in all members of the Vaishnava community to Crikheturi at a Mahotsava ceremony held by him with great ec/at in 1504 A.D. The ceremony Was a grand success and was in fact an historic যো মঝ, সরস সমাগম লাগস মণিময় মন্দির ছোড়ি। কণ্টক কুপ্রে জাশি নিশি বাসব পন্থ নেহারত মোরি ॥ যাহক লাগি চলইতে চরণে পড়ল ফণী মণি-মঞ্জীর করি মানি । গোবিন্দ দাস ভণ কৈছন সো! দিন বিছুরবা ইহ অনুমানি | Padakalpataru, second chap. 1624th Pada, Jnana Das and Vala- rama Das. The Mahat- sava at Cri- kKiieturi 1504 A.D.
