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 THE SUCCESSORS OF KABIR 67 reputed author of two Hindi works, the Satya Prakds and the Prem Praka's. Some Sufi Poets.— A Muhammadan who wrote Hindi verses was Yarl Sahib (1668-1723). He seems to have been a Sufi, and lived and taught at Delhi„ Some of his disciples also wrote Hindi verse, such as Ke'sav Das and Bidla Sahib, both of whom flourished about 1730. A disciple of Bulla Sahib was Gulal Sahib ^ and the latter had a disciple called Bhlkha Sahib. Both of these flourished in the latter half of the eighteenth century, and both are the reputed authors of Hindi verse. Two other Hindi writers who may have been connected with the same, or a similar movement, are Dariya Sahib of Bihar, and Dariya Sahib of Marwar, Both of these were Muhammadans and flourished in the first half of the eighteenth century. Another Muham- madan writer of Hindi verse who also lived in the first half of the eighteenth century was Biille Shah, and was probably a Sufi. The Charan Dasis.— Charan Das(1703-1782)belonged to the Dhusar caste of Baniyas. About the year 1730 he founded a sect at Delhi, which still exists. He had many disciples who spread his teaching, and he admitted as disciples not only men but women also. His teaching is very similar to that of Kabir, and emphasizes such doctrines as the value of the repetition of the name of God, the importance of the word (sab da), the need of devotion {bhakti), and the neces- sity of having a gtirti. Idolatry was denounced by Charan Das, but has crept back into the sect. The gicric holds a very important place in the sect and is regarded as divine. Like similar sects it has a large literature in Hindi, and great stress is laid on this amongst its members, the use of Sanskrit being discouraged. The sect possesses translations in Hindi of the Bhagavata Purana and the Bhagavad did, which are said to have been made, at least in part, by Charan Das himself. Charan Das also com- posed many other Hindi works which are much esteemed by his followers. Two of his women