Page:A History of Hindi Literature.djvu/91

 THE KRISHNA CULT 77 his neck, fair dame, pride of the world, and, lapped in the bosom of the Ocean of delight, disport yourself with Syam in his blooming bower. "^ Many members of this sect have been Hindi poets, amongst whom we may mention Nagari Das, who flourished at the end of the sixteenth century, Dhruv Das (fl. circ. 1630), who was a very voluminous writer, and Sri Hit Briiidabayi Das Jl Chacha (fl. 1743). All these were poets of some merit, especially the last, who wrote many verses of great beauty in praise of Krishna. The Hari Dasis.— Another sect at Brindaban is that of the Hari Dasis. It was founded by Svami Hari DdSy who lived at the end of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the seventeenth century. His teaching seems to be closely akin to that of Chaitanya. Besides works in Sanskrit he left poems in Hindi. The best known are the Sadharan Siddhd?it and the Ras Ke Pad. Hari Das possessed considerable merit as a poet. Here are a few stanzas of the Sadharan Siddhdnt . — " Set your affection on the lotus-eyed, in comparison with whose love all love is worthless ; or on the conversation of the saints : that so the sin of your soul may be effaced. The love of Hari is like the durable dye of the madder ; but the love of the world is like a stain of saffron that lasts only for two days. Says Hari Das, Set your affec- tion on Bihari, and he knowing your heart will remain with you for ever. " A straw is at the mercy of the wind, that blows it about as it will and carries it whither it pleases. So is the realm of Brahma, or of Siva, or this present world. Says Sri Hari Das : This is my conclu- sion, I have seen none such as Bihari. " Man is like a fish in the ocean of the world, and other living creatures of various species are as the crocodiles and alligators, while the soul like the wind spreads the entangling net of desire. Again, avarice is as a cage, and the avaricious as divers, and the four objects of life as four compartments of the cage. Says Hari Das, Those creatures only can escape who ever embrace the feet of the son of bliss. " Fool, why are you slothful in Hari's praises ? Death goeth about with his arrows ready. He heedeth not whether it be in season or out of season, but has ever his bow on his shoulder. What avail heaps of pearls and other jewels and elephants tied up at your gate ? Says Sri Hari Das, Though your queen in rich attire await you in her
 * Translation from Mr. F. S. Growse's Mathura, pp. 196 ff.