Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/126

96 dictate arbitrary rules for the growth of a language, This will always develop naturally inspite of opposing influences. Only so long as our efforts help the natural course, will the rules laid down by grammarians and purists be accepted by the people. Arbitrary forms may be excused, if used by a genius; they can never, however, claim a place in common language. Language steadily changes according to its inherent requirements. It will not follow any capricious course which may be dictated by individuals. This principle applies to the written and spoken forms of a language equally.

If this view of the matter is correct, we ought to see what influences tended to develop our language after the model of Sanskrit, and how long those influences are likely to work in the future.

Though Buddhism, as we have said, gave Bengali its first impetus towards the attainment of a literary status, the Sanskritic School afterwards took it up in right earnest and set themselves to the task of embellishing it. Let us take a survey of Hindu society in its entirety, after the downfall of Buddhism. The attempts of the revivalists to introduce the spirit of Paurāṅik religion amongst the masses were directed in various channels. There were the Yātrās, or popular theatres; Kathakatās or narratives and recitations to which we shall have to refer hereafter; the Pāthas, or readings from Sanskrit texts; the Kīrṭanas, singing by the Vaiṣṅavas; and other similar organised efforts to popularise the creed of the Paurāṅik religion all over Bengal. The influence of these institutions upon the popular mind was immense. No