Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/237

 }IV.] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 207 ‘“ One day while Chhuti Khan was seated in his eourt in the company of scholars and friends, he seemed to be much delighted on hearing the story of the sacred Mahabharata. He heard the Acva- medha Parva, written by the great sage Jaimuni, and expressed a wish to his courtiers that the book might be translated into the vernacular dialect. If any courtier of his would undertake and complete the task, it would add lustre to his glory through- out the country. Placing the garland of royal order upon the head, Crikarana Nandi composed the poem in Payara.” The reference to the king of Tipperah in the above extracts is a distortion of historical facts made by the poet to please his master. Early in the 16th century Dhanya Manikya was the king of Tippera. He was a powerful monarch who, with the help of his celebrated general Chaichag, had successfully checked the advance of the invading Muhammadan armies into his territories by adopt- ing prompt and vigorous measures; and Chhuti Khan had to remain contented with his possessions in the Chittagong hills. We have come across thirtyone old writers in all, who compiled translations of the whole or portions of the Mahabharata. We give a list of them below :— (1) Mahabharata by Sanjaya. (2) Bharata Panchali written by the orders of Nasarata Saha (not yet recovered). (3) Mahabharata by Kavindra Paramec¢vara. (4) Acvamedha Parva by Crikarana Nandi. (5) Do do by Dwija Abhirama. The poet’s flattery. A list of thirty-one writers,