Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/334

 298 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [ Chap. within the scope of this treatise to solve. The late discovery made in Crete by Dr. Evans of the image of a goddess standing on a rock with lions on either sides, which is referred to a period as remote as 3000 B. C. has offered another startling point in regard to the history of the Chandi-cult. The mother in the Hindu mythology rides a lion, and in Mar- kandeya Chandi there is a well-known passage where she stands on a rock with a lion beside, her for warring against the demons. As heretofore mentioned, there was latterly an attempt on the part of the Brahmin poets to connect the humble deities worshipped by rural folk with the gods and goddesses of the Pauranic pantheon. Mangal Chandi—a popular deity, was thus associated by the later poets with that Chandi who was described by Markandeya. There are two stories which from the subject- matter of all poems in honour of Mangal Chandi. The first one is— The story of Kalaketu. Nilambara, son of Indra, was born into this world under a curse, as Kaglaketu, the hunter. He married Phullara, daughter of Sanjayaketu, who used to sell in the market the venison and other flesh that he brought by hunting, and thus the pair earned their livelihood. The wild beasts of the forest, with the lion at their head, applied to Chandi for protection, as Kalaketu seemed bent on annihi- lating them. The lion himself was somewhat Kalaketu Crest-fallen as he could not give effective aid andthe — to those who owed allegiance to him as their Lord. beasts, Chandi was moved to compassion and granted the