Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/445

 V.] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 499 all worldly desires have been extinguished, to appreciate and realise this great love. Chaitanya Deva, became completely lost in his own devotion to God. The poetry that welled up round him from those who witnessed the superb sight of his beautiful love ecstacy, has enriched our literature beyond measure in the matchless padas of the Vaisnava poets which will remain as an_ invaluable treasure to us for ages to come. All honour to thee, O Navadwipa,—the glory of Bengal! The historic city is now crumbling to decay. Its splendour is now a tale of by-gone ages. But Navadwipa will remain sacred to Hindus forever. Its very dust proclaims a history which holds us under a spell. For ages it has held a torch that has illuminated Bengal and in the 15th century a heavenly light appeared on its horizon which, moon-like, developed into a glorious luminary; verily was Chaitanya Deva ‘ Nava- dwipa-Chandra’ or the moon of Navadwipa, as he is popularly called. In speaking of the glories of Navadwipa I am not referring to the fact that it was the last seat of the Hindu kings of Gauda. In later times it became a far-famed seat of learning. Its great school of Logic, founded by Vasu Deva Sarva- bhauma, and brought to perfection by Raghunath Ciramani, drew pupils from all parts of India. The new system of Logic called Navya Nyaya which supplemented the old system of Gautama, indicates 52 He inspired the ‘padas’ by his love- ecstacy. Navadwipa, the birth- place of Chaitanya and a seat of learning. Navya Nyaya,