Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/467

 4 V.] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 431 together by his teachings and by his wonderful de- votion, consisted of people from all ranks of society. They mixed freely and distinction of caste was no barrierto them. The Bhattacharyyas who re- presented the orthodox community harassed him by all means that lay in their power. ‘Look at these men’, they said, ‘we cannot sleep at night for their screamings. This uproar that they create is certainly no prayer to God.’’ They applied to the Kazi (Mahammadan Magistrate) to issue a rule prohtbiting the march of the Sankirtana- Party, as his procession was called, through the town. The Kazididso. That day in the evening Nimai with his’ followers, who now numbered hundreds of men, made a grand procession and led it to the very door of the Kazi, who though at first very much enraged at this breach of orders, yet felt a desire to see the procession. When he came down, a strange spectacle met his eyes. Hundreds of men with flags and musical instruments were chanting the name of God in chorus, and in the midst of them, like a vision of heaven, young and beautifull Nimai stood God-like,—his face beaming with superhuman light and eyes like two stars, floating in a fountain of tears. He heeded not any earthly obstruction and was evidently lifted into divine ecstacy. The Kazi said, he was delighted to see the procession. Two great rogues of the Brahmin caste—Jagai and Madhai, who belonged to the Police staff of the Kazi, dead-drunk with wine and accustomed to all manner of vice, resolved to assult Nimai and _Nityananda and once as the two leaders were passing along the streets, Jagai threw a brick at Kazi beholds a strange sight. Jagai and Madhai.