Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/636

 The great sacrifice and the boon. The story takes 5 hours. 596 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [ Chap- asked what had occurred to cause that heart-rending sight. She said, ‘“‘ Revered guests, prepare your food and help a poor woman to be true to her vows. I have prayed to Visiu night and day that my vows of purity and unswerving truth to God and man might be preserved all through my life, and I am glad that even at the cost of life I am able to be true to them” Vishu knew what the matter was, and Durga suddenly assumed her heavenly form wield- ing the celestial trident, her head resplendant with a halo of light, and was about to proceed to kill the wicked man, but Civa stopped her. ৬98০ said, “You are bleeding to death for the sake of your guests. Take my blessings. In your next life you will be called Yagoda and I shall incarnate myself as Krisha and suck the breasts which you did not really present to that wicked man, but to God as offering for the sake of truth.” Civa, who had by this time assumed his divine form, looking like a mount of silver—with his matted locks through which the stream of the Ganges flowed, said, “And I shall protect the Vrindaé groves when Krishna will be incarnated there.” Said Durga “I shall be Yogamaya, the presiding deity of Gakula where Krishna will play the shepherd-boy and preserve the milkmen and their cattle.” And they all said, ‘‘ Blessed be thou, for thou hast lived a pure life and known how to die for truth and for services of men. ’’ O Such are some of the stories related by kathakas which, with their songs and interpretation of Sans- krit texts produce a wonderful effect on the masses.