Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/678

 638 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [ Chap.. seen the sculptural figures in bas relief on the walls of the Puri and Kangraka temples. will not be astonished to find a religious work associated with these scenes of vulgar sensualism which are to be found in Vidyasundara—a poem forming part of the religious work Annada Mangala. Sundara, son of Raja Guna Sindhu of Kanchi (Kanjivaram) hears a report of the remarkable beauty of the Princess Vidya, daughter of Raja Sundara= Vira Simha of Burdwan. Vidya was not only a hearsa report of peerless beauty, but her scholarship was so great টা that she had sent a challenge ail over India offering her hand to the person who would defeat her in scholarship. The challenge was accepted by many distinguished princes who flocked to the Burdwan palace, but they were all defeated by the princess whose scholarly discourses in various branches of learning completely out-witted them. Sundara, without taking permission of his royal father, went alone ¢acognito and riding a noble horse reached the capital of Raja Vira Simha. A large Bakula grove spread its shadow in the pre- cincts of the city and the fragrance of its flower was carried on all sides by the pleasant evening breeze, when Sundara alighted from his horse, and sat in the grove, not knowing where to seek shelter for Comes to Burdwan the night. At that moment a rather elderly and meets < i Hira. woman whose charms were not altogether lost by years,—a courtezan and a coquette, happened to come there to gather flowers,—for Hira was a flower- woman whose duty it was to make wreaths and garlands for the ladies of the Raja’s house at early dawn every day. She was charmed with the hand-