Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/862

 820 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [ Chap. invariably a judge or mediator where two Pundits argued, and his duty was not only to give the final verdict, so that the vanquished might not argue any more, but also to interrupt when any irrelevency or want of moderation marked the controversy. The Pundits were generally called to a rich man’s house on the occasion of Crads and other religious ceremonies, and those who excelled in open contro- versy with their rivals were entitled to special re- wards, though many would not accept any gift whatever, priding themselves both on their scholar- ship and their poverty. This system of inviting the Pundits by rich men is still preserved in Bengal in form; but with the decadence of the spirit of The patronising Sanskrit learning, the matter has lost meeting the great importance and interest which it once of the : ; learned. possessed. In rich men’s houses, the well-known Pundits not only of Bengal, but of the whole of India, used to be assembled for the discussion of Philosophy, Logic, Poetry, Astronomy, Theology and other subjects. Thus learning received a social impetus, and even fresh life on such occasions. Opportunities were frequently offered to Pundits for such meetings, so that during a period when there were no facilities of communication, and no proper conveyances for undertaking long journies, And its এ ৃ টা এ ] | great use- this system kept alive a continual interchange of ০০8 high thoughts and thus contributed to the preserva- tion and development of classical learning. The Pundits led very simple lives, without coveting earthly fortunes or caring for luxury of any kind, and were quite indifferent to praise or blame—often really devoted to a high spiritual life and to the cause of leaning. The following passage from