Page:A History of Hindi Literature.djvu/59
Das, the Bhasha Bhushan is the great text-book.
Jaswant Singh was the author of several other poems
which are connected with the Vedanta philosophy.
Dcv K&wu—Dev Datt, more commonly known as
Dev Kavi (circ. 1673-1745) was a Sanadhya Brahman
who was born at Etawah. At the age of sixteen he
recited his first effort before Prince Azam Shah. In
search of a patron he visited many places in India but
seems to have been dissatisfied with each in turn. His
most famous patron was Raja Bhogi Lai. His various
wanderings enabled him to give accurate descriptions
of the inhabitants of different parts of India. He was
a prolific writer and is credited by some with having
composed as many as seventy-two different works.
Only about thirty of these are extant. They include
a play called Dev Maya Py-apahch and works on the art
of poetry. Amongst his most famous works are the
Jatibilas, the Rasbilds, and the Premchayidj-ika. Most of
his verse is of an erotic character, but from the point
of view of form and language he is to be reckoned
amongst the greatest Hindi poets. He wrote in Braj
Bhasha, and his verse is adorned with all the recognised
ornaments of style. In his handling of rhymes, his
use of attributes, his drawing of comparisons, his know-
ledge of the sayings current amongst men, and his
description of heroines who represent women typical
of various parts of India, he is considered to have shown
the greatest skill.
Here are some translations of his verses : —
"Call me a wicked person, noble or ignoble, call me poor, or one who is to be blamed, call me a woman of ill-fame — whether in this world, the world of men, or in the best of worlds I dwell, nevertheless I am separate from all these worlds ; whether my body is destroyed, or the gods and gurus are destroyed, or my life is destroyed, I will not give up my obstinacy. He who dwells in Brindaban, wearing a crown and yellow garments, with him I am madly in love."
*****
"The work of a man of noble race, the gentility of a nobleman, the wealth of a generous man, a woman of good character, the honour of giving, generosity like that of Sur Das, the lustre of virtue, a woman who walks like an elephant, water in the hot weather, the sunshine of October, the smiling lightning accompanied by clouds during the