Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/99

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II.]
BENGALI LANGUAGE LITERATURE.
69

Çiva figures as a peasant."The Lord is without any raiment.

"He begs from door to door.

"At dawn of day he rises, and goes out to beg.

"Some people give him alms; by others he is refused. Sometimes he lives on bayra[1] and haritaki[2] only. But Oh, how happy is he when they give him the begger's rice!

"I say unto you, O Lord, why don't you plough?

"By begging, you often have to fast, and you get rice only now and then.

"You must select a muddy soil for cultivation, but if you can't secure this, and dry lands fall to your share, you should water them well.

"When you have rice at home, how glad will you be to take your daily meal! How long will you, O Lord, suffer for want of food?

"Why not cultivate cotton, O Lord; How long will you wear a tiger's skin?

"You besmear your body with ashes (Bibhuti).

"Why not cultivate mustard and tila.[3] (So that yon may have oil to anoint yourself). And be sure to grow plenty of vegetables. Above all, don't

    কাপাস চসহ পরভু পরিব কাপড়।
    কত না পরিব গোঁসাই কেওদা বাঘের ছড়॥
    তিল সরিসা চাষ কর গোঁসাই বলি তব পাএ।
    কত না মাখিব গোঁসাই বিভুতিগুলা গাএ॥
    সকল চাস চস পরভু আর রুইও কলা।
    সকল দব্ব পাই যেন ধম্ম পূজার বেলা॥

    Çunya Purāṅa.

  1. Terminalia Belerica.
  2. Terminalia Chabula.
  3. Sesamum Orentale.