60 A HISTORY OF HINDI LITERATURE Ishwarl Prasad Tripathi (fl. 1673) wrote the Ram Bilas Rdmayan, which is a translation of Valmiki's poem. Bal All (fl. circ. 1692) was the author of two works both in praise of Rama and Sita and entitled Nehprakas and Slid Ram Dhydnmanjari. Jd7ik Rasiki Saran (fl. 1703) wrote the Avadh Sdgar, which is a poem in honour of Rama. Bhagwant Rdy (fl. 1750) was the ruler of Asothar, in the district of Fatehpur, and for several years resisted the attacks of the Mughal Emperor, till he was killed by treachery in 1760. He was the author of a Rdmdyan. Another work dealing with the story of Rama was the Ram Bilds of Sambhu Nath (fl. 1750). Tulsi Sahib (1763-1843) was the eldest son of the Raja of Poona, but was un- willing to succeed to the throne. He therefore left his kingdom and renounced the world, and becoming a wandering ascetic finally settled in Hathras. Besides many hymns, he wrote a work called the Ghat- Rdmdyan, He claimed that in a previous birth he w^as none other than the great Tulsi Das himself, and had in that birth composed the Ghat-Rdmdyan, but as it aroused a great deal of opposition it was not published to the world but the Rdm-cha7'it-mdnas was substituted in its place. His work differs in style and language, as well as in subject matter, from that of his more- renowned namesake, and is decidedly inferior in character. Madhu Sudan Dds (fl. circ. 1782), who was a poet of considerable merit, was the author of the Rdmasvamedh, in which he describes the horse-sacrifice made by Rama. Like Tulsi Das he was a devotee of Rama, and his poetry resembles that of the great master. ManiyClr Singh, also called Yar (fl. circ. 1785), was another devotee of Rama who was a skilful poet. He was a Kshatriya, of Benares, His works include the Saundarya Laharl, the Sundarkand, and the Ha7iuman Chhabbisi, all of which deal with some of the legends regarding Rama and Hanuman.
