N A L A A N D DA M A Y A N T I AN D O T H E R P O E M S T N S L TE D F ROM T H E S N S IT INTO EN G LI SH VE RSE W I T H TRO RA A A CR , MY L I L AN D CRI TICAL N OTE S OG CA . B Y TH E RE E MILM M . V . Y H NR HART AN , A ’ P RE B E N D RY O F W E TMI N TE R TE R T MARG RE T AN D L TE P ROF E OR A S S ; MI N I S OF S . A S ; A SS OF P OE TRY I N T H E UN IV E RSI TY OF O! F O RD . T A ! F R D . O O A L B O Y S . M D ! ! CCC ! V . O! FORD P INTED B Y T AL B OYS AN D O N E R BR W . TO MY M TH ER O , TO WHOM THESE TRANS LATIONS HAV E AFFORDED MUC PLE SU E H A R , AND O W OM E V CE AG E T H , AT H R AD AN D , TO HAV E AFFORDED PLE ASURE IS THE MOST G RATIFYING REWARD OF LITERARY L B OU A R , IS V O LUME IS I S C IB E TH N R D , Y E EC IO E SO B H R AFF T NAT N . CONTENTS NALA AND DAMAYANTI NOTES THE DEATH OF YAJNADATTA NOTES THE B RAHMIN ’S LAMENT NOTES THE DELUGE THE DESCENT OF THE GANGES P RE F A C E . T H OSE friend s wh o h ave taken an intere st in my lite rary prod uc tions m ay feel some surprise at my appearance in th e ch aracte r of a l t a ato of Sa c t o et . To t o e and d e e d to all h r ns r ns ri p ry h s , in w o m a ta e u th e e e t v o um e I ow e ome e anat o of m y k p pr s n l , s xpl i n y eten n a fa fu te e f m e p r sio s s a ith l in rpret r o y o riginal t ext . T h o s p re ten o are ve umb e and I can u fe ed sa t at if th e si ns ry h l ; n ign ly y , h fie d h ad bee e to be o ccu ed b ot e wh o m t u te l n lik ly pi y h rs, igh ni p oetical p ow ers w ith a pr ofound knowledge of the s acr ed language of I d a I t d a at o ce f om th e com e ou ave w w t t o . n i , sh ld h i h r n n r p i i n But fact t count th e tu e t of o e ta te atu e en , in , in his ry s d n s ri n l li r r , d o wed w t a ta te and fe e n for oet are so few umbe i h s li g p ry, in n r, th at any attempt to make kn own th e p e culiar ch aracter of th ose ema ab e w o the old m t o o ca e of I d a m a b e re r rk l rks , y h l gi l pics n i , y ceived with ind ulgence by all wh o are intere ste d i n th e history of ir . o e h as u ted a M . o a one e o et . c S J oe t p ry r Wils n l , sin W n s , ni p i cal genius with d eep Sans crit s ch olarship ; but h e h as in general — preferre d the late r and m ore polish ed p eri o d th at of Kalid as a and th e amat t — to th e ud e et m o on no t e u o u dr is s r r, y in y pini , l ss c ri s and p o etical strains of th e old e r epic bards . A brief a ccount of th e m anne r in w hich I be cam e engage d in t e e t f u e w be t e a th e e te t o m ofic en . Du n h s s di s , ill s xpl in x n y pr i cy ri g th e two last years in which I h eld th e offic e of Profe sso r of Po e try th e U ve t of fo av n e au te th e ub ect w c I in ni rsi y Ox rd , h i g xh s d s j hi h \ P E A CE vi R F . ‘ h ad c o e for m te m nal ou e I was at a os for ome mate h s n y r i c rs , l s s r a for th e fe e m i ls w r aining l e ctures b efore my office sh ould expire . I ad be e n led b th e a d e t cu o t w ch I ave eve fe t to h y r n ri si y , hi h r l — a cquire s om e kn owledge of th e p oetry of all age s and n ations to e am e om e of th e ub cat on o f F e c and Ge man as we l x in s p li i s r n h r , l as E c o a o n th e ub ect of I d a oet c efl t o e nglish s h l rs , s j n i n p ry ; hi y h s of th e Sch e e of B O and of De Ch ez . I was t uc w t th e l g ls , pp , y s r k i h u a t and ca t vated b th e e t eme b eaut as it a ea ed to sing l ri y p i y x r y, pp r m e o f ome of th e e t act e e c a tho e f o m th e reat e c , s x r s, sp i lly s r g pi o em th e Mah abh arat and th e Rama a a t e ome c m l p s, y n , in h ir H ri si p i c ity so totally opp osite t o th e o rdinary noti ons ente rtained of all east I as nd uced to attem t w t out an t uct o and ern oet . w p ry i p , i h y ins r i n, th th e few e em e ta w o w ch c ou d be o cu ed th e G am w i l n ry rks hi l pr r , r d o th e G o ar e of o and Ro e M ma of W an . rs ilkins B pp , l ss i s B pp s n ( r ’ Wilson s Dictionary was th en out of print and c ould not be pur c a ed to obta om e ow ed e of t w o d e fu and m te ou h s ) , in s kn l g his n r l ys ri s m e and ou d a e ee ur a ua e . The tud ew u o w v b l ng g s y gr p n , l h n p ued wi t m o e a d ou e a w th m o e ucce but for th e s h r r r, p rh ps i r s ss, ‘ constant inte rruption of xm ore imp e rati ve p rofe ssi on al and lite rary I t e f th e San c t an ne au t b e ub ect of avo cati ons . n i s l s ri is i xh s i l s j e t its amm at ca t uctu e m o e e u a a t fic a an inter s ; in gr i l s r r r r g l r, r i i l, d copi ous th an the m ost p erfe c t of the western l anguages ; 1n its o the a e t f om w ch th e o d e G e e th e Lat n and the rigin, p r n r hi l r r k, i T euto ni c tongues seem to bran ch out and d evelop e th emselves up o n e distin ct and discernible principl s .