ii INTRODUCTION
However, the opinion that the more modern poem is but an adaptation, or rifaccimento, of the Sanskrit original is very widely entertained, not only by European scholars but also by Hindús themselves. For among the latter, an orthodox pandit is essentially homo unius libri, to whom the idea of comparative oriticism is altogether strange and unintelligible. Whatever is written in the one book, to which he pins his faith, is for him the absolute truth, which he posi- tively declines to weaken or obscure by a reference to any other authority. Ifhe can understand Válmíki's Sanskrit, he despisep Talsi Dás as a vulgarian and would not condescend to read a line of him; if he knows only Hindi, he accepts the modern poem with as accounts a quotation from his Rámáyana an nnanswerable argument on any dis pated topic. Thus, in all probability, the only. educated Hindús who have any ao- quaintance with both poems are the professors and students of Government colleges, whose views have been broadened by. European influence. It may, therefore, be of interest to show a little more at length how great is the diver gence between the two poems. In both, the first book brings the narra tive prepisely to,the same point, vis., the marriage of Ráma and Síta. But with Tulsi Dás it is much the longest book of the seven, and forms all but a third of the complete work, while in the Sanskrit it is the shortest but one. In the latter, the.four, fiçst cantos, which give a table of contents, and relate how Válmiki learnt the story from Nárad, and taught it to Kusa and Lava, aro a late addition, and correspond in no res- pect with Tulsi Dás's introduction. The actual poem commences at once with description of Ayodhyá and its, King.Dasarath and his ministers, and of his longing for an heir; and tells how Rishyaşring, Vibhandak's son (whose previous adventures are recorded at. length) was invited from the palace of his father-in-law, Lomapád, the King of Champá, to. direct the ceremonies of a great, sacrifice, which the childless Dasarath resolved to celebrate, in the hope of thereby obtaining his desire. The gods, being,at that time sorely distressed by Rávan's persecution, had fled to Vishnu for sucçour; and he in answer to their prayer became incarnate in the four sons that were born to the king, while inferior divinities took birth as hears and monkeys. The four princes are named by Vasishta. They grow up, and the king is thinking where to find suitable brides for them, when Visvamitra oomes and after a long colloquy takes away with him Ráma and Lakshma to protect hin at the time of sacrifice from tho demons that persistently assail him. On the way they pass by the Anga her- mitage, whero the god of love had been reduced to ashes by Siva-a legend to implicit faith as if it were an immemorial shástra, and
