XXIV
INTRODUCTION.
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In a colophon in the Sundara title of his
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the poet mentions the
To induce the proud Brahmans to read this Ramayana composed by a Sudra (that is to say by a man of the Karana caste), the poet writes in another colophon in the Lanka Kanda
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Chaitanya in his old age, and so his literary career during the reign
disciple of
commenced
of Purusottama Deva. That after becoming a Vaisnava of Chaitanya's school he continued his literary career in Pratapa Rudra's time is proved by some remarks regarding him in two Gupta Gitas which are not of much literary merit. It has been stated in one of these Gupta Gitas that Balaram Das, the author of the Ramayana, composed a work in the vernacular, entitled the Gita and could finish only the first chapter of the work. The author of this Gupta Gita narrates that he himself is the re-incarnation of Balaram Das in the time of Raja Mukunda Deva and finishes this unfinished Gita in 35 chapters. This statement stands as
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In the other Gupta Gita, which contains 22 chapters and as such cannot be the original one of Balaram Das, it has been narrated that the orthodox Brahmans disputed the claims of Balaram as a religious teacher and that this dispute was referred to Raja Pratapa Rudra Deva. The date of this dispute has been given in these words
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