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support of this, various-now famous-verses' ascribed to Jagannatha are quoted as showing his fondness for the ge Further, it is said that in old age Jagannātha went to Kāśi, but there he was condemned as a man đepraved on account of the association with a qaat Jagannātha, hɔwever, thoaght otherwise; he went to the banks of the Ganges, and with keen fervour began to sing
verses' in praise of the holy river. In response, it is said, the water of the river began to rise higher and higher till Jagannātha was given a full bath and had his purity attested.
Now, as has already been remarked, there is no
unchallengeable internal or external evidence corrobora-
ting this traditional episode which has been current,
however, with remarkable persistency. As for the verses
cited in this connection, they are not found in any of the
writings of Jagannātha. Even granting their authenticity,
there is no reason why they must be regarded as being
personal to Jagannātha in application. And the Ganga-
lahari does not betray a single hint as to its genesis. It is
thoroughly devotional in character; and there is nothing in
it which might preclude the supposition that it might have
been composed under any orher different set of circum-
५ यवनी रमणी विपदः शम्नी कमनीयतमा नवनीतसमा ।
उहिऊहिवचोऽभृतपूर्णमुखी स सुखी जगतीह यदङ्कगता ।॥ १ ॥
यवनी नवनीतकोमलाङ्गी शयनीये यदि नीयते कदाचित् ।
अवनीतलमेव साधु मन्ये न वनी माघवनी विनोदहेतुः ॥ २ ॥
न याचे गजालिं न वा वाजिराजिं न वित्तेषु चित्तं मदीयं कदापि ।
इयं सुस्तनी मस्तकन्यस्तहस्ता लवङ्गा कुरङ्गीदगङ्गीकरोतु ॥ ३ ॥
6. These verses form the ara.