Stray Verses of Bengal Poets

Summary

This literary article collects and comments on stray Sanskrit verses attributed to medieval Bengali poets, especially those connected with the court of the Sena dynasty. The author begins by noting Bengal’s prominent place in Sanskrit literature; poets such as Jayadeva, whose Gīta‑Govinda achieved fame across India and beyond, flourished under King Laksmaṇasena. Later poets were deeply influenced by the devotional teachings of Caitanya, imbuing their poetry with Vaisnava emotion. Drawing on anthologies like Vidyākara’s Subhāṣita‑Ratnakoṣa, Śrīdhara’s Sadukti‑Karnāmṛta and Rūpa Gosvāmin’s Padyāvalī, the paper assembles verses ascribed to royal poets of the Sena dynasty. Each verse is presented with variant readings from different manuscripts, illustrating the fluid transmission of poetry. The selections cover themes of romantic love, separation, nature and rural life. Imagery of moonlight, rain clouds, flowers and rivers evokes the landscape of Bengal, while metaphors of necklaces, anklets and eyebrow‑bows enliven depictions of lovers. Some verses praise the beauty of women and the anguish of separated couples; others offer glimpses of rustic poverty and simple joys. Linguistic observations note the blend of polished Sanskrit with regional idioms and the poets’ inventive use of metaphor. By situating these fragments within the wider Sanskrit kavya tradition, the article highlights Bengal’s contribution to the kosha (anthology) genre and underscores how even isolated verses can illuminate cultural history. The study suggests that these poems reveal not only aesthetic preferences but also aspects of courtly patronage, social life and the mingling of devotion and eroticism in medieval Bengal.