অসমীয়া ব্যাকৰণ আৰু ভাষাভ Suryar athota rasmi bhaila : Sei tej phuti asi pythibit paria : Ran phul haiya prthibit raila: 5ে) Vannava period Santar Deva- The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries A.D. ushered in an ever memo- rable age of great religious and literary activity in Kamaruipa and a number of renowned Assamese writers headed by Sri Sankar Deva appeared in the literary field. It may safely be asserted that Sri Sancar Deva was the brightest luminary among this galaxy of Assamese poets who uncon- sciously built up an edifice of Assamese literature. For propagation of his faith Sankar Deva translated many Sanskrit sacred books and several others and thereby made the rich lore of Sanskrit literature acces- sible to the uliterate masses. He also composed songs and wrote and staged dramas in the Kamrupi language for that end. Thus unconsciously he and his band of followers made the highest and most glorious contri- butions to our literature. | Of late a controversy has been raised over the date of birth of Sankar Deva. The most accepted date now is that he was born in Alipukhuri in Nowgong in 149 A.D. There is no doubt about the date of his demise. He died in Cooch Behar in 1569 A.D. His education began late at about the age of 12 years, After completing his studies he con- ceived the idea of preaching a purified form of Vaisnavism and renounced his paternal state as the Bhuyan of the land. | He began writing books at an early age. The most important of his religious works are Kirtan and Dasam. From a literary standpoint, however, some parts of those works as also the Rukmini Harana Poem) are of unsurpassed beauty and elegance. His poetic faculty was wonder- ful, his style easy and flowing, his diction sublime and vigorous, his language simple and expressive, his meaning clear and accurate, his des- cription natural and vivid and his manner of expression forceful and sweet. His poetic beauty is most conspicuous in his Bargit and Ankart which may well be compared with the songs of Vidyapati and the rhythm of Jayadeva. His songs touched the heart of the people most and even to-day the jungles, the fields, the rivers, the towns, the villages and the roads are resounded with their sweet melody. Madhava Dera- Madhava Deva, a yasha like antar Deva, was born at khuripir near Leteku Muhul in Nowrong (or mup) in 489 MD. and dcd in Cooch Behar in 1596 MD. Fe was educated in his ancial
