Wednesday 1 June 2011

Sadhu chaturanga padri / Thomas Estevo


If I am not mistaken, the name of Thomas Stephens / Estevao / Estevam does not appear in the MS ascribed to him. In that case, this discovery should be interesting. In the Bhaugun Kamat Vagh MS (Goa University Library), on an unnumbered page after Avesvaru 12 (which is from the First Purana, and continues the story of the patriarch Joseph), we have the following verse which, as far as I know, does not belong to the Khristapurana:


Sadhu chaturanga padri
Hea purannacha adicary
Tomas Estevo Cauitu Surghari
Mirauala changu /1/


This unit / composition has altogether 14 verses. The name of Thomas is mentioned once more at least in the composition. 

Who is Sadhu chaturanga padri

And what might be the exact translation of the verse?

2 June 2011: the mystery is solved: the strophe above is the first strophe of the Praise of Fr Thomas Stephens by Frei Gaspar de S. Miguel - which consists, precisely, of 14 strophes.

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