Published on: November 8, 2025
‘THE HISTORY OF PHULMANI AND KARUNA; A BOOK FOR NATIVE CHRISTIAN WOMEN’ (Phulmani O Karuna Bibaran) is the first Indian language Novel, published in 1852 written in Bengali language, titled with ‘ফুলমণি ও করুণার বিবরণ, স্ত্রীলোকদের শিক্ষার্থে বিরচিত।’ by Hannah Catherine Mullens. The Novel has 10 chapters and the English Translation is also written by Hannah in 1853. It was printed in Sanders, Cones and Co., at Loll Bazar, Calcutta.
Now the novel is republished here with divided chapters of its 10 chapters. This is the 1st part of its 2nd chapter.
THE HISTORY OF PHULMANI AND KARUNA PART-4
Chapter-2 / Part-1
Ten or twelve days after the events recorded in the former chapter, I thought of going again to Phulmani’s house. “ To-day,” thought I, “ is Saturday; therefore, if I go to-day, I suppose I shall see her children, for she had told me that her children came home on Saturdays before the end of the day.” When I remembered this, I set out, taking the ayah and chuprassi with me. The chuprassi carried with him, in a flower-pot, a large red-colored European plant, which I purposed to give to Phulmani to replace the China rose, for I had been much pleased with her love for flowers, and at seeing how she derived good instruction from them. It is indeed a marvel that so many Christians, seeing the beauty of the world, cannot derive thence instruction about the great Creator, nor can they understand how there is a connexion between His handy work and spiritual matters. This may be positively said of the women of this country, because there are so few found amongst them, who study the works of God. In fact, with the exception of Phulmani, I never saw one among them, who meditated so well on these things. Be that as it may, seeing Phulmani’s disposition in this respect, I perceived that we should be good friends, for my tastes were her tastes. For many years I have established a custom in my mind, viz.—that whenever I am wandering alone in a field, or on the bank of a river, or in a garden, I select some one from the things before my eyes, such as a weed, or a flower, or a stone, &c. &c., and consider to what purposes it is applied, or how beautiful it is, or what are its qualities; and thus I am instructed respecting the power and wisdom, and goodness of God. We may get knowledge concerning spiritual things whenever we contemplate natural objects. I shall give an example of this. When I see a mali in a garden carefully pruning and dressing a tree, then I can well understand the scope of that passage in the Bible : “ Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth;” or this other, “ Every branch that beareth not good fruit he taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John xv. 2.) Whenever I see the sun set, I consider that the death of true Christians is like the setting of the sun ; for just as when the sun sets after shining brightly throughout a clear day, scarcely any one heeds his setting ; so some Christians, after spending a whole life-time in the service of God and for the benefit of men, do, at their death, manifest no great exultation or triumph, but quietly commit, their souls with confidence into the hand of the Lord.
In works of peace, their life is spent.
In quiet peace they die !
In quiet peace they die !
Certainly, like the sun-set of a clear day, some of them at their death are little regarded by the many ; and whenever the sun, after having been covered with clouds through the day, breaks out from the clouds in the evening, and sets in splendour, I think that in like manner some Christians are subject to many trials and derive little consolation from religion, but through distress of mind, live all their days in anxiety, till at the last, the distress which had over-clouded them being all dispersed, they die in great confidence and rejoicing. Again, as the sun, in the rainy season, is often all the day hidden under clouds, and also sets over-cast with clouds, so there are some Christians, who, being the hidden children of God, either on account of natural timidity or some other cause, never during all their lives make their religion very manifest; but the Lord, the searcher of all hearts, knows the purpose of their minds, and their names are written in the book of life. Again, as the sun, in whatever way he sets, must still rise again, so there is no doubt that there will be a resurrection of all these classes of Christians.
To go to Phulmani’s house, I had to go along the bank of the river. As I walked, I meditated in the manner which I have described, about this river. My meditations were to this effect. As the Ganges comes down from the lofty Himalaya Mountains, so the Holy Spirit comes down from Heaven and abides in the heart of man. As the fountain of the river is never dry, so this Holy Spirit, being like a fountain in the human heart, springeth up into eternal life.
By the water of the river, the body is cleansed indeed, but it produces no effect upon the heart; therefore, by bathing in it, men are not cleansed from the defilement of sin ; but the Holy Spirit pervading the heart, purifies the souls of men from every kind of sin. Again, as the soil is fertilized by the water of the river, so the soil of religion, being fertilized by the Holy Spirit, brings forth fruit in good works. Further, as all who choose may come and drink without restraint from the water of the river, so, whoever is thirsty and whosoever willeth, may come and take the water of immortality freely. As millions of men and animals are preserved in life by the waters of the Ganges, so we, who are dead in sin, are made alive by the Holy Spirit. As the current of the Ganges is strong enough to bear down every obstacle, so the great obstacle in the hearts of men, (that is, their propensity to sin,) the Holy Spirit subdues, and it brings the heart into subjection to God.
Lastly, as the stream of the Ganges, without being obstructed, is mingled with the great ocean, so the Holy Spirit, having accomplished the sanctification of the hearts of men, causes them to reach the ocean of eternal happiness.
Thus meditating as I walked, I felt no fatigue, and thus almost before I knew it, I reached Phulmani’s house.
To be continued…
Click here to read this part in Malayalam
ഈ അദ്ധ്യായത്തിന്റെ, പുതിയ ലിപിയിലുള്ള മലയാളം പരിഭാഷയ്ക്കായി ഇവിടെ ക്ലിക്ക് ചെയ്യുക.
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കാതറൈൻ ഹന്നാ മുള്ളൻസ്: ആദ്യത്തെ ഇന്ത്യൻ നോവലിസ്റ്റ്. പത്തൊമ്പതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിലെ ഇന്ത്യൻ മിഷണറി പ്രവർത്തക. സ്വീഡിഷ് വംശജയായ ഹന കാതറീൻ മുള്ളൻസ് 1826 ജൂലൈ 1നു കൽക്കത്തയിൽ ഒരു ലണ്ടൻ മിഷണറി കുടുംബത്തിൽ ജനിച്ചു. 1861 നവംബർ 21ന് ഉദരസംബന്ധമായ കുടൽരോഗത്താൽ കൽക്കത്തയിൽവെച്ച് അന്തരിച്ചു.
