turn for the worse and the missionary had to leave Madura for Trichinopoly.

1640 saw events turning against Robert-de-Nobili. On the 22nd of July, he was arrested. Towards the close of the year Tirumala returned from his campaigns and ordered his release. But soon he had to leave for Trichinopoly and his absence Robert-de-Nobili and his collaborator were arrested and sent to prison. Christians were harassed. Towards the end of 1641 they were released.

In 1644, Nobili made a great mistake. He mixed up his high and low caste converts. Trouble burst out. Some Christians were arrested and imprisoned. One among them was Martin who escaped from prison and reported to Nobili. Nobili knew that there was only one way of securing their release. He went to Tirumala Nayak in person and took with him musical instruments as a present. Thus Nobili almost bribed Tirumala to release the Christian prisoners.

The Indian dance form had held a great fascination for westerners and Indians alike. Nobili made girls dance to songs praising Jesus Christ and his Mother set to the measured rhythm of Tamil hymns.

None of Nobili's works were printed during his life time.

In 1654 when Nobili was 68, he was unfortunately ordered to leave the Madura Mission by Emmanuel Barradas (Provincial at that time). With a weary anh heavy heart, he left Madura and sailed the straits to Jaffna in the north of Ceylon. Then Nobili was sent to Mylapore from Ceylon. He still adhered to his “Indian Sanyasi dress and habits.” Portuguese power was declining to his great grief. For about a couple of years he lived and worked in Mylapore. At the beginning of January 1656, he wrote the concluding lines of his work. He then dictated his last declaration, “ It is my wish that all I have written in Tamil, Telugu, and Sanskrit should be in conformity with the mind of our Holy Mother, the Roman Catholic Church.............And