The History of India from the Earliest Ages - James Talboys Wheeler - Google Llibres

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Imatges de pàgina

Characteristics of Súrya, or the Sun

Prominence of the Sun in all ancient religions

Personification of the Sun one of the earliest efforts of ancient

The golden chariot and invisible steeds

Attributes of Súrya similar to those of Agni

Súrya a distinct personification from Agni

Súrya regarded as the mythical ancestor of the Solar race of

Characteristics of the minor Vedic deities

Soma, or Chandra, or the Moon

Connected in the Vedas with the soma plant

Regarded as the mythical progenitor of the Lunar race of

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Characteristics of Ushas, or the dawn

Contrast between the conception of Ushas and that of

Associations connected with the dawn in India

Minor Vedic deities the mere personifications of poetry

Grand monotheistic hymn translated by Professor Max Müller

Vedic conception of marriage

Subsequent decay of the Vedic religion in the Brahmanic age

Changes in circumstances and geographical position

Existence of a military class and institution of caste

Origin of the caste system in the period between the Vedic

and Brahmanic ages

Question of how far the establishment of the Aryans, as a

conquering power, was calculated to lead to the introduction

Importance of the question from the general tendency of

foreign conquest to create a caste feeling

Question of how far the elements of an opposition of classes

are to be found in the Rig-Veda

ib.

Outcastes and slaves

Bráhmans, Kshatriyas, and Vaisyas distinguished from the
Súdras by the thread, and the designation of "twice born"

Hypothesis that the three twice-born castes are descendants

of the Aryans of the Rig-Veda, and that the Sudras are a

pre-Aryan people.

Antiquity of the Pariahs, or outcastes

Three distinct classes of worshippers indicated in the Rig-Veda

1st, A peaceful and religious class, the ancestors of Brahmans

2nd, A military class, the ancestors of the Kshatriyas

Marks of difference between the peaceful and the military

Characteristics of the Kshatriyas

Increased prevalence of animal sacrifices when the Aryans

became a conquering power

3rd, A mercantile class, the ancestors of the Vaisyas

Origin of the difference between the Bráhmans and the

Characteristics of the Brahmans

Extent of the separation between the Bráhmans and the

Kshatriyas in the Vedic age

Rise of Brahmanical ascendancy

Traditions and institutions in the Mahá Bhárata and Rámá-

yana, chiefly of Kshatriya origin

Exaggerations and embellishments of the Kshatriya bards

Later Brahmanical compilers of the Mahá Bhárata.

falsifications and interpolations

Data by which the fact of an interpolation can be established

Buddhistic element in the Mahá Bhárata

Form in which the two Epics are exhibited in the present

Neither a translation nor an analysis, but a condensed para-

phrase interspersed with explanation, commentary, and

historical inferences

Degree of credibility to be attached to the subject matter

Exaggerations and embellishments to be treated with

Simple character of ancient Hindú historians

Ballad histories

Excitement of the audience

Circumstances under which portions of the Epics are chaunted

THE MAHÁ BHÁRATA.

FAMILY TRADITIONS OF THE HOUSE OF BHÁRATA.

Opening scene of the Mahá Bhárata at Hastinápur, near the

Significance of the site as an outpost of the Aryans

Approximate description of Hastinapur

The City

The Palace

The Council Hall

The Raj

The Raj of Bharata, an Aryan empire, established by the
hero Bhárata amidst an aboriginal population

Doubtful extent of the Raj

Name of Bhárata applied in modern times to all India

Mythical character of the more ancient traditions of the royal

house of Bhárata, which precede the main story of the

Kshatriya myth that the Rajas of Bhárata were descended

Brahmanical myth that the Moon itself was begotten by an

Commencement of the main story of the Mahá Bhárata with
Raja Dhritarashtra

Legends of the Rajas of Bhárata from Bhárata to Dhritarashtra

1st, Legend of Raja Bhárata

Amour of Dushyanta and Sakuntala in the jungle

ib.

ib.

ib.

ib.

ib.

ib.

Curse of Durvása the sage

Raja Dushyanta sees his son Bhárata playing with lions.
Dushyanta takes Sakuntalá to wife, and acknowledges Bhá-

ib.

rata to be his son

ib.

Foundation of the great Raj of Bhárata by Raja Bhárata

Review of the foregoing story of the birth of Bhárata

Significance of the tradition rendered perceptible by eliminat-
ing the supernatural incident of the curse of Durvása .

Historical form of the tradition

ib.

Bhárata, the son of a Raja by the daughter of a Bráhman

Gandharva marriage, a union without marriage ceremonies

Reluctance of the Kshatriya to acknowledge the daughter of a

Bráhman to be his wife

Inferiority of the Bráhman to the Kshatriya in the Vedic age

2nd, Legend of Raja Sántanu

Desire of old Raja Sántanu for a young

Vow of his son Sántanava, who was henceforth known as

Bhishma, or "the dreadful"

Death of Raja Sántanu

Legend of Bhishma carrying away the three daughters of the

Raja of Benares to be wives to Vichitra-vírya .

Bhishma defeats all the Rajas at Benares

The Rání Satyavatí resolves to marry the three damsels to

her son Vichitra-vírya

Ambá, the eldest, declines to be married, as she is already be-

Death of Vichitra-vírya without issue

Ancient custom of raising up seed to a deceased kinsman

Bhishma's refusal

Vyása, the sage, requested to interfere

Vyása becomes the father of Dhritarashtra, the blind; Pán-

du, the pale; and Vidura, the slave-born

Review of the foregoing legend of Raja Vichitra-vírya

No allusion to Satí in connection with his mother or wives

Importance of marriage in Hindú households

Suspicious character of the legend, that the wives of Vichi-

tra-vírya were the daughters of the Raja of Benares

Distance of Benares from Hastinapur

Region south and west of Hastinápur, a land of fable in the

Abduction of women by the Kshatriyas, sanctioned by Brah-

manical law, as Rákshasa marriages

Mythical character of the legend respecting Ambá

Ancient custom of begetting sons on the widow of a deceased

Story that Vyása, the sage, became the progenitor of the
Kauravas and Pándavas, proved to be a later myth

Traditionary history of Vyása, the "arranger"

Born of a fish-girl, named Matsya, in Eastern Bengal

Identified with the Vyása who compiled the Mahá Bhárata

ib.

Efforts of the Brahmanical compilers to represent the heroes
of the Mahá Bhárata as descendants of Bráhmans
Brahmanical myth that Vyása was the father of Dhritarashtra,
Pándu, and Vidura

The myth proved to be an interpolation by the supernatural

character of its details

Tenacity of Hindú belief in Brahmanical fables, when repre-
sented as religious mysteries, which cannot be doubted
without impiety

Frequent appearances of the mythical Vyása, in an abrupt or
supernatural manner, throughout the Mahá Bhárata
Kshatriya tradition of the custom of raising up heirs to a
deceased Raja, compared with the story of Ruth

Significant terror of the widows

4th, Legend of Pándu, and Dhritarashtra

Education of the three sons raised up to Vichitra-vírya

Pándu installed Raja of Bhárata

Pándu marries two wives, Kuntí and Mádrí

Reign of Pándu

Pándu devotes himself to hunting in the Himalayas

Five sons of Pándu, known as the Pándavas .

Pándu cursed by a sage

Takes the vow of celibacy

Mádrí, younger wife of Pándu, burns herself alive with her

Reign of the blind Dhritarashtra

Marries Gándhári

Story of Gandhári blindfolding herself

Sons of Dhritarashtra and Gándhári known as the Kauravas

Kuntí arrives at Hastinapur with the five sons of Pándu

The Pandavas dwelt in the palace with the Kauravas

Review of the foregoing legend of Pándu and Dhritarashtra

Pándu, probably a leper

Suspicious details respecting Pándu's marriages

Kuntí, the daughter of the Raja of the Bhojas in the Dekhan

Myth that Kuntí was the daughter of Sura, the grandfather

Origin of the myth

Aim of the Brahmanical compilers of the Mahá Bhárata to

promulgate the worship of Krishna, and to connect the

traditions of Krishna with those of the Bhárata family

Contrast between the historical traditions of Krishna and the

mythical fables respecting Vyása

Mádrí, the sister of a Raja of Madra, on the southern slope

of the Himalayas

Barbarous customs of the people of Madra

Difficulty as regards the birth both of Kuntí and Mádrí

Mythical account of the death of Raja Pándu in the jungle

Absurd details beneath criticism

ib.

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