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THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



The Vedic hymns reveal the Aryans on their victorious march from the North: in the 

 earliest examples we see them still to the north of the Khyber Pass, in Kabul; in the later 

 ones, as far as the Eiver Ganges. They gradually pushed eastwards along the base of the 

 Himalayas, and formed settlements by the great rivers of the Punjab. Their poets praise the 

 rivers that gave them wealth in the form of broad fields Avith water. Never did they forget 

 their northern home when they ceased to be wanderers and settled down into agricultural 

 communities. Of this period the Eig-Veda is the great literary memorial. Its age is unknown. 

 It may have been composed about 1400 B.C., which would probably be not very far removed from 

 the period of the Exodus of the Israelites. Buddhism arose in the sixth century before Christ, 

 and long before then the Vedas had been written. These splendid hymns were composed by 

 certain families of psalmists (or Rishis). The Kig-Veda, contains over 1,000 hymns, with 

 10,580 verses. The system of caste was unknown then. The father was the priest of his own 

 household. The chieftain was father and priest to his tribe; but at the greater festivals he 

 chose some one specially learned in holy offerings to conduct the sacrifice in the name of the 

 people. His title was " Lord of the settlers," and he seems to have been elected. Xo one 

 can study early Aryan literature and religion without being filled with admiration for this 

 noble race, from which we ourselves are sprung. Their women (as in Egypt) enjoyed a high 

 position, and some of the most beautiful hymns were composed by ladies and queens. 

 Marriage was held sacred. Husband and wife were both "rulers of the house," and drew near 

 to the gods together in prayer. The barbarous practice of burning widows (suttee] was quite 

 unknown; and it now appears that the later Brahmans were the responsible authors of this 

 horrible rite. They actually distorted the plain and obvious meaning of the following beautiful 



Photo by Messrs. Bourne jfc Shepherd] 



[Bombay. 



A FAKIR S HOME. 



