240 BIMANA. 



Sholen, of Telingana, &c., are now situated in the southern extremity, 

 and along the eastern coast of the country ; and it appears most likely 

 that they were driven into that situation by the torrent of a warlike 

 people from the west. Another circumstance, in the opinion of Professor 

 Rask, tends to corroborate this hypothesis, namely, that although the 

 northern dialects of India are all derived from the Sanscrit, they yet 

 contain a number of words of uncertain origin, most of which will be 

 found in the Tamil and other dialects of the south ; and therefore seem 

 to be remnants of the language of the aborigines, who were not altogether 

 exterminated or expelled, although greatly overpowered. In the same 

 way Gallic words occur in modern French, which properly belong to 

 Welch or Erse. (See Prof. Rask on the Zend language ; Trans. Royal 

 Asiatic Soc. vol. iii. 1835.) Professor Rask's opinion is corroborated 

 by Arrian, who, in his Indian History, says : " The whole country of 

 India is divided into 122 nations, according to Megasthenes. Like 

 the Scythians, the Indians were, anciently, a wandering race,* and until 

 Bacchus, or Triptolemus, made a conquest of them, tilled no lands, and 

 had neither houses, towns, nor temples ; clothed themselves in the skins 

 of wild beasts ; ate of the fruit of the tala, a palm tree, and of the 

 flesh of animals of the chase. Bacchus built them cities; gave them 

 laws ; taught them agriculture, and the use of wine, as he had taught the 

 Greeks, and how to yoke their oxen to the plough. He also instructed 

 them in military discipline ; the worship of the gods, to be performed 

 with drums and cymbals ; he introduced the satyric dance, and the 

 custom of suffering the hair to grow." Lieut. Colonel Todd observes, 

 that the Adnat'h or Budha of the Jains, or Buddhists of India, the 

 patriarch of the Yadu race, is the counterpart of this Bacchus, or Trip- 

 tolemus, whom they bring from central Asia, to espouse Ella, daughter 

 of Surya, and sister of Manu, or Menes, the first sovereign of India : 

 and he further remarks that, according to the traditions of the Indians, 

 India was colonized by a race called Yadu, to which they trace the 

 foundation of their ancient cities. Pooru continued to be the patro- 

 nymic of the Yadu race, until a family of the more distinguished name of 

 Guru took the lead, whose struggle to maintain their pre-eminence, which 

 was contested by the sons of Pandu, another celebrated chief, caused that 

 civil strife termed the Mahabharat, which ended in their dispersion. The 

 appellation, Porus, appears to have distinguished more than one of the 

 kings of India, during the Macedonian invasion, and originated from the 

 Poor! of Yadu race. 



The claim of the Hindoo, or Sanscritic family, to the Japetic, or 

 Iranian stock, appears to be confirmed by most writers who have 



* The Bringarees of the present day are a nomadic people, moving with immense herds of cattle, 

 and employing bullocks to carry the grain and necessary provisions of their armies. 



