240 ON THE HINDU 



least nominally, in point of antiquity above all 

 other nations, would naturally be opposed by many, 

 as long as any knowledge remained of the ancient 

 systems, therefore, the suppression of these would 

 become necessary. Accordingly we find, by a 

 tradition still current among the learned Hindus^ 

 that the Maharastras, (Mharatas) destroyed all 

 the works of the ancient astronomers they could 

 meet with ; which, in some measure, may account 

 for the deficiency we have observed in astronomi- 

 cal works, anterior to the time of Brahma' Gupta. 

 But if the Mharatas did actually destroy the works 

 of the ancient astronomers, it may be justly in- 

 ferred that other works of antiquity, the subjects 

 of which might contradict the new order of things, 

 have also met the same fate. 



From the foregoing view of the artificial systems 

 which have prevailed at different times, and of the 

 various changes that have been made in the Hindu 

 history, itc. the reader will now be able to judge 

 for himself, and form a just opinion of the anti- 

 quity of the books of the Hindus^ their arts and 

 their sciences. 



In the first place, it must be evident, that as 

 the artificial system of Bra ma' Gupta, now called 

 tlie Calpa of Brahma', and to which the modern 

 Hindus have artfully transferred their history, 

 is not yet 1300 years old, no book whatever, 

 let its name or title be what it will, in which the 

 monstrous periods of that system, or any allusion 

 to them, is found, can possibly be older tlian 

 the time of its invention * And secondly, that 



* The author of this system, as well as the time in whicli he 

 lived, is well known to tlie learned, and subject to no doubt. 

 Those who uish to see the age of the system determined from 

 computation, may consult Vol. VI, Asiatic Researches, page 

 579-581. 



