1840.] Historical Geography of Hindustan, ^c. 849 



ness of such an opinion; and the internal evidence of the Sanscrit authori- 

 ties gives it additional confirmation.* 



To suppose that the timid natives of India, who have been subdued by 

 different conquerors, were not, in the early ages of Christianity, a prey to 

 those northern barbarians who successively deluged Europe, seems so at 

 variance with the events of history, that, but for some men's partiality to 

 the antiquity of the present Hindu social state, this opinion could have 

 never gained belief t The Brahmans and their language v/ere prior to the 

 aera of Alexander's historians, but without the extensive dominion in India 

 that they now enjoy. The far spread remains of the Buddhaist religion, 

 and its sectaries called Jaina,t to be yet seen in the caves, temples, and 

 monuments that extend from the neighbourhood of Balkh Bamian, on the 

 N. W., to Mahabatipure, on the S. E., indicate the sovereignty of a faith in 

 these parts, which was prior to the now prevailing Brahminical hierarchy. § 



The inferences also to be drawn from the fact, that many tribes called 

 Melchchasll in the institutes of Menu and the- Puranas, are now within 

 the pale of the orthodox creed, would further establish a progressive 



* See Mr. H. Wilson's late account of the religious sects of the Hindus, and of 

 those Samas, who, as worshippers of the sun, which they esteemed as the creator and 

 cause of the world, were among the opponents of the famous Saiva reformer, Sankara 

 Acharya, who flourished some time between the beginning of the 9th and end of the 

 10th century (A. R. vol. xvi. p. 15) 



t Cosmas Indicopleustes, who visited India between a. d. 535 and 547, mentions a 

 nation whiter than the rest, called the Hunni, who held sway over the west of India, 

 and exacted large tributes from the surrounding states. (Murray's Asia, ii. p. 78.) 



X These form a class of dissenters from the established, or orthodox system of 

 Brahminism, which is now common to Hindustan. They admit of caste ; will not allow 

 the Vedas to be of Divine origin; do not, like the Brahmans, acknowledge any 

 spiritual and eternal being from whom the universe derived its origin, but look on the 

 material world with the human soul as self-existant and eternal, and have for 

 their chief objects of worship, men, who, as saints, have raised themselves to the rank 

 of divinities. Most of their theological opinions are similar to those of the Buddhaists 

 and Sogatas, who do not admit of caste like the Jainas, but both worship, as subordi- 

 nate deities, the Pantheon of the orthodox Hindus. 



§ The cave temples of Buddhaist origin are by far more numerous on the N. W. 

 of India than have been yet enumerated. In addition to the well known ones of 

 Kanari, Elephanta, Karli, Ellora, and Ajainta, there are many more in the Dekhan and 

 Konkan, such as those at Nasik, Junir, Aurungabad, Karrar, Mahar, &c. ; in Malwa, 

 and Rajputana, we find those of Bagh, and Gawalior; and I have heard of others 

 in the Madras territories. 



II A general appellation for the unclean tribes that are not within the piale of the 

 Hindu religion ; and who are usually styled degraded Kshetryas. This would seem to 

 imply that they did not conform to the Brahminical rites when others of the same 

 original stock did. The different divisions of them are to be found enumerated in 

 Wilson's Sanscrit Dictionary. Some of those identified are the Odros, Urias, or 

 people of Orissa; the Draviras, or people of Madura and Tanjore, on the Coromandel 

 Coast, who are now orthodox Hindus. 



