HISTORY OF .CASHMIR. ? 



Musselman invasion, the appearance of such a record as that furnished us 

 by the Cashmirian writers acquires an importance, not otherwise derived 

 from the value of the record itself, nor the character of the transactions it 

 commemorates, Its being the sole luminary, however, of the gloomy inter- 

 val alluded to, renders us naturally curious to follow the track it singly 

 serves to light, and the history of Cashmir, has accordingly attracted the at- 

 tention of those best competent to have prosecuted the investigation. I have 

 already stated it to be one of the Desiderata of Sir Wm. Jones; and at the 

 time that Mr. Colebrooke announced the discovery of the manuscript, he 

 also declared his intention of giving to the public an account of its con- 

 tents. The execution of his- purpose has probably been impeded by other 

 more important labours, and the too contracted term of Sir Wm. Jones's 

 splendid career, disappointed his hope of performing this, and greater under- 

 takings. A more satisfactory account of the contents of the Rojd Taringini 

 than that furnished by Abulfazl is therefore still a desideratum, and in the 

 little probability that now exists of the task being undertaken by living 

 talent more adequate to its accomplishment, I have been induced to pre» 

 pare, from it chiefly, the following sketch of the Hindu history of Cashmir. 



The want of a copy of the connecting series of Jon a Raja, and theoccupa» 

 lion of the works of Sri Vara and Punya BHATTAby Mussetman transactions^, 

 will prevent me, at present at least, from extending the limits of my essay, 

 beyond those of Calhana Pandit, or following any other Hindu guide. His 

 work as a historical composition is clear and consistent, and contains fewer 

 extravagancies than most of the works to which the name of History has 

 been assigned, by the unphilosophical and credulous natives of the East, 

 Like the mass of the Hindu compositions on all subjects, it is written in 

 verse, and as a poem, it contains many passages of merit, both in sentiment 

 and style. The summary of its contents given by Abulfazl is too concise to 

 be of much service, and in the transformation of names occasioned by the 

 difficulty of expressing the Nagari alphabet in Persian characters, excites 

 not unfrequently a doubt, whether the persons named were possessed of 



