56 



SIR ANDREW WING ATE, K.C.I.E., ON INDIA. 



re-establislied Pataliputra as the capital of an empire, ranging 

 north of the Narbada from the Satlej to the Hugli. Kabul and 

 North- West India were lost. The Gupta period lasted some 

 350 years, but its golden age was confined to one and a-half 

 centuries. 



As India owes to Greek sources most of her knowledge of the 

 Maurya dynasty (326-185 B.C.), so it is from Chinese travellers 

 that she has interesting records of the Gupta dynasty (a.d. 320- 

 4.80). These Chinese came to study Buddhism in the land 

 of its birth, and found large towns and prosperous peoples, 

 charitable institutions, including hospitals and rest houses for 

 travellers. There was still a strong Buddhist influence, but 

 caste was strict. 



During the fifth century A.D. the Hindu reaction was in 

 progress. Buddhism would make no terms with Brahmanism. 

 The two were entirely opposed. Buddhism enjoined sharing the 

 joys and sorrows of others, cultivating love, thoroughly democratic. 

 Brahmanism cared for none of these things. Isolation, pride, 

 supremacy, distinguished the Brahman, thoroughly aristocratic, 

 and in return for deference any conduct was good enough for 

 Hindus. The glory of Asoka's kingdom was due to Buddhism. 

 The Brahmans hated its light and stifled its life. During the 

 Gupta period, Buddhist ideals still moderated rulers and Buddhist 

 monasteries popularized education. The Brahmans kept educa- 

 tion to themselves. Finally, the Brahmans crushed Buddhism 

 out of India. The little that remained was stamped out by the 

 Mohammedans. With the triumph of Brahmanism, the oppor- 

 tunity to work towards a national India was lost, and in the 

 seventh century a.d. India again broke into fragments, and 

 disappeared in darkness and corruption till the Mohammedans 

 took command. 



It is well to recollect that during the centuries under review, 

 within Brahmanism, certain conceptions of salvation took shape 

 in the teaching of v/hat is known as " Bhakti," v/hich produced 

 the Bhagavadgita, or Song of the Lord, and is exhibited in personal 

 devotion to Rama and Krishna. Kalidasa, the Sanskrit poet, 

 lived in the Gupta age. His celebrated play, Sakuntala, was 

 lately produced in London. 



The immediate cause of the disruption of the Gupta Empire 

 was the inroad of the Huns into the Panjab about a.d. 500, as 

 not long previously other bands under Attila had overrun 

 Germany and France. General disorder followed. The seventh 



