Table Of ContentHINDU
SUPERIORITY
About Agniveer Classics
Agniveer Classics are set of treasured literature from past.
Written by eminent scholars who are no more with us, they
contain valuable wisdom. This is our attempt to revive the
knowledge that we are tending to lose. We may not agree
completely with everything in these books. Nonetheless, we
believe these books form mandatory reading for anyone keen
to study these subjects and find solutions. Consider this series
to be our Rishi Rin - thankfulness to those who made us
humans.
HINDU
SUPERIORITY
HAR BILAS SARDA
K//ictAai ^VtciO'a.c^a.d', ^ne tJl'tx.A^Gi.e ^J^et^cle.^.
PREFACE.
This book has grown outof a pamphlet written years
ago and putaside atthe time. The object of the book is,
by presenting a bird's eye view of the achievements of
theancientHindus, toinvitethe attention of thoughtful
people to the leading features of the civilization which
enabled the inhabitants of this country to contribute so
much to the material and moral well-being of mankind.
And if this attempt succeeds in any way in stimulating
interest in the study of the leading institutions of
Hinduism and a proper appreciation of their merits I
shall be amply repaid for my labour.
I must take this opportunity of expressing my
gratitude to Mr. J. Inglis, Superintendent, Scottish
Mission Industries, Ajmer, for his valuable assistance in
seeing the book through the Press.
HAR BILAS SARDA,
Ajmek
:
November 1906.
——
CONTENTS.
Page.
Illustrations ... ... ... ... ... xxiii.
Intkoj)uction I... ... ... ... ... xx?-xxxii.
CONSTITUTION.
—
The leading principle of Indian Constitution, Turning point of
—
Indian history. Hindu decay beginning with the Kaliyug ... 1
I.—ANTIQUITY.
—
Wonderful antiquityofthe Hindu civilization. Opinions of Count
—
Bjornstjerna, Dr. Stiles, Halhed, Pliny and Abul Fazal. The
Hindu King Dionysius reigned 7,000 B.C., or 1,000 years
—
before the oldest king oh Manetho's tables. Dynasties, not
—
individuals, as units of calculation. Rock temples as proofs of
— —
antiquity, TheBactriandocumentDahistan. Hinducivilization
— — —
before 6,000 B.C. The Sanhalp Brahma Din and Ratri.
Age of the earth according to the Hindus
II.—GOVEENMENT.
— —
Tests of goodgovernment. Populousnessof ancientIndia. Views
—
of Greek writers. Hindus as numerous as all the other nations
— —
puttogether, Indiarenownedforwealth, Ifothieves in ancient
— —
India. Form of Government immaterial. Spirit dependent on
—
the etiiical character of a people. Mistaken identification of
—
demoaratic institutions with freedom, Mr. Herbert Spencer's
—
views. Over—Government, —Republican institutions in ancient
— —
India. Law, a test of good government. Origin of the Greek,
— —
Roman and English laws. Laws of Manu. Hindu code will
bearcomparison withthesystemsof jurisprudence in nations most
— —
highly civilized. Fallacies in Mill's reasoning. Hisprejudice.
His HistoiyofIndiamostmischievousaccording toMax MuUer.
—
SirThomasStrangeon Hindu Lawof Evidence. SirW. Joneson
- Galluca's Commentary on Manu ... ... ... 13
—————
Vl. CONTENTS.
III.—SOCIAL SYSTEM. p^gk
—
Hindu social organization based on scientific principles Varna-
— —
shrama. Diiferent from the caste system. Brahmans and
—
Sudras not.by birth but by actions andcharacter. Mahabharata
—
onthe VarnasJirama. MegasfhenesandCol.Todonthesystem.
Sir H. Cotton and Mr. Sidney Low on the present Caste system 27
IV.—CHAEACTEE.
^ —
ove of truth Arriaii, Strabo, Hioventhsang and other Chinese
writers Marco Polo, Idrisi, Shamsuddin and other Mohamed.in
;
writers Sir J. Malcolm, Col. Sleeman, Professor Max Muller
; — —
on the truthfulness of the Hindus. Absence of slavery. Hindu
— —
valoui-. Themosttolerantnation. Characterof Yudhishthra.
Views of Neibulir, Monier Williams, Elphinstone, Mercer,
—
Sydenham, Abbe Dubois, andSirT.Munro. No race more to be
—
trusted than the Hindus. It civilization to be an article of
trade between England and India, England will gain by tlie
—
import cargo. Commercial honour stands higher in India
—
than in any other country. Views of Warren Hastings, Heber
—
and Wilson. Hindu childrenmore intelligent thanEuropean.
— — —
Hindu cleanliness. Diet ofthe Hindus. Physicalagility. The
—
Hindu as the wisest of nations. Hindu origin of the game of
—
Chess, Wisdom of Solomon inferior to tiiat of the Hindus.
—
Chivalrous conduct of Humayun. A Mohamedan saves the
Piahtore dynasty from extinction ... ... ... 34
v.—CHIVALEY.
— —
Innate chivalry of Hindu character. Chivalry of Sadoo. Raja
— —
of Duttea. The Ralchi. Rawal Chachick of Jaisalmer.
—
Chivalry of Rana Raj Singh. Ill-judged humanity of the
— —
Hindus. Its unfortunate political results, Cases of Shahabud-
din Gliori and. Aurangzeb. ... ... ... ^54
— —— ——————
CONTENTS. Vh.
Page.
VI.—PATEIOTISM.
— —
Love of Country. Rana Pratap and Thalcur Durga Das. Their
— — —
exploits. Theirpatriotisrti. Pratapand Hamiloar. Durga Das
—
the Amolac. Aurangzeb's dread of Durga Das. Gar-ka-
— —
Biiiidi. The heir of Mehtri. Patriotism of Raj Singh of
— —
Jaisalmer. Soortan Singh of Sirohi, His heroic conduct at
—
Delhi, Col. Tod on Rajputchivalry and heroism ... ... 65
VII.—YALOUR.
The Hindus were the bravest nation the Greeks ever came in
—
contact with, Their character shines brightest in adversity.
They know not what it is to ,flee from the battle-field. Kesrian
— —
Kdsumal. Rao Sooju of Bundi. The mother of the Rao.
—
Mukand—as faces a tiger; the tiger retires. Moha—bat Khan's
exploit. Rajput charges at Tonga and Patun, Soningdeo
—
breaks the iron bow at Delhi. Homer's heroes compared to
—
Kurus. Lakh TalvarRahtordn. Recoursetopoison by Moghal
—
kings. Deaths of Jaswant Singh, Prithi Singh and Jai Singh.
—
The cause of Akbar's death. The murder of Ajit Singh of
— —
Jodhpur. Singularity of Rajput character, Its tenacity and
— —
strength. Hercules was a Hindu. Vieios of Prof. Heeren,
—
Eiodorus, Megasthenes, Col. Tod and Pococke, Proofs of the
identity of Balram and Hercules .... ... ... 79
VIII.—POSITION OF WOMEN.
—
Position of women a test of civiliiiation. Chivalrous treatment
—
of women by the Hindus. Views of Mannand other sages.
— —
Jai Singh and his queen, Hariji. Status of wife. Her equal
—
rights with her husband according to the Sastras. Woman,
ardhangini, or half of man.-^Comparison in this respect of the
—
Hindu and the European women. Ideals of Hindu women.
Maitreye, Gargya, Savitri, Damyanti, Avvayar and Kokayi.
—
Purdah system unknown in ancient India, The rights of
—
wom&n to property, Peculiar position of Hindu women.
————
VIU. COKTENTS.
— Page.
Influence of Hindu, women on society. Female loyalty.
—
Bewalde and her sons, Ala and Udila. Tarabai of Bednore,
—
Rani Durgavati,another Boadeoea. The heroism of Korumdevi
—
and Jawahir Bai. The matchlessvalour of the motherof Fattah
— —
of KailwaduringAkbar's siegeof Chitor. Sanjogta. Bernier's
—
testimony to the courage of Rajput women. Retreatof Jaswant
—
Singh of Jodhpur after his defeat at Fatehabad, The Rani
refuses to see him and shuts the gate of the castle ... ... 92
IX.—FOREIGN RELATIONS.
—
The conquestoftheworld bytheHinduEmperor, Sudas, Opinions
—
ofMr. TownsendandGeneral SirIanHamilton. The conquests
—
of Pururawa and of King Sagara. Persia, Afghanistan and
—
Tiirkistan parts of the Indian Empire. Greek embassies to
— —
India. Megasthenes, Deimachus and Basilis. Antioc.hus the
—
Great becomes an ally of Sobhag Sen. Seleucus gives his
—
daughter in marriage to Chandergupta The Persian king,
Nausherwan, gives his daughter to the Maharana of Chitor.
—
Indian embassies to Greece. The Assyrian Queen, Semiramis,
— —
invades India, Her defeat. Gaj Sing, the founder of Ghazni,
defeats Shah Secunder Roomi and Shah Mamraiz ... 120
X.-CAUSE OF INDIA'S FALL.
—
Alexander's invasion of India. Hindu disunion, the cause of
—
Alexander's victory. The brilliancy of the court of Vicrama-
— —
ditya. The treacherous conduct of Alexander. Prithvi Raj of
— —
Ajmer. His victories over Shahabud-din Ghori. Disunionbe-
—
tween Prithvi Raj and Jai Chand. The kings of Kanauj and
—
Annhalwara Patun and Hamir join the enemy. Prithvi Raj
—
kills Shahabud-din with the help of Chund. Baber's invasion.
— —
Hindus under Rana Sanga. Treachery in his camp. Rayseen,
—
the Tuar leader, goes over to Baber. India not conquered by a
foreign invader but betrayed by her own sons, ,,. ... 127
