Dutt, Romesh Chunder: The literature of Bengal: being an attempt to trace the progress of the national mind in its various aspects, as reflected in the nation’s literature from the earliest times to the present day ; with copious extracts from the best writers (Calcutta, 1877)

INTRODUCTION.

know hpw the worship of elements slowly ripetfed into a
system bf gorgeous idolatry, the Brahmanism of India.
We know how the inequalities sanctioned and perpetu-
ated by this religion called forth a protest about the
sixth century before the Christian era, which shook all
India from the Indus to the Brahmaputra. We know
how with the rise of Buddhism the national mind, as if
awakened from a long sleep, rose iu grandeur and
strength, how the reigns of Chandragupta, Asoka, and
other princes of the same family, were the mo^t glorious
periods in India. The whole of northern India was brought
under one vigorous rule, arts and commerce flourished,
and the prowess and the rectitude of the nation called
forth the admiration of Greek and Chinese^travellers.

But the contesfcbetween Brahmanism and Buddhism
was not yet at ran end. After a few centuries the f
religion of Buddha quailed before the renewed attacks
- of Hinduism, and the latter religion once more estab
lished its reign over the length and breadth of India.
Indeed, it was now established with a vengeance. Its
grasp was now stronger than ever, and was indeed suffocat-
ing to the free energies of the nation. In, its train now
came in Puranism with its choking superstition; and
liberty of thought in India was suppressed for ever.

There are more data still. The Greeks, the Chinese,
pilgrims, the early Muhammadan conquerors, have all left
us pictures of the states.of society which they respectively
THtuessed, and the pictures are very flattering indeed to
us as a nation. The future Historian of India will take
i fcdvantage of these records, and, aa we have said before, *