Havell, Ernest B.: Benares, the sacred city: Sketches of Hindu life and religion (London, [1912])

CONTENTS

Chapter I. In the Vedic Times-

Page

The Kasis — The Vedic hymns — The Upanishads — The
ancient universities—The story of the Flood—Aryan ethics—
The story of Nachiketa ---.....I

Chapter II. The Hindu Epics—Hero-Worship—

Vasishtha and Vishwamitra—The caste system—The preser-
vation of Sanskrit learning—The Mahabharata and Rama-
yana—Hero-worship in modern times - - - - 17

Chapter III. The Advent of Buddha—Sarnath and the
Latent Discoveries—The Jains—

The points of dispute between Buddha and the Brahmin
priests—The tyranny of Brahminical rites—Buddha's preach-
ing at Sarnath—The Chinese pilgrims and their accounts of
Sarnath—The recently discovered Asoka column and Buddhist
sculptures—The story of the Deer-park—History of Jainism - 32

Chapter IV. The Rise of Modern Hinduism—

Asoka—The decline of Buddhism — The Hindu reformer
Sankaracharya — The Bhagavat Gita—Shiva-worship — The
esoteric doctrine of Hinduism regarding the universe—Hindu
philosophy and its comprehension by the masses—Shiva and
the lingam—Shiva in Hindu art ------ 58