The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-12
IL

From the opening chapters, In which
are sketched the political divisions in India
at the time of the rise of Buddhism, we
pass to the fourteenth and fifteenth chap
tors, respectively headed by the names
OF two eminent sovereigns, Chandragupta
and Asoka. Our author comedies that,
az yet, very little is known. whether from
native or foreign sources, OF what hap
pened during the two and a half centuries
that followed Buddhas death. When
the curtain rises again, it shows consider
able changes in the picture. The new
picture. however. ID in harmony with
the old; the principal figures and most
Of the minor ones are the same; and
the changes in their position can be
fairly understood In the light of their
previous relations Let us first re-
capitulate the main features of the older
picture. In the middle of the seveLtl g.
fury B. G., the paramount power u;
great Kingdom Of Kosala, lying
most part north OF the Ganges, a.
siderably to the east Of the Punjah ,
and south of it number of small kI' ..
doms maintained their independence
Eastward Kosala had extended its suze-
rainty over the Sakiyas, but was stopped
in its further advance in that direction by
a powerful confederation, that of the Lie
gle was going on between the two smaller
Kingdoms of Magadha and Champa. This
struggle was decided in the time Of Buddha's
boyhood by the final victory OF Maghada,
The rising Of this new star in the south
east Of Hindustan was the most interest
ing factor in the older picture.
The new picture, as shown tn us in the
Ceylon Chronicles and in the Greek ac-
counts OF India, especially in Il ose frag-
ments that have survived Of the sIndikd
of Megasthenes (a0O B. c. exhibits Mag
adha triumphant. The free clans and the
great Kingdom OF Kosala have been alb
sorbed by IL, One by one, the Kingdoms
to the south and west Of what had been
Kosala have Acknowledged its suprem-
acy. In distant Punjab and Ujjeni, vice.
roys from Magadha administer the gov
eminent. For the first time in history
of India there is one authority from Afghan
istan across the continent eastward TO
Bengal, and from the Himalayas down
to the Central Provinces. Prof Davids
never expects to know-unlcss the ancient
sites in India shall one day, like those in
Assyria and Egypt, be excavated and ex-
plored-how these great changes came
TO be brought about The two sets of au-
thorities just referred to. however, author
tiles quite independent one of another,
and yet oonfirmatory of one another in
most important matters--furnish conclu-
sive evidence that the changes had actually
taken place,
The reader is cautioned against the error
OF regarding Chandragupta as the founder
Of the supremacy of Magadha described
by Megasthenes, and confirmed by the
Ceylon chronicles. When Alexander the
Great invaded the northwest OF India, he
was informed that the then emperor at
Maghada (who must have been Diana
Nanda, the predecessor Of ChandragupLa)
had an army OF 900 foot 10000 cav
airy. 2 0O0 war chariots and 900 elephants
of war, Magadha must at that time have
already absorbed Kosala. and probably,
also, kingdoms TO the south and west of
Kosala. Chandragupta added the Pun
jab and the provinces along the Indus,
down to its mouth, II was from the Pun
jab that he, favored by the disorder follow
ing Alexander's invasion. recruited the
nucleus OF the force with which he event.
ually beseged and conquered Diana Nan
da. Whether the southern Indus prov
inces were then also under his sway is not
known; but Pliny, doubtless referring to
Chandragupta's time, says that the Mag
adha Empire extended right up to the river,
He may have subdued them afterward.
at the same time when he conquered the
peninsula Of Gujarat, where. as Rudra-
damans inscription shows. viceroy of
his was In possession. Our author believes
that tho ancient kingdom OF Avanti, with
Its capital. Ujjeni. had probably before
his time bosn already Incorporated with
the Kosalan empire.
Whether all Of these detais oan be
vouohed for or not, 1t is certain that Chan
drs9upta found himself strong enough TO
Withstand even tts Greeks. AZ the end Of