History of Hindostan (1768), by Alexander Dow

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Section II. Of the Origin of the Hindoos [Though our author begins his accounts of Hindostan with the flood, yet like the annals of other nations, there is little to be depended upon in the history of that country, for some ages after that supposed period. This must rather be ascribed to the ignorance of the Mahommedans in the Shanscrita language, than to a real want of ancient monuments among the Hindoos themselves. In the first centuries of the Higerah, truth begins to beam forth with lustre in his accounts of India, and that with more precision and minuteness than any history we have of any European nation, in so early a period.].

AS the best and most authentic historians agree that Adam was the father of mankind, whose creation they place about five thousand years before the Higerah, the sensible part of mankind, who love the plainness of truth better than the extravagance of fable, have rejected the marvellous traditions of the Hindoos, concerning the transactions of a hundred thousand years, and are of opinion that they, like other nations, are the descendants of the sons of Noo, who peopled the world. The Hindoos pretend to know nothing of the flood; however, as this event is supported by the testimony of all other nations, there is little room to doubt of its truth, and we shall, therefore, proceed to trace the Hindoos from that great aera, according to the best authorities.

We are told that Noo had three sons, Sham, Eaphs and Ham. Sham, the eldest, had nine sons, Arshud, Arphashud, Bood, Khe, Simood, Aram, Kibt, Aad and Keitan. All the tribes of Arabs, Abraham and the prophets, were of the race of Arphashud, and his second son Keiomours, is said to be the first king of Agim [Media.], and his sons were six, Shamuc, Pharis, Iraac, Billou, Shaam and Mogaan. Shamuc inherited the kingdom after the death of his father, whereas the other sons dispersing themselves, laid the foundation of monarchies, which pass'd by their names.

Eaphs, according to the desire of his father, turned his face to the north-east, where he had many sons and daughters. The name of his first-born was Turc, from whence all the tribes of the Turks, Moguls, Usbecks, Chigettas, Turkumanians and Rumians [The European Turks are called Rumians, by the eastern nations, from their possessing the empire of the Romans in the lesser-Asia.]. The name of the second son was Chin, who laid the foundation of the mighty monarchy of China; and the third, whose name was Rus, is said to be the father of those nations, who extend themselves northward, even into the regions of darkness, in the countries of Muse, Ghiz and Eucolaat.

Ham, by the order of his illustrious father, turned his face to the south. He also had many children: the name of the first was Hind, the second Sind, the third Habysh [Habysh, according to the Mahommedans, was the progenitor of the Abyssinians.], the fourth Zinge, the fifth Barber, and the sixth Nobah; from these, all the kingdoms, distinguished by their names, took their rise. Hind, turning eastward, possessed himself of the paradisial regions of Hindostan, where he laid the foundation of his monarchy. His brother Sind, turning to the south-east, possessed himself of the fertile plains of the river [The Indus.], and founding the city of Tatta, ruled the kingdom of Moultan.

Hind had four sons, one of whom was named Purib, another Bang, a third Decan, and a fourth Nerwaal. They first inhabited the countries, known to this day by their names. To Decan, the son of Hind, was born three sons, among whom he divided his kingdom, Marhat, Conher and Tiling; and from them sprung these three great tribes in the Decan, Marhattas, Conherias and Telingas. Nerwaal had also three sons, Beroge, Cambage and Malrage, whose names descended to the countries over which they ruled. Bang also had many children, who lived to inherit the kingdom of Bengal. But Purib, the first-born of Hind, had forty-two sons, who in a short time multiply'd exceedingly; but among these, one of them whose name was Krishen, exalted himself above his brethren.

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Section III. Of the Reign of Krishen, the Founder of the Dynasty of the Marages.

LET it not be concealed that the first who placed his foot on the musnud of empire, in the region of Hindostan, was Krishen; but not that Krishen whom the Hindoos worship, but a man of wisdom, policy, and courage. He was, it is said, so fat a man, that finding no horse sufficiently strong for his weight, he first, prompted by necessity, found out the art of catching and taming elephants. In the reign of Krishen, it is also said, that there lived a certain person of the race of Bang, whose name was Brahma, wise and learned, whom Krishen made his vizier. This Brahma is said to be the father of many arts, of writing and of working in wood and iron. He was also the founder of the city of Oud, which became the capital of Krishen; and is said to have been the first regular imperial city of Hindostan. When Krishen had lived to the age of four hundred years [That is to say, Krishen, and such of his race as bore his name, reigned four hundred years over Hindostan. It is to be observed that our author does not, properly speaking, begin his history till the empire of Ghizni was founded by Subuctagi; his professed design being to record the transactions of the Mahommedans in Hindostan. What therefore the translator has distinguished under the title of the first part of this history is no more than a dissertation prefixed to the original, in which the domestic accounts of the Hindoos, concerning their ancient Kings, are briefly recapitulated.], he left the world to his first-born Marage, having, during his reign, peopled near two thousand towns and villages.

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Section IV. Of the Reign of Marage [Marage, signifies the great king.], the son of Krishen, and of the Dynasties of the Marages and Keshrorages.

WHEN Marage, by the consent of his brothers and of the people, had ascended the throne, in the art of government he soon rivall'd the same of his father, devoting his time to the just administration of his affairs. As the children of Brahma were skill'd in the arts of their father, he continued the most expert of them as his vizier, and appointed the rest his astrologers, physicians and priests, whence some derive the origin of the Brahmins, who to this day exercise those functions in Hindostan. Others of the nobility were appointed hereditary governors of provinces, from whom the second great sect of the Hindoos are supposed to derive their origin; while a third class were commanded to cultivate the ground, and a fourth to employ themselves in such arts as were necessary for the purposes of society. It was enacted, that this division of the subjects of Marage into four grand departments should subsist for ever: and thus was laid the foundation of the four great sects of Hindoos, Brahma, Kittri, Bise and Sudur.

The wise and the excellent Marage was a lover of learning. He invited philosophers from all parts, and founded the city of Bahar for their reception; appropriating the revenues of certain lands for their maintenance, and building several noble edifices and temples for the worship of the true God. Of the length of his reign, and the manner of his death, we have no particular accounts; neither are we inform'd of the lives and actions of his successors, who are said to have ruled over Hindostan, under the name and honours of their father, during the space of seven hundred years, in which time the country is said to have greatly encreas'd in riches, cultivation, and in the number of its people. A friendly correspondence was kept up between the imperial crowns of Hindostan and Iran [Persia.], till at length one of the princes of the blood of Hind, went in disgust to the presence of Feredoon, king of Iran. He laid his complaints before the king, who ordered Kirshib, the son of Attrid, with a numerous army, to recover his rights. When Kirshib reach'd the kingdom of Hindostan, a war was commenced, which continued, with various success, for the space of ten years. The country suffered exceedingly, till Marage was compell'd to give up a part of his dominions to the fugitive prince, of whose name we have no information, only that he was nephew to the then emperor. Marage thus procured peace, and sent presents by the hand of Kirshib, to the king of Iran.

It is said, that some time after, the governor of Shingeldiep [Ceylon.] and Carnatic, trusting in his strength, blew up the flames of rebellion, which was the occasion of a long and bloody war in the Decan, in which the eldest son of the king lost his life, being deserted in the fight by Showra, ruler of the Decan, who fled with his discomfited army to the king. Marage, on hearing this news, writhed himself like a snake with anger, and bit the finger of sorrow, because, before that time, none of the rulers of the islands of Atchin, or the coasts of Pegu or Malabar, had dared to dispute his commands.

He was, at the same time, threaten'd with an invasion from Iran; for Minuchere had advanced as far as Moultan, with a mighty army, intending to make an entire conquest of Hindostan. Marage sent Baal Chund, his general, against him, who, finding that peace would be more advantageous at that juncture, than war with this foreign enemy, prevailed on Minuchere, by large presents, to return to Iran. When Baal Chund had accomplished this pacification, he was ordered by the king, to march to the Carnatic, where he subdued the governor of Shingeldiep, and again established the authority of his master. Some authors relate, that Baal Chund was obliged to cede the whole territory of Punjaab to Minuchere, the general of Feredoon [Feredoon and Minuchere seem to have been names common to all the Kings of Persia in those ages.], before he would return to Iran: But others affirm, that the territory of Punjaab, during the reign of Feredoon, was in the possession of the king of Agim [Media.].

When Baal Chund returned from the war, Marage, in reward of his bravery, appointed him ruler of Malava. This general is said to have built the castles of Gualier and Biana, and to have first introduced music into Hindostan, from the Tilingas of the Decan, among whom it was invented.

The dynasty of the posterity of Marage lasted seven hundred years after the death of Krishen, when Keshrorage ascended the throne. This prince was also of the race of the Marages, and had fourteen brothers, whom on his accession he dispatch'd into different countries; while he himself taking the way of Calpic, went into the Decan, by the city of Gunduar, and directing his march towards Shingeldiep, reduced that country into obedience, and regulated its government. Soon after, the Zemindars of the Decan joining in confederacy, exalted the spear of enmity, and day by day gained strength, till at last they ventured to advance their standards against the king. Keshrorage, seeing the inequality of his force, began to treat about a peace, which he obtained, and began his retreat.

In the mean time, he sent presents to Minuchere, King of Iran, to demand assistance. Minuohere ordered Sham, the son of Nireman, with a great force, to his aid. Keshrorage met him at the town of Jillender, and received him with feasts and with joy. The confederate armies turned their standards towards the Decan, and the chiefs of the rebels began to be greatly affected with the terror of the troops of Iran. The regions of the Decan fell again into the hands of the King. When the country was settled in tranquillity, Keshrorage returned with his army to his capital of Oud, and from thence, accompanying Sham as far as Punjaab, dismiss'd him with presents to his prince Minuchere. Keshrorage returning home, spread the umbrella of justice over the head of his people, and gave them happiness, plenty and peace. His successors of the same name ruled Hindostan two hundred and twenty years, of whom we hear nothing remarkable, till Firose Ra ascended the throne of empire.

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Section V. Of the Reign of Firose Ra, and the Dissolution of the Dynasty of the Keshrorage.

FIROSE RA, being versed in the Indian sciences of the Shashter, took great delight in the society of learned men, and entirely neglected the art of war. He expended his revenues in charities to Fakeers, and in building temples for the worship of God. He made two journeys to the city of Bahar, to which he granted large endowments, and built the town of Moneer. Among the bad actions of his life is related, that on the death of Sham, the son of Nireman, who was a great general under Minuchere [King of Persia.], Afrasiab [King of Turan or Great Tartary. He was one of the greatest conquerors of the East.] having invaded the kingdom of Iran, Firose Ra ungratefully seiz'd the same opportunity to wrest the countries of Punjaab [The countries lying near the five heads of the Indus.] and Jallender from that prince, notwithstanding the generous assistance of Persia to his father, in recovering the kingdoms of the Decan. Some ancient authors relate, that till the reign of Keikubad, the territories of Punjaab were annexed to those of Hindostan: But when the hero of the world, Rustum Dista [Rustum Dista was King of Seistan, and for his great exploits he was reckoned the Hercules of the East.], gave grace to the throne of empire, he turned to the conquest of Punjaab; and Firose Ra unable to oppose his progress, withdrew his army to the mountains of Turhat. After Rustum had conquer'd Sind, Moultan and Punjaab, he advanced towards Turhat; and Firose Ra, in great terror, fled from thence to the mountains of Jarcund and Gundwarah; nor did he ever after see happiness, but gave up his soul to death. He is said to have reign'd one hundred and thirty-seven years, but this period must be understood, to include all the Kings who ruled under that name and title.

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Section VI. Of the Reign of Soorage; and the Dynasty of that Name.

WHEN the news of the death of Firose Ra reach'd the ears of Rustum, that hero, on account of his character and ingratitude to Minuchere, was not desirous that his son should succeed to his honours; he therefore placed a chief of the Hindoos, whose name was Soorage, upon the throne, and he himself returned to Iran. Soorage became a powerful prince, and from the sea of Bengal, to that of Malabar, placed his viceroys and governors, and turned his mind to erect magnificent edifices, and to improve agriculture.

In the reign of Soorage, a Brahmin from the mountains of Jarcund appear'd, who was skill'd in the arts of enchantment, and who, insinuating himself into the favour of the King, instructed him in the practices of idolatry. It is said, that Hind continued, in imitation of his father, to worship the true God, and that his descendants followed his example; till in the time of Marage, a person came from Iran, and introduced the worship of the sun, moon and stars, and their proper symbol the element of fire: But the Brahmin, in the days of Soorage, having introduced the worship of Idols, in a manner obliterated all traces of the old religion; for then, every great family molded their silver and gold into images of their fore fathers, and setting them up as objects of worship, among their vassals, there arose in the land, Gods without number.

Soorage built the city of Kinnoge, which he adorn'd with the temples of his Gods, and was intent upon the practice of idolatry. This city, being pleasantly situated on the banks of the Ganges, he constituted his capital; and it is said that the extent of the walls of Kinnoge was, at that time, fifty crores.

The dynasty of the Soorages lasted two hundred and eighty-six years, during which time, they sent annual presents, by way of tribute, to the Kings of Iran.

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Section VII. Of Barage.

OF the race of the Surage we hear nothing particular till the reign of Barage, who was the last of that family. When Barage mounted the throne of Hindostan, he enlarged the city of Barage, and dignified it with his own name. This city is situated to the north-west of Oud about forty crores, by the foot of the mountains. He is said to have wrote some books on the science of music, which were in great repute in antient times. We are also told, that he finished the city of Banaris, which his father had begun to build towards the latter end of his reign: But his disposition being somewhat tinctured with madness, he overturned the laws of Marage, which were founded on wisdom, and great disturbances arose in Hindostan.Keidar, a Brahmin, from the mountains of Sewali, having collected a great army, invaded him, and having in the end, entirely defeated the King, wielded the scepter of government in his own hand. The reign of Barage is said to have been thirty-six years.

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Section VIII. Of the Reign of Keidar the Brahmin.

WHEN Keidar the Brahmin had claspt the bride of royalty in his arms [A metaphorical expression for the empire.], being a man of learning and genius, he became a great King; but carrying the trappings of Kei Caous and Kei Chusero [Kei Caous and Kei-Chusero were Kings of Persia.] on his shoulders, he was constrained, by way of tribute, to send them annual gifts. This prince laid the foundation of the castle of Killinger, upon a high rock, about thirty crores south from Allahabad, and lived to see it compleatly finished. In the latter end of his reign, one Shinkol, a native of Kinnoge, having strengthened himself, took possession of Bang [The province of Bengal.] and Behar, where he had been governor; and leading a great army against Keidar, after many battles had been fought with various success, the fortune of Shinkol at length prevailed. The reign of Keidar was nineteen years.

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Section IX. Of the Reign of Shinkol and of his Son and Successor Rhoat.

WHEN Shinkol had ascended the throne, he exerted himself in the military art, and affected great magnificence. The city of Lucknouti, which is famous by the name of Goura, he rebuilt and beautified, with many noble structures: That city is said to have been the capital of Bang for the space of two thousand years, and was not destroyed till after the conquest of Timur, when Tanda became the seat of government in those parts.

Shinkol kept up a force of four thousand elephants of war, a hundred thousand horse, and four hundred thousand foot. When, therefore, Afrasiab [Afrasiab was a common title of the Kings of Persia of the Tartar race.], King of Iran, demanded his tribute, Shinkol, confiding in his own strength, refused to make any acknowledgment, but turned away the Persian ambassador with disgrace. Afrasiab being enraged at this treatment, one of his generals, whose name was Peiran, was commanded to march against Shinkol with fifty thousand chosen troops. When intelligence of this invasion came to Shinkol, he exalted the spear of defiance, and raising a great army, marched forth to meet him.

The two armies came in sight of each other near the hills of Koge, which are in the country of Koracut, on the frontiers of Bengala. The battle soon begun, and it lasted two days and two nights, without victory declaring on either side. The Turks [The word Turk signifies no more than a soldier in the Persian language, so that all their troops went by that name; Turks in this place must be understood of those whom we call Tartars.], doing justice to their former fame, had by this time laid fifty thousand of the Hindoos upon the field; yet, on account of the number of the enemy, the harvest seemed not to decrease before them: In the mean time, eighteen thousand of the smaller army being slain, a weakness appeared distinctly on the face of their affairs. However, urged as they were, they made a third attempt, and finding themselves overcome, they sought as they retreated to the mountains; there they took possession of a strong post, from which it was impossible to drive them: From this post, they continued with small parties, to harrass the neighbouring country, and in the mean time, dispatched letters to Afrasiab, giving him an account of their situation.

Afrasiab was at that time in the city of Gingdis, which is situated between Chitta and Chin, and about a month's journey beyond the city of Balich. When he received intelligence of the situation of Peiran, he hastened to his relief with a hundred thousand horse, and came just in time to save him from destruction; for Shinkol had so closely invested him with a numerous army, that in a few days more he must have perished with famine, or submitted himself to the mercy of an enraged enemy. Afrasiab without delay assaulted Shinkol; the terrified Hindoos, unable to stand the combat, were dispersed like straw before the storm, leaving their wealth and equipage behind. When Peiran was relieved from his distress, Afrasiab pursued the enemy, and put thousands of them to the sword. Shinkol himself hastened to Bang, and came to the city of Lucknouti, but being closely pursued by Afrasiab, he tarried there only one day, and then fled to the mountains of Turhat. The Turks ravaged the whole kingdom with fire and sword.

Afrasiab having received intelligence of Shinkol, he directed his march towards him. Shinkol immediately sent some of the wise men of his court to beg peace and forgiveness for his errors, soliciting that he might have the honour to kiss the foot of the lord of nations. Afrasiab yielded to his intreaties, and Shinkol, with a sword and a coffin, was brought into his presence. It was agreed between the kings that Shinkol should accompany Afrasiab to Turan, and that his son should have the empire restored to him upon condition of paying an annual tribute. Thus Shinkol continued to attend Afrasiab, who returned to his own dominions, till in one of the battles with Rustum [Rustum seems to be a name common to all the Kings of Siestan.] he was slain by that hero's sword.

Shinkol is said to have reigned sixty-four years. His son Rhoat, who succeeded him in the throne, was a wise, religious and affable prince. The revenues of his empire, which extended from Kirmi to Malava, he divided into three parts; one of which he expended in charities, another he sent to Afrasiab for his tribute, in which there was a large surplus for the use of his father; and the other third was appropriated to the necessary expences of his government. His standing army upon this account was small, which induced the king of Malava, who was rich and powerful, to withdraw his neck from the yoke of obedience, and to seize upon the castle of Gualier, at the time that Raja Rhoat was busy in building the strong hold of Rhotas, which still goes by his name. When intelligence was brought to the King of the loss of Gualier, he assembled an army and led them against the Raja of Malava, but was forced to retreat. After Rhoat and his race had reigned eighty-one years, they went the way of their fathers, and having left no children to assume the ensigns of royalty, there arose great disturbances in the city of Kinnoge. A nobleman whose name was Merage, from the Rajaput tribe of Cutchwa, assumed at last the dignities of the empire. This prince we are told was a native of Marwar.

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Section X. Of the Reign of Merage.

AFTER Merage had firmly established himself upon the throne, he led an army towards Narval [Guzerat.], and punished the disobedient Zemindars of that country. Having built a port on the shores of the Salt Sea, he there constructed ships of wonderful invention to trade into foreign lands, and having settled the country in peace, returned to his capital, where he died, after a reign of forty years. He was cotemporary with Gustasp, Emperor of Turkistan [Hystaspes, the father of Darius Hystaspes, King of Persia. It is remarkable, that the chronology of the Hindoos agrees almost exactly with Sir Isaac Newton. Newton fixes the commencement of the reign of Darius in the 521st year before Christ; so that if we suppose that Hystaspes made a figure in Turkestan twenty five years before the accession of his son to the throne of Persia, which is no ways improbable, the chronology of Hindostan agrees perfectly with that which Newton has established.], to whom he paid tribute.

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Section XI. Of the Reign of Kederage.

KEDERAGE was nephew, by a sister, to the former King, and nominated by him for his successor. Rustum Dista the second being slain, and the ruler of Punjaab being a weak man, Kederage led an army that way, conquered it without much difficulty, and remained some time in Bhera, which is an ancient city. He built the fort of Jimbu, situated about forty crores from Lahore, on a mountain: then leaving one of his kinsmen, whose name was Wirick, to govern the country, he returned to his capital. But some time after two tribes of mountaineers, the Gickers and Joppies, collecting all the troops of Cabul and Kandahar, advanced against Kederage, and recovered all those territories, from which time these people have kept possession of the mountains, and are now called Asgans. Kederage reigned forty three years.