BENARES, THE SACRED CITY . markable discoveries made this year at Sarnath. They will, it is hoped, give some idea of the wonderful artistic wealth of Benares life, and at the same time be more instructive than those of ordinary books of travel. The authorities consulted include Sherring's Sacred City of the Hindus; The Life and Times of Sri Sankaracharya, by C. Krishnasami Aiyar; and the works of Barth, Beal, Sylvain Lévi, Rhys Davids, Monier Williams, Max Müller, Taylor, and many others. My acknowledgments are due to Messrs. E. J. Lazarus & Co., of Benares, for permission to use Mr. Ralph Griffiths' translation of the Rig Veda; and to Messrs. Soin Brothers, Calcutta, for extracts from Pandit Tattvabhushan's translations of the Upanishads. I am indebted to H.H. the Maharajah of Benares and staff for much courteous assistance; and to Babus Abanindro Nath Tagore, Dinesh Chandra Sen, and other Indian friends for valuable information. Mr. J. H. Marshall, Director-General of the Archæological Survey of India, Dr. Vogel, Messrs. Johnstone & Hoffman, Calcutta, and Messrs. Saeed Bros., Benares, have kindly helped me with some of the illustrations. ure E. B. HAVELL CALCUTTA, October, 1905. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. IN THE VEDIC TIMES- The Kâsis — The Vedic hymns -- The Upanishads -- The CHAPTER II. THE HINDU EPICS-HERO-WORSHIP- Vasishtha and Vishwamitra-- The caste system—The preser- CHAPTER III. THE ADVENT OF BUDDHA-SARNATH AND THE 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 The sacrificial virtue of the city and cnvirons—The up-to-date Indian's transforination-- The cantonment-Streets--Symbol- CONTENTS Page CHAPTER XI. REMAINS OF OLD BEXARES-A HINDU-NUHAN. MADAN RIOT-A WEAVERS COLONY The study of Indian sculpture and painting-Miniature stone CHAPTER XII. BENARES UNDER BRITISH RULE Chet Singh and Warren Hastings—The murder of Mr. Cherry 210 |