History of Ancient India (Hardcover) | Released: 2008

Ancient History of India from the very beginning to Twelve hundred A.D. It has been written in a simple and lucid style. Controversial matters have been dealt with in such a way that scientific and objective conclusions may be drawn. The book has been planned as an ideal textbook for the students and a reference book for the teachers.

Table of Contents:
Section A 1. Physical Features of India Importance of the Himalayas — The great Northern Plain — The great Deccan Plateau — Factors showing Diversity — Unity amids diversity — Points to Remember. 2. Sources of Early Indian History and its Reconstitution Difficulties pertaining to the historical sources — Sources of information of Ancient History — Internal sources of Ancient Indian History — Foreign sources of Ancient Indian History — Archaeological Sources — Old Buildings, Monuments and Works of Art — Contemporary Historical Writings — Greek Accounts — The Chinese Accounts — Conclusion — Some Important Puranas — Date of the Puranas — Historical importance of the Puranas — Shortcoming of the Puranas — Historical Importance of Inscriptions — Points to Remember. 3. Indus Valley Culture The old stone age — Neolithic Age or the New Stone Age — The Age of Metals — The Dravidians — Date of Indus Valley — People of Indus Civilization — Town Planning and Structures — The Drainage System — The People — Agriculture — Food — Ornaments — Household Articles — Animals Known — Art and Architecture — Economic Life of the People — Special features of the Religion of Indus Civilization — Differences between Indus Valley Culture and the Aryan Civilization — Causes of disappearance of Indus valley civilization — Points to Remember. 4. Indo-Aryans Who were the Aryans — Original home of the Aryans Sapt Sindhu Theory —Arctic Region Theory — The Tibetan Theory — The Austro-Hungarian Theory — The Central Asian Theory — Most Acceptable Theory Spread of Aryans in India — Social Life of the Aryans — Economic Life — Religious Life — Political Life — Points to Remember. 5. The Vedic Literature Early Vedic Literature — Later Vedic Literature — The Epics — Mahabharata — The story in Brief — Historical value of the Epics — Political Life — Social Life — Economic Life — Religious Life — Points of Similarity — Points of Dissimilarity between early and later vedic civilization — Meaning of caste system — Growth of caste system and its basic causes — Merits of the caste system — Demerits of Caste system — Points to Remember. 6. Jainism and Buddhism Religious Movement — Origin of Jainism — Life of Lord Mahavir — Main Teachings of Jainism — Effects of Jainism — Causes of Disappearance of Jainism — Gautam's Early Life — His teachings — Ideal life and magnetic personality of Buddha — Favourable Environments — Appeal to Reason — Simple Teachings — Simple Language — Stress on Character — Royal Support — No Caste System — Organisation of the Sangha — Buddhist Councils — No Opposition — Nirvana theory — Karma theory — Emphasis on morality — Toleration — No faith in Idol worship in the beginning — Differences — Different Views about Vedas and Sanskrit — Hinsa and Yajnas — Caste system — Presence of God — Buddhist Sangha — Status of the Brahman — Knowledge and Action — Buddhism as a reform religion — Teachings of Buddha — Organisation of the Sanghas — Qualities of a Bhikshu — Buddhist Councils — Split in Buddhism — Idol worship — Faith and Reason — Language — Rituals — Aim of Life — The Buddhist Literature — Why did Buddhism lose its hold in India — Political Effects — Religious Effects — Social Effects Cultural Effects — Points to Remember. 7. Ancient Indian Republics (650—325 B.C.) Mahajanpads — Kashi — Kosala — Avanti — Vatsa —Magadha Bimbisara (547—495 B.C.) — Ajat Satru (495 — 462 B.C.) — Successors of Ajat Satru (462— 345 B.C.) — Nanda Dynasty (345 to 322 B.C.) — Ancient Indian Republics (650 — 325 B.C.) Administrative machinery of the Republics — Decline of the Republics and its Causes — Points to Remember. 8. Persian and Greek Invasions India and Iran — Cyrus — Darius I — Xerxes — Influence of Persian contact with India — India on the Eve of Alexander's invasion — The Paurva or the kingdom of Porus — Gandharis — The Kathoi — The Magadhian Empire — Social Conditions — Economic Conditions — Religious Conditions — Alexander's Army — Alexander's cautious advance Eastward — Aspasioi defeated — Nysa — Defeat of the Assakenoi — Taxila and Abhisara — Porus — Alexander and Porus face each other — Alexander's march up to the Beas — Alexander's Return — Causes Responsible for the defeat of the Indians — Effects of Alexander's invasion — Points to Remember. 9. The Rise of Mauryas Accounts of Greek writers — Kautilya's Arthshastra — Mudrakshasha — Inscriptions — Puranas — Jain — Tradition — Buddhist Tradition — Work of Art and Monuments — Characteristics of Mauryan Age — Who were Mauryas — Administration — Imperial Government — About the ministers — Provincial —Administration Espionage System — About shipping — About the economic condition of the people — Military organisation — About the Imperial Government — About Provincial Administration — About Municipal Administration — About the Capital Pataliputra — About the Civil Administration — About the Laws — About the Rural Government — About Penal Code —About Sources of Income — About the Indian Society — Ancestry of Chandra Gupta Maurya — Early Career — Destruction of Nanda Power — Conquests — War with Selukas — Other conquests and extent of Chandra Gupta's Empire — Administration of Chandra Gupta Maurya — A Civil Administration — Provincial Administration — Municipal Administration — Military Organisation — Penal Code — Sources of Income and Expenditure — Judicial System — Spy system — Character of Chandra Gupta Maurya — Points to Remember. 10. Asoka (273 — 232 B.C.) Asoka's accession and early career — Early Life — The Kalinga war — Asoka's Place in History — Asoka's Administration — Reforms introduced — Asoka's Dharma — Main Principles of Asoka's Dharma — Measures for Promotion of Buddhism — The Inscriptions of Asoka and a unique collection of documents — The Rock Edicts — The Pillar Edicts — Cave Inscriptions — Historical value of Asoka's Inscriptions — Art — Education — Literature — Great Regard for Human Life — Asoka's Dharama a true Universal Religion — Religious Toleration — Best type of Administration — Peace and Prosperity — Progress of Art and Education — All round Development — Kindness to Men, Birds and Beasts — Weak successors of Asoka — Revolt in the outlying Provinces — Decline of the Military Power of the Mauryas — Grant of Independent powers to the Governors — Asoka's Buddhist Preachings — The Brahmanical Hostility — The Indo-Greek Invasions — Mauryan Despotism — Points to Remember. 11. The Sungas, Kanvas and the Andhras (185 B.C. to 225 A.D.) Who was the Sungas ? — Pushyamitra Sunga — War with Vidarbh — War with Kalinga — Asvamedha Yajna — Successor of Pusyamitra — Importance of the Sunga Period — Vasudeva — Absence of Political Events — Progress of Vedic Religion under Kanvas — Downfall of Magadha Empire and Kanva Dynasty — The Andhras or Satavahanas — Important Rulers of the Andhras — Satkarni — Gautamiputra Satkarni — Pulumayi — Yagya Shri Satkarni — India under the Andhras — Religious Conditions — Art and Literature — Points to Remember. 12. The Indo-Greeks and the Sakas Kingdom of Bactria — Demetrius — Manander — Antialkidas — Results of the Greek Contact — Indo-Parthians — The Sakas — Sources of Information — Saka Kings — Northern Satraps — Satraps Mathura — Western Satraps — The Satraps of Ujjain — Rudradaman — Decline of the Saka Power — Points to Remember. 13. The Kushan Empire Who were Kushans — Kajala Kadphises I — Kadphises II — Kanishka — His Conquests — Extent of Kanishka's Empire — Administration of Kanishka — Kanishka and Buddhism — The Buddhist Council — Rise of Mahayana — The Gandhara Art — Kanishka's Court His Death — Character and Estimate of Kanishka — Comparison between Kanishka and Asoka — Mahayana — Main Principles of Mahayana faith — Chief characteristics of the Gandhara School of Art — Points to Remember. SECTION B 14. The Rise and Growth of the Gupta Empire Sources of Information of the History of the Gupta period — Naga Kings — Samudragupta — Asvamedha Yajna — Relations with Foreign Powers — His Southern Expeditions — Extent of his Empire — Patron of Hinduism — Fine Arts — Estimate of Samudragupta — Fahein — System of Administration — Judicial System — Economic Life — Social Conditions — Pataliputra and other cities — Indian Shipping and Overseas Relations — Art — Early Life — Conquests — His Character — Iron Pillar Inscription at Mahrauli — Kalidas — Skanda Gupta — Vikramaditya of the Legends — Gupta Period — The Golden Age — Weak Successors— No Definite Law of Succession — Rise of Pushyamitras — Conversion of some of the Guptaemperors to Buddhism — Rise of Yashodhaman — Other Revolts — The Invasions of the Huns — Financial — Difficulties— Weakness of the Army — The Vastness of the Empire — Weakness of the Frontier Defence — Division of the Empire — Hindu Renaissance — Irruption of the Huns — The Maukharis — The Vallabhi Dynasty — Points to Remember. SECTION C 15. Harshvardhan and his Times The House of Thanesar — Achievements — Hieun Tsang's Account of India —Nalanda University —Points to Remember. 16. The Rajput Period (650 to 1200 A.D.) Rise of the Rajputs — Origin of the Rajputs Post-Harsha Northern India — Causes of the failure of the Rajputs — Political condition — Social condition — Position of Women — Character of the people — Marriages — Religious conditions — Art and Literature — Education — Painting and Music — Origin of Pratiharas — Famous Rulers of Pratihara Dynasty — Mihir Bhoja — Importance of the Pratihara Empire in the History of India — The Chauhans and their achievements — Chahumanas or Chauhans — Vigraha Raja — Prithviraja (Rai Pithora) — Causes of the Downfall of Chauhans — Origin of Gaharwar — Chandela Dynasty — Kalachuri Dynasty — Sens Dynasty Rise of the Pala Dynasty — New Hinduism —Points to Remember. 17. Kingdoms of South India Who were the Pallavas — Beginnings of Pallava Power — The Great Pallavas — Civilization and culture under the Pallavas — Religious Condition — Literature — Pallava Art — Early Chalukyas — Chalukyas of Kalyani — Conflict between the Pallavas and the Chalukyas — Civilization and culture of the Chalukyas — Origin of Cholas — The Chola Administration and Art — The Cholas as Builders — Genealogies — Points to Remember. 18. The Kingdoms of the South (Contd.) The Rashtrakutas — The Pandyas — The Chola Administration — The Chola Art and Literature — Contribution of the South to Indian Culture — Points to Remember. 19. Greater India Greater India — Buddhism and India's Contacts with the Asian Countries — Objectives of Hindu Colonization — Spread of Indian Culture to South-East Asia — Spread of Ancient Indian Culture outside India without Colonisation — Points to Remember. 20. Indian Civilization and Culture Difficulties — Administrative set up in the Hindu Period — Kingship in Ancient India — Checks on Royal Power — Social Life in Hindu Period — The Position of Women — General Condition of the people — Prehistoric period — Mauryan period — Stupas — Gupta Period — Monuments at Mathura — The Gandhara school — Stupas in the South. 21. Muslim Invaders (India upto 1206 A.D.) Mahmud Ghaznavi and Mohammad Ghori The Rise of Islam — Kingdom of the Northern India Kingdoms of the South — Advent of the Muslims in India — Subuktigin — Sultan Mahmud — His Character and Aim — Mahmud's Indian Invasions — The Sixth Expedition — Patriotism of the Shahiya Kings — Raids on Kanauj and Mathura — Expedition against the Chandela King — Saik of Somnath — An estimate of Sultan Mahmud — Political Condition of India — The house of Ghor — Historical sense of Early Indians — Republics in Ancient India — Indian Colonies in Central Asia — The Sailendra's Empire — The Mandsaur Inscription of Kumar Gupta — Lyitadity Periplyrs of the Erytheans sea — Position Civilization to Aryan Civilization — The age of Puranas —Arthshastra.