AL MAS’U′DI′.
which form the subject of their labours.”[1] The date of his birth is not known, but he died in Egypt in 345 A.H. (956 A.D.)
The first part of the complete text, with a translation into French, has since been published by MM. Barbier de Meynard and Pavet de Courteille (Paris, 1851). Both these works have been used in the preparation of the following extracts:—
EXTRACTS.
CHAPTER VII.—Mas’údí begins this chapter by stating it to be the general opinion that India was the portion, of the earth in which order and wisdom prevailed in distant ages. The Indians gave themselves a king, Brahma the Great, who reigned 366 years, and in whose times the book Sindhind [Siddhánta] and Arjabahad [Áryabhatta] were composed. His descendants have retained to our days the name of Brahmans. They are honoured by Indians as forming the most noble and illustrious caste. They do not eat the flesh of any animal, and both men and women wear yellow threads suspended round their necks, like a baldrick, to distinguish them from the other castes of India. He was succeeded by his eldest son Bahbúd, who reigned 100 years. After him came Zámán [Ráma?], who reigned nearly 50 years. He was succeeded by Por [Porus], who gave battle to Alexander, and was killed by that prince in single combat, after reigning 140 years. After him came Dabshalim, the author of “Kalila wa Dimna”, who reigned 110 years. Balhit, the next king, reigned 80 years, but according to other manuscripts, 130 years. He was succeeded by Koresh [Harsha?], who abandoned the doctrines of the past, and introduced into India new religious ideas more suited to the requirements of the time, and more in consonance with the tendencies of his contemporaries◌◌◌He died after a reign of 120 years. At his death discord arose among the Indians, and they broke up into divers nations and tribes, each country having a chief of its own. Thus were formed the kingdoms of Sind, Kanauj, and Kashmir The city of Mánkír, which was the great centre of India, submitted
- ↑ [Sprenger’s Mas’údí, Preface.]
