Table of Contents

Preface

Part One
Origins
1 The First Civilization: The Proto-Australoids
2 The Second Civilization: The Dravidians
3 The Third Civilization: The Aryans

Part Two
The Beginnings of History
4 The Sources
5 Buddhism and the Empire of Magadha
6 The Iranian and Greek Invasions

Part Three
The Great Empires
7 The Maurya Empire
8 The Shungas and the Kanvas
9 The Romans, Scythians, and Parthians
10 The Andhra Empire
11 The Golden Age of the Guptas (300-600 c.e.)
12 The Deccan Kingdoms (Third to Sixth Centuries)
13 The Vardhamanas (Sixth to Seventh Century)

Part Four
The Medieval Period (Eighth to Twelfth Centuries)
14 The Eastern and Southern Kingdoms
15 The Rajputs (Ninth to Twelfth Centuries)
16 Colonial Expansion

Part Five
Muslim Domination
17 The Arabs, Turks, and Afghans
18 The Vijayanagar Empire
19 The Mogul Empire

Part Six
The Europeans in India
20 The Pioneers
21 The British East India Company
22 Anglo-French Conflicts
23 The Growth of British Power
24 The End of the Empire and Independence

Part Seven
India after Independence
25 Congress and the Nehru "Dynasty"
26 Pakistan
27 National Challenges

Editor's Note: Subsequent Developments 1983-2002

Chronological Table

Bibliography

Index

About the Author

Alain Daniélou (1907-1994) spent 20 years in India studying music and philosophy with eminent scholars of the Hindu tradition. He is the author of more than 30 books on the religion, history, and arts of India and the Mediterranean, including The Myths and Gods of Indiaand The Hindu Temple, and is the translator of The Complete Kama Sutra.

Reviews

"Our debt to Daniélou's scholarship and humanity is immeasurable."
*The Times Literary Supplement*

"A synthesis of events and a survey of the development of India's civilization, social system, and diversity of cultures."
*The Midwest Book Review, December 2003, Vol. 11 No. 12*

“Alain Daniélou is the foremost living interpreter of Hinduism. His books are remarkable for their clarity and scholarship.”
*Interview Magazine*

"This work is recommended for all libraries."
*Library Journal, February 1, 2003*