Hinduism: A Short History (58 page)
Read Hinduism: A Short History Online
Authors: Klaus K. Klostermaier
Hanvaṃśa Purāṇa, AUrbudhnya Saṃhitā.
Age of Kālīdasa, the greatest Indian dramatist. Spread of Vaiṣṇavism, especially Kṛṣṇa cult. Beginning of Tāntricism.
Age of Kālīdasa, the greatest Indian dramatist. Spread of Vaiṣṇavism, especially Kṛṣṇa cult. Beginning of Tāntricism.
c.
400–500
400–500
Vyāsa’s
Yoga-bhāṣya.
Yoga-bhāṣya.
c.
450–500
450–500
Huna invasions.
c.
500
500
Devī-māhātmaya
(in
Mārkaṇḍeya Pūraṇa).
Spread of Śāktism into larger āreas.
(in
Mārkaṇḍeya Pūraṇa).
Spread of Śāktism into larger āreas.
c.
500–800
500–800
Álvārs; composition of
Kūrma Purāṇa.
Kūrma Purāṇa.
547
Kosmas Indikopleustes travels to India
c.
600–650
600–650
Poet Bana, author of
Kādambarī
and
Harṣacarita.
Kādambarī
and
Harṣacarita.
c.
600–800
600–800
Peak of Pāñcarātra Vaiṣṇavism.
c.
600–900
600–900
Late (metrical) smrtó; composition of
Agni
and Garuḍa Pūrāṇa.
Agni
and Garuḍa Pūrāṇa.
after 600
Strong development of Vedānta.
c.
600–800
600–800
Brahmanical renaissance; successful fight against strongly tantric Buddhism.
c.
640
640
King Harsa of Kanauj sends embassy to China.
c.
650–1200
650–1200
Several independent kingdoms in Western, Central, East and South India.
c.
650–700
650–700
Life of Kumārila Bhaṭṭa and Manikavācaka.
since
c
.700
c
.700
Prevalence of
bhakti
religions.
bhakti
religions.
c.
700–750
700–750
Gaudapāda, author of a
kārikā
on the
Māṇḍukya Upaniṣad
and
prācārya
of Saṅkarācārya.
kārikā
on the
Māṇḍukya Upaniṣad
and
prācārya
of Saṅkarācārya.
since
c
.700
c
.700
Flourishing of Kāśmīr Śaivism.
c.
788–820
788–820
Life of Saṅkarācārya.
c.
800–900
800–900
Composition of the
Bhāgavata Purāṇa
in its present form;
Śūkra-ṇiti-sāra.
Bhāgavata Purāṇa
in its present form;
Śūkra-ṇiti-sāra.
c.
800–1250
800–1250
Cola dynasty in Tamilnadu.
c.
825–900
825–900
Medathiti, writer of a commentary on
Manusmṛti.
Manusmṛti.
c.
900
900
Udāyana’s
Nyāyakusumañjalī.
Nyāyakusumañjalī.
c.
900–1100
900–1100
Śiva Purāṇa;
Saivite Tāntricism in Indonesia.
Saivite Tāntricism in Indonesia.
c.
900–1100
900–1100
Composition of
Yogavasistharāmāyaṇa
and
Bhaktisūtra.
Yogavasistharāmāyaṇa
and
Bhaktisūtra.
999–1026
Mahmud of Ghazni repeatedly raids northwestern India.
1026
Muslims loot temple of Somnath.
1017–1137
Life of Rāmānuja.
c.
1100
1100
Buddhism virtually extinct in India; life of Abhinavagupta; composition of Hindu Tantra.
c.
1100–1400
1100–1400
Composition of
Sākta Upaniṣads;
rise of Vīrasāivism in South India.
Sākta Upaniṣads;
rise of Vīrasāivism in South India.
c.
1150–1160
1150–1160
Kalhana’s
Rājatarāṅginī.
Rājatarāṅginī.
c.
1150
1150
Śrīkaṇṭha-bhāṣya;
building of Jagannath Temple at Puri.
building of Jagannath Temple at Puri.
c.
1197–1276
1197–1276
Life of Madhvācārya.
c.
1200–1250
1200–1250
Life of Viṣṇusvami.
1205–1300
Life of Lokācārya Pillai.
c
. 1250
. 1250
Beginning of
Śaiva-siddhānta;
building of Sun Temple in Koṇārāka.
Śaiva-siddhānta;
building of Sun Temple in Koṇārāka.
1211–1236
Reign of Iltutmish, first Sultān of Delhi; beginning of Muslim rule over large parts of India.
c.
1216–1327
1216–1327
Rule of Pāndyas at Madurai; foundation of Mināksī and Śiva Temple of Madurai.
1269–1370
Life of Vedanta Deśika.
c.
1275–1675
1275–1675
Jñānesvara of Mahārāṣṭra and other
bhakti
mystics.
bhakti
mystics.
1288
Marco Polo at Kalyan
c.
1300–1386
1300–1386
Life of Sāyaṇa, famous commentator of the Vedic
Samhitās
and
Brāhmaṇas.
Samhitās
and
Brāhmaṇas.
1327
Muslims loot temple at Śrīrañgam.
c.
1333
1333
Ibn Battuta’s travels in India.
c.
1340
1340
Life of Mādhava, author of
Sarvadarśanasañgraha
and
Pañcadaśī.
Sarvadarśanasañgraha
and
Pañcadaśī.
1336–1565
Kingdom of Vijayanagara, last Hindú empire in India as far as Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
c.
1350–1610
1350–1610
Vīrasāivism state religión of Mysore.
c.
1350–1650
1350–1650
Composition of many works of the Pūrvamīmāṃsakas.
1365–98
Life of Jāyatīrtha.
c.
1400–1470
1400–1470
Life of Rāmānanda.
c.
1420
1420
Life of Mīrābāī.
1440–1518
Life of Kabīr.
c.
1449–1568
1449–1568
Life of Sañkaradeva, great Vaiṣṇava preacher in Assam.
c.
1475–1531
1475–1531
Life of Vallabha.
c.
1469
1469
Birth of Gurū Nanak, founder of Sikhism.
1478–1539
Life of Vyāsarāya.
c.
1485–1533
1485–1533
Life of Caitanya.
1479–1584
Life of Sūrdās.
1498
Vasco da Gama, after having rounded the Cape of Good Hope, lands on the Malabar coast.
c.
1500
1500
Composition of
Adhyātma Rāmāyaṇa
and of Sādānanda’s
Vedānta-sāra.
Adhyātma Rāmāyaṇa
and of Sādānanda’s
Vedānta-sāra.
c.
1500–1800
1500–1800
Peak of Durgā worship in Bengal.
c.
1550
1550
Life of Brahmānanda Giri, author of a famous commentary on Śañkara’s
Śarīraka-bhāṣya.
Śarīraka-bhāṣya.
1510
Portuguese occupy Goa.
c.
1526–1757
1526–1757
Moghul rule in India, destruction of most Hindu temples in North and Central India.
1511–1637
Life of tulasīdāsa.
c.
1542
1542
The Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier lands in Goa.
c.
1548–1598
1548–1598
Life of Ekanātha.
1580
Akbar the Great invites some Jesuit missionaries from Goa to his court for religious discussions.
c.
1585
1585
Life of Hit Harivaṃśa, founder of the Rādhā-Vallabhis.
1608–1649
Life of Tukārāma.
1608–1681
Life of Rāmdās.
1610–1640
Composition of MitraMiśra’s
Vīramitrodaya,
famous digests of the
dharma-sāstras.
Vīramitrodaya,
famous digests of the
dharma-sāstras.
c.
1630
1630
Composition of Śrīnivāsadāsa’s
Yatīndramatadīpikā.
Yatīndramatadīpikā.
1631
Death of Mumtaz, in whose honor Shah Jahan built the famous Taj Mahal at Agrā.
1651
The East India Company opens first factory on the Hugli (Bengal).
1657
Darā Shikoh translates the Upaniṣads into Persian.
1661
Bombay becomes a British possession.
1664
Śivāji declares himself king of Mahārāṣṭra.
1675
Foundation of the French colony of Pondichéry.
c.
1700–1800
1700–1800
Life of Nagojibhaṭṭa, author of numerous works on grammar,
dharma-śāstra,
yoga, etc.
dharma-śāstra,
yoga, etc.
1690
Foundation of Calcutta through East India Company (Fort St. George).
c.
1700–1800
1700–1800
Life of Baladeva, author of
Govinda-bhāṣya.
Govinda-bhāṣya.
c.
1750
1750
Composition of the (reformist)
Mahānirvāna-tantra.
Mahānirvāna-tantra.
1757
Battle of Plassey; Clive is master of India.
1784
Asiatic Society founded in Calcutta by Sir William Jones.
1791
Foundation of Bañaras Sanskrit College.
1818
Defeat of the last Maratha Peshwa.
1828
Rām Mohān Roy founds Brahmo Samāj.
1829
Law against
Satī.
Satī.
1829–1837
Suppression of the
thags.
thags.
1834–1886
Life of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
1835
Introduction of English school system in India.
1842–1901
Life of M.D. Ranade, great social reformer
1857
The so-called Mutiny (“First Indian War of Independence” in more recent history books).
1858
The British Crown takes over the administration of India from the East India Company.
1875
Foundation of
Árya Samāj
by Swāmi Dāyānanda Sārasvatī.
Árya Samāj
by Swāmi Dāyānanda Sārasvatī.
1885
Foundation of
Indian National Congress
in Bombay.
Indian National Congress
in Bombay.
1909
Foundation of Hindū Mahāsabhā by Pandit Mohān Malaviya.
1913
Nobel prize in literature for Rabindranath Tagore.
1920
Mahatma Gandhi begins first All-India Civil Disobedience Movement.
1925
Foundation of
Rāstriā Svayamsevak Sangh.
Rāstriā Svayamsevak Sangh.
1947
Partition of India and creation of the Indian Union and Pakistān as independent nations.
1948
Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Foundation of
Rām Rājya Pariṣad.
Pandit Nehru Prime Minister of the Indian Union. Śri Cakravarti Rajagopalacari appointed Governor General.
Rām Rājya Pariṣad.
Pandit Nehru Prime Minister of the Indian Union. Śri Cakravarti Rajagopalacari appointed Governor General.
1950
India declared a Republic within the Commonwealth. Acceptance of the Constitution. Death of Śrī Aurobindo Ghose and Ramana Maharsi.
1951
Inauguration of the
Bhūdān
movement by Vinoba Bhave, Gandhi’s successor. Foundation of the
Bhāratīya Jana Sangh.
Bhūdān
movement by Vinoba Bhave, Gandhi’s successor. Foundation of the
Bhāratīya Jana Sangh.
1955
The Hindu Marriage Act passed in parliament.
1956
Reorganization of states (provinces) according to linguistic principies.
1961
Goa, Damao and Diu, Portuguese colonies in India, liberated in a military action.
1962
Dr. Rajendra Prasād, the first Presiden! of the Republic of India (since 1950), dies. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Vice-President, succeeds him.
1964
Death of Jawaharlal Nehru. Lal Bahadur Sastri succeeds as Prime Minister. Foundation of Viśva Hindū Pariṣad (VHP).
1965
Conflict with Pakistān (West). Indira Gandhi succeeds as Prime Minister.
1984
Sikh agitation for an independent Khalistan. Central Government forcefully evicts Sikh extremists from Golden Temple in Amritsar/Punjab. Indira Gandhi assassinated by two of her Sikh guards.
1985
Rajiv Gandhi, Indira’s oldest son, elected Prime Minister.
1991
Rajiv Gandhi assassinated by Tamil extremist.
1992
Hindu agitation on behalf of temple on Rāma’s presumed birthplace in Ayodhyā culminating in destruction of Babri-Masjid and major riots in many Indian cities.
1998
Electoral victory of Hindu parties: establishment of a Bhāratīya Janatā Party minority government. India detonates nuclear devīces. Celebration of Kumbhamelā at Hardwar with several million pilgrims attending.
1999
Bḥāratīya Janatā Party wins majority in new elections.
NOTES
1.
The present text of the
Ṛgveda
is a later redaction of an earlier collection of hymns that probably were not focused on Indra as much as the more recent version. See A. Esteller, “The Quest for the Original Rgveda” in ABORI 48/1 (1969) pp. 1–40 and “The Rgveda Saṃhitā as a ‘Palimpsest’” in
Indian Antiquary
(3rd Series) 4/1 (January 1967) pp. 1–23 and also R. N. Dandekar
“Vṛtraha Indra”
in ABORI 30/1 (1951) pp. 1–55.
2.
See W. S. Fairservis, “The Harappan Civilization and the Rgveda” in M. Witzel (ed.)
Inside the Texts,
pp. 61–8. The last page consists of a comparative table of traits attested in the Rgveda paralleled by archeological finds in the Indus civilization.
3.
The dates given below are those provided by A. D. Pusalker in the chapter “Historical Traditions” of
The Vedic Age
[Vol. I of
The History and Culture of the Indian People,
General editor R. C. Majumdar, Bombay: Bhāratiya Vidyā Bhavan, 1965; 4th impression] pp. 271–336.
GLOSSARY
abhaṅga
(Mahratti) devotional poem.
abhāva
nonperception (in the Nyāya-system); nonbeing (in the Vaiśeṣika-system).
abhaya
fearlessness; in iconology:
abhaya mudrā
is the hand pose of a deity, inspiring confidence and trust.
abhaya mudrā
is the hand pose of a deity, inspiring confidence and trust.
abhideya
conversion.
abhiniveśa
desire; in the
yoga
-system: instinctive craving for life.
yoga
-system: instinctive craving for life.
abhiṣeka
anointment, part of installation ceremony of a king and an image of the deity.
abhyāsa
exercise, practice, exertion.
ācamana
rinsing of mouth with water before worship and before meals.
acāra
immobile (used as an attribute of the Supreme Being).
ācāra
way of life; mode of behavior.
ācārya
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