than that of the body of the epic
(completed in the sixth or seventh century, Buehler, _Indian
Studies_, No. ii.). The dramatic and astronomical era was
but introductory to Kum[=a]rila's reassertion of Brahmanism
in the seventh century, when the Northern barbarian was
gone, and the Mohammedan was not yet rampant. In the rest of
Northern India there were several native dynasties in
different quarters, with different eras; one in Sur[=a]shtra
(Gujar[=a]t), one again in the 'middle district' or 'North
Western Provinces,' one in Kutch; overthrown by Northern
barbarians (in the fifth century) and by the Mohammedans (in
the seventh and eighth centuries), respectively. Of these
the Guptas of the 'middle district,' and the Valabh[=i]s of
Kutch, had neither of the eras just mentioned. The former
dated from 320-321 (perhaps 319), the latter from 190
(A.D.). The word _samvat_, 'year,' indicates that the time
is dated from either the Caka or Vikram[=a]ditya era. See
IA. xvii. 362; Fergusson, JRAS. xii. 259; Mueller, _India,
What Can It Teach Us_? p. 282; Kielhorn, IA. xix. _24;_
xxii. 111. The Northern barbarians are called Scythians, or
Huns, or Turanians, according to fancy. No one really knows
what they were.]

[Footnote 6: The first host was expelled by the Hindus in
750. After a period of rest Mahmud was crowned in 997, who
overran India more than a dozen times. In the following
centuries the land was conquered and the people crushed by
the second great Mohammedan, Ghori, who died in 1206,
leaving his kingdom to a vassal, Kutab, the 'slave sultan'
of Delhi. In 1294, thus slave dynasty having been recently
supplanted, the new successor to the throne was slain by his
own nephew, Allah-ud-din, who is reckoned as the third
Mohammedan conqueror of India. His successor swept even the
Dekhan of all its Hindu (temple) wealth; but his empire
finally broke down under its own size; preparing the way for
Timur (Tamerlane), who entered India in 1398.]

[Footnote 7: Cankara himself was not a pure Brahman. Both
Vishnuites and Civaites lay claim to him.]

[Footnote 8: Coy as was the Brahman in the adoption of the
new gods he was wise enough to give them some place in his
pantheon, or he would have offended his laity. Thus he
recognizes K[=a