w a blending of Hindu and Moslem ideas. But if Mohammedan
influence favoured the formation of corporations pledged to worship
one particular deity, it acted less by introducing something new than
by quickening a line of thought already existing. The Bhagavad-gita is
as complete an exposition of sectarian pantheism as any utterances
posterior to Mohammedanism.

The characteristic doctrine of sectarian Hinduism is _bhakti_, faith
or devotion. The older word _sraddha_, which is found in the Vedas, is
less emotional for it means simply belief in the existence of a deity,
whereas _bhakti_ can often be rendered by love. It is passionate,
self-oblivious devotion to a deity who in return (though many would
say there is no bartering) bestows his grace (_prasada_ or
_anugraha_). St. Augustine in defining faith says: "Quid est credere
in Deum? credendo amare, credendo diligere, credendo in eum ire, et
ejus membris incorporari."[425] This is an excellent paraphrase of
_bhakti_ and the words have an oriental ring which is not quite that
of the New Testament. Though the doctrine of _bhakti_ marks the
beginning of a new epoch in Hinduism it is not necessary to regard it
as an importation or due to Christianity. About the time of the
Christian era there was felt in many countries a craving for a gentler
and more emotional worship and though the history of Bhaktism is
obscure, Indian literature shows plainly how it may be a development
of native ideas. Its first great text-book is the Bhagavad-gita, but
it is also mentioned in the last verse of the Svetasvatara Upanishad
and Panini appears to allude to _bhakti_ felt for[426] Vasudeva. The
Katha Upanishad[427] contains the following passage:

"That Atman cannot be gained by the Veda, nor by understanding nor by
much learning. He whom the Atman chooses, by him the Atman can be
gained. The Atman chooses him as his own." Here we have not the idea
of faith or love, but we have the negative statement that the Atman is
not won by knowledge and the positive statement that this Atman
chooses his own. In the Rig Veda[428] there is a poem put into the
mouth of Vac or speech, containing such sentiments as "I give wealth
to him who gives sacrifice.... I am that through which one eats,
breathes, sees, and hears.... Him that I love I make strong, to be a
priest, a seer, a sage." This reads like an ancient preliminary study
for the Bhagavad-gita. Like Krishna the deity claims to be in all
and, like h