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(301 ancient cultures of their subjects which the Brāhmaṇa priests readily and heartily gave. Brāhmaṇism could not much help its own feudalism in later times but it extended all help to the feudal forces, local or foreign that it could. It whole-heartedly cemented the foreign capitalist forces. It had no chance to help the local capitalism as it never grew independently of the foreign capitalism. It grew only as a stooge of foreign capital, protected by the foreign sword. Brāhmaṇism played only an inglorious part in the Independence struggle of Bhārata. It is now a dying phenomenon.
Buddhism arose in Bhārata. Mahāyāna Buddhism went to foreign lands and adapted itself to the conditions of the lands of its adoption. Hinayāna Buddhism grew weaker even in Bhārata. Buddhism claimed the patronage of monarchs in China, Burma and some countries of south East Asia. It has ceased to be a driving force now.
Islam, the greatest fighting religion of feudalism, cemented the Muslim solidarity in the feudal age. It accompanied its political masters to distant lands of central Asia, Europe and Bhārata. The land of its origin, Arabia and West Asia, went under its hegemony very early. The most glorious chapter of Muslim feudal history belongs to Islam of West Asia and Bhārata. Capitalism grew on the ruins of feudalism. Islam was the greatest supporter of feudalism, hence it suffered most at the rise of imperialism. Islam could not play a revolutionary role in converting its feudal lords to the capitalist way. The new forces crippled Muslim feudal power and it, by and by, went under the control of the imperialist rule. Though the nominal independence of the Muslim monarchies was preserved ; like the Princes of States in Bhārata ; but for all practical
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