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Gentlemen, allow me to say here that ancient
. India has been much mis-understood. Ancient India mach mis-understood.
a much Of course, you should not think that
I-am speaking like a hąughty scholar I am neither a scholar nor a shadow of a scholar. I am a common student. My study of this question 'has been very brief. It was sometime ago that I received several questions through my patron, J. W. D.' Johnstone, Esq., F. R. G. S., Inspector-General of Education, Gwalior State, in charge of Census Ope, rations, from Captain C. E. Luard, Census Superinten. dent, Central India. Through the help of my friends I answered the questions but at the same time I was inspired to study the antiquity of Jainisin. Since then we have been studying this question, and from what we have read as yet, I say that ancient India has been much mis-undetstood. This is an idea that has occurred to my mind, and I do not want to hide it. People have commonly supposed that there was. nothing else in ancient India but Brahmanism. What this Brahmanism was they never explain. If they mean by Brahmanism each and everything that exista ed in ancient times in India, they are right in their supposition. But if they mean by Brahmanism. the Vedic religion or the religion of Vedie sacrifices, I do not see how they can be justified in supposing that there, was nothing else in ancient India but Brahmanism. These Vedic sacrifices were not all that existed in anci. ent India. There were, no doubt, people who said :
" gaat stått os freta" .
