The Classical Religious Philosophy of the Hindus

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Indian civilization is not only very ancient, but also is still continuing. It is mauy-sided rich treasure of the world. No study can be more rewarding for the scholar.

I believe that the religious philosophy of the Hindus has value even now for the moderners. With this belief I have tried to present 'The Classical Philosophy of the Hindus' in the light of contemporary framework of thought.

Once Dr. P. N. Ojha, the Director of K. P. Jayaswal Research Institude, invited me to give a lecture on 'Advaitic Philosophy of Shankara'. This was greatly appreciated by the members. As a result of that appreciation, the present work was taken up by the Research Institute.

I am deeply grateful not only to the Director, without whose help the publication of the present work could not have seen the day, but also to all the members of the office of the Institute, namely, Dr. Chittaranjas Prasad Sinha, Sri Brajendra Jha, Sri Rajeshwar Prasad (publication-cum-sales Manager). I cannot forget the many valuable suggestions and help of Sri Gopi Raman Chaudhary, the Registrar, Bihar Research Society.

The Hindu religious thought extends as far as the Indus Valley Civilization which is supposed to have flourished about 3000 B. C. The People belonging to IVC lived in walled cities, with drainage, markets, store-houses and so on. They are also conjectured to have developed agriculture and had maritime trade all along the sea-coast of Indian and Arabian Ocean. It is difficult to speak with certainty about the racial characteri- stics of the people of IVC. When the people of IVC are called proto-Dravidians, then it simply, means that they were perhaps non-Aryans and some of them imperfectly resemble Dāsas. Dasyus, mentioned in the Rgveda. It has also been stated that Brāhui speech is very akin to Tamil and Brāhui people still living in Baluchistan. Hence, it is guessed that the present Dravidian people are related to the people of IVC. But most probably, the Dravidian nomenclature is particularly used for indicating Shiva-worship and religious beliefs of IVC.