• ISBN13: 9788126919314
• Binding: Paperback
• Subject: History
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Ltd
• Publisher Imprint: Atlantic
• Publication Date: August 20, 2014
• Pages: 320
• Original Price: INR 395.0
• Language: English
• Edition: N/A
• Item Weight: 210 grams

Ancient History of India from the very beginning to Twelve hundred A.D. It has been written in a simple and lucid style. Controversial matters have been dealt with in such a way that scientific and objective conclusions may be drawn. The book has been planned as an ideal textbook for the students and a reference book for the teachers.

Dr. R.S. Chaurasia, M.A. in English, History, Economics, Political Science, LL.B., holds Ph.D. degree in History. He is the retired Principal and Head of the Department of History and Political Science. He had taught in different colleges under different universities for four decades. He has written about forty books on English, History and Political Science. He is a reputed author of thirty years standing. He has written more than hundred papers in leading Journals as well as in different University books and Newspapers. He had also taught P.G. Teachers of Delhi Senior Secondary Schools under the auspicious of the Delhi State Institute of Education for about twenty years. He has recently been awarded “Millennium Award” of 2000 A.D. at Farrukhabad Mahutshav, Uttar Pradesh. His other books include : Recent Times History of Political Thought; History of Modern China; History of Middle East; History of Modern Japan; History of Western Political Thought; History of Medieval India; History of Modern India; History of Europe; International Relations 1914-1950.

• Section A

• 1. Physical Features of India
• Importance of the Himalayas
• The great Northern Plain
• The great Deccan Plateau
• Factors showing Diversity
• Unity amids diversity
• Points to Remember.
• 2. Sources of Early Indian History and its Reconstitution
• Difficulties pertaining to the historical sources
• Sources of information of Ancient History
• Internal sources of Ancient Indian History
• Foreign sources of Ancient Indian History
• Archaeological Sources
• Old Buildings, Monuments and Works of Art
• Contemporary Historical Writings
• Greek Accounts
• The Chinese Accounts
• Conclusion
• Some Important Puranas
• Date of the Puranas
• Historical importance of the Puranas
• Shortcoming of the Puranas
• Historical Importance of Inscriptions
• Points to Remember.
• 3. Indus Valley Culture
• The old stone age
• Neolithic Age or the New Stone Age
• The Age of Metals
• The Dravidians
• Date of Indus Valley
• People of Indus Civilization
• Town Planning and Structures
• The Drainage System
• The People
• Agriculture
• Food
• Ornaments
• Household Articles
• Animals Known
• Art and Architecture
• Economic Life of the People
• Special features of the Religion of Indus Civilization
• Differences between Indus Valley Culture and the Aryan Civilization
• Causes of disappearance of Indus valley civilization
• Points to Remember.
• 4. Indo-Aryans
• Who were the Aryans
• Original home of the Aryans Sapt Sindhu Theory
• Arctic Region Theory
• The Tibetan Theory
• The Austro-Hungarian Theory
• The Central Asian Theory
• Most Acceptable Theory Spread of Aryans in India
• Social Life of the Aryans
• Economic Life
• Religious Life
• Political Life
• Points to Remember.
• 5. The Vedic Literature
• Early Vedic Literature
• Later Vedic Literature
• The Epics
• Mahabharata
• The story in Brief
• Historical value of the Epics
• Political Life
• Social Life
• Economic Life
• Religious Life
• Points of Similarity
• Points of Dissimilarity between early and later vedic civilization
• Meaning of caste system
• Growth of caste system and its basic causes
• Merits of the caste system
• Demerits of Caste system
• Points to Remember.
• 6. Jainism and Buddhism
• Religious Movement
• Origin of Jainism
• Life of Lord Mahavir
• Main Teachings of Jainism
• Effects of Jainism
• Causes of Disappearance of Jainism
• Gautam's Early Life
• His teachings
• Ideal life and magnetic personality of Buddha
• Favourable Environments
• Appeal to Reason
• Simple Teachings
• Simple Language
• Stress on Character
• Royal Support
• No Caste System
• Organisation of the Sangha
• Buddhist Councils
• No Opposition
• Nirvana theory
• Karma theory
• Emphasis on morality
• Toleration
• No faith in Idol worship in the beginning
• Differences
• Different Views about Vedas and Sanskrit
• Hinsa and Yajnas
• Caste system
• Presence of God
• Buddhist Sangha
• Status of the Brahman
• Knowledge and Action
• Buddhism as a reform religion
• Teachings of Buddha
• Organisation of the Sanghas
• Qualities of a Bhikshu
• Buddhist Councils
• Split in Buddhism
• Idol worship
• Faith and Reason
• Language
• Rituals
• Aim of Life
• The Buddhist Literature
• Why did Buddhism lose its hold in India
• Political;
• Effects
• Religious Effects
• Social Effects Cultural Effects
• Points to Remember.
• 7. Ancient Indian Republics (650 325 B.C.) Mahajanpads
• Kashi
• Kosala
• Avanti
• Vatsa
• Magadha Bimbisara (547 495 B.C.)
• Ajat Satru (495 462 B.C.)
• Successors of Ajat Satru (462 345 B.C.)
• Nanda Dynasty (345 to 322 B.C.)
• Ancient Indian Republics (650 325 B.C.) Administrative machinery of the Republics
• Decline of the Republics and its Causes
• Points to Remember.
• 8. Persian and Greek Invasions
• India and Iran
• Cyrus
• Darius I
• Xerxes
• Influence of Persian contact with India
• India on the Eve of Alexander's invasion
• The Paurva or the kingdom of Porus
• Gandharis
• The Kathoi
• The Magadhian Empire
• Social Conditions
• Economic Conditions
• Religious Conditions
• Alexander's Army
• Alexander's cautious advance Eastward
• Aspasioi defeated
• Nysa
• Defeat of the Assakenoi
• Taxila and Abhisara
• Porus
• Alexander and Porus face each other
• Alexander's march up to the Beas
• Alexander's Return
• Causes Responsible for the defeat of the Indians
• Effects of Alexander's invasion
• Points to Remember.
• 9. The Rise of Mauryas
• Accounts of Greek writers
• Kautilya's Arthshastra
• Mudrakshasha
• Inscriptions
• Puranas
• Jain
• Tradition
• Buddhist Tradition
• Work of Art and Monuments
• Characteristics of Mauryan Age
• Who were Mauryas
• Administration
• Imperial Government
• About the ministers
• Provincial
• Administration Espionage System
• About shipping
• About the economic condition of the people
• Military organisation
• About the Imperial Government
• About Provincial Administration
• About Municipal Administration
• About the Capital Pataliputra
• About the Civil Administration
• About the Laws
• About the Rural Government
• About Penal Code
• About Sources of Income
• About the Indian Society
• Ancestry of Chandra Gupta Maurya
• Early Career
• Destruction of Nanda Power
• Conquests
• War with Selukas
• Other conquests and extent of Chandra Gupta's Empire
• Administration of Chandra Gupta Maurya
• A Civil Administration
• Provincial
• Administration
• Municipal Administration
• Military Organisation
• Penal Code
• Sources of Income and Expenditure
• Judicial System
• Spy system
• Character of Chandra Gupta Maurya
• Points to Remember.
• 10. Asoka (273 232 B.C.)
• Asoka's accession and early career
• Early Life
• The Kalinga war
• Asoka's Place in History
• Asoka's Administration
• Reforms introduced
• Asoka's Dharma
• Main Principles of Asoka's Dharma
• Measures for Promotion of Buddhism
• The
• Inscriptions of Asoka and a unique collection of documents
• The Rock Edicts
• The Pillar Edicts
• Cave Inscriptions
• Historical value of Asoka's
• Inscriptions
• Art
• Education
• Literature
• Great Regard for Human Life
• Asoka's Dharama a true Universal Religion
• Religious Toleration
• Best type of Administration
• Peace and Prosperity
• Progress of Art and Education
• All round Development
• Kindness to Men, Birds and Beasts
• Weak successors of Asoka
• Revolt in the outlying Provinces
• Decline of the Military Power of the Mauryas
• Grant of Independent powers to the Governors
• Asoka's Buddhist Preachings
• The Brahmanical Hostility
• The Indo-Greek Invasions
• Mauryan Despotism
• Points to Remember.
• 11. The Sungas, Kanvas and the Andhras
• (185 B.C. to 225 A.D.)
• Who was the Sungas ?
• Pushyamitra Sunga
• War with Vidarbh
• War with Kalinga
• Asvamedha Yajna
• Successor of Pusyamitra
• Importance of the Sunga Period
• Vasudeva
• Absence of Political Events
• Progress of Vedic Religion under Kanvas
• Downfall of Magadha Empire and Kanva Dynasty
• The Andhras or Satavahanas
• Important Rulers of the Andhras
• Satkarni
• Gautamiputra Satkarni
• Pulumayi
• Yagya Shri Satkarni
• India under the Andhras
• Religious Conditions
• Art and Literature
• Points to Remember.
• 12. The Indo-Greeks and the Sakas
• Kingdom of Bactria
• Demetrius
• Manander
• Antialkidas
• Results of the Greek Contact
• Indo-Parthians
• The Sakas
• Sources of Information
• Saka Kings
• Northern Satraps
• Satraps Mathura
• Western Satraps
• The Satraps of Ujjain
• Rudradaman
• Decline of the Saka Power
• Points to Remember.
• 13. The Kushan Empire
• Who were Kushans
• Kajala Kadphises I
• Kadphises II
• Kanishka
• His Conquests
• Extent of Kanishka's Empire
• Administration of Kanishka
• Kanishka and Buddhism
• The Buddhist Council
• Rise of Mahayana
• The Gandhara Art
• Kanishka's Court His Death
• Character and Estimate of Kanishka
• Comparison between Kanishka and Asoka
• Mahayana
• Main Principles of Mahayana faith
• Chief characteristics of the Gandhara School of Art
• Points to Remember.

• SECTION B

• 14. The Rise and Growth of the Gupta Empire
• Sources of Information of the History of the Gupta period
• Naga Kings
• Samudragupta
• Asvamedha Yajna
• Relations with Foreign Powers
• His Southern Expeditions
• Extent of his Empire
• Patron of Hinduism
• Fine Arts
• Estimate of Samudragupta
• Fahein
• System of Administration
• Judicial System
• Economic Life
• Social Conditions
• Pataliputra and other cities
• Indian Shipping and Overseas Relations
• Art
• Early Life
• Conquests
• His Character
• Iron Pillar Inscription at Mahrauli
• Kalidas
• Skanda Gupta
• Vikramaditya of the Legends
• Gupta Period
• The Golden Age
• Weak
• Successors
• No Definite Law of Succession
• Rise of Pushyamitras
• Conversion of some of the Guptaemperors to Buddhism
• Rise of Yashodhaman
• Other Revolts
• The Invasions of the Huns
• Financial
• Difficulties
• Weakness of the Army
• The Vastness of the Empire
• Weakness of the Frontier Defence
• Division of the Empire
• Hindu Renaissance
• Irruption of the Huns
• The Maukharis
• The Vallabhi Dynasty
• Points to Remember.

• SECTION C

• 15. Harshvardhan and his Times
• The House of Thanesar
• Achievements
• Hieun Tsang's Account of India
• Nalanda University
• Points to Remember.
• 16. The Rajput Period (650 to 1200 A.D.)
• Rise of the Rajputs
• Origin of the Rajputs Post-Harsha Northern India
• Causes of the failure of the Rajputs
• Political condition
• Social condition
• Position of Women
• Character of the people
• Marriages
• Religious conditions
• Art and Literature
• Education
• Painting and Music
• Origin of Pratiharas
• Famous Rulers of Pratihara Dynasty
• Mihir Bhoja
• Importance of the Pratihara Empire in the History of India
• The Chauhans and their achievements
• Chahumanas or Chauhans
• Vigraha
• Raja
• Prithviraja (Rai Pithora)
• Causes of the Downfall of Chauhans
• Origin of Gaharwar
• Chandela Dynasty
• Kalachuri Dynasty
• Sens Dynasty Rise of the Pala Dynasty
• New Hinduism
• Points to Remember.
• 17. Kingdoms of South India
• Who were the Pallavas
• Beginnings of Pallava Power
• The Great Pallavas
• Civilization and culture under the Pallavas
• Religious Condition
• Literature
• Pallava Art
• Early Chalukyas
• Chalukyas of Kalyani
• Conflict between the Pallavas and the Chalukyas
• Civilization and culture of the Chalukyas
• Origin of Cholas
• The Chola Administration and Art
• The
• Cholas as Builders
• Genealogies
• Points to Remember.
• 18. The Kingdoms of the South (Contd.)
• The Rashtrakutas
• The Pandyas
• The Chola Administration
• The Chola Art and Literature
• Contribution of the South to Indian Culture
• Points to Remember.
• 19. Greater India
• Greater India
• Buddhism and India's Contacts with the Asian Countries
• Objectives of Hindu Colonization
• Spread of Indian Culture to South-East Asia
• Spread of Ancient Indian Culture outside India without Colonisation
• Points to Remember.
• 20. Indian Civilization and Culture
• Difficulties
• Administrative set up in the Hindu Period
• Kingship in Ancient India
• Checks on Royal Power
• Social Life in Hindu Period
• The Position of Women
• General Condition of the people
• Prehistoric period
• Mauryan period
• Stupas
• Gupta Period
• Monuments at Mathura
• The Gandhara school
• Stupas in the South.
• 21. Muslim Invaders (India upto 1206 A.D.) Mahmud Ghaznavi and Mohammad Ghori
• The Rise of Islam
• Kingdom of the Northern India Kingdoms of the South
• Advent of the Muslims in India
• Subuktigin
• Sultan Mahmud
• His Character and Aim
• Mahmud's Indian Invasions
• The Sixth Expedition
• Patriotism of the Shahiya
• Kings
• Raids on Kanauj and Mathura
• Expedition against the Chandela King
• Saik of Somnath
• An estimate of Sultan Mahmud
• Political Condition of
• India
• The house of Ghor
• Historical sense of Early Indians
• Republics in Ancient India
• Indian Colonies in Central Asia
• The Sailendra's Empire
• The Mandsaur Inscription of Kumar Gupta
• Lyitadity Periplyrs of the Erytheans sea
• Position Civilization to Aryan Civilization
• The age of Puranas
• Arthshastra