| The present
Renaissance is probably the sixth of its kind in the long history of Hinduism covering
about fifty centuries. The Upanishads with their message of a universal spiritual religion
coming after a long period of complex sacrificial religion of the Brahmanas probably
represent the earliest Renaissance in Hinduism. But, as no definite dates could be
assigned to this Renaissance, we may say that it belongs to pre-historic times. Within
historical times there came our next Renaissance in the second century B.C. after the fall
of the Mauryan empire, and as a result of it we have our great didactic epics-the Ramayana
and Mahabharat including the immortal Gita. The
third Renaissance came in the fourth century A.D. during the brilliant Gupta period of
Indian History. And as a result of it we have not only our great system of philosophy but
also those popular scriptures, the Puranas and the Tantras which were designed with the
object of educating and training the masses in Hindu Dharma. The fourth Renaissance came
in the eighth century A.D., when after a period of con fusion following Harsa's death,
Hinduism absorbed foreign invaders on a vast scale and Rajput kingdoms were established in
Hindustan. |
