Page:Aurangzíb and the Decay of the Mughal Empire.djvu/141

Rh to carry out the repressive policy towards the Hindús which must be the aim of every good Muslim. So far there had been no persecution, no religious disabilities: but there can be no doubt that Aurangzíb was only nursing his zeal for the Faith, until it should be safe to display it against the unbelievers.

It seems to have been in 1669 that the storm began to gather. In April of that year Aurangzíb was informed that the Bráhmans of Benáres and other Hindú centres were in the habit of teaching their 'wicked sciences,' not only to their own people but to Muslims. This was more than the orthodox Emperor could tolerate; but the severity of his measures shows that he had been only waiting for a pretext to come down like a thunderbolt upon the unfortunate 'heathen.' 'The Director of the Faith,' we are told, 'issued orders to all the governors of provinces to destroy with a willing hand the schools and temples of the infidels; and they were strictly enjoined to put an entire stop to the teaching and practising of idolatrous forms of worship.' It is not for a moment to be supposed that these orders were literally carried out. Even the English Government would not dare to risk such an experiment in India. All that was done was to make a few signal examples, and thus to warn the Bráhmans from attempting to make proselytes among the True