Page:History of India Vol 1.djvu/232



HE age of laws, rationalism, and philosophy is, in many respects, the most brilliant epoch of India's history, for it was in this period that the Aryans spread forth from the valley of the Ganges and established Hindu kingdoms with Hindu civilization as far as the southernmost boundaries of the peninsula. Magadha, or South Behar, already known to the Hindus of the Brahmanic period, was now completely Hinduized, and the young and powerful kingdom founded there soon eclipsed all the ancient realms of the Ganges valley. Buddhism spread from Magadha to surrounding dominions, and Aryan colonists penetrated to Bengal and introduced Hindu religion and culture among the aborigines. The kingdoms established in the south won still greater distinction. The Andhras founded a powerful dominion in the Deccan and developed great schools of learning, while further south the Aryans came in contact with the ancient Dravidian civilization. The more perfect Hindu culture prevailed, and the Dravidians were Hinduized and founded kingdoms which became distinguished for learning and