History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP. I.] PERSIA AND INDIA. 25

medizeval and modern times.’ Some of the Hindus, who were famed for wisdom and learning, had even

made Persia their residence on different occasions.

1 “The Persian connection with India was very old, and for some centuries before the Arab conquest of Persia it had grown more close. In mythic times there was the religious connection of Zoroaster (not later than B.c. 1000, Haug’s Essays, 299) with India and the Brahman Tchengrighatchah, who was sent back to convert his countrymen, and Firdusi’s story of Prince Isfandiyar the son of Gushtasp, who was so keen a believer in Zoroaster that he persuaded the Emperor of India to adopt fire-worship (Elliot’s History, v. 568). The Hindu account of the introduction of fire-worshipping priests from Persia into Dwarka in Kathiawar is probably of a much later date (Reinaud’s Mémoire sur VInde, 391-397). There was also a very early political connection in the mythie conquests of North India, which, according to Persian writers, haye been repeated from time to time since B.C. 1729 (Troyer’s Radjatarangina, i. 441). In historic times the Panjab formed part of the Persian dominions from its conquest by Darius Hystaspes about B.c. 510 till the later days (B.c. 350) of the Achemenean dynasty (Rawlinson’s Ancient Monarchves, iv. 433).

“ About the beginning of the Christian era the Kanerkis, the Indian Skythian rulers of the Panjab, from the fire altar on their coins, seem to haye adopted the religion of the Magi (Lassen in J. B. A. S., ix. 456; Prinsep’s Note on Hist. Res. from Bactrian Coins, 106). As regards the south of India, Ptolemy’s (150) mention of Brahmani Magi has been thought to show a connection with Persia, but the Kanarese word mag, or son, seems a simple and sufficient explanation.

“ Closer relations between India and Persia date from the revival of Persian power under the Sassanian kings (A.D. 226-650). In the fifth century the visit of the Persian prince Behram Gor (436), probably to ask for help in his struggle with the White Huns (Wilson’s Ariana Antiqua, 383), his marriage with a Hindu princess, and according to Hindu accounts, his founding the dynasty of the Gardhabin kings, was a fresh bond of intimacy (Wilford, As. Mes., ix. 219 ; Macudi’s Prairies d’Or, ii. 191; Reinaud’s Mémoire sur PInde, 112 ; Elliot’s History, ii. 159). In later times both Naoshirvan the Just (531-579) and his grandson Parvez (591-628) were united by treaties and by the interchange of rich presents with the rulers of India and Sind (Magudi’s Prairies d'Or, ii, 201). In connection with