The Story of Man - Till the Birth of Shri Adi Sankaracharya

In the previous post of this continuing series of posts titles "The Story of Man", we have seen that by the time Buddha was born, Athens was its zenith and Tamil became a very prominent language due to the efforts of the Agastiyar. Various historians place Agastiyar and his work at different points. Kulkarni places this event at 8576 BC, while many others place this event close to 3000 BC. Kulkarni also places Tolkappiyar at around 2700 BC, while he is placed around 500 BC by many other historians. I would like to elaborate on this point with some citings from David Frawley's essays and articles because the very idea that Dravidians were invaded by Aryans from central Europe is laughable, now that the idea seems to have been proved wrong by studying DNA patterns. To quote David Frawley in his this article, 

The Indus valley culture was pronounced pre-Aryans for several reasons that were largely part of the cultural milieu of nineteenth century European thinking. As scholars following Max Muller had decided that the Aryans came into India around 1500 BC, since the Indus valley culture was earlier than this, they concluded that it had to be pre-Aryan. Yet the rationale behind the late date for the Vedic culture given by Muller was totally speculative. Max Muller, like many of the Christian scholars of his era, believed in Biblical chronology. This placed the beginning of the world at 400 BC and the flood around 2500 BC. Assuming to those two dates, it became difficult to get the Aryans in India before 1500 BC.

            Muller therefore assumed that the five layers of the four 'Vedas' & 'Upanishads' were each composed in 200 year periods before the Buddha at 500 BC. However, there are more changes of language in Vedic Sanskrit itself than there are in classical Sanskrit since Panini, also regarded as a figure of around 500 BC, or a period of 2500 years ago. Hence it is clear that each of these periods could have existed for any number of centuries and that the 200 year figure is totally arbitrary and is likely too short a figure.

For one thing, Agastya, Vasishtha and Brigu were one of the seven Maharshis referenced in various puranas. To quote one more paragraph from the same article,

According to this theory, the Vedic people were nomads in the Punjab, coming down from Central Asia. However, the 'Rig Veda' itself has nearly 100 references to ocean (samudra), as well as dozens of references to ships, and to rivers flowing in to the sea. Vedic ancestors like Manu, Turvasha, Yadu and Bhujyu are flood figures, saved from across the sea. The Vedic God of the sea, Varuna, is the father of many Vedic seers and seer families like Vasishta, Agastya and the Bhrigu seers. To preserve the Aryan invasion idea it was assumed that the Vedic (and later Sanskrit) term for ocean, samudra, originally did not mean the ocean but any large body of water, especially the Indus river in Punjab. Here the clear meaning of a term in 'Rig Veda' and later times - verified by rivers like Saraswati mentioned by name as flowing into the sea - was altered to make the Aryan invasion theory fit. Yet if we look at the index to translation of the 'Rig Veda' by Griffith for example, who held to this idea that samudra didn't really mean the ocean, we find over 70 references to ocean or sea. If samudra does not mean ocean, why was it translated as such? It is therefore without basis to locate Vedic kings in Central Asia far from any ocean or from the massive Saraswati river, which form the background of their land and the symbolism of their hymns.

Mention of Agastya happens in Ramayana also. Valmiki states in Ramayana that Agastya taught Rama Aditya Hridayam before the battle with Ravan starts. In Ramayana, there are elaborate verses stating the greatness of Agastya like humbling the vindhya mountains . Rishi Sarabhanga explains Rama the greatness of Agastya and directs him towards Agastya's asram when Rama asks him to show him place for leading the life of a monk during his vana-vasa. We need exclusive reaserchin into the puranas and vedas to places the events on calander. We need more David Frawleys, more Kulkarnis, more B.B.Lals, more Stephen Knapps to prove that infact, history of the world had been written by those who had intentions of proselytisation in their mind but not representation of facts!! With this lets move into the Story of Man - Till the Birth of Shri Adi Shankaracharya.

500BC: Aquenó empire stretched from India to Greece. The prsas annexed India. Gramatica of Panini Sanskrit. In northern Italy, Rome became a major city.  Ajatasatru ca -486 (-486 from the queen - 458) amounts to the throne Magadha.

483BC: Death of Buddha.

480 BC: Great Temple of Zeus in Cyrene was built. Second Iron Age (450) started.  Ajit, a nastika (atheist) who teaches an explanation purely material life and death is terminal died. 

478 BC: Prince Vijaya, exiled by his father, King Sinhabahu, sails from Gujarat with 700 followers. Find the Sinhalese kingdom in Sri Lanka. (From the chronicle Mahavamsa, c. 500.)

469 To 399 BC: Life of Athenian philosopher Socrates.

460BC: Greciav was Pericles (Plato, Herodotus). Athens at the centre of the civilized world.

450 BC: Civilization of Nok in Nigeria

428 To 348 BC: Life of Plato, Athenian disciple of Socrates. This great philosopher founded the Academy of Athens in 387 BC.

429 BC: Death of Pericles.

400 BC: Panini completed his Sanskrit grammar, Ashtadhyayi (dated by scholars western see the dates in -1300).  Life of Hippocrates, Greek physician and "father of medicine" made the Hippocratic oath, code of medical ethics that is still used by Western doctors.  Malays arrive in Madagascar, followed by Indonesians, Polynesians, North Africans and Arabs.  Celtic Colonization of northern Italy. Carthage dominates the eastern Mediterranean, the city is reorganized into grid and built new fortifications.

396 BC: Destruction of Veii (Etruscan) by the Romans.

390 BC: The Celts plunder Rome.

380 BC: Second Concilio. Secession of future supporters of Mahayana. It reinforces the defence of Rome with the solid wall of Servio. Flowering of Chavin de Huantar (Peru), a large temple with many objects of worship. The work of iron was introduced into Korea.

350 BC: In China use of crossbow started.

356 BC: Born Alexander the Great of Macedonia.

350 BC: Poderío of the kingdom of Aksum, winner of the Meroe. The rainfall is measured for the first time in the history of man by scientists in India.

334-329 BC: Alexander the Great of Macedonia invade Asia Minor, conquering Egypt and Persia and reaches India, beginning of Hellenism in Asia.

330 BC: End of Empire in Lower Egypt.

326 BC: Alexander the Great of Macedonia invades but can not conquer northwestern India. The mutiny of soldiers made him withdraw and leave India in the same year. The Greeks who stayed married people in India. The mutual interaction influenced both civilizations. The Greek sculpture influenced Hindus. The kingdoms Bactria promoted Greek influence.

323 BC: Death of Alexander in Babylon

321 BC: Candragupta (Maurya dynasty) takes the throne in India.

305 BC: Chandragupta Maurya, founder of the first Indo-rule bread (-324 to -184), expelled the Greek garrison of Seleucus, founder of the Seleucid Empire in Iran and Syria. At its summit under the Emperor Asoka (queen of -273 to -232), Maurya includes the Empire throughout India except the far south. This could be stated as the first unification of India. Under the able guidance of Kautilya, King Chandragupta made the nation strong enough to withstand continuous attacks from the northwest by Muslim Invaders.

302 BC: Kautilya (Chanakya), minister of Chandragupta Maurya, writes Arthashastra, a compendium of laws, procedures and advice to lead a kingdom. Megasthenes, envoy of King Seleucus, revealed him to Europe in colorful detail the wonders of India Maurya: a wealthy society with intensive agriculture, irrigation planned and seven castes: philosophers, farmers, soldiers, shepherds, artisans, judges and advisers.  In 300 BC, the Chinese discovered the wrought iron, not known in Europe till 1300 AD.

300 BC: Pandyan Dynasty starts ruling Southern parts of India (-300 to 1700 AD). Pandya built many of the largest temples in southern India, including Madurai Minakshi, Srirangam and Rameshwaram (ca 1600).  The Pancharatra Vaishnava sect is prominent by this time. All subsequent Vaishnava sects are based on beliefs Pancharatra (Sandilya formalized by around 100 AD).  Megastenes entered the court of Candragupta. The Bantu peoples migrated south and east.  Emergence of the currency in Celtic. Celtic states emerged. Emergence of typical features of the Mayan civilization (ceremonial centers and writing). 

250 BC: Writing alphabetical brahim in India. Emergence of the first Buddhist monuments in India. First urban settlements in East China fitted with walls and moats. All of Italy was controlled by Rome during this time. Unification of China in the Qin dynasty; Shih Huang-ti, the first emperor, built the Great Wall of China in the year 210 BC. He was buried in a huge mausoleum with an army of terracotta. Spain dominates Rome. The emperor Chandragupta abdicates in 297 BC. Jainista becomes a monk. 

274-236 BC: Reign of Emperor Asoka who unified India and is converted to Buddhism.

273 BC: Asoka, the largest Maurya emperor, grandson of Chandragupta, took power and governed until 232 BC. "He converted to Buddhism after brutal conquest of Kalinga in 260 BC, and many other countries. Emphasis was placed on public and social welfare, sent diplomatic missions to Syria, Egypt, Cyrene (now Libya), Epirus and Greece and missions Buddhist dharma to Sri Lanka, China and throughout Southeast Asia. In his 40-year reign, Buddhism became a world religion. He registered his work and teachings in inscriptions, the edicts and Pilar Roca. The national emblem of the India is capital lion from his column in Sarnath.

251 BC: Emperor Asoka sends his son Mahendra (-270 - 204) to spread Buddhism in Sri Lanka, where until today is revered as the founder of the missionary faith.

250 BC: The life of Maharishi Nandinatha, the first known satguru of Kailasa Parampara of Nandinatha Sampradaya. Its eight disciples are Sanatkumar, Sanakar, Sanadanar, Sananthanar, Sivayogamuni, Patanjali, and Vyaghrapada Tirumular (Sundaranatha).

246 BC: Third Concilio began its missionary movement. Mehinda, son of Asoka, Buddhism leads to Ceylon. Hannibal, son of Hamilcar Barca was born. Hamilcar Barca in the Iberian Peninsula.

274 BC: King Ashoka imposed Buddhism in India. In Italy, the Romans took Taranto.

221 BC: The Great Wall of China was built, finally 2600 miles long, the only object made by human beings visible from the moon. Romans occupied Malta.

219 BC:  Hannibal took over from Sagunto. Top of the Second Punic War.

209 BC: Scipio the African becomes owner of the Spanish coast and inland. The xiungnun, ancestors of the Huns, formed a kingdom in the region of Upper Orchon. Foundation of the Empire of the steppes by Maodun, head of the xiungnun. Expdition of Antioco (king of Syria) to India

201 BC: Massinisa Berber king of Numidia. The xiungnun, led by Maodum, conquered the Tarim Basin of high and know a time of splendor (176 BC). The yuezi, expelled from Mongolia by xiugnun, descended to the "warm seas" and push the Scythian Asia to Bactria (174 BC).

200 BC: Life of Rishi Tirumular, a disciple of Maharishi Nandinatha and author of Tirumantiram of 3047 verses, a summary of the Saiva Agamas and the Vedas, concisely articulating the teachings of Nandinatha Sampradaya, founding the school Saiva Siddhanta monist of South India. Life of San Auvaiyar of Tamil Nadu, devout Ganesha, poet and mystic yoguini (see also 800). Life of Saint Tiruvalluvar, weaver poet who lived near what is now Chennai, author of Tirukural, "Coplas Sacred", the Tamil classic work on ethics and policy (on which it is sworn in today's courts South India). Jaimini writes the Mimamsa Sutras. Life of Patanjali, shishya of Nandinatha monk and brother of Tirumular. He wrote the Yoga Sutras in Chidambaram, India's south (the date Kulkarni -550). Works written by Patanjali. Bhogar Rishi (one of 18 siddhars of Tamil) shapes with nine poisons the Ecological Murti today in the temple of Palani Hills in southern India. He is in China or visiting there.

200 BC: In rest of the world, first use of concrete in Rome (Portico Aemibia). Emergence of the Nazca civilization on the south coast of Peru. The lines nazcas, drawings on the ground of enormous proportions in the desert plains of southern Peru. 

152 BC: Attempted peace between Chinese and xiungnus (-152).

150 BC: The Buddhist caves of Ajanta built near what is now Hyderabad. Construction of 29 monasteries and galleries continues until 650 AD. The famous murals are painted 600 to 650 AD. All this under the guidance of Asoka.

148 BC: Micipsa, eldest son of Massinisa, King of Numidia. The Portuguese, led by Viriato, warring against the Romans.

146 BC: The Romans and Greeks states destroy Carthage. The Greek artists are brought to Rome as well as numerous works of art, the Greek culture remains important for many centuries later. Fall of Carthage. Death of Viriato (139).

146 BC: Ajanta is subjugada Carthage by the Romans.

145 BC: The Chola Empire (-145 until 1300 AD) founded in present day Tamil Nadu, highlighted by a government organization and artistic achievements, including huge irrigation works.

140 BC: Emperor Wu began his reign of three years in China, the cult of the Mother Goddess, Earth, making importance.

135 BC: The Scythian invade Bactracia. Greece is subjugada in Rome

130 BC: Ending the reign of Menander (Milind), Indo-Greek king who converted to Buddhism.

127 BC: The legendary king Nyetri Tsenpo, who according to legend was the King who arrived in the Indian Rupati fleeing Tibet after its defeat in the war of Mahabharata, is the first character of the Tibetan history. It is said that around the year 127 BC began its dynasty, which took 30 kings who ruled until the seventh century. During this time the shamanistic and animistic religion that formed the Bön, the primitive religion of Tibet, based on interdependence of man and nature. This dynasty military expanded from the Yarlung Valley to dominate the entire plateau of Tibet.

118 BC: Jugurtha, Micipsa nephew, King of Numidia. Intervention of Roman. Numancia held by Scipio Emiliano (123).

117-116 BC: The Greeks sailors, eudoxus of Cyzicus and Hippalus of Alexandria discovered the use of monsoon winds in direct maritime traffic (instead coastal) to and from India. This results in a large increase in Western trade, especially under the primitive Roman Empire.

100 BC: Development "oppida" in western Europe, large settlements fortified houses, warehouses and workshops of artisans, are the precedent for future European cities. Introduction of the camel in the Sahara. Dissemination of Indian religions and ideas towards Southeast Asia, across the sea trade routes. 

58 BC: Vikram Samvat Hindu calendar began.

50 BC: In China silk trade with Rome. First human images of Buddha. Kushana's era (-50 to 220AD), the Mongolian Buddhist dynasty reigned in most of the subcontinent of India, Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia.

46 BC: Founding of the Roman colony of Carthage on the site of an ancient city. And introduction of the Julian calendar which survived until being replaced by the Gregorian calendar in the year 1582 AD.

45 BC: The xiungnun move and invade Turkestan.

42 BC: The Chinese occupy Tibet.

27 BC: Roman emperor Augustus single.

26 BC: Committee from India to Augustus.

25 BC: The kushans conquered Kabul and founded a royal dynasty that was imposed in southwest Asia.

10 BC: Ilangovadikal, son of King Cheralathan the era of Tamil Sangam age, writes the outstanding epic Silappathikaram, classic treaty on Tamil music and dance.

4 BC: Birth of Jesus of Nazareth (-4 to 30 AD), founder of Christianity, traditionally in Bethlehem of Judea (dates according to Biblical scholars of this).

At this point, we enter the AD era. After the birth of Christ, christianity grew in prominence. It is but surprising that when Jesus is bron in Bethlehem, Vatican City became the center of Christianity. The Church took control of peoples lives. Horrible things happened here after. Attrocities on Jews during the Crusades, then by Tzars of Russia, then by Arabs. All through this time, Jews were in continous trade and exodus to India, where they were allowed to continue living according to their traditions.

1 AD: Christian era begins. In Asia, extensive irrigation projects were started in Ceylon. Discovery of the monsoon winds that encouraged maritime trade between India and the Red Sea. In Americas: Moche (northern Peru) famous for its pottery and for his gold. Surgen cultures complex on the north coast of the Pacific; sophisticated art in wood and bark. Cestero II in southwestern North americas. Villages of up to eleven houses circulars. Western calendar starts E.C. -- Common Era

10 AD: The world's population was 170 million. The in India it was 35 million: 20.5 percent of the world.

50 AD: Kaundinya, a Brahmin, India is the first king. The Saivismo is the state religion. Rome's largest city in the world with one million inhabitants. It begins the expansion o the kingdom of Aksum (Ethiopia). The city of Teotihuacan, Mexico plant, built according to a rectangular plane.

53 AD: A legend in Christinity located in the death of Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Christ, that during this time, he was in Chennai. But history offers no evidence that he has come to India and shows that the first Christian community was the Bharat Syria Malabar Church of Kerala, founded in 345 by Thomas Cana.

60 AD: Emperor Ming-Ti (reign: 58 to 76) was converted to Buddhism and entered the belief in China. Brought two monks from India who erected a temple in the modern Hon.

67-217 AD: Reign of Buddhism in China.

69 AD: A large Jewish community was established in Cochinchina.

75 AD: A prince of Gujarat called Ajisaka invades Java.

78 AD: Era of Shaka Hindu calendar began.

79 AD: Pompeii and Herculaneum buried by the violent eruption of Vesuvius, the greatest catastrophe of the ancient world.

80 AD: Jains were divided on points of rules for monks, Shvetambara, "white clothes," and Digambara, "with veto heaven."

80 to 180 AD: Life Charak, doctor of the court of King Kanishka of Kushana wrote a book that contained a code of conduct for doctors ayurveda. He called it Charak Samhita. It was a handbook of medicine.

100 AD: Life of Sandilya, the first systematic enacting the old doctrines Pancharatra. His Bhakti Sutras, pious aphorisms on Vishnu, inspired a renaissance of Vaishnava. By 900 AD the sect has left a permanent mark in many schools Hindus. (The Samhita of Sandilya and his followers, Pancharatra Agama, includes major doctrines Vaishnava today). Hsuan Tsang of China establishes trade routes to India and west to Rome, later known as the Silk Route. (See alternative date: 630-644). The Roman army had three hundred thousand men who are concentrated in the defense of borders and expansion of the empire.

105 AD: Paper was invented in China.

117 AD: The Roman Empire reached its greatest extent.

125 AD: Satakarni (reign: ca 106 to 130) of the dynasty Shatavahana of Andhra (-70 - 225) destroys the kingdom Shaka Gujarat.

150 AD: The Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan was built. This was the largest structure of American lands before the arrival of Europeans. Movements of Goths from Scandinavia to the south. Mahayana time of great philosopher: "Nagarjuna."

175 AD: Greek astronomer Ptolemy, known as Asur Maya in India, spreads knowledge of solar astronomy, Surya Siddhanta, students from India.

180 AD: The Mexican city of Teotihuacan had a population of 100000 inhabitants and covered 11 square miles. It grew to 250000 when 500 AD.

200 AD: Life of Lakulisa, famed guru who lead a movement within the reformist Saivism and Pashupata. Hindu kingdom were established in Cambodia and Malaysia. Frst cities in the Deccan Plateau ( India). Disappearance of the Lapita culture, in the western Pacific. Emergence of native states in Korea. 

220 AD: Collapse of the Han dynasty (domined China since the year 206 AD, with its capital in Chang'an). China was divided into three independent states. 

271 AD: The use of the compass in China. 

285 AD: Administrative separation of eastern and western parts of the Roman Empire.

205 to 270 AD: Life of Plotinus, monistic Greek philosopher, and Egyptian-born genius who transforms a religious revival of Platonism in the Roman Empire in what scholars today called neo-Platonism, greatly influencing European and Islamic thought. The teachings include ahimsa, vegetarianism, karma, reincarnation and the belief in a Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent.

250 AD: Pallava dynasty established (ca 250 to 885) in Tamil Nadu. They erected the Kailasa Kamakshi temple complex in the capital of Kanchi and large stone monuments in the seventh century Mahabalipuram.

275 AD: The Mahavihara Buddhist monastery was founded in Anuradhapura, capital of Sri Lanka. Buddhism began to enter Tibet for the first time during the reign of King Thothori Nyatsen, but it was not until the seventh century DC, with the coming to power the king Songtsen Gamper, that Buddhism is integrated into the country of the Snows.

300 AD: Increased centralization in Europe, small kingdoms, large-scale production of iron. Decline in the southern kingdoms. Arabs as traders overland, took its place the kingdom of Aksum, by sea. Formation of state Yamato in Japan and dissemination of irrigation rice farming. Start the classical period of the Maya civilization, the appearance of real cities and states. The "invading some china.

313 AD: Edict of Milan: Tolerance to Christianity in the Roman Empire.

320 AD: Chandragupta l founded the Gupta empire in northern India, which is downed in 480 AD.

330 AD: Constantine founded Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. 

335 AD: Azen, king of Aksum, southern Saudi conquest.

345 AD: Frumencio consecrated bishop of Ethiopia by Athanasius.

350 AD: Flowers Imperial Gupta dynasty (320 - 540). During this "classical period" rules of literature, art, architecture and philosophy are established. This empire of northern India and promotes both Vaishnava Saivismo and, at its height, or receives tribute governed almost all of India. Buddhism also thrives under the tolerant reign Gupta. Licchavi dynasty (350 to 900 AD) establishes his reign in Nepal. The small kingdom becomes the highest intellectual and commercial center between South Asia and Central. Decline of Meroe because of the kingdom of Aksum. The yua-yuan (ávaros) start in Mongolia to create a powerful confederation nomad. The origin of this Empire lead the emigration of xiungnun (Huns) westward.

358 AD: The Huns, excellent archers and horsemen of Turkish origin possibly, encroach Europe Este. The Maharaja Chandragupta II Vikramaditya, the largest Hindu monarch, until 413, expanded the prosperous Gupta Empire northward beyond the Indus River .

370 AD: The Huns reach the Volga destroying the kingdom of  Ostrogoths. The Visigoths fleed westward.

372 AD: Buddhism enters Korea.
  
376 AD: Visigoths defeated by the Huns. Visigoths installed on the borders of the Danube.

380-460 AD: Kalidasa's life, the great poet and Sanskrit dramatist, author of Shakuntala and Meghaduta. (Some scholars put Kalidasa to about 50 BC.)

391 AD: The Roman Emperor Theodosius Hellenistic Greek temples destroyed in favour of Christianity.

400 AD: Manu Dharma Shastra was written. Its 2685 verses codify cosmogony, four ashrams, government, domestic affairs, caste and morality. (Others prefer the -600; Kulkarni gives 150 BC to the latest edition of Vogue in a code since 7000 BC). Polynesians sailing in open canoes rowing reach Hawaii and Easter Island. Chaturanga, the precursor chess in India, has evolved since ashtapada, a board game career, to a four-game war that is played with a die. Later, out of respect for the Laws of Manu that prohibit gambling, players discarded the dice and create shatranj, a strategy game for both sides. Vatsayan writes Kamasutra, the famed text on eroticism.

Out of all the things that were offered to this world by different concepts taken from the Vedas, probably most misued and mis-understood is the Kamasutra. Concepts like Karma, Yoga etc., were interpreted and are being interpreted for capitalistic world to sell products which only talk about pleasure. Unfortunately, captilasitic world couldnt find ways to sell concepts of Dharma, Advaitha. Rather they did find out but only in the form of audio and video that offer nothing more than skimpy clother ladies and yogic postures for sexual pleausre. Vedic knowledge was meant to be for free. It was meant to be used by mankind for bettering the world and allowing Dharma to reign. Unfortuanately, the very place where Vedas emerged dharma is not being followed. Unfotunately, dharma has become a politician's word.

400 AD: Buddhism rooted in China, Buddhist temples along the Silk Road. Maraj culture begins at the mouth of the Amazon (Marajó Island), one of the first cacicazgos Amazon. Royal tombs in Korea.

400-500 AD: Buddhism comes into Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia.
  
410 AD: Rome sacked by the Visigoths, asks Roman troops to help the rest of the empire accelerating the decline of the western Roman empire, to check out its borders.

419 AD: The Moche people of Peru built a temple of the Sun of 150 feet using 50 million bricks.

427 AD: Tomb of Nintoku in Japan built.

430 AD: Hindu ancestors of the people today Romany, or Gypsy, left Rajasthan, Sindh and other areas of India, Persia and continue to move gradually to Europe till 800. Due to the Indo-Aryan myth, and lack of geographic evidence in Romani folk lore, the origins of Romani people could never be proved but as cited here they infact belonged to central India around 250 BC, moved to Punjab, Rajasthan, Sindh and Persia around 430 AD. Most famous of ancient Buddhist universities in India: "Nalanda" starts operations.

438 to 450 AD: The council of Ferrara-Florence, Italy, strengthens the Roman Catholic stance against the doctrine of reincarnation.

440 AD: Frescoes of the Ajanta cave (long before Islam) to represent the Buddha as Prince Siddhartha, one wearing pajamas chudidara a prototype of the "Nehru shirt."

450 AD: Angles, Saxons and Jute begin the invasion of Britain from the unprotected borders of the Roman land.

450 to 535 AD: Bodhidharma's life in southern India, the 28th patriarch of the Buddhist sect Dhyana of India, founder of Chan Buddhism in China (520), known as Zen in Japan.

450 AD: As the Gupta Empire declines, sculptural style of India evolves and continues until the sixteenth century. The trend is away from forms modeled by Abultadas Gupta towards a period of incremental plain and linearity. Invasion of Hephthalitas (ca 450 to 565) caused many deaths in northern India. These "White Huns" from the borders of China may or may not be related to the invading Huns in Europe.

451 AD:  Battle of Chalons. Attila retires, dies at 453.

453 AD: Attila the Hun dies after a life of plundering Europe.

499 AD: Aryabhata I (476 - ca 550), astronomer and mathematician in India, using the Hindu numerals ( "Arabs") correctly calculated value of pi as 3.1416, and the solar year as 365.3586805 days. A thousand years before Copernicus, Aryabhata proposed a heliocentric system with planets and elliptical orbit with a spherical Earth spinning on its axis, explaining the apparent rotation of the heavens. His Aryabhatiya contains the first explanation of the story about flat and spherical trigonometry, algebra and arithmetic.

500 AD: Mahavamsa, a Pali text recorded the history of Sri Lanka till 500 AD was written, probably by the Buddhist monk Mahanama. Chulavamsha continues the story until 1500. Sectarian folk traditions were reviewed, processed and reduced to writing as the Puranas, encyclopedic compendium of culture and mythology of Hinduism.

500 AD: The world's population was 190 million. Population in India was 50 million: 26.3 percent of the world.

500 AD: Decline of Greco-Roman world. The towns of northern Europe are abandoned before the flooding was widespread emigration to the south and pressure from the Germanic peoples, landless, on the Mediterranean and central European states. Teotihuacan is the sixth largest city in the world, with a population of 200000 inhabitants. Cestero III in southeastern North America, populated by up to fifty houses semienterradas.

510 AD: The Hephthalita Mihirakula from beyond the Oxus River destroyed the imperial power Gupta, moves on to control much of northern and central India.

520 AD: Ch'an (in Japanese: "Zen"). This school was founded by Bodhidharma in China.
  
522 AD: Buddhism comes into Japan.

532 AD: Justinian built the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Constantinople.

533 AD: Yasovarman of Malva and Isanavarman of Kanauj expire in the hands of the Hephthalitas of northern India.

542 AD: The bubonic plague in Europe. Buddhism reached Japan via Korea. The temples were getting replaced by the tombs.

543 AD: Pulakesin I founded the Chalukya dynasty (ca 543 to 757, 975 - 1189) in Gujarat and later in major areas of western India.

548 AD: Emperor Kimmei officially recognized Buddhism in Japan to accept as a gift an image of Buddha from Korea.

552 AD: The rule of the Mongolian steppes khanates were divided into two: the east or Mu Han kingdom, the kingdom's west or Istemi.

553 AD: Second Council of Constantinople rejected the doctrine of the existence of the soul before conception, implying that reincarnation is incompatible with the Christian faith.

565 AD: The Turks and the Persians due to Hephthalitas.

570 to 632 AD: Life of Muhammad of Bedouin tribe of Quraysh, the founder of Islam. He began to preach in Mecca, calling for the termination of "demons and idols" of religion and Arabic the system conversion to a God, Alha.

590 to 671 AD: Life of Nayanar Tirunavukkarasu Saiva saint, born of a family farmer in Amur, now in the south Arcot, Tamil Nadu. He wrote 312 songs, totaling 3066 verses Tirumurai. Clearing the land of each temple that he visited, he exemplified the true humble service to the Lord Siva. His contemporary, the holy child samband Nayanar, called him emotionally appare, "Father."

598 to 665 AD: Life of Brahmagupta, preminente astronomer from India, who wrote about gravity and explained the system of astronomy at its Hindu Brahma Sphuta Siddhanta. Two of the 25 chapters are on sophisticated mathematics.

600 AD: Religiously tolerant king of Narasinhavarman Pallav builds China Pagoda, a Buddhist temple in the port Nagapatam for Chinese merchants and monks visitors.

600 to 900 AD: Twelve Alvar Vaishnava saints of Tamil Nadu flourish, writing songs and poems, 4000 in number (grouped into his canon Nalayira Divya Prabandham), praising Narayana, Rama and Krishna narrating affairs and the gopikas.

600 AD: Life Banabhatta, Shakta - master of prose Sanskrit, author of Harshacharita (Story Harsha) and Kadambari.

600-700 AD: Buddhism comes in Thailand.
 
600 AD: Surge of the ancient kingdom of Ghana, the first known state of West Africa. The city of Tinahuanaco (Bolivia) is the highest altitude in the Andes, and has 35000 inhabitants.

606 AD: Buddhist Harshavardhana, to reign in 606 to 644, establishes the first major kingdom after the invasions Hephthalitas eventually govern throughout India until the Narmada River in the south.

610 AD: Muhammad began prophecies, flees to Mecca in 622. Find more information on the complete history of Mohammad here.

618 AD: The Tang dynasty unified China, the capital Chang'an (one million).

622 AD: AH Muhammad, the Muslim era begins.

630 AD: Vagbhata writes Ashtanga Sangraha on ayurveda.

630 to 34 AD: Chalukya Pulakesin II becomes Lord of southern India beating Harshavardhana, Lord of the north.

630 to 44 AD: The Chinese pilgrim Hsuan Tsang (Xuan Zang-) traveled by India, recording his many comments. The populations of Varanasi is 10000, mostly Saiva. The university Nalanda Buddhist (writes his biographer) has 10000 residents, including 1510 teachers, and thousands of manuscripts. (Alternative date: 100.)

630 AD: Lhasa Foundation (630) by Srong-bcan-SGAN-po, king of Tibet. Introduction of Buddhism. Tibet was born from a kingdom of Zhang Zhung a small kingdom with the Yarlung dynasty kings. This was the kingdom that later gave the whole rationale Tibetan empire. According to historical texts, for thirty-three generations of Tibetan kings, since the times of Songtsen Gamper Nyatri Tsenpo until (late in the year 649 AD), the official religion was Bön. At that time the kings were always accompanied by one or more priests called bonpos. These were essential to maintain the prestige of kings, as well as care and ensuring the prosperity of its people. Even the names of Tibetan kings were conferred by priests in bonpos language called zhangzhungpa. On several occasions, the kings Tibetans tried to rebel against the power and influence of the priests who most clearly represented the interests of Zhang Zhung that the state of Yarlung. Trigum Tsenpo, the eighth king of Tibet (around I century AD), was the first to try to suppress the power of the priests bonpos. Displaying his growing prestige, feared a possible conquest of Tibetan young country by Zhang Zhung. Thus, the exiled sent to priests and pursued a strong suppression of other clerics. His repression did not last long. With access to the throne of his successor - I Kungyel, Bön has been restored in the country. Trigum Tsenpo was unable to achieve its goal of eradicating the power of bonpos due to lack of alternative culture to take the place of religion Bön. The country, to meet without their spiritual guides entered into a pattern of chaos, which demonstrated the need for providing security support cultural and spiritual sustenance to the people. Finally the supremacy of priests bonpos was abolished by the Tibetan kings - Songtsen Gamper and Trisong dets, who were supported in Buddhist culture, from India and China. This new tradition was able to successfully replace Bön religion.

650 AD: Persecution of Tradition Bön. Songtsen Gamper (Will -650) sent students to India and Buddhist scriptures brought to Tibet where he began to translate into Tibetan, founded numerous temples, including the Jokhang and the Ramoche, both in Lhasa. During his reign unified Tibet and expanded its borders. His two wives, Princess Wen Ch'en Chu Kung and Princess Tritsun were practicing Buddhist, and his influence led the Mahayana Buddhism to Tibet, transforming this kingdom and feudal military rule in a more peaceful.

Songtsen Gamper was the sponsor of the Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, but only during the reign of Trisong dets (742 - 797 AD) in the next century, Indian Buddhism was formally adopted as the state religion. While this was the state of affairs in East, the Middle East was seeing growth of Islam.

637 AD: The Arabs chipped Syria and Iraq.

640 AD: Islam spreads by Egypt and Saudi Aksum and isolating the Christian world.

641 to 45 AD: Arab Muslims rule Mesopotamia, Egypt and Persia.

642 AD: The rule Sasana is conquered by the Arabs that extend across Egypt and North Africa. Buddhism comes to Tibet.

Islam's grew at such a heavy pace that things Europe started to see worst kind of violence after this time.

650 AD: Life of Saiva saint Nayanar Tirujnana samband. Born as a Brahmin in Tanjavur, wrote 384 songs totaling 4158 verses that make up the first three books of Tirumurai. At age 16, disappears into the sanctum of the temple Nallur, near Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu. More than 60 Chinese monks traveled to India and its colonies. Four Sanskrit works had been translated into Chinese; 380 survive today.

652 AD: First Arabic attack against Nubia. Obligation to pay tribute.

661 AD: The caliphate Omeya comes to power. The Muslims come to occupy one third of the old Roman Empire.

680 AD: Bulgarians invade the Balkans.

686 to 705 AD: Reign of King Rajasinha of Pallav. He Inherited the stone sculptures of the emperor and his son Mahendra, Narasinha, who began work in sculptural Estense prosperous port of Mahabalipuram.

In the following ca 700 hundred years, in the island of Bali of quadrado 2095 miles of Indonesia, Hinduism received its neighbor, Java.

700-888 AD: Buddhism consolidated in Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim.

700 AD: Reconstruction of the Mayan city of Tikal, with five pyramids temple. Cahkia the first people of North America. 

710 AD: Beginning of period Nara in Japan, centralized state administration system with the Chinese. In Tibet, until the eighth century AD, Zhang Zhung existed as an independent state. The inhabitants of this kingdom spoke a language burmeo-Tibetan and were ruled by a dynasty of kings which ended in the eighth century, when the king Ligmincha, the last of the dynasty, was assassinated by the Tibetan King Trisong dets. Subsequent to this incident Zhang Zhung was annexed Tibet. The emperor Trisong dets continued to support the development of Buddhism in Tibet, Samye Monastery founded with the help of Padma Sambhava (Guru Rinpoche) and Shantirakshita, reaching a period of unprecedented, not only of Buddhist studies, if not the arts and sciences because of the large influx of specialists from India and China. It is at this time when the Council of Lhasa, because of the controversy that was generated between Mahayana Buddhism in China and practice Vajrayana Buddhism Indian, a council where he ended up deciding that the Tibetan Buddhist follow the Indian model. At this time belongs the Nyingma tradition, heir to the first introduced Buddhism into Tibet.

With the introduction of Buddhism from India to Tibet, and after the founding of its first Buddhist monastery in Samy, in the year 779 AD during the reign of King Trisong dets, declined Bön tradition. At first, this Tibetan king was reluctant to eliminate practices Bön and even sponsored the translation of texts, but then instigated a harsh repression.
The great sage and teacher Bön century eighth, Dranpa Namkha - father of Guru Padmasambhava - the founder of the Nyingma Buddhist tradition and the teachings of both diffuser tántricas as the Dzogchen teachings in Tibet, adopted the new religion publicly, but maintained its fidelity and Bön in private practice in order to preserve secrecy in the Bön. Vairochana, the Buddhist scholar and disciple of Padmasambhava, as well as many other translators texts of Buddhism from India and Oddiyana, participated in translating the texts Bön language Drusha. To save them from destruction, many texts were turned into hot springs Bön (texts that are hidden in order to guard until that emerges an auspicious time for rediscovery and redissemination).

711 AD: Muslim invasion of Spain. The Arabs conquered Sindh and Samarkand.

712 AD: Muslims conquered the region Sind ( Pakistan), settling a base for expeditions draining pillage the riches of northern India.

717 AD: Failed attack by Muslims on Constantinople. 

750 AD: The trans-Saharan trade increased. The Muslims controled the maritime trade from the Red Sea to China. The Umayyads were displaced by the dynasty Abas, stabilize the limits of the empire and flourishing commerce and art. The manufacturing of paper stretching from China to the Muslim world. The sacred cenote Cichen Itza, Yucatan, used for ritual offerings; their jobs lasted for 1000 years. In 732 AD, Franks prevented the Muslims from conquering Europe, slowing the Arabs in Poitiers, France, northwestern limit penetration Arabic.

739 AD: Muslim armies invasion rejected by the Chalukya Arabic in Navasari in modern Maharashtra.

745 AD: The Uighurs, a nomadic people who formed part of the rule of the Turks eastern ensure its hegemony in the High Asia. Factory role in Samarkand (752).

750 - 1159 AD: The Pala dynasty emerged in Bihar and Bengal, the last bastions of true Buddhism, they help establish in Tibet.

750 AD: The Rashtrakuta dynasty carving the Kailasa temple on a hill rock in Ellora. A Hindu astronomer and mathematician in Baghdad translated into the Arabian, the Brahma Sphuta Siddhanta (treatise on astronomy) which was written by Brahmagupta, transmitting decimal notation and use of zero to the Arab world, which later became Sifar, travelled through Europe as Zifar and was later called in English as Zero. Life of Bhavabhuti, who wrote dramatic Sanskrit, second to Kalidasa. Also wrote Madhava Malati, a Shakta. Valmiki wrote Yoga Vasishtha of 29000 verses. A necklace clock, kadikaram in Tamil, is used by an emperor (according to scholar M. Arunachalam).

One thing which always amazed me is the varied timings of Valmiki, Vyasa and many other saints. For instance, Agastya appears in Ramayana, and by the time Valmiki starts writing Ramayana, he became a Saint (before becoming a Saint he was called Agni Sarma). In Ramayana, he is refered to many times. Thus he existed even before that. And he re-appears again to write Yoga Vasishtha. I guess the English historians who tried to write about history of India could never understand how Valmiki appears so many times in history. How is it possible?According to Hindu manuscripts, Brahmarishis are so enlightened that they can leave their bodies upon choice and attain Moksha, but it is their duty to remain on Earth and preach to Humans when they are making terrible mistakes. They appear at various points of time to record events that are to be remembered through life, for they define how to be on the side of Dharma with the turn of events. I hope one of them appears again and preaces us how to save ourselves from the adharmic lives that we, especially in India, are leading. Around about the same time, a great saint takes birth. Growth of Buddhism and Jainism was big threat by this time. People were loosing faith in Vedas by this time. On the other hand, there is unrest between Saivas and Vaishnavas discussing who is great and who is to be worshipped. The great saint who is today called Adi Sankaracharya, Srimad Sankarabhagavathpadulu participated in debates to bring back faith in Vedas and re-establish concept of Vasudaika Kutumbakam. He travelled throught out geography of today's India, Pakisthan, Bangaldesh to indulge in debates and defeat the buddhist, jainist schools of thought. He formulated Advaith philosophy, which was contrary to Dvaitha in accpetance at that time. According to Advaitha, there is no Atman and Paramatman, but both are manifestations of the same. This showed human in relation to the infinity, which was filled with God. To establish and propogate the concept of Advaitha, he established mathas in all corners of the country. Unfortunately, Sarada Peetha in today's Pakisthan in completely destroyed and we in India cant do anything about it.

788 AD: Adi Sankara (788 - 820) was born in Malabar. The famous philosopher-monk wrote poems and reviewed escripturales mystics, including Viveka Chudamani, and regularised ten monastic orders called Dashanami preaching Mayavada Advaita, emphasizing the world as illusion and God as the only reality.

Life of Adi Sankaracharya changed the course of belief systems in India. The establishment of Peethas around in all corners of Bharata Khanda is a testimony to his vision. It is a pity that today it is disputed whether he established the peethas in some parts of the country. However, the philosophy of Advaitha continues to be propogated around the world by the Peethas that are still working on the guidelines laid by Sree Adi Sankaracharya. We certainly need some one like him today to bring back life towards Dharma, atleast in India. 

In this post, we have seen the uprise of Islam in Europe and Middle East while Christianity was growing slowly. Buddhism reached different parts of the world by now expanding towards the East of India. Adi Sankaracharya established Dasanami to preach advaitha philosophy which was about bring about a new realization to the people of India. In the next post in the same series, which will be called The Story of Man - Till the Birth of Swami Vivekananda. We will see how things went about till around later half of 19th century. By the time Swami Vivekananda was born, India was under British rule. India already took heavy blows from Islamic invasions and it was by then seeing imminent death of Hinduism in the hands of Christian imperialists. But then, as they say God works in mysterious ways. It was then that great saints took birth. Swami Vivekananda, Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and his wife Mata Sarada Devi, Sri Ramana Maharshi, Swami Ramadas, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, and many others. All along this, Imperialists ruled the nation and the Independence Struggle started with 1857 Sepoy mutiny as the first attempt. India started changing rapidly after this and so did the world. More on it in the next post.