Materials for the Study of the Early History of the Vaishnava Sect c4: Preface to the Second Edition
Materials for the Study of the Early History of the Vaishnava Sect c4
- Language
- English
Preface to the Second Edition
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The task of revising a work that deals with any aspect of Ancient Indian history and civilisation for a new edition is by no means an easy one. And the difficulties of the reviser are not lessened by the fact that a period of sixteen years intervenes between the first appearance of the volume in print and its reissue in 1936—a period during which numerous treatises, notes and monographs on the subject have appeared in various publications. The writer of these pages is conscious of his own limitations, of the fact that he has, in all probability, not been able to make full use of all these learned disquisitions. But he has endeavoured to the best of his ability to incorporate some of the more important results of recent research, especially in the domain of South Indian history and chronology, and has attempted a more incisive treatment of relevant epigraphs, notably the Ghosuṇḍi, Besnagar and Mandasor inscriptions. The author takes this opportunity of expressing his thanks to Sir George Grierson, Professors Keith, Schrader and Garbe, Mr. A. Govindāchārya Svāmin and other scholars for having helped him with constructive criticism and suggestions. The revision of the text has necessitated a recasting of the Indexes. An attempt has been made to supply references that may be useful to the student.
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But it is possible that there have been some important omissions. Errors, inaccuracies and misprints, both here and in the text itself, may also have escaped attention. For all these shortcomings the writer of these pages craves the indulgence of the reader.
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UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA, 12th August, 1936. H. C. RAYCHAUDHURI.
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PREFACE
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to make use of the Mathurā Bhāgavata Inscription of the time of Soḍāsa. The credit of discovering the name of Vāsudeva in the China inscription of Yajña Śrī belongs to my pupil Mr. N. G. Majumdar. The indexes have been prepared by Messrs. H. C. Roy and P. C. Bagchi, my pupils.
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January 2, 1920.
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H. C. RAYCHAUDHURI.
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The *fraternities* of the Middle Ages, which were so numerous and so varied in their objects, were not all of the same origin. Some were religious, some social, some charitable, and some industrial. The religious guilds, or *gilds*, as they were often called, were associations of laymen for the purpose of performing religious duties, such as the maintenance of a chaplain, the celebration of masses, or the support of a hospital. The social guilds were formed for the purpose of mutual aid and good fellowship, and often included in their objects the relief of the poor, the sick, and the aged. The charitable guilds were established for the purpose of supporting hospitals, almshouses, and other institutions of mercy. The industrial guilds, or *craft guilds*, were associations of men engaged in the same trade or industry, and were formed for the purpose of regulating the trade, protecting the interests of the members, and maintaining the quality of their work.
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The craft guilds, which became so powerful in the later Middle Ages, were the successors of the earlier *collegia* of the Roman Empire. The *collegia* were associations of artisans and tradesmen, which were recognized by the state and had a legal existence. When the Roman Empire fell, these associations were largely destroyed, but the idea of association for mutual protection and the regulation of trade survived. In the early Middle Ages, the *gilds* began to reappear, and by the twelfth century they were firmly established in many of the cities of Europe.
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The craft guilds were organized on a democratic basis, and every member had a voice in the management of the guild's affairs. The officers were elected by the members, and the rules and regulations were made by the guild as a whole. The guilds had the power to fix prices, to regulate the hours of labor, and to determine the conditions of apprenticeship. They also had the power to punish members who violated the rules, and to expel those who were guilty of serious offenses. The guilds were thus a powerful force in the economic life of the Middle Ages, and they played an important part in the development of the modern industrial system.
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The decline of the craft guilds began in the sixteenth century, when the rise of the factory system and the growth of international trade made it difficult for the small, local guilds to compete with the larger and more efficient industrial organizations. The guilds were also weakened by the growth of the power of the state, which began to regulate trade and industry directly, and by the rise of the capitalist class, which sought to break the power of the guilds and to establish a system of free competition. By the end of the eighteenth century, the craft guilds had largely disappeared, but their influence lived on in the trade unions and other labor organizations of the modern world.