ABSTRACT
The legend of Kumarila is significant, however, as placing on a religious basis the series of many-sided evolutions which resulted in Hinduism. Hinduism is internally loosely coherent, but it has great powers of resistance to external pressure. Hinduism merely forms one link in the golden chain of Indian religions. Buddhism not only breathed into the new birth its noble Buddhist spirit of charity, but bequeathed to Hinduism many of its institutions unimpaired, together with its scheme of religious duism, life, and the material fabric of its worship. Tradition fondly narrates that the founders of almost all the historical sects of Hinduism—Sivaites, Vishnuites, Sauras, Saktas, Ganapatyas, Bhairavas—were his disciples. India has brought to light many traditions of offerings. The Vishnu Purdna dates from about 1045 A.D.,1 and probably represents, as indeed its name implies, ' ancient' traditions which had co-existed with Sivaism and Buddhism for centuries.
