भारतीय इतिहास के ६ स्वर्णिम पृष्ठ (वीर सावरकर - विदेशी आक्रान्ताओं पर विजय गाथा)

Gandhar and the rivers now lost to Afghanisthan, but once well-known to Vedic Aryans, like the Kubha (the Kabul of today), the Kramu (the Kurram of today), the Suwastu (the Swat of today), the Gomati (the Gumal of today) and others, right up to the peaks of the Hindukush mountains. To that far end, were spread our republics following the Vedic religion and born of a Bharatiya race! And over these regions had been ruling the traditional royal dynasties of India. As our people in that ice-cold regions were comparatively whiter, it was also called by some “White India”. Naturally the national aspiration, as embodied in Chandragupta-Chanakya scheme of things, fortified its imperial boundaries not only up to the eastern bank of the Indus with a strong army, but it also busied itself with the planning and preparation and execution of the imperial boundaries right up to the natural geographic frontiers of India, the Hindukush mountain and yearned to hoist its flag on the top of that mountain! “These also laboured in the cause espoused by the other sages.” Greek Feuds and the Division of the Empire 128. In the meanwhile, the Greek civil feuds had temporarily ceased by dividing Alexander’s empire, ceding its vast portion from the Indian frontiers up to Babylon to Seleucos Nicator, one of the bravest and most experienced veteran of Alexander’s military officers, who ruled it as an independent sovereign. He was supposed to inherit the claim to the region beyond the Hindukush, which was formely conquered by Alexander. 129. He, therefore, demanded the surrender of that region from Chandragupta, who had appropriated it to himself. Of course, Seleucos did not realize that now the Greeks had to face not an Ambhi of Taxila as before, nor any cowardly minister, but King Chandragupta and his minister, Chanakya! They not only scoffed at this frivolous demand of Seleucos, but demanded in return the surrender of the region from Gandhar to Hindukush beyond the river Indus. Seleucos Attacks India with a Mighty Army 130. Enraged at this rebuff, Seleucos marched against India round about 315 B.C. with a Greek army, trained under Alexander. If we leave aside the little-known invasion of Gandhar by Alexander in B.C. 329, this was the second invasion of India by the Greeks after the famous one, already fully described, by Alexander in B.C. 326. 131. But this time, after he crossed the Indus, Seleucos was amazed to see that the region, instead of being divided into separate Indian republics as at