The Date of the Mahabharata War. 75
mean positions. In fine, this theory of a fictitious
beginning being obtained by calculation fails because
the two premises on which it rests are themselves
untrue.
It appears very probable that the date of the begin-
ning of the Kali-age, assigned by the Indian astrono-
mers, was obtained by tradition in the same manner as
the Mahabharata war has been by tradition identified with
that beginning. We have come across a very strong
piece of external evidence in support of this view. The
Greek historians of India, who derived their information
about this country at the time of Alexander and also
from the now unfortunately lost work of Megasthenes,
have recorded the following about the chronological
beliefs which prevailed in those days in India. u From
the time of Dionysos to Sandrakottos, the Indians
counted 153 kings, and a period of 6,042 years. But
among these a republic was thrice established. The
Indians also tell us that Dionysos was earlier than
Heracles by 15 generations " (McCrindle's Ancient India,
p. 204). Now although there may be a doubt as to who
this Dionysos was, it is admitted on all hands that
Heracles was no other than Hari or Shrikrishna.
"This Heracles is held in special honour by the Shour-
seni Indian tribe who possess two large cities, Mathora
and Cleisobora. It is further said that he had a very
numerous progeny (for, like his Theban namesake
he married many wives)."—(Ditto, p. 201.) This
description of Heracles should, we think, be enougtj
to identify him with Shrikrishna, the contemporary
of the Pandavas. Since there were 153 generations from