ifferent
geographical spheres. Brahmanism flourished in what we call the United
Provinces: Buddhism arose in the regions to the east of this district
and both Vishnuism and Sivaism are first heard of in the west.

The earliest sect of which we have any record is that of the
Bhagavatas, who were or became Vishnuite. At a date which it is
impossible to fix but considerably before the epoch of Panini, a
tribe named the Yadavas occupied the country between Muttra and the
shores of Gujarat. Sects of this tribe were called Vrishni and
Sattvata. The latter name has passed into theology. Krishna belonged
to this sect and it is probable that this name Vasudeva was not
originally a patronymic but the name of a deity worshipped by it. The
hero Krishna was identified with this god and subsequently when the
Brahmans wished to bring this powerful sect within the pale of
orthodoxy both were identified with Vishnu. In the Mahabharata[464]
the rule or ritual (vidhi) of the Sattvatas is treated as equivalent
to that of the Bhagavatas and a work called the Sattvata Samhita is
still extant. Bhagavata appears to be the most general name of the
sect or sects and means simply _of the Lord_ (Bhagavat), that is
worshippers of the one Lord.[465] Their religion is also called
Ekantika dharma, or the religion with one object, that is
monotheism.[466]

A considerable literature grew up in this school and the principal
treatise is often spoken of as Pancaratra because it was revealed by
Narayana during five nights.[467] The name however appears to be
strictly speaking applicable to a system or body of doctrine and the
usual term for the books in which this system is expounded is
Samhita. All previous discussions and speculations about these works,
of which little was known until recently, are superseded by Schrader's
publication of the Ahirbudhnya Samhita, which appears to be
representative of its class.[468] The names of over two hundred are
cited and of these more than thirty are known to be extant in MS.[469]
The majority were composed in north-western India but the Pancaratra
doctrine spread to the Dravidian countries and new Samhitas were
produced there, the chief of which, the Isvara Samhita, can hardly be
later than 800 A.D.[470] Of the older works Schrader thinks that the
Ahirbudhnya was written in Kashmir[471] between 300 and 800 A.D. and
perhaps as early as the fourth century. It mentions the Sattvata and
Jayakhya, which must therefore