The Study of Indian History and Culture - Vol - 07 of 18 General Editor - Shripad Kulkarni And Rajwade is right. The Muslims conquered the Hindus not because of their superior social system or polity but because of their superior weapons system. That was also the cause why India had to yield before the Westerners. Even a small Portuguese force could extend their Empire in the eastern countries, because the Portuguese had learnt to profit by the scientific advance Columbus the Spanish navigator was able to land on the Western Coast of America on 12th October 1492. Since then, the Western nations carried on their seafaring activities very vigorously and gained many new colonies in the East for their parental nations. They developed powerful guns and trained troops in their use. Arthur Wellesley could win over Shinde battalions at Assai and Adgaon on the strength of his powerful guns. Similarly Yashwantrao Holkar could be defeated by the British artillery Tulaji Angre was routed by Clive with the same weapons. With all his faults Bajirao-II would not have to yield so easily before the British, had he under his command a well organised pack of artillery The valuable message of Mahabharata that a nation well guarded through its armed strength, can peacefully discuss all the arts and sciences" seemed to have been lost on the Hindus. We cannot do better than to quote MG Ranade to conclude this discussion. He states: "If the innovation (of Shinde's trained brigades) had been accompanied by the acquisition of the requisite knowledge of military strategy and the scientific processes in the use and manufacture of superior arms, the helplessness which paralysed the native armics when their European officers left them, might have been avoided but no care seems to have been bestowed on this direction and they were more helpless than ever on the battlefield. Published on 1997 Available in ENGLISH and MARATHI Hardcover, Pages: 375 Publisher: Shri Bhagwan Vedvyasa Itihasa Samshodhana Mandir (BHISHMA)