The task of history is to delineate such factors that have gone into the making of a nation. Her view is that a kingdom or an empire is the expanded organisation of people, the smallest being a tribal set up or village council. When tribal loyalties are subordinated to embrace national loyalties, a nation is borne. When such a nation evolves a political organization, it is a nation state. From this it follows that a State—nation State—to exist, the people should have a common cultural background. A common language or religion may be some of the desirable condition but not at all the essential. Here lies the crux of Sister Nivedita’s findings that India, long before the establishment of Mauryan empire in the fourth century BC, was not only culturally but also emotionally united.

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About Author: C Jayanarayanan is Librarian of the CSN Trust Library, Ottapalam, Kerala

This article was first published in the Prabuddha Bharata, monthly journal of The Ramakrishna Order started by Swami Vivekananda in 1896. This article is courtesy and copyright Prabuddha Bharata (www.advaitaashrama.org). I have been reading the Prabuddha Bharata for years and found it enlightening. You can subscribe online at www.advaitaashrama.org. Cost is Rs 180/ for one year, Rs 475/ for three years, Rs 2100/ for twenty years. To know more Visit here