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