“India” by Biruni (973–1048) is a remarkable monument of science from the countries of the Asian East, containing the most important information about the peoples of India, their customs, religion and philosophical systems, presented with deep knowledge of the matter and objectivity that was amazing for that time. The information given in the book fully retains its significance today as valuable factual (historical, ethnographic and geographical) material, unique and completely reliable in many ways.

The Russian translation of this book was commissioned by the Institute of Oriental Studies Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR and was previously published as part of the “Selected Works” of Abu Rayhan Biruni, released in Tashkent. Naturally, the publication's circulation was small and was sold almost entirely in Uzbekistan, outside of which the book remained little known. Meanwhile, the translation is addressed not only to specialists, but also to a wider readership. Now a modern Russian history buff, who grew up after the publication of the Tashkent edition, will be able to familiarize himself with it. The translation, fortunately, did not require revision. It was based on the only critical publication of the Arabic original, prepared in Europe on the basis of a perfectly preserved manuscript from the mid-12th century, which directly goes back to Biruni’s autograph. Since the publication of our publication, no materials have been discovered that could significantly clarify it. Therefore, only a few corrections have been made to this reprint, eliminating the noted mistakes and typos of the first edition. The work itself and its author are described in detail in the preface of 1961. We only note that that the intervening period has not changed anything in the scientists' understanding of "India". According to the author's intention, the work was intended to serve Muslim intellectuals as a source of knowledge about the spiritual culture, traditions and customs of the Indian people. It would seem that today's Russians do not need to turn to a medieval Arab source in order to understand Indian culture, because they have enormous, ever-expanding opportunities to obtain any information about India and its closest neighbors (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan), with which this country shares the great southern subcontinent, which is what is actually meant when talking about India in a broad historical context, like for example in Biruni's book. In addition, the modern Russian-speaking reader has become Numerous translations from Sanskrit and other Indian languages, studies by domestic and foreign Indologists are available. Nevertheless, Biruni’s work retains its significance as a unique treasury of thought and a monument of literature. He absorbed and captured the perception of a representative of a different, Middle Eastern and Central Asian cultural tradition, a Muslim, of the inexhaustible Indian heritage. The critically thinking author of “India” either calmly retells the facts known to him, then presents events with obvious sympathy and admiration, then moves on to open polemics. We hope that Biruni’s immortal work will not leave the interested Russian reader indifferent.

CONTENTS: Preface 7 Introduction 57 India (Text) 63 Chapter I, which sets out and establishes general information about Indians before the beginning of our story about them. Chapter II, which sets out the Indian faith in God - praise to him! Chapter III, which talks about the Indian faith regarding rational and sensory creatures. Chapter IV - about the cause of action and the connection of the soul with matter. Chapter V - about the state of souls and their journey in the world through transmigration from one body to another. Chapter VI, telling about other worlds and places of reward in heaven and hell. Chapter VII - about how deliverance from the mortal world occurs, and a description of the path, leading to this. Chapter VIII - about the different kinds of creatures and their names. Chapter IX - about the castes which the Indians call "flowers" and the lower castes. Chapter X - about the source of the religious and secular laws of the Indians, about the prophets and about the possibility repeal of certain laws. Chapter XI - about the beginning worship of idols and what these idols are. Chapter XII, which talks about the Vedas, Puranas and religious literature of the Indians. Chapter XIII, which talks about the books of the Indians on grammar and poetry. Chapter XIV, which talks about the Indian books on other branches of knowledge. Chapter XV, which gives information about the Indian system of measures, in order to facilitate the understanding of the measures found in this book. Chapter XVI, which gives information about Indian writing, arithmetic and the like, and some Indian customs that may seem outlandish. Chapter XVII, where their sciences are told, which spread their wings over the horizon of ignorance. Chapter XVIII, containing various information about their country, rivers, sea and some distances between their regions and borders. Chapter XIX - about names of planets, signs of the zodiac, lunar stations and the like. Chapter XX, which talks about Brahmanda. Chapter XXI - about the shape of the earth and sky according to religious ideas, which go back to oral news and traditions. Chapter XXII, which talks about the pole and traditions about him. Chapter XXIII, which talks about Mount Meru according to the ideas held by the authors of the Puranas and others. Chapter XXIV, which talks in detail about the seven dvipas according to the Puranas. Chapter XXV, which talks about the rivers of India, their sources and their flow through various region. Chapter XXVI - about the form of the sky and earth according to the teachings of Indian astronomers. Chapter XXVII - about the original two movements according to the teachings of Indian astrologers and authors of the Puranas. Chapter XXVIII - about the definition of the ten countries of the world. Chapter XXIX - about the definition the inhabited part of the earth according to the idea of the Indians. Chapter XXX, which talks about Lanka, known as the “Dome of the Earth”. Chapter XXXI - about the difference in distances between regions, which we call the “difference of two longitudes”. Chapter XXXII, which talks about the duration and about time in general, about the creation of the world and its destruction. Chapter XXXIII - about the different types of day and about day and night. Chapter XXXIV - about dividing the day into smaller parts. Chapter XXXV - about the different types of months and years. Chapter XXXVI - about the four measures time, which are called mana. Chapter XXXVII - about the parts of the month and year. Chapter XXXVIII - about what is made up of a day, including the duration of Brahma's life. Chapter XXXIX - about what exceeds the duration of Brahma's life. Chapter XL, which talks about sandhi, that is, the interval, connecting two periods of time. Chapter XLI - about the explanation of the terms kalpa and chatur-yuga and about the definition of one of them by means of the other. Chapter XLIІ - about the division of chatur-yuga into the south and about conflicting opinions on this issue. Chapter XLIII - about special features, inherent in the four yugas, and a story about everything that is expected at the end of the fourth of them. Chapter XLIV, which talks about the manvantaras. Chapter XLV, which talks about the constellation Ursa Major. Chapter XLVI - about Narayan, his appearance at different times and about his names .Chapter XLVІІ, telling about Vasudeva and the wars of the Bharatas. Chapter XLVІІІ - about an explanation of the measure of akshauhini. Chapter XLIХ - general information about the eras [of the Indians]. Chapter L - about how many sidereal cycles are included in each kalpa and each chatur-yuga. Chapter LI - on the explanation of the terms adhimasa, unaratra and aharganas, expressing various periods made up of days. Chapter LII - about the general explanation of the calculation of aharganas, that is, the conversion of years and months into days and the reverse action of converting days into years. Chapter LIII - about the conversion of years [into months] by particular actions applied for some divisions of time [in eras]. Chapter LIV - on the calculation of the average position of the planets. Chapter LV - on the order, distances and sizes of the planets. Chapter LVI - on lunar stations. Chapter LVII - on the solar ascensions of the stars and a story about the sacrifices and rites of the Indians. at this time. Chapter LVIII - about the successive change of ebb and flow in the waters of the ocean. Chapter LIX, telling about solar and lunar eclipses. Chapter LX, which talks about parvana. Chapter LXI - about the masters of time from the point of view of religious law and astronomy and other related issues. Chapter LXII - about the sixty-year-old samvatsara, also called shashtyabda. Chapter LXIII - about what especially concerns brahmanas, and what they should do during their lives. Chapter LXIV - about customs, which are followed throughout their lives by representatives of castes other than Brahmins. Chapter LХV, which talks about sacrifices. Chapter LХVI - about pilgrimage and visiting revered places. Chapter LХVІІ - about alms and what follows from property. Chapter LХVІІІ - about that , what is permitted and prohibited for consumption in food and drink. Chapter LХІХ - about marriages, menstruation, the state of embryos and childbirth. Chapter LXX - about litigation. Chapter LХХІ - about punishments and atonements. Chapter LХХII - about inheritances and rights of the deceased. for inheritance. Chapter LХХІІІ - about the implementation duty towards the body of the deceased and the rights of the living to their bodies. Chapter LXXIV - about fasting and its varieties. Chapter LXXV - about determining the days of fasting. Chapter LXXVІ - about holidays and amusements. Chapter LXXVІІ - about especially revered days, about happy and unlucky days moments for achieving [heavenly] reward. Chapter LХХVІІІ, which talks about the karanas. Chapter LХХІХ, talking about the yogis. Chapter LХХХ, which talks about the basics of the judiciary astrology of the Indians and gives a summary of their calculations. Comments 539 Indexes 677