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To me Shivaji the founder of the Maratha Empire, appears and has always appeared to be a wonder. He was brought up in seclusion, with no influence except that of his mother Jijai and his tutor Dadaji Konddeva. It is difficult to believe that a lady of those times and a manager kept there to help her to manage & small estate, could have enough equipment to raise up an adventured, a hero, a warrior of rare chivalry, an efficient administrator, and a far seeing Statesman, and founder of an empire as he proved himself to be. An attempt has recently been made to make out that he was merely a tool of his father and was only carrying out the plans of the latter. This has not yet been satisfactorily established and even if it were, that would not account for the extraordinary ability to execute all the plans without great inborn capacity, call it genius, inspirations or what else you like. It is certainly a power not possessed by one in a hundred crores and no wonder that a very large proportion of Indians since his time have regarded him as an incarnation of a diety to save Hinduism and that belief is destined to endure all through History. There are two another great men who come into Shivaji's life. They are Tukaram and Ramdas. The former referred to the latter who advises and guides Shivaji to success, but all through the whole burden of the work to de accomplished falls on him and he never fails, and all credit for it falls to him. The hidden hand of providence is seen in the fact that not a single agent of Shivaji betrays him. Nay they acquired glory by serving him and dying in his cause. All these circumstances which cannot be fortuitous, induce strong belief in his divine origin. His contemporaries maintain it and so long History is read, many are bound to believe it.
Hon. G. S. Khaparde. (Member of the Council of State.)
The youth in Shivaji rose in rebellion. He wirtes in 1645 A. D. to one of his compatriots severely protesting against the allegation of being faithless to the Shah of Bijapur, and appealed to superior morals by reminding him that the only faith they pledged was not to Shah, but to God alone. Did he not in company of Dadaji, his guardian, and his comrades solemnly swear in the presence of
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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