________________
·
imparted a tone of religious fervour to the character of her son. He braved the buffet of fortune with indomitable courage, and perseverance; and his soaring ambition coupled with undaunted heroism, inflexible fortitude, and commanding talents, raised him to a pinnacle of unapproachable grandeur. He was a staunch defender of the Hindu religion from the on-rushing waves of iconoclastic idealism which swept over the land at the time. Shivaji's unquenchable spirit of independence, his knowledge of practical statecraft and universal toleration, were only equalled by his lofty patriotism, a high standard of morality in his private life and a born leader's personal magnetism that threw a spell over all who knew him. His rare gift of judging character and a strict enforcement of discipline and morality in his camp, contributed no mean quota to his success. He infused new blood into the feeble pulses of a decadent culture and his glorious achievement was the wielding together of the heterogenious elements of the Maratha into a nation. To view the career of this truly illustrious man is to look back upon the course of a blazing star drawing it's firey arch over the concave of heaven that fixes the admiring attention to the sublunary world, and dazzles while it arrests the wondering eye.
Babu Gaya Prasad Singh M. L. A.
*
WHEREIN DOTH SHIVAJI'S GREATNESS LIE?
In my opinion the greatness of Shivaji consists in his having transformed the mentality of the Maratha nation, whom by means of his unequalled leadership he enabled to attain a foremost place among the various races of India. It is well known what a factious, turbulent and riotous life the Maratha clans of the Western hills led for over a century before the rise of Shivaji. They wasted their energy in internecine disputes, obeyed no authority and made life and property hopelessly insecure. Shivaji correctly guaged the situation, heartily joined them, to begin with, in their lawless activities, and, having quickly gained their confidence, established such a complete hold upon their contentious but valient spirits, that they began to render implicit obedience to him and put forth a united national effort in defence
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
