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૬૫૮
Shivaji was a sincerely religious man, he believed himself to be constantly guided and inspired by the goddess Bhawani. He was a desciple of the great Dekhan preacher and poet, Ramdas, and an admirer of the saintly Tukaram. His devotion to his parents, especially to his mother Jijabai, was proverbial. And lastly, we must not forget that he organized the army which shattered the Moghal Empire in the height of its power, a task which the Rajputs themselves essayed in vain, which spread terror from Ramegvaram to Attack, and which offered the only real opposition to the British in northern India.
Shivaji ranks among the most remarkable men which India has produced. He was born at a time when his country was a kind of no man's land, ravaged by invading armies and robber chiefs, desolated by famine and overrun with wolves. His great accomplishments was to awaken in his countrymen's hearts the dormant idea of Nationality. By the end of his brief life, he had by virtue of his unique personality, freed his country from misrule and oppression, and set up a great and flourishing kingdom.
Shivaji's respect for women was so well known that on more than one occasion Mahomedans escaped from the sack of a town by dressing in women's clothes.
Prof. H. G. Rawlinson M. A. I. E. S.
(Deccan College, Poona ).
શિવાજીની વિભુતિ જેઓ નથી સમજતા તેઓ શિવાજીને કાતિ “ડુંગરને ઉંદર, લૂંટ, અથવા બહુ બહુ તે હૈદરઅલી જેવા મહત્ત્વાકાંક્ષી રાજ્યસંસ્થાપક ગણે છે અથવા કાંતા મહાદેવનો અવતાર અથવા બીજા રામચંદ્રજી ગણે છે. એકમાં ઠેષને તિરસ્કાર છે, બીજામાં આંધળી ભક્તિ. બન્ને શિવાજીને અન્યાય કરે છે.
શિવાજીને સંસ્કૃતિને ખ્યાલ હતો. એને સમાજ ઉપર કાયમ અને સર્વાગી અસર પાડવી હતી. શિવાજીના નસીબમાં વિચિત્ર સજોગો આવ્યા હતા. એ પિતાના જમાનાથી બહુ આગળ વધેલ હતા રથી ઘણું કામ એને એકલે હાથે શરૂ કરવું પડયું. એની વિશાળ દષ્ટિ એટલા બધા ભિન્ન ભિન્ન ક્ષેત્ર જોતી હતી કે તે એક વિચારમાં તણાઈ જાય એ સંભવિત ન હતું.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
