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and protect the people from harm. Shivaji kept his pledge. He dedicated himself to the service of his nation and his Dharma, the secret of both is reverence for the poor. In Shivaji's heart was love for the poor and they had beautiful devotion for him * * * In 1680 Shivaji was on his death bed. His friends and relatives were around him and they wept. He consoled them "weep not. Life is short. Liberty's work is incomplete. I go." Liberty's work remains incomplete. India is in bondage.
Sadhu Vaswani.
Though the son of a powerful chief, he had begun life as a daring and artful captain of banditti, had ripened into a skilful general and an able statesman, and left a character which has never since been equalled or approached by any of his conntrymen. The distracted state of the neighbouring countries presented openings by which an inferior leader might have profited; but it required a genius like his to avail himself as he did of the mistakes of Aurangzeb, by kindling a zeal for religion, and through that, a national spirit among the Marathas. It was by these feelings that his Government was upheld after it had passed into feeble hands, and was kept together, inspite of numerous internal disorders, until it has established in supremacy over the greater part of India. Though a predatory, such as he conducted, must necessarily inflict extensive misery, his enemies bear witness to his anxiety to mitigate the evils of it by humane regulations, which were strictly enforced.
Mount Stuart Elphistone.
( History of India )
મુસલમાની બાદશાહતકે અંતિમ સમય ઉસકી નિર્બલતાકે કારણ કઇ નએ રાજ્ય ઉઠ ખડે હુએ છે, પરંતુ ઉનમેં કોઈ સ્થિરતા નહિ થી. ઉનકી તહમેં યહ અસલ કામ કરતા થા કિ જબરદસ્તને નિર્બલકે દબા લિયા ઔર અપના સ્વાર્થ સિદ્ધ કિયા પરંતુ શિવાજીને જીસ પ્રજાતંત્ર સામ્રાજ્યકી બુનિયાદ ડાલી થી ઉસમેં જાતિયતાકી લહર ચલ રહી થી. યદિ કઈ બલાત્કારસે મુસલમાન કરલિયા ગયા વા લાલચાદિસે ઉધર જ મિલા, પશ્ચાતાપ કરને પર શિવાજીને ઉસકે બિરાદરીમેં મિલાનેસે ઈન્કાર નહીં કિયા. સમદશી સમર્થ રામદાસકા આત્માની ઉનકે અંદર કામ કર રહા થા ઈસલિયે જીન માહરોસે હિન્દુ પ્રજા ધૃણુ કરતી થી ઔર ઉનકા અસ્પર્શ બતલાકર દેવમંદિરોકે સમીપ નહીં જાને દેતીથી, ઉન મારકી સેના સાકર શિવાજીને એક જાતીય રાષ્ટ્રકી બુનિયાદ ડાલ દી.
સ્વ. સ્વામી શ્રદ્ધાનંદજી
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
