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AUGUST, 1920]
BOOK-NOTICE
We thus get a clear view of Shivaji's origin and upbringing the son of a wandering commander of Hindu soldiers of fortune, in general conflict with the Muhammadan powers of the day, left in the mountains of the Western Ghats to grow up as best he might, without any literary education and the knowledge that such brings with it, am d the hard and practical surroundings of a highland peasantry. A boy of natural strength and ability would grow up self-reliant and self-seeking in such circumstances.
In October, 1636, when Shivaji was ten and a half years old, his father made peace with the Mughals, but had to cede Shivner. He, however, "retained his ancestral jagir of Puna and Supa" (p. 26). Shivaji and his mother were accordingly moved to Puns, and Dadaji Kohnddev, an experienced kulkarni, or land-steward, was appointed guardian. Dadaji was an effective administrator, and until his death in 1647, Shivaji grew up under his tutelage, becoming his own master at the age of 20. Dadaji (p. 35) was " a man of methodical habits, leading a sober blameless and hum-drum life, but quite incapable of lofty ideals, daring ambition or far. off vision. Shivaji's love of adventure and independence appeared to his guardian as the sign of an untutored and wayward spirit, which would ruin his life's chances." The other strong influence on his character is thus described (pp. 33-34):"Young Shivaji wandered over the hills and forests of the Sahyadri range, and along the mazes of the river valleys, thus hardening himself to a life of privation and strenuous exertion, as well as getting a first-hand knowledge of the country and its people. During his residence at Puna his plastic mind was profoundly influenced by the readings from the Hindu epics and sacred books given by his guardian and other Brahmans, and still more by the teaching of his mother. The deeply religious, almost ascetic, life that Jija Bai led amidst neglect and solitude imparted by its example, even more than by her precepts, a stoical earnestness mingled with religious fervour to the character of Shiva. He began to love independence and loathe a life of servile luxury in the pay of some Muslim king. It is, however, extremely doubtful if at this time he conceived any general design of freeing his brother Hindus from the insults and out
rages to which they were often subjected by the dominant Muslim population. An independent sovereignty for himself he certainly coveted; but he never posed as the liberator of the Hindus in general, at all events not till long afterwards."
Shivaji was now his father's representative in his jagir, and at once took matters in hand himself on the opportunity offering of self-aggrandise. ment by the illness and consequent incapacity of the Bijapur monarch, Muhammad Adil Shah He took the Bijapur fort of Torna by a trick and managed to retain it by bribery at Court (p. 38).
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and by similar means annexed Supa, Chakan, Kondana and Purandhar, and so on, even from his own relatives (pp. 38-41). Kalian, Bhimri and Rairi (afterwards his capital as Rajgarh), and a number of places in the Thana and Kolaba distriots and in the Northern Konkan followed into his possession by raids or attacks, seemingly unprovoked (pp. 41-43). Al this by 1648 when he was about 21. He was then drawn up with a round turn by the imprisonment of his father in that year at Jinji across the Peninsula by the Bijapur: authorities (pp. 44-47). This brought about a crisis in Shivaji's affairs and induced him to negotiate with the Mughal Emperor, and even after the release of Shahji in 1649, itkept him quiet till 1655, spending the interval in consolidating his gains, which can hardly be said to have been well gotten (pp. 46-50). Shivaji was now 28!
Then comes the crucial event of the murder of Chandra Rao More in the year 1655. Here is Mr. Sarkar's version (pp. 51-54): "A Maratha family named More had received a grant of the State of Javli [Satara District] from the first Sultan of Bijapur early in the 16th century, and made the claim good by their sword. For eight generations they conquered the petty chieftains around and amassed a vast treasure by plunder. They kept 12,000 infantry, mostly sturdy hillmen of the same class as the Mavles, and succeeded in getting pos session of the entire district and parts of Konkan.. The head of the family bore the hereditary title" of Chandra Rao, conferred by a Bijapur king in recognition of the founder's personal strength and courage. The younger sons enjoyed appanages in the neighbouring villages. Eighth in descent from the founder was Krishnaji Baji, who succeeded to the lordship of Javli about 1652.
The State of Javli, by its situation, barred the path of Shivaji's ambition in the south and southwest. As he frankly said to Raghunath Ballal Korde, Unless Chandra Rao is killed, the kingdom cannot be secured. None but you can do this deed. I send you to him as envoy.' The Brahman entered into the conspiracy, and went to Javli, attended by an escort of 125 picked men, on a pretended proposal of marriage between Shiva and Chandra Rao's daughter.
"On the first day the envoy made a show of opening marriage negotiations. Finding out that Chandra Rao was fond of drink and usually lived in a careless unguarded manner, Raghunath wrote to his master to come to the neighbourhood in force, in readiness to take advantage of the murder immediately after it was committed. The second interview with Chandra Rao was held in a private chamber. Raghunath talked for some time on the endless details of a Hindu marriage treaty, and then drew his dagger all of a sudden and stabbed Chandra Rao, who was despatched by a Maratha soldier. The assassins promptly rushed
1 It has not been proved that he could read or write (p. 30).
In this, however, he merely followed a very old Indian custom, Hindu and Muhammadan.
