Shivaji the Great
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SHIVAJI THE GREAT BY BAL KRISHNA, M. A., PH. D., Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society. the Royal Economic Society. London, etc. Professor of Economics and Principal, Rajaram College, Kolhapur, India Part IV Shivaji, The Man and His .Work THE ARYA BOOK DEPOT, Kolhapur COPYRIGHT 1940 the Author Published by The Anther A Note on the Author Dr. Balkrisbna came of a Ksbatriya family of Multan, in the Punjab* Born in 1882, be spent bis boyhood in struggles against mediocrity. For after completing bis primary education he was first apprenticed to a jewel-threader and then to a tailor. It appeared as if he would settle down as a tailor when by a fortunate turn of events he found himself in a Middle Vernacular School. He gave the first sign of talents by standing first in the Vernacular Final ^Examination. Then he joined the Multan High School and passed en to the D. A. V. College, Lahore, from where he took his B. A* degree. Then be joined the Government College, Lahore, and passed bis M. A. with high distinction. During the last part of bis College career, be came under the influence of some great Indian political leaders, especially of Lala Lajpatrai, Sardar Ajitsingh and the Honourable Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and in 1908-9 took an active part in politics. But soon after he was drawn more powerfully to the Arya Samaj. His high place in the M. A. examination would have helped him to a promising career under the Government, but he chose differently. He joined Lala Munshiram ( later Swami Shraddha- Btnd ) *s a worker in the Guruk.ul, Kangri. Here he spent over ten years as a Professor of Economics and Politics, as Vice- Principal and as Principal and sometimes acted in the place of Swami Sbraddhanand as the Governor of the Gurukul University* In 1919 he went and in to^ England February 1922 was admitted to the Ph. D. degree of London University. While a student in London, he went on lecturing tours and lectured on Vedic Religion and Economics in London, Oxford, Manchester and other towns in England, Wales and Scotland. The same year he returned to India and in May was appointed Principal of Rajaram College, Kolhapur. He worked in that capacity till his death on 2 1st October, 1940. His term of Office was distinguished (2) by the phenomenal growth of the institution. In 1922 it was Arts an College with only 293 pupils on the roll ; at the time of his death it was a full-fledged Arts and Science College, teaching- post-graduate courses in many subjects, with 920 pupils on its roll* He was also instrumental in developing Kolhapur as an educational centre, the Law and the Teachers' Training Colleges owing their existence to his initiative and efforts. He also worked as Inspector of Secondary Education in Kolhapur from 1926 to 1936. He was connected with numerous learned societies. He was a Fellow of the Royal Economic Society, of the Royal Statistical Society, and of the Royal Historical Society, London; a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, Bombay; a Member of the Econometric Association, U. S. A.; and a fellow of the University of Bombay till shortly before his death. He was a Member of the Historical Records Commission of the Government of India and the first President of Bombay "Presidency Teachers' Conference held at Poona in 1935 and President of the Modern History Section of the History Congress held at Allahabad in 1938. He also took a leading part in the public life of Kolhapur, From 1924 to 1933 he was President of the Kolhapur Boy Scouts* Association. He was a Member of the Kolhapur Municipality and Kolhapur Itakha Panchayat for a number of years. He was 'President of Kolhapur Arya Samaj and of the Educational Boards under it. He was for several years President of the Teachers* "Association, Kolhapur. As a representative of the all-India Arya Sitnij organisation he attended the World Fellowship of Faiths in Chicago in 1933-5* and toured in U. S. A. and Europe on his way back. In U. S. A. he gave many lectures on Hindu Religion and Culture in the North .Western, Howard, New York and Columbia Universities, to the World Fellowship of Faiths, the Indian Association at Detroit, the Amstican League of India's Freedom and other todies o4 wjts highly honoured by them and other American intttutipp6 and (3) -eminent individuals. He delivered an important series of public lectures on political conditions of Europe after his return tp Kolhapur. He was distinguished as a public speaker and lectured in different parts of India too. As an author he directed his energies to different subjects including Indian Religion and Culture, Economics, Politics and History. His monumental work, on which he devoted a large parf of his spare time during his 18 years at Kolhapur, is the History of Shivaji the Great, of about 1650 pages in four volumes, dedicated to the only ruling representative of the noble House of Shivaji the Great, His Late Highness Chhatrapati Shri Rajaram Maharaja of Kolhapur. He wrote and saw through print the concluding pages of the book during the last weeks of his illness. The index given at the end of the last volume was left in manuscript by him. It has been printed after his death. It was the desire of the Doctor to follow up his history of Shivaji by that of Rajaram, the second son of the founder of tha Maratha Empire. He was collecting meteriai for the purpose, especially from Dutch sources. Shortly before he left Gurukul, Kangri, his first wife had died, leaving him a son and three daughters. He married again in 1925 and left five children four daughters and a son. His first wife belonged to the Punjab and his widow, the undersigned, * is from Maharashtra. In the publication of Shivaji the Great the author received valuable help and encouragement from His Late Highness Chhatrapati Shri Rajaram Maharaj of Kolhapur and his Govern- ment, from His Late Highness Shri Sayajirao Maharaja oC Baroda, from the late Rajasaheb of Mudhol and others, for which I record my sincerest gratitude. Radhabti Balkrithpt. * Dr. Balkriihna published his autobiography in Marathi in a serial form " " -in Kirloakar Masik Nos. 185, 186 and 187 ( Jane, July and August issues oC 1935 ) from which details of his life t*e taken. (4) Works by the late Dr. Balkriihna. I. On Indian Religion and Culture: 1. Philosophy of Yajna. 2. Veda, the Word of God. 3. Ancient Polity. 4. Hindu Philosophers on Evolution. II. On Economics: 5. Commercial Relations between India and England. ( Routledge, London ). 6. The Industrial Decline in India. 7. Economics ( Hindi ). 8. Commercial Survey of Kolhapur. III. On Politics: 9. The Indian Constitution. 10. Demands of Democracy. 11. Swarajya. ,TV. On History: 12. Shahji. ) . *4 vols ' Shivaji the Great.) 13. Shivaji Album. 14. History of India. ( Hindi ) 15. ( Marathi ) V. The following books were in preparation and some of them were nearing completion: 1. Vedic Psalms. 2. Shukraniti with notes and explanations. 3. Hindu Economics. 4. The State in Ancient India. * 5. From the Counter to the Crown. CONTENTS Foreword ... ... ... ... ... ... Contents ... CHAPTER I Personality of Shivaji ... ... ... ... ... ... l European envoys. Personal description. Portraits of Shivaji. Spartaa simplicity. Freedom from drinks. Respeci for women. Religious devotion. Shivaji a mystic. Shivaji a fatalist. Shivaji a diplomat. Unique as a constructive statesman. Shivaji as a commander. Shivaji and Napoleon. An extraordinary resourcefulness. The character of Shivaji. The Lion of Maharashtra , CHAPTER II Shivaji a Robber ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 European view. Plunder after an ultimatum. Rules re, Plunder. The regulations regarding expeditions, Plunder justified. System of Chautb. Why black-mail necessary ? Shivaji and Mahmud. Shivaji and Changes Khan. Shivaji and Timur. Shivaji and Nadirshah. CHAPTER III The Grand Rebel or Liberator...... ... ... ... ... 23 Misconception of European settlers. The mortal fear of the Marathas. Hindvi Swaraj or the ideal of Indian independence. CHAPTER IV Shivaji, Prince of Perfidy ... ... ... ... ... ... 30 A prince of perfidy. Statement of the case. Life and death struggle. Treschery-the most common means of murders. Evidence of the Khan's treachery. Khan's anxiety to have the interview. The Khan was the first to strike the blow. CHAPTER V Civil Administration ... ... ... ... ... ... 4O Extent of Shivaji's Empire. Administrative divisions. Civil divisions. CivH officers. Dr. Fryer on Maratba Administration. Administrative reforms of Sbivaji. No new Inams. Growth of the Executive Council. Duties of the Ministers.Principles underlying ministerial government. The salaries of the Ministers. The personal staff of the king. Minor Departments. Comparison of the Astha Pradhans to the Executive Council. vi CONTENTS CHAPTER VI The Military System ... 61 Evils of the Muslim military system, Royal Bodyguards. State Cavalry and Militta. Training of the Cavalry. The Infantry. Strength of the army. The relative strength of the cavalry and infantry. The excellence of bis cavalry. Training of the army. Army regulations. Spies and scouts. Rewards ior military service. Feudal forces. Arms and Weapons. The camel corps and elephant corps. Military reforms. Shivaji, a man of forts. Classical names of forts. Number of forts. Fortifications and repairs. High wages to workmen. Internal organization in a fort. Pay of officers Guards for outskirts. Regular inspection of forts. Repair of forts. Vestiges of old forts. Architecture. Importance of the navy. Types of ships. The reasons tor the small craft. Organization of the marine. Naval strength. The merchant fleet of Shivaji. Shivaji's naval exploits. Shivajrs naval achievements. Supply from the Europeans. Ordnance manufactured in state-factories. CHAPTER VII The Financial System ... ... ... ... ... ... 107 Introductory remarks. Three settlements. Settlement by the people. Method of survey.