This article attempts to bring out the irreligiousness, barbarism, and dishonest nature of the Hindu king Shivaji Bhonsle, also known as Chhatrapati Shri Shivaji Maharaj (February 19, 1630 - April 3, 1680), who was the founder of the Maratha empire in western India in 1674. It does not claim that Shivaji was absolutely irreligious, barbaric, and dishonest. Also, irreligiousness does not necessarily imply immorality. If it exposes Shivaji's negative character it is because a lot positive has been said about Shivaji and thus portraying his good character/s is a mere repetition, nothing else.

'Shivaji was born to Hindu parents in 1630, in the hill fort of Shivneri, 60 km north of Pune (formerly Poona) in Maharashtra, India. His father, Shahaji, was a jagirdar of the sultan of Bijapur in present-day Karnataka. His mother was Jijabai, the daughter of Lakhuji Jadhav from Sindkhedraja in present-day Buldhana district of Maharashtra. He was one of the most influential amongst the Yadav (lower-cast Hindu) rulers.' (See Shivaji: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.)

The Irreligious Shivaji-

'Shivaji annexed a portion of the then dominant Mughal empire using guerrilla tactics superbly suited to the rugged mountains and valleys found in this region. He was formally crowned Chatrapati ("Holder of the Umbrella", representing the protection he bestowed on his people) on June 6, 1674 at the Raigad fort, and given the title, Kshatriya Kulasampanna Simhasanadheeshwar Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Pandit Gaga Bhatt, a Brahmin from Varanasi, officially presided over the ceremony. A few days later a second ceremony was carried out, this time according to the Bengal school of Tantricism and presided over by Nischal Puri. The coronation itself was the subject of controversy among the inner circles of Shivaji, on doubts over Shivaji's status as a Kshatriya (the warrior Hindu cast), since a Kshatriya alone could be crowned a King.' (See Shivaji: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.)

Hinduism is theoretically consisted of its scriptures categorised as Shruti and Smriti. Shruti scriptures are essentially Vedas, including the Upanishads, and Smriti scriptures are essentially Sutras, including the Manusmriti, which dealt with Hindu law and conduct.

'Dharma is an important concept in Hinduism signifying order, law, duty, and truth. Men were expected to follow their own dharma (their sva-dharma) according to their social class, varna, and stage of life, ashrama, hence the term varna-ashrama-dharma. The maintenance of social order in the world and the relationship between humanity and the gods were the corporate responsibility of all, though each person's behaviour in the service of dharma was different. The principle text in which these duties (and those of women) were codified was the Manusmriti.' (See Kim Knott: Hinduism -a very short introduction. Oxford: OUP. Pg 43-4)

'In Rig Veda 10.90 and chapter 2 of the Bhagavad-gita we were introduced to the idea of the four classes of Brahminical society. Arjuna, as a warrior, was expected to do his class duty, not being tempted to mimic the duties of others just because they seemed more palatable or worthy, or less contentious. This idea of social duty was discussed in greater detail in the Manusmriti, where the consequences of neglecting one's duty were treated very seriously. Undutiful or a-dharmic actions would be punished with expulsion from one's social group or with a lower rebirth in the next life.' (See Kim Knott: Hinduism -a very short introduction. Oxford: OUP. Pg 38)

In Ch 18 verses 41 to 48 clearly imply that Bhagavad-gita (in particular, Lord Krishna) considers the cast system (constituted of the four casts, viz Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras) to be divine and religious. Non-Kshatriyas performing the works of Kshatriyas are thus irreligious, according to the Gita (see Ch 18 verses 47 & 48). [In Ch 18 verse 47, Krishna says that 'it is better to engage in one's own occupation, even though one may perform it imperfectly, than to accept another's occupation and perform it perfectly'.]

'In modern India, caste is determined by familial inheritance, but not all present members of Kshatriya castes are necessarily descended from the Vedic Kshatriyas. Many historical rulers came from other castes, or were descended from non-Hindu foreign conquerors, and were either granted de facto Kshatriya status by virtue of the power they held, or they created fictionalized family histories to connect themselves to past Kshatriya rulers. The Maratha ruler Shivaji, for example, was from non-Kshatriya origins, but in order to legitimize himself as Maratha king he created a dubious genealogy that traced his family to the Sesodia dynasty of Rajputs, and found a prestigious Brahmin to conduct a ritual of consecration that acknowledged his kingship while absolving Shivaji of living as a non-Kshatriya. The caste system spread, along with Hinduism, throughout India and into southeast Asia, but not necessarily by immigration; peoples with non-Vedic origins may have adopted the Vedic castes as they acculturated into Hinduism.' (See http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Kshatriya)

'The Marathas are the inhabitants of Maharashtra...Aside from a Brahmin minority- among whom the Chitpawans are best known as the providers of the Peshwas rulers- the Marathas belong to the Shudra cast.' (See Dilip Hiro: History of India: the rough guide. London: Rough Guides Ltd. Pg 204) This suggests that Shivaji actually belonged to the Shudra cast, not the Kshatriya cast. (The word Shudra means inferior and the Shudra cast is the cast of farmers or servants.)

'Shivaji created a government with democratic structure, where 12 ministers were elected by the public- one of the first experiments in democracy in the Indian subcontinent. The chief of ministers (prime minister) was chosen by the public and was called "Peshwa".' (See Shivaji: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.) However, Hinduism does not allow lower-cast people to decide who should govern their society. In this way, Shivaji's democracy, and, in general, his rule was irreligious.

Thus, according to Hinduism Shivaji was irreligious. In other words, Shivaji was an irreligious (or a-dharmic) Hindu king.

The Barbaric Shivaji-

Shivaji's barbarism is depicted in the barbaric civic laws practised under his rule. For example, punishment for theft was to cut hands, for rape was to throw down from the top of the hill (e.g. Takmaktok in Marathi) to kill, etc. Such laws would clearly strike to be evil from a civilised western viewpoint. And if such laws are good for the society why the Indians, for example, who appreciate them do not consider them being implemented in their democratic society?

'Small and sturdy, the Marathas are renowned for their perseverance. As agriculturists they are sober and frugal, with a touch of guile. As village chiefs they supplied the administrative backbone of the kingdoms of Ahmadnagar and Bijapur. As soldiers they were as courageous and enterprising as Rajputs, but did not share Rajput concepts of honour, valour and self-sacrifice. For a Maratha, victory was to be achieved by any means, fair or foul. His adversaries therefore regarded him as a formidable foe.' (See Dilip Hiro: History of India: the rough guide. London: Rough Guides Ltd. Pg 204) This speaks of the barbaric nature of the Marathas, including Shivaji.

'By the third quarter of the 18th century, the Marathas had under their direct administration enough Indian territory to justify the use of the term "the Maratha Empire", though it never came near the dimensions of the Mughal Empire. The Marathas also never sought to formally substitute themselves for the Mughals; they often kept the emperor under their thumb but still paid him formal obeisance. Their ruthlessness in the wake of their battles against Aurangzeb's armies, especially towards Muslim populations meant they were not trusted to the same degree as the Mughal administration had been, a further factor in their inability to form an extensive empire.' (See India. London: Insight Guides. Pg 40)

'...Shivaji gained legitimacy from Mughal honours, but he also sought status elsewhere. Under the Mughals, the term Rajput had become the symbol of legitimate kshatriya rule, and so Shivaji determined to acquire that status for himself. He recruited a Brahman preceptor from a devotional sect, in the style of a Rajput, and then found Brahmans willing to accept the idea that kshatriya were defined by action, not birth. These Brahmans accordingly provided him with the ritual and genealogical services that legitimized him as a descendent of warrior forebears. In 1679, he had himself installed as king in elaborate Brahmanic ceremonies. Shivaji exemplifies the role of the successful warrior in fostering formalized caste ideals. He welcomed men of skill and loyalty with no regard to birth, but he subsequently built classifications of jati and varna into his courtly ritual and organization.' (See A concise history of India by Barbara D. Metcalf and Thomas R. Metcalf. Cambrige: CUP 2002)

As mentioned before, the verse 47 in Ch 18 in Gita clearly implies that the act of converting Shivaji into a Kshatriya was irreligious. The Brahmins were anti-religious. Also, doesn't the last sentence in the above paragraph emphasize upon Shivaji's dishonesty and fraud character?

I was born on 31 Dec 1979 to a Hindu (Brahmin) family, in Mumbai (Bombay), India, where I lived for the first 15 years of my life. Then I moved to Pune (Poona). In March 2004 I came to Cambridge, England where I currently live and work. I'm inclined to Christianity for its moral and social manifestation. I see most of the major world religions, including Hinduism and Christianity, to be parts of a bigger (Superultramodern) metaphysical picture.

Founder & President- Superultramodern Scientific Institution St John's Innovation Centre Cowley Road Cambridge CB4 0WS http://www.bssi.org.uk email: kedarkj1@rediffmail.com

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