Chhatrapathi Shivaji

[Bharatvarsh]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->A letter written to Chatrapati Sambhaji by Samartha Swami Ramadas, Shivaji's guru.

Sambhaji ruled Maharashtra for many years after Shivaji passed away. The letter contains a `wake-up' call to Sambhaji who was facing difficult problems at home and was not persuing correct path for ruling. This letter prompted him to make successful changes and he regained confidence of his subordinates after some adjustments. It is unfortunate that at the end he fell in hands of Aurangajeb and was subsequently killed for sticking to his principles.

(The torturous death occured on ##phaalguna amaavaasyaa##.)

## raamadaasasvaamii.nche patra ##

## akha.nDa saavadhaana asaave.n . dushchitta kadaapi nasaave.n.##
## tajavijaa kariita basaave.n . ekaa.nta sthaLii .. 1.. ##

## kaa.nhii.n ugra sthiti saa.nDaavii . kaa.nhii.n saumyataa dharaavii.##
## chi.ntaa laagaavii paraavii . a.ntaryaamii.n .. 2.. ##

## maagiila aparaadha kShamaave . kaarabhaarii haatii.n dharaave.##
## sukhii karuuni soDaave . kaamaakaDe .. 3.. ##

## paaTavaNii tuMba nighenaa . tarii maga paaNii chaalenaa.##
## taise.n sajjanaa.nchyaa manaa . kaLale.n paahije .. 4.. ##

## janaachaa pravaaha chaalilaa . mhaNaje kaaryabhaaga aaTopalaa.##
## jana Thaayii.n Thaayii.n tuMbalaa . mhaNaje khoTaa.n .. 5.. ##

## shreShThii.n je.n je.n miLavile.n . tyaasaaThii.n bhaa.nData basale.n.##
## maga jaaNaave.n phaavale.n . galimaa.nsii .. 6 .. ##

## aise.n sahasaa karuu.n naye . doghe bhaa.nDataa.n tisaryaasii jaya.##
## dhiira dharoNa mahatkaarya . samajuuna karaave.n .. 7 .. ##

## aadhii.ncha paDalaa dhaastii . mhaNaje kaaryabhaaga hoya naastii.##
## yaakaaraNe.n samastii.n . buddhi shodhaavii .. 8 .. ##

## raajii raakhitaa.n jaga . maga kaaryabhaagaachii lagabaga.##
## aise.n jaaNoniyaa.n saa.nga . samaadhaana raakhaave.n .. 9 .. ##

## aadhii.n gaajavaave taDaake . maga bhuuma.nDaLa dhaake.##
## aise.n na hotaa.n dhakke . raajyaasa hotii .. 10 .. ##

## samaya prasa.nga oLakhaavaa . raaga nipaTuuna kaaDhaavaa.##
## aalaa tarii kaLo.n na dyaavaa . janaaMmadhye.n .. 11 .. ##

## raajyaamadhye sakaLa loka . salagii deuun karaave sevaka.##
## lokaa.nche manaamadhye.n dhaaka . upajo.nchi naye .. 12 .. ##

## aahe tituke.n jatana karaave.n . puDhe.n aaNika miLavaave.n.##
## maahaaraaShTraraajya karaave.n . jikaDe tikaDe .. 13 .. ##

## lokii.n hiMmata dharaavii . shartiichii taravaara karaavii.##
## chaDhatii vaaDhatii padavii . paavaala yeNe.n .. 14 .. ##

## shivaraajaasa aaThavaave.n . jiivitva tR^iNavat.h maanaave.n.##
## ihalokii.n paralokii.n raahaave.n . kiirtiruupe.n .. 15 .. ##

## shivaraayaache.n aaThavaave.n ruupa . shivaraayaachaa aaThavaavaa prataapa.##
## shivaraayaachaa aaThavaavaa saakShepa . bhuuma.nDaLii.n .. 16 .. ##

## shivaraayaache.n kaise.n chaalaNe.n . shivaraayaache.n kaise.n bolaNe.n.##
## shivaraayaachii salagii deNe.n . kaise.n ase .. 17 .. ##

## sakaLa sukhaa.nchaa tyaaga . karuuna saadhije to yoga.##
## raajyasaadhanaachii lagabaga . kaisii ase .. 18 .. ##

## tyaahuuni karaave.n visheSha . tariicha mhaNaave.n puruSha.##
## yaauparii aataa.n visheSha . kaaya lihaave.n .. 19 .. ##

The gist of the letter is as follows:

"Material happiness should be looked upon as worthless. We should live in such a way as to be praised and remembered in this world and welcomed in the other. We should be ever vigilant in our thoughts, words and deeds. We should never think low. One should sit alone and think deeply. One should be less severe and more liberal in judging others. One should take one's officers into confidence. Always think of Shivaji Maharaj and his great deeds. Think his form, think of his valour. Think of his bravery, his tact, his administrative capacity. How noble were his words, his conduct! What warmth of personality! He should be an inspiration in every walk of your life. It should be your constant endeavour to better him if possible in every respect. Then alone will you be worthy of praise. What else can I write?"

http://sanskrit.gde.to/all_txt/samb.txt<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->