08-30-2006, 01:48 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->2. Public Remonstrance against Aurangzeb's Intoler-
ance.âWith Shivaji's return to his home-land unfortunately
began the last chapter of his life. With a view to checking Dilir
Khan he despatched some of his commanders to plunder the
Mughal territory north of the Godavari up to Aurangabad and
tried in vain to recapture Shivner, his birth place. Aurangzeb
felt extremely uneasy at the rising tide of Shivaji's fortune and
was utterly perplexed as to the means of overcoming him. He
had already employed all his best generals and resources against
him. Once again he appointed his son Muazzam to the Govern-
ment of the Deccan on 18th September 1678, and this Shah-
zada reached Aurangabad on 25 February in the following year
(1679). He was instructed to be guided entirely by Dilir Khan.
About this time there was a great stir in the country over
the revival of the Jazia or poll-tax which had long been in
abeyance and which the Emperor re-imposed by a fresh order
dated 3rd April 1679. Shivaji at once wrote to the Emperor
a well reasoned and spirited letter of protest against the mea-
sure, which was drafted by Nila Prabhu in eloquent Persian.
This famous remonstrance clearly exposed the wrong-headed
policy of Aurangzeb. " In strict justice," says Shivaji, " the
Jazia is not at all lawful. If you imagine piety to consist in
oppressing and terrorising the Hindus, you ought first to levy
the tax upon Rajsinh who is the head of the Hindus. But to
oppress ants and flies is neither valour nor spirit. If you believe
in the Koran, God is the Lord of all men and not of the Muhanr
madans only. Islam and Hinduism are only different pigments
used by the Divine Painter to picture the human species. To
show bigotry for any man's creed and practices is to alter the
words of the Holy Book. Your officers neglect to tell you of
the true state of things and cover a blazing fire with straw/'
The appeal fell on deaf years. The Emperor was obdurate. He
at this very juncture declared a war upon the Rajputs and
thus flung himself into innumerable difficulties and disasters,
which ultimately swallowed him up and ruined his Empire.
new history of the marathas volume I shivaji and his line 1600 1707, govind sakharam sardesai, Pg 260-261.
http://dli.iiit.ac.in/cgi-bin/Browse/scrip...e=2020050057066<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
ance.âWith Shivaji's return to his home-land unfortunately
began the last chapter of his life. With a view to checking Dilir
Khan he despatched some of his commanders to plunder the
Mughal territory north of the Godavari up to Aurangabad and
tried in vain to recapture Shivner, his birth place. Aurangzeb
felt extremely uneasy at the rising tide of Shivaji's fortune and
was utterly perplexed as to the means of overcoming him. He
had already employed all his best generals and resources against
him. Once again he appointed his son Muazzam to the Govern-
ment of the Deccan on 18th September 1678, and this Shah-
zada reached Aurangabad on 25 February in the following year
(1679). He was instructed to be guided entirely by Dilir Khan.
About this time there was a great stir in the country over
the revival of the Jazia or poll-tax which had long been in
abeyance and which the Emperor re-imposed by a fresh order
dated 3rd April 1679. Shivaji at once wrote to the Emperor
a well reasoned and spirited letter of protest against the mea-
sure, which was drafted by Nila Prabhu in eloquent Persian.
This famous remonstrance clearly exposed the wrong-headed
policy of Aurangzeb. " In strict justice," says Shivaji, " the
Jazia is not at all lawful. If you imagine piety to consist in
oppressing and terrorising the Hindus, you ought first to levy
the tax upon Rajsinh who is the head of the Hindus. But to
oppress ants and flies is neither valour nor spirit. If you believe
in the Koran, God is the Lord of all men and not of the Muhanr
madans only. Islam and Hinduism are only different pigments
used by the Divine Painter to picture the human species. To
show bigotry for any man's creed and practices is to alter the
words of the Holy Book. Your officers neglect to tell you of
the true state of things and cover a blazing fire with straw/'
The appeal fell on deaf years. The Emperor was obdurate. He
at this very juncture declared a war upon the Rajputs and
thus flung himself into innumerable difficulties and disasters,
which ultimately swallowed him up and ruined his Empire.
new history of the marathas volume I shivaji and his line 1600 1707, govind sakharam sardesai, Pg 260-261.
http://dli.iiit.ac.in/cgi-bin/Browse/scrip...e=2020050057066<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->