Chhatrapati Shivaji, the great Maratha warrior whose guerrilla warfare tactics are fleetingly mentioned in Indian history textbooks, is increasingly relevant today. A Hindi movie 'Tanhaji' starring Ajay Devgn and Kajol got many of us curious to know more about this warrior. Sadly, we don't seem to have much information in our history textbooks!
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| Source: Anjali Natarajan on Twitter |
Shivaji Maharaj: The Great Son of a Great Mother Jijabai
The more I read about Shivaji Maharaj, the more fascinated I am. I wondered why we have learned so little about this great warrior and his great mother Jijabai, and why public memory has been totally erased from most history books!
As a mother, I have always been fascinated by how some of India's greatest and most revered men and women are individuals who were deeply influenced at an early age by their mothers. Bharat is a country that belongs to great mothers who held Dharma as their supreme compass and lived life in a manner that had nothing to do with pomp and luxury as much as it had to do with austerity and wisdom.
This is not to imply that any form of comfort or luxury is sinful. Not at all.
As Swami often taught us, wealth by itself is not the problem. How we become deeply attached to it and enslaved by it - that is where the problem lies. The same wealth, if we were to use it for the welfare of more people, how noble it would be?
That is the legacy of a great mother like Jijabai.
Shivaji's mother Jijabai: A Woman of Character and Indomitable Courage
In the book 'Life of Shivaji Maharaj', there is a treasure of valuable information about the great son of an equally great mother named Jijabai, who was the most powerful influence in the life of Shivaji. Known for her fierce and independent streak, Jijabai was not one to forget the murder of her brother and her father by the treachery of the then Nizamshahi sultan. Later, Shahaji, her husband, destroyed one Mughal host after another and his temporary success of heroic tales were what she narrated to her young son Shivaji.
Reminding him of the royal past to which he belonged through the houses of the Jadhavs and the Bhonsles, Jijabai filled her son with her daily discourses of heroic enterprise.
How Jijabai's stories inspired young Shivaji
Telling stories from the Puranas and emphasising on the triumph of Truth over Evil. young Shivaji's mind was totally inspired by the stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata as well. Through daily assimilation of stories from his mother Jijabai, young Shivaji learned from her the noble qualities that he emulated in his life as a heroic warrior.
Shivaji Maharaj's early military education
By providing him every opportunity for military education at a young age, Jijabai proved that she was not merely paying lip service to Dharma but was building her son to become the epitome of Dharma on war footing, to fight evil and ensure the triumph of Dharma and to uphold Maratha liberty as his life's mission.
If Jijabai had not taken this initiative, would we have Shivaji Maharaj to revere today? Think about it!
How Dadajai Kondadev takes charge of young Shivaji
Later on, however, Dadaji Kondadev took charge of Shivaji's education. A man of great integrity, Dadaji also demonstrated his exemplary leadership while managing his jagir estates in Maharashtra. He is known to have excellent command of finance, showed statesmanship as a judge and took a paternal interest in the well being of people.
These are the leadership qualities that Shivaji emulated as he observed from Dadaji's administrative style of functioning. In fact, Dadaji began to train young Shivaji to take decisions on disputes that were extremely complex.
An area of disagreement between Dadaji and Shivaji related to the latter's dream of establishing Maratha Swarajya. Having failed at trying to dissuade young Shivaji, Dadaji informed Shahaji of the journey that his son was deciding to embark upon.
From the history related to Shivaji Maharaj's upbringing, there is no doubt that his confidence and control over establishing his leadership with the masses and with regional leaders came from the strong foundation that he received during his early years through Jijabai and Dadaji.
Another notable factor is that on account of his father Shahaji's dominating presence at the Bijapur court, young Shivaji also gained from early exposure to momentous questions related to the administration of a state.
How Jijabai raised a great son called Shivaji Maharaj
Great mothers raise great children and citizens. [READ: Who is Thirumoolar?]
She did not FUSS over her son's comfort or safety or engage in a 'branding' exercise of being fit to lead.
She made him LEARN from hardships.
She FUSSED over his KNOWLEDGE and CHARACTER.
From my heart, as a mother, I bow to this great mother called Jijabai and salute her for showing the world that by following Dharma, she single-handedly raised a warrior and a hero.
Comments
It is awe-inspiring to read about Jijabai's support and guidance that played a pivotal role in shaping Shivaji's character as a great leader and warrior. Her dedication to nurturing and instilling noble values in her son is a testament to the power of a mother's influence.
This post reminded me of a similar theme on my website, where I explore the significant impact of Shivaji Maharaj and how his teachings can shape the course of history. If you're interested in delving deeper into such stories of love, courage, and inspiration, you can find more at https://Chatrapatishivajimahraj.com
Once again, thank you for sharing this enlightening narrative. It's heartening to see such meaningful content that celebrates the profound relationships that shape our world.
Warm regards,
Suraj T