“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”  ~Nelson Mandela
Some people thought that the Maratha kingdom had become orphaned with the death of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Aurangzeb and his followers were happy. The Shiva power built by Shivaji was not orphaned. The spirit of struggle carried forward Shivaji's goal. Sambhaji continued to fight without a break during his nine years of rule. Finally, he was captured by Aurangzeb's armies. Aurangzeb subjected Sambhaji to many tortures to convert him. Sambhaji's tongue was cut out for not accepting Islam. However, Sambhaji disagreed. Finally, he was subjected to torture.
His eyes gouged out. His tongue was cut out. "For killing, imprisoning, dishonoring Muslims, and plundering Islamic cities," the Mohammedan jurists issued a decree to kill Sambhaji. They cut off each limb of his body and fed the meat to dogs and brutally tortured and killed Sambhaji. He was beheaded and presented in all the major cities of the Deccan with a straw hat, drums, and a lute. When the news of Shambhaji's martyrdom came to light, the hearts of the people of Maharashtra were filled with joy, and they rushed to the battlefield. Even when he was alive, Shambhaji inspired his nation more after he became immortal. Every Maratha hero became a brave soldier who sacrificed everything. He entered the battlefield with weapons.
Not power - the protection of Hindu society is important
After the death of Shambhaji, Shivaji's daughter-in-law and Shambhaji's wife, Yashubai, also tried to ensure that his seven-year-old son, Sahu, sat on the throne without any stain on his ethics, as her father-in-law had done. Still, she considered society's protection essential and crowned her adult daughter Rajaram. She showed Shivaji the way. With the martyrdom of Shambhaji and the sacrifice of Yashubai, the entire Hindu people recognized the need to protect Hinduism. The Hindu community has come to the rescue.
He was the greatest warrior king this land has ever seen. He was the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who founded the Maratha Empire and completed the Islamization of India. Although he was a secular king, he opposed the invaders or the fanatic Muslims.
1) Chhatrapati Shambhaji Maharaj fought 127 wars, won every battle, and remained invincible. Bajirao Peshwa won only 42 wars; imagine the power of King Shambhaji.
2) The Mughals, Nizams, Portuguese, and British were afraid to fight him because his extraordinary military tactics and physical and mental toughness made him invincible on the battlefield.
3) He once killed a lion with his single hands, which shows his courage and valor, as he was groomed like his father and their companions like Tanaji Malusare, Yesaji Kank, Hambirrao Mohite, Kondaji Farzand, etc.
4) He learnt 13 languages like Sanskrit, Marathi, English, Urdu, Kannada, Deccani, etc., at the young age of 13 and wrote 4 books called "Sacred Sanskrit Texts" at the age of 14.
5) He saved the Maratha Empire when it was surrounded by enemies from all sides, Mughals from the north, Nizam & Adilshahi from the east, petty rulers from the south, Portuguese & British. Yet he managed them effectively for many years.
6) He was very skilled with horses; he used to keep the horse's bridle (used for riding and speed control) in his mouth, and both his hands were with swords to inflict maximum damage on the enemy.
7) Both the Chhatrapatis never discriminated. They recruited soldiers from all castes, creeds, and religions, which made them more endearing to the ordinary citizens or "Rayat" in Marathi.
8) Aurangzeb offered him to convert to Islam and also offered to marry his daughter, but he rejected both, even though he suffered a lot of torture before his death, he never surrendered, instead he fought till his last breath for his motherland, his people, his religion.
Things to teach children
● Courage & Sacrifice – Shambhaji Maharaj did not relinquish his religion despite facing many tortures. It must be said that standing up for the truth is the most incredible adventure.
● Freedom & Efficiency – Shambhaji Maharaj successfully fought many wars to protect his empire. Explain how important it is to protect freedom.
● Military Strategies & Leadership – The Maratha army achieved many significant victories under his leadership. Children should be taught how to be good leaders.
● Value of Comprehensive Education – Learning many languagesand writing books at a young age is a testament to Shambhaji’s intellectual development. It should be said that not only strength but also knowledge was key.
● Attitude of Harmony – Shambhaji included people of all castes and religions in his army. Explain that having a sense of equality and unity is very important.
Questions to ask children:
● Who is the father of Shambhaji Maharaj?
● How does Shambhaji’s courage & martyrdom inspire us?
● How did Shambhaji protect the Maratha empire?
● Why was Shambhaji Maharaj tortured?
● Why did Sambhaji fight till the end?
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