Shri Shiv Chatrapati Caritr 1.6
Siva Chhatrapati (S. N. Sen) 1.6
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1.6.1
Karkuns should be appointed for conducting investigation into the provinces that were conquered. In the first place an expert scribe, experienced in the Daftardar's work, one who has drafted papers (documents) and drawn accounts, in short, an intelligent man (well versed in) Daftardar's work should be selected and stationed in each tract and charged with the Majmu office (Majumdar's office) of the Mahal. To some should be entrusted the custody of the Mahal. To some should be given the accountantship of the Subha. Then as things progress, an intelligent and careful Havaldar should be picked up and the Subha should be conferred on (him). The mamlat of the Mahal should be given to a clever Majumdar of the Subha, skilled in writing and conversant in account keeping. The charge of a province (or district) should not be entrusted to one, who did not know how to write or had not served as a Kamavis. Such a man should be sent back by being told, either to serve under the Badshahi or to enlist as a Siledar with his (own) horse. Of the Karkuns employed in the province, the Havaldar, according to the size of his Mahal should be given a salary of three Hons, or as much as four or five Hons, the Majumdar should be paid at the rate of three, four, five, fifty or seventy-five Hons. Over two Mahals (yielding) a lakh, one and a quarter of a lakh, and three quarters of a lakh of Hons (approximately), should be placed a Subhedar and a Karkun.
1.6.2
To them should be assigned a salary of four hundred Hons per man. The Majumdar, appointed to the Subha should be given a salary of one hundred to one hundred and twenty-five Hons. The Subhedar should be made to maintain a palanquin (on an allowance) of four hundred Hons. The Majumdar should be given a sunshade. An allowance (for maintaining Abdagiri) should be granted from the Sarkar. Under the Badshahi, (the honour of using) umbrellas used to be granted to wazirs, omraos and distinguished nobles ; that system was recently abolished, (as it seemed to be) an anomaly that umbrellas (should be held) over the Badshah, as well as over his servants. Therefore the Badshahi system of (granting the use of) umbrella was abolished and the use of) the sunshade (Abdagiri) introduced. All officers with a salary of full one hundred in the army or in the militia, that might be out on a mulukhgiri expedition, should keep the sunshade. Within the dominions, a Subha was placed 'in charge of) each tract (yielding) one lakh of Rupees. [32] To the unsettled provinces on the frontier, a force of infantry, cavalry, and militia, as strong as each place might require should be sent with the Karkun in charge of the mulukhgiri. Similarly lands in the provinces were surveyed, (including forest lands) and their area as calculated in chavars. The length of the (measuring) rod was five cubits and five muthis. A cubit should be equal to fourteen tansus.
1.6.3
The length of the rod, in cubits and muthis, (should be) eighty tansus. Twenty kathis (rods) square made one bigha. One hundred and twenty bighas made one chavar. According to this measurement were lands surveyed and measured, and the area ascertained by measuring each village (separately). An estimate was made of the produce (in grain) of each bigha, and after dividing the grains into five shares, three of the shares should be given to the Rayat; two shares should be taken for the government. According to this scale should (rent) be realised from the Rayat. New Rayats, (who) will come (to settle), should be given cattle. Grain and money should be given (to them) for (providing themselves with) seeds. Money and grain (should be ?) given for their subsistence (and) the sum should be realised in two or four years according to the means (of the Rayats). In this manner should the Rayats be supported. In every village, from each individual Rayat, should the Karkun, according to the assessment, realise rent in grains from the crops (at the time of each harvest). In the provinces, the Rayats were not to be subject to the jurisdiction and regulations of the Zamindar, the Desmukh and the Desai. If they offer to plunder the Rayats, by assuming authority [over them] it does not lie in their power. The Adil Sahi, the Nizam Sahi, and the Mughlai countries were conquered (by Sivaji) : in the Des all Rayats used to be under the Patil and the Kulkarni of those places, and the Desmukhs.
1.6.4
They used to make the collection and to pay an unspecified sum (tribute). For a village, where the Mirasdars took one to two thousand {Hons or Rupees ?), (they) used to render two hundred to three hundred to the government as quit-rent. Therefore the Mirasdar grew wealthy and strengthened (himself) by building bastions, castles and strongholds in the village, and enlisting footmen and musketeers. (They) did not care to wait on the revenue officers. If the revenue officer said that they could pay more revenue the (Mirasdars) stood up to quarrel with him. In this way (they grew) unruly and forcibly misappropriated (the lands in the Des). On this account did the Raje demolish the bastions, the castles and the strongholds, after conquering the Des. Where there were important forts, he posted his (own) garrison. And nothing was left in the hands of the Mirasdars. This done, (he) prohibited all that the Mirasdars used to take at their sweet will, by Inam (right) or revenue farming and fixed the rates of the dues in cash and grains, for the Zamindars, as well as of the rights and the perquisites of the Desmukh, the Deshulkarni and the Patil (and) the Kulkarni according to the yield of the village. The Zamindars were prohibited to build bastioned castles. (They were to) build houses (and) live (therein). Such were the regulations for the provinces.
1.6.5
There were gods and shrines at different places in the country, their illumination, food offering, and ablution, were properly maintained, (by granting an allowance) according to the importance of the place. The illumination of, and food offerings to the shrines of Mahomedan saints (qft) and the mosques of the Mahomedans were continued (by state allowance) according to the importance of (each) place. Brahmans reciting the Vedas should be placed in comfortable maintenance and learned Brahmans, Vedic scholars, astrologers, ritualists (^M«|8i?u>), ascetics, and pious men should be selected from every village, and a grant of money and grains should be assigned to each in his own village in the Mahal, according to the size of their (respective) families, and the expense of feeding and clothing them; and it should be arranged that the Karkun should convey their allowance to them every year (regularly). The Brahmans, should subsist on this (grant), continue prescribed baths and prayers (w^ ^3TT)» pray for the Raje's welfare and live happily. In this manner the Raja ruled his kingdom, continuing his enquiries about the forts and the strongholds, the army and the militia, the provinces and the personal staff.
1.6.6
Aurangzib Badshah learnt at Delhi the news of the disturbance created in the Mughal territories, and (he) felt much troubled in his mind thinking—"Sivaji has waxed powerful, a Bijapur force like that under Afzal Khan, (consisting of) twelve thousand horse (he) has overthrown, he is capturing Badshahi forts and strongholds. What steps should be taken with regard to him?" So thought he and having assembled all his wazirs and omraos, and deciding to send a general with one hundred thousand horse to the south against the Raje, [34] and so arranging that Nawab Saista-Khan, who was the second image of the Emperor and a relation (of his), should be sent, called the Nawab to the presence and questioned him. The Nawab said, "What is Sivaji? I will take him a prisoner as soon as I go (there). I will win (the war) by capturing his forts, strongholds and dominions." By many effusions of this nature he accomplished (his purpose). After this, the Badshah became highly satisfied (with the Khan) and favoured him, by giving him a jewelled crest for his turban, a dress of honour, horses, elephants, and ornaments. With him (were sent) one hundred thousand horses and elephants, and besides them, many attendants including clerks (Mutsuddies) etc., archers, musketeers, Rajputs, and camel-riders (shutar-ban). Similarly artillery drawn by elephants, camel swivels, and horse battery, lancers, light armed men and infantry, (sent with him) were beyond counting.
1.6.7
To the carpet and tent department (Faraskhana) (that went) with the Khan, (were attached) one hundred elephants; similarly (there were) four hundred war elephants; so there were five to six hundred elephants (in all). Similarly (there were) innumerable camels. Besides these, (were sent) shopkeepers for (camp) markets, shells and ammunition, war chariots (carrying rockets,) and artillery; an innumerable force of this nature was despatched. The army was (comparable only to) the Ravana of the Kaliyuga. As Ravana's wealth baffled all calculation, so (did) the innumerable treasure, in cash, gold, silver, Mohurs, Hons and Rupees loaded on elephants, camels, mules and carts, to the value of 320 millions in all, with which (wealth) he started from Delhi. The Nawab was a (second) image of the Badshah. With such an ocean-like army and with all these treasures, he came to attack the Raje, in the south. When the army encamped, it used to cover an area, 2 ganvs in length and 1½ in breadth. (The Khan) reached Puna in three months, marching from one station to another.