Shri Shiv Chatrapati Caritr 52: Sivaji's Death-Bed Prophecy.

52

Ch. [181] "Thanks to the blessings of Sri I have founded this kingdom with great heroism. Eighty thousand horsemen I have enlisted. Forts and strongholds, naval stations, provinces, and wealth of various sorts worth krors of Rupees, I have acquired. By charity and religious deeds I have earned fame and made a name for this life and the next. My life was not long enough for the conquest of the Empire of Delhi and the kingdom of the north. In future, the kingdom I have founded, should be consolidated and extended, with more heroism than I have ever exhibited and you (my brave officers) should be promoted. The eldest son has come to age but is cruel and given to pleasure; therefore the future plan does not seem practicable. The younger son is well qualified, but he is as yet a minor and moreover he is the younger of the two. The kingdom might be partitioned, [182] but that will make the principal men of the state conspire against one another for selfish ends. The result will be internal dissension without end instead of further extension of the kingdom. It is the practice of the states that the elder should reign and the younger should serve and obey him. But that does not seem to be possible. The enemy will get an opportunity and this kingdom, the gift of the gods, will be ruined. Sambhaji Raje is the elder, therefore people will look to him (for support) and that is rational. But his way is peculiar. He will dishonour and ruin the Sarkarkuns and those great men who have worked hard for the extension of the kingdom. He will ruin the kingdom and waste all wealth. He will cause the total ruin of everything. He will keep the company of low people and dishonour the great. Nobody will fear anybody else. The foundation I laid, the qualified men I assembled, will not remain, treasures and cash will all be lost. Aurangzib is a powerful enemy, although he has started against us he still keeps within his own bounds owing to the power of our kingdom but he will in future move forward. The empires of Bijapur and Bhaganagar have been weakened, he will conquer them and then covet this kingdom. The kingdom will not then be saved in the hands of Sambhaji, but this seems to have been predestined." He kept quiet for about a ghatka with his eyes closed and then prophesied— " Sambhaji will be betrayed. Rajaram will recover the kingdom from Jinji. Moro Pandit, Niraji Ravji, Ramchandra Nilkanth, Santaji Ghorpade, Dhanaji Jadhava will again cause the regeneration of the kingdom. There will be a king named Siva. His kingdom will extend as far as Delhi.