New History of the Marathas v1.c14.53

v1.c14.53

This article makes it clear beyond the shadow of a doubt why Shivaji attacked Ekoji. While Shivaji proclaimed himself an independent monarch, he did not relish the spectacle of his own brother coming to oppose him on behalf of Bijapur on being guided exclusively by Muslim flatterers and holding himself a bond servant of a Muslim State, which he himself had all but conquered. In order to emphasize this aspect of his state policy, Shivaji laid down in the 15th article, “that the districts of Bangalore, Hoskote and Shiralkot (Shira) yielding a revenue of 2 lacks of Hons have already been conquered by us : when well managed they will soon be worth 5 lacs ; we assign these districts as a voluntary present to our sister-in-law Dipā Bai, wife of Ekoji. Ekoji may supervise their management but not lay claim to them. After Dipā Bai they will continue to her daughter or to any one else to whom she assigns them.” Here Shivaji gives back practically all of Ekoji’s possessions, redeeming them out of Muslim control. Nothing can be clearer than this final pronouncement of Shivaji’s object in this last undertaking of his life.