New History of the Marathas v1.c16.111

v1.c16.111

It is this gloom which Shivaji's sudden appearance dispelled pointing to a new path of national uplift. All the greater credit is due to Shivaji for it, because he did all this on his own initiative. No Bacon had appeared in India to point out a new way to human advancement. Even his guru Rāmdās did not dream of a new path. Shivaji gathered together and trained a large number of followers, exceptionally capable though not comparable to himself, who carried on his work after him with a determination which has become a romance in Maratha history. It is no exaggeration to say that he is the creator of the Maratha nation, or as Sir Jadunath has aptly put it, "the last great constructive genius and nation-builder that the Hindu race has produced. He called the Maratha race to a new life. He raised the Marathas into an independent self-reliant people, conscious of their oneness and high destiny, and his most precious legacy was the spirit that he breathed into his race. He has proved by his example that the Hindu race can build a nation, found a state, defeat enemies; they can conduct their own defence, protect and promote literature and art, commerce, industry; they can maintain navies and ocean-trading fleets of their own and conduct naval battles on equal terms with foreigners. He taught the modern Hindus to rise to the full stature of their growth. Shivaji has shown that the tree of Hinduism is not really dead, that it can rise from beneath the seemingly crushing load of centuries of political bondage; that it can put forth new leaves and branches. It can again lift up its head to the skies."