New History of the Marathas v1.c16.94

v1.c16.94

"The success of Marathi poets and saints from Jnaneshwar to Shridhar (1300-1700) in overcoming the prejudices of caste was only partial and temporary. Far more efficacious was the rise of Shivaji to power and his constant association with himself in his task of political and military administration, of men who in many instances were not Brahmans. With Prabhus acting as his civil and military officials, with Marathas and Bhandaris forming the bulk of his land and naval forces, with Kolis or Ramoshis acting as his comrades in hazardous enterprises, and with Mahars and Mangs holding his hill forts, the general mass of the people certainly obtained a clearer and more practical idea of a common nationality and the limitations of an exclusive caste system, than they could ever have obtained, wholly illiterate as they were, from the public repetition of quotations of Tukārām or Nāmdev, of Eknāth or Rāmdās."