Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c47.s2.5

v4.c47.s2.5

But the Rajah’s character was his greatest enemy. He was a harmless weak man, and as such naturally fell under the domination of some stronger-willed favourite. When just past his youth, Bijay Singh in 1765 initiated himself as a Vaishnav of the Epicurean Vallabhāchāri sect, took Gosain Gokulastha of Nāthdwārā as his spiritual director (guru), gave up animal food and wine, and passed most of his time in religious devotion. The Marātha envoy at his court aptly likens him to a *nirmālya* or a flower-garland offered to a god but thrown away as worthless on becoming stale.