Administrative System of the Marathas c20.s3.6

c20.s3.6

¹⁴ The order runs as follows: The Brahmans of Kasba Pen in Pargana Sakse came to the Huzur and complained that the Prabhus did not behave according to the regulations formerly made during the administration of the late Peshwa Narayan Rao about their religious conduct and secretly celebrate the Brahman rites. An enquiry should therefore be made and order passed. It has been found that during the regime of the late Peshwa Narayan Rao the following regulations were made and the Prabhus had signed an agreement to behave in accordance to these:
(1) That they would perform no religious rite accompanied by a recital of Vedic Mantras.
(2) That they would not pronounce Vedic Mantras, if any occurs (in course of their religious rites).
(3) That they would not use cooked rice in offering oblations to the dead.
(4) That in performing daily oblations, etc., they would pronounce Pauranic Mantras only and they would not feed Brahmans at their house.
(5) That they would not worship the Shaligram deity.
(6) That they would visit only the temples frequented by Shudras.
(7) That they would salute Brahmans by calling out the word Dandavat and use the same word in saluting men of their own caste.
(8) That they would not oppose the remarriage of any willing widow of their caste. The Peshwa orders strict observance of these regulations, made in his father's regime, and threatens any failure to do so with severe punishment. The Government officers in different Mahals are entrusted with the execution of the above order (for original document see Peshwa's Diaries, Sawai Madhava Rao, Vol. III, pp. 287. 292). This document does not prove the illegality or otherwise of the Prabhu claims, and is cited simply as an instance of state interference in social affairs. I have not the least intention of participating in a controversy which has already become acrimonious, and nothing will hurt me more if the quotation of this document here is given an interpretation likely to offend my many esteemed Prabhu friends.