Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c9.s5.3

c9.s5.3

The Bhonsales were not regarded as kṣatriyas. Paṇḍit Kṛṣṇa Narahariśeṣa, a contemporary of Akbar, had written *Śūdrācāraśiromaṇi* in support of this contention. This produced a hurdle in the coronation ceremony of Shivaji and also his enjoying the status of *Chatrapati* (lord with the royal umbrella). Local brāhmaṇas were not at all in favour of allowing a coronation ceremony with Vedic rituals. There was a bitter dispute. Paṇḍits at Kāśī were approached. Viśveśvara Paṇḍita, better known as Gāgā Bhaṭṭa (CE 1640–1700), was supposed to be the greatest authority on Dharmaśāstras amongst them. According to Paṇḍit Baldeva Upadhyaya’s version, he was persuaded by Balaji who went to Kāśī for the purpose of getting the support of the *paṇḍitas*. Gāgā Bhaṭṭa not only accepted a fictitious genealogy of Shivaji establishing him a descendant of solar race, he also wrote a text *Kāyasthadharmapradīpa* in refutation of *Śūdrācāraśiromaṇi* of Paṇḍit Kṛṣṇa Narahariśeṣa.⁵¹