A glance on the life of Chhava (Lion Cub) who was the crusader of Swaraj movement in Indian History
For 40 days he Endured Torture.But he did not betray his Faith nor his people. His resolve broke the psyche of the Mughals…. He Gave his life so that we could survive; We are eternally indebted to our Dharmaveer…
Meet Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj .He wrote 4 Ghrantha;knew 13 languages ,Fought 120+ Wars in his life time and won all of them . He died but never converted He wasn’t just king he was Great Warrior & Scholar too.He was a Dharmic king, and certainly Studied Dharmashastras.
He Refused to convert to Islam even when he was tortured by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, because in his own words.
“A Lion will never eat grass even when Desperate”… A Sanskrit poetry Composed by Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj क्षुत्क्षामोपि जराकृशोपि शिथिलप्राणोपि कष्टां दशा-मापन्नोपि विपन्नदीधितिरपि प्राणेषु गच्छत्स्वपि । मत्तेभेन्द्र विभिन्नकुम्भदलनग्रासैकबध्दस्पृहः किं जीर्ण तृणमत्ति मानमहतामग्रेसरः केसरी ॥१२५।।
“Though being emaciated by hunger, being lean due to aging, one whose breathing has become unsteady, though facing calamity, one who has lost his splendour and also his life-breath; still whether the lion, desirous of breaking the temples of the intoxicated elephant and eating it and who is foremost among the proud ones, will eat hay.
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the second king of the Maratha Empire, played a significant role in the Swaraj movement, which aimed to establish self-rule in India. Born on May 14, 1657, Sambhaji was the eldest son of the legendary Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. Sambhaji’s reign, which lasted from 1681 to 1689, was marked by constant conflicts with the Mughal Empire, led by Aurangzeb. Despite being vastly outnumbered, Sambhaji employed guerrilla warfare tactics to great effect, harassing the Mughal armies and disrupting their supply lines. One of the key aspects of Sambhaji’s Swaraj movement was his emphasis on “Maratha Self-Rule”. He believed in the importance of autonomy and self-governance, which resonated deeply with the Maratha people. Under his leadership, the Marathas were able to maintain their independence and resist Mughal attempts to conquer them. Sambhaji’s military campaigns were marked by bravery and strategic brilliance. He launched several successful attacks on Mughal strongholds, including the “Siege of Ramsej” in 1682, where he repelled a Mughal siege using innovative tactics. Despite his many achievements, Sambhaji’s reign was cut short when he was captured and executed by the Mughals in 1689.
However, his legacy lived on, inspiring future generations of Marathas to continue the fight for Swaraj. Overall, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’s contributions to the Swaraj movement were significant, and his bravery and strategic genius continue to be celebrated in Indian history.
