Balaji Bajirao Peshwa's letter to Dattaji Shinde - May 1759

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One of the important letters of Balaji Bajirao Peshwa to Dattaji Shinde (Scindia) of Gwalior. 

श.१६८१ वैशाख शु.६
                                                                        इ. १७५९ मे २
                                                        श्री
  अखंडितलक्ष्मी अलंकृत राजमान्य राजश्री रामाजी अनंत गोसावी यांसी सेवक बाळाजी बाजीराव प्रधान नमस्कार उपरी येथील कुशल जाणोन स्वकीय कुशल लिहित जाणे. विशेष. सुजायतदौलाजवळून पनास लाख रुपये घेऊन वजीरी द्यावी, अंताजी माणकेश्वर यास दिलीच्या कारभारातून काढावे, हा मनसुबा, दुसरा, नजीबखानाजवळून तीस लाख घ्यावे. त्याहून तिसरा आपणच पातशाहातेचा बंदोबस्त करावा. याचे सेवटवर कसे ते ल्याहावे, तोपर्यंत लाहोराहून येऊ म्हणोन लाहुराचे पत्री मजकूर. त्यास वजीर दादानी सर्व प्रकारे आपले करून ठेविले ( ते ) निर्बल आहेत. याजपासून केल्या करारात अंतरही काही नाही. ऐसे असोन सुजा अतदौलाचा मनसुबा करणे योग्य नाही. तत्रापि करणे तेव्हा जर पक्की निशा पन्नास लाखांची सहा महिन्यात होती असे दिसल्यास, वजिराजवळून केल्या कारभारात अंतर मातबर पडल्यास, वजिरावर जाटानी व सुजाअतदौलानी एक होऊन यावे. तुम्ही सुजाअतदौलाचे पके राजकारण नाही तर वजीर पातशा बाहेर काढून सुजातदौलाचे परपत्य ( पारिपत्य ) करून मातबर पैका मेळवावा. जर हे गोष्ट वजिराजवळून न होय, बाहेर न निघे, तेव्हा दिलीतील कारभार वजिरावर सोपून सुजातदौला व आपण एक होऊन काशी प्रयागचे काम करून घेऊन, पूर्वेस जावयास सुजातदौला सामील करून घेऊन, त्यास निमे बंगाला देऊ करून मातबर पैका मेळवावा. लाहोर प्रांतीचा बंदोबस्त उत्तम प्रकारे करावा. चिरंजीव दादानी अबदाली ठेविला होता. त्याचाच कोणी मातबर इतबारी ठेवून तो कारभार नीट करून सारा पैका हुजूर येई ते करावे. इतके करून दिलीतील बंदोबस्त होऊन पूर्वेस जावयास बाजद बरसात ठीक पडेल. यंदा छावणी दिलीची कराल तेव्हा सोई पडेलसे दिसते. अंताजी माणकेश्वर यास वारंवार हुजूर बोलाविले असता येत नाही. वजिराकडे पनास लाखांचे हिशेब काढून तेथेच गुंतले. कित्येक लबाड्या करितात. त्या तुमचे प्रत्ययास येऊन त्यास ठेऊ घेता ; मेरट वगैरे परगणे मधीच खातात, वजिरा जवळ हजेरी बारा हजार फौजेची लटकीच देतात, ही चौकशी करीत नाही ; अपूर्व आहे  याउपर त्यास पत्र पावतात हुजूर पाठावणे.   सुप्रयुक्त आले तर बरे, न आले तर धरावे, लुटावे, माल सर्व सरकारात लावावा. मेरट वगैरे सर्व महाल सरकारात लावावे. वजिरावर रुपयांची वरात चिरंजीवांनी दिली आहे. ती सरकारात वसूल घ्यावी. त्यास याउपरी एक पैसा न द्यावा. जर ही गोष्ट जबरदस्तीने न करता अंताजी हुजूर आला तर त्याचा एक लेक हजार राउतानिशी ठेवावा. बाकी फौज वजिराजवळ चाकरीस पाहिजे ते दुसरी नेमून द्यावी. परंतु अंताजीस ठेऊ नये. याउपरी त्याचा काहीएक मुलाहिजा न करिता कैद करून पाठवणे. तुम्ही कारभारी भिडेस न पडणे. जाणिजे. नजीबखान बाट, अर्धा अबदाली. त्याचे राजकारण न करावे. सुजातदौला व ज्याट ( जाट ) एक जाहाल्यास भारी. उपयोगी नाहीत. यापेक्षा आहेत वजीर ते फारच उपयोगी. परंतु सुजातदौला साहा महिन्याने पनास लाख रुपये खरेखुरे देतात, या वजिराजवळून एक दोन मात्तबर अंतरेयाची तगेरी ( तगीर = तहकुबी ) करावया जोगी जहाल्यास सुजातदौलाचे काम जरूर करावे. मातबर लाभ सोडू नये. याचा विस्तार उभयतां सरदारांस लिहिला असे. तो मनात आणून उत्तम दूरदर्शाने सरकारात मातबर लाभ होऊन, येथील लक्ष्याने वर्त(त) ऐसे प्रकारे जे तुमचे तेथील माहीतगारीस बनेल ते करणे. वरचेवरी कचे वर्तमान लिहित जाणे. जाणिजे छ ४ रमजान. बहुत काय लिहिणे. अंतजीपंतास जरूर हुजूर पाठविणे. सहसा रदबदल ऐकू न देणे. लक्षा प्रकारे वजिरासच राखावे. कदाचित तो करारात वाकडा वर्तत असला तर मात्र मातबर लाभ पुर्ता दृष्टीस पडला तरच सुजातद्दवलास हाती धरावे. परंतु काशी, प्रयाग हरतजविजेने साधावी. विशेष काय लिहिणे. कर्जाची चिंता दतबास असेलच. जाणिजे. लेखनसीमा."

Rough translation

Shalivahan Samvatsara 1681, Vaishakh Shukla 6 (02-05-1759)

Humble salutations to ramaji gosavi (secretary of Shindes) from Balaji Bajiro Panta-Pradhaan.. Please inform me about your well-being more frequently. Few tasks to be attended to with special priority. Firstly, Remove Antaji Mankeshwar from Delhi's politics. Receive 50 lakh rupees from Shujauddaula (of Lucknow) and promise him post of Delhi's "Vajir". Extract 30 lakhs from Najibkhan of Rohilkhand and fix the Mughal emperor (his concerns over punjab campaign). Move base from Lahore. Dada (raghunathrao) had the mughal vajir in his pocket. It is not in interest to let Shuja (lucknow) become vajir, but that promise will make him pay up the sum required. 

If you receive money in 6 months and Vazir starts interfering in our affairs, lobby with Shuja and jat (Surajmal) and force him to comply. Do not fix Shuja alone. Maintain the distance which we have created between emperor (mughal) and Vazir and there is a chance, destroy Shuja only with help of Mughal Vazir. In case, Vazir refuses to leave Delhi, suspend this plan of action, and along with Shuja take control of our holy places (Kashi-Prayag etc). Continue with Shuja to conquer Bengal. After it is fixed, negotiate with Shuja for 50% control of Bengal in exchange of a hefty sum. Before you leave for east, fortify the Lahore Province and check the preparations. Remember that Raghoba had left Abdali's sardar alive (Abdus Samad khan). use his advice. 

Camp at Delhi for this monsoon and proceed eastwards later. While in Delhi, arrest that corrupt Antaji Mankeshwar and send him to Pune at once. While proceeding eastwards, make sure that Meerut province is enlisted under the domain of government (emperor of Satara OR Pune executive). If Antaji cooperates and turns himself in, make his son a hazaari sardar (chief of 1000 horses). Remember that Najib is traitor and half Abdali (allusion towards Pathan lobby). Do not waste time negotiating with him. If possible unite Shuja and Surajmal against Najib and get at least 30 lakhs from the spoils for us. But ensure that Jat and Shuja do not become too friendly with each other. Hence keep the Mughal Vazir as friend.

Finally saying it again, keep Mughal vazir your friend as far as possible, above all others. Only if he starts reneging the contract (Mughal Maratha contract of protection), then replace him with Shuja in exchange of good profit. But take charge of Kashi, Mathura and Prayag in our hands at all costs. What more to write.. Dattaji knows about debts which have to be repaid. 

Keep in touch. 

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Few notes

1. The severe cash crunch is seen from this letter.

2. Dattaji was ordered to fix najib and extract 30 lakhs from him with help of Shuja. Dattaji decided to conquer Bengal with Najib and then finish him off in Bengal. Meanwhile extracting money from him promising him 50% of Bengal. This Najib however struck Shinde Preemptively and killed Dattaji at Buradi Ghat. (What Shinde did not know, was that Najib was already in contact with Abdali. The news that Maratha army is moving from Punjab to interiors was given to Abdali by Najib. Shinde was general of that army.) Peshwa had explicitly stated not to indulge in talks with Najib, but also asked him to extract money from najib. For Shinde, there was no difference in Najib and Shuja and since Najib was close (from west to east, Braj comes before Awadh) he decided to use najib instead. Shinde started eastward from Delhi in september 1759 and najib kept him in talks for 2-3 months. Meanwhile Abdali had already crossed Sindhu at attock in June 1759 had reached Haryana by December 1759. on January 6 1760, Najib killed Dattaji in sneak attack.

The story of Wadias - Indic's loss of control over maritime mercantile networks

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Ability to build a jet engine is indeed very useful "tool" to track the industrial progress of a society, especially Indian society. However there is one other indicator which is even more fundamental than ability build aircraft and engine.. that indicator is "ship building". 

Since earliest days, India has been a predominantly maritime society. Be it internal navigation (rivers) or blue-water navigation, the technology and the tradition to build ships, trace routes protect routes, find new ones, indulge in naval warfare and dominate the associated trade has been integral part of Indian mercantile-military nexus.

With time, this tradition vanished owing to ills acquired by Hindu religion. While Aircraft can be studied as a tool to see the consolidation of shudra in India, it will only take you thus far..The real consolidation of shudra-vaishya-kshatriya nexus can be studied by shipbuilding and maritime sciences. 

Will write of this shortly.. India's fate was sealed when western trade routes passed on to Arabs and later portuguese. There was, and still is, no redeeming until these routes are acquired. It is a shame that in spite of such long coastline, none of the Indian company has any "mother vessel" because none can build anything so large. Nor do they have any port fit enough to dock a mother vessel. Nor do they show any vision to develop one..

There is a story here which needs to be linked and told. We consider Wadias here. The real picture is much more complicated and hence beyond the scope of single post on discussion board. 

The story of Wadia family in gist

1. Wadia family arose in 1736 and entered Ship-Building business in Surat. 

2. 1736 - Political scenario of India - Almost entire geography which today's Republic of India occupies is directly OR indirectly controlled by Marathas (except Bengal). Gujarat and Surat firmly in hands of Gaikwad faction, although the problems within Maratha Navy and Peshwa began here. Portuguese wiped out of existence except Goa and entire coastal Gujarat and northern konkan comes under direct Maratha rule. Marathas allow Anglosaxon EICs (British, Dutch, Danish, French) to continue operating from Surat while disallowing the catholic fraction of EU from existing. Anglosaxon EICs did not show any interest in colonization (as yet) and proselytism as Catholics did. This is when rise of Wadia family began along with other Parsi business houses. 

3. 1729 - Andaman and Nicobar islands won over by EIC from Maratha navy. Death of Kanhoji Angria (the admiral of Maratha navy) succeded by Tuloji Angria. The indigenous shipbuilding industry located in Kalyan and on Konkan coast. 

4. The manufacturing base of Maratha Navy gradually diminishes owing to problems between Peshwa (Balaji Bajirao - Son of Bajirao, the first) and Angre clan. Peshwa and British EIC collaborate to destroy the fleet (and manufacturing base of Maratha navy's now renegade chieftain Tuloji Angre).

5. Whatever Maratha navy lingered on after 1730s, depended on British-EIC (and in turn business houses like Wadias) for supply of Ships. 

6. British EIC came out of closet declaring their colonizational intentions in 1764 (Buxar) when Marathas were busy recovering from Panipat-3.

7. As EIC's zone of influence increased drastically (post 1803), the empire of business houses such as these increase as well. The hold of British on India became absolute after 1858 and many business houses jumped in British wagon saluting the rising sun (this includes the Marwadi business houses which are at forefront now - The Birlaa, Mittal etc. One has to understand that the family names is not the correct way of tracing the capital. Many families today were known by different names in 18th century. The marital alliances and other things (including royal favors) shift the equilibrium of capital flow. One pointer from Topé's book shows Sindhia faction of Marathas owning most of the capital and banking networks of Central India (which includes Khandesh-malwa-Mewad-Marwad-Bundelkhand-Nimad region - Basically today's MP, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Northern Maharashtra). This entire network shifted to EIC after 1858. (this means basically all Marwadi and Mewadi business houses and their predecessors which we see today).

8. This hindu vaishya network did not venture (or was it that it was not allowed to venture?) in basic industries like Iron&steel, Shipbuilding and others. Hindu Business houses were kept limited to banking and financial sector. Slowly after 1857, other Non-Hindu business houses too were eased out of heavy industry (Wadia included) and they made a shift in textile and other industries. Wadias, however, still retain some of their hold on Ship-Breaking industry in Gujarat. Tatas were first who were allowed to venture in Iron&Steel manufacturing sector. No Hindu Business house actually ventured here until rise of Mittals and Jindals post independence. 

9. It is very interesting how Jinnah and Wadias were intertwined. It is furthermore fascinating to know that Ness Wadia and Jehangir Wadia visited and paid respect to their great-grandfather Jinnah when visiting TSP. It is of course a family matter. 

10. But this puts a light on how complicated the problem of Pakistan is. There are many more such intertwining relations which complicate the choices in front of Indian government. These complications persist because GOI does not strongly state their stand on Hindu identity of India. Everyone else (Vaishyas first) will shift their priorities accordingly.

11. Rise of Dhirubhai Ambani is one of the spectacular Coup d'état that Hindus gave to the long entrenched Anglosaxon funded section of Indian scenario. The Rise of Vimal and fall of Bombay Dyeing is indeed a fascinating story. Although many regard (including Nusli Wadia and other economic chroniclers like Sucheta Dalal) the methods employed by Dhirubhai as unscrupulous. 

12. Reliance gatecrashing first into the entrenched elite club of traditional industrialists of India and then in the petroleum industry is one of the turning points in India's history. Who backs them, how could they pull this off are questions that can be answered by the means of speculations alone. The conspiracy theorists have named everyone from Rockefellers to Rothchilds behind rise of Ambanis, but it is really irrelevant. 

13. This gate-crashing coupled with geopolitics of late 80s and liberalization policies of PVNR forced Indian vaishya community (both Hindu and non-Hindu) to shift their outlooks.

14. The shipbuilding industry is still not in hands of Indian OR hindu vaishya house. Something is not allowing them to exploit the complete potential of Indian Iron&Steel Industry and Chemical Industry. (this is topic of one other post I am planning to make - Rise of European chemical giants after debacle of India in 1858).  Someone made a similar post on BRF few months ago (perhaps Ramana). 

15. India needs thousands of Dhirubhais gatecrashing the party. This is how Hindus can reclaim their right on the lost capital and decide its fate as they have since eternity until 1858.

Ashta-bala analysis of Sonia Gandhi's and AIF's power using Dharmik terms and frame of reference.

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Following is an article I wrote in late 2012-early 2013 on Bharat-Rakshak forum when Modi had won Gujarat elections and had just begun his rise on the political horizon as potential prime-ministerial candidate of the BJP. This article is very important (from my point of view) for two reasons. Firstly, it shows a structured syntax of applying different pramaaNas and other Dharmik-concepts relating to power and how to use that syntax to arrive upon a conclusion which can be tested and verified. 

Secondly this post is very important with respect to Indrashakti theory of mine which has predicted dire scenario for India from 2015 to 2018-22. We have just entered the critical phase of Indrashakti. Against what I wished two and half years ago, Narendra Modi is now a prime-minister of India and thankfully he has solid majority in the lower house along with many key states in BJP's kitty to make some moves which will have lasting effect.

Yet, the strike of Indrashakti will be hardest and NaMo will have to fight an extremely uphill battle to see himself and India through this turbulent phase. Analysis of Sonia is important in this perspective. Indrashakti that is striking India is three-pronged trident which is interconnected. The economic prong, the Jihad prong and the China prong. Now we are beginning to see the onset of Economic prong of Indrashakti. 

Fortunately, NaMo witnessed sharp fall in crude-oil prices which eased pressure on our economy in this year balancing to an extent our fiscal deficit. Yet, given the cautious budget that Jaitley presented along with constant tussle of Jaitley with Reserve Bank of India and refusal of leading banks (SBI in particular along with others) to pass on the rate-cuts by RBI to end-users tell us that something is amiss. Although picture is much more clearer than the time I wrote this article and now we know that SBI (State-Bank of India) along with other public sector banks are in big trouble due to their large share of Non-performing assets. It is due to the dead loans that were distributed at behest of political interference which have now gone rancid along thus threatening the very existence of SBI (Most notable being Kingfisher airlines). All this is going to have huge impact on the growth story of India that Narendra Modi promised and is earnestly working towards achieving.

This critical state of banking sector in India due to bad loans is the first wave of Indrashakti that this ghaTotkacha (NaMo) has to face. At this backdrop, I found it essential to visit this particular post of mine where I structured a syntax of viewing at an illusive problem using vedantik glasses. 

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The entire chain of ideas for you to do puravapaksha analysis on me are in this post. I am not playing on pratyaksha OR Shabda pramana. I am viewing things not through Saamkhya darshana (window) this time, but through Vedanta and hence am playing on Anumaana (inference), Upamaana (comparison), Arthapatti (postulation) and Anupalabdhi (Non-Cognition) pramanas. Samkhya is not robust to process my this model. 

All the arguments, postulates, comparisons and non-cognition (as to why is BJP behaving like this since 2009 - that "Maayaa" factor) are int he posts cited in the post above in chronological order. I am not Shruti so my statement cannot be considered as shabda-pramana. Nor am I direct OR indirect witness to things happening - hence I do not have Pratyaksha pramana (in all three flavors) to present. Yet, I feel something is amiss. So, I have to drop my regular world-view (saamkhya-yoga) and adopt vedaanta to allow me to use three new pramaNas which are unavailable in former. 

It may seem laughable if we do not see it through vedantic window. Hence I said, Samkhya-Yoga is not useful here - It is out of scope for them. What if she is not really that much invested in INC and all she (or her handlers) want is a channel to exert their influence in India for short and mid-term? What if bringing down OR saving INC was never her interest - her primary interest was to save her life and that of her children and make sure they did not suffer the fate of their father, uncle and grandmother? If you have read GRR Martin novels of "Song of Ice and Fire" series then Sonia is like Cersie Lannister.

If not, it becomes slightly difficult metaphor to explain. Thus, in absence of pratyaksha pramana to validate this, and lack of data and material enough for anumaana and upamaana to lead the charge, one has to seek refuge of Bhagvatpaada Adi Shankara, and make use of Anupalabdhi and then Arthapatti pramanas. 

While applying Anupalabdhi pramana, we understand that something is amiss. A rational player of game will not behave as Sonia has in your scenario. Yet she is behaving. Thus applying Arthapatti pramana here, we "assume" or "postulate" that she IS a rational player and that there are other drives OR forces which are being neglected in the course of our study. So, given these two pramanas firmly in place, we then can start cautiously using Anumaana. 

What is her background? Where she comes from? What is her chitta-vritti? what is her education? What kind of people is she AND was she surrounded by, when major life-events happened? what were their motives? What was her response? How did she rise to power? What kind of people she usurped the power from? What price did she pay? What kind of people surround her now? what is their character? 

Shakti OR Power exists in eight forms according to Hindu Dharma and Artha Shaastras. 

1. Tapobala - power owing to long struggle and accumulated experience and gained goodwill

2. Gnyana bala - power of sharp intellect

3. Artha Bala - Power of resources, finances, acquaintances. 

4. Shastra bala - Power of weapons - muscle power

5. Jana Bala - Power of public support and popularity

6. Sthaana Bala - Power owing to position

7. Aatma bala - power of one's strong will and resolution. 

8. Mitra bala - POwer of allies and friends

Think, how many balas she had in 1998 at her side when she miraculously rose to power and lime-light? Apparently, only Sthaana bala (gandhi dynasty) alone. Was it enough to so spectacularly rise to power? No.. Was there any other bala? - Pratyaksha, Anumana and Upamana pramanas say "Don't know !!". But again some is amiss here - Here again comes Anupalabdhi (acknowledging something is amiss and incomplete and hence it is blocking complete cognition). Then applying Arthapatti pramana we narrow down upon some external and invisible but powerful artha-bala and mitra-bala supporting her, making all this happen. Why? Anumaana and Upamaana says, "Don't know". Again Arthapatti needs to be employed.

This explains just the complexity of situation. (this also explains, why I prefer Nirishwar-vaadi Saamkhya-yoga over theistic vedanta with three pramanas onlee). I implore you to abandon samkhya and take refuge of vedanta for grasping this sort of inquiry. 

As a corollary, similar modus operandi can be applied to Lal Krishna Advani and his weird behavior prior to rise of Narendra Modi. History and Anupalabdhi tells us that he is today a rational player with tapobala, gnyaana bala, aatma-bala and sthaana-bala at his disposal. Yet he behaved like this. He may have lost jana-bala to NM (or one can say NM inherited LKA's jana-bala and added his own), but yet has other balas at his disposal. Yet his actions in past few days looked irrational. Bring in anupalabdhi and arthapatti here as well. Why did he do it? To become PM? - But he categorically stated that he is OUT of PM race in 2011 and DOES NOT want to be one. So he cannot revert from his stated position (being a rational player) without public demand (jana-bala). But NM had already accepted the LKA's jana-bala in his quiver, so LKA (being a rational player) knows that he won't have a jana-bala and hence won't be able to revert from stated position. 

Yet......

Kaalaay Tasmai namaH. 
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Something is amiss and understanding and correctly appraising Sonia's bala-profile now is seriously essential towards deciphering it. Because all the recent attempts of everyone belonging to AIF camp to derail parliament sessions (from congress to BBC rape-documentary) and power realignment happening in Ganga-valley and Delhi shows an activation of some sort of system which was lying dormant since 1761. 

While we know the broad strokes (AIF Vs PIF, Panipat etc), it is now time to understand the finer undercurrents and ascertain and correctly appraise the ashTa-bala profile of AIF and PIF.