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. 

Citizenship of Nation, State and/or Nation-State : A Hindu dharmik perspective

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Background article to read to understand the "bhumika" of this one - Critique on Savarkar's ideas - Hindutva in proper perspective

A quote from linked article for the convenience of gentle readers which forms the back-bone of this article. 

The original definition from Savarkar's "Hindutva", for the consideration of reader, goes like this - 

आसिन्धु सिन्धु पर्यन्ता यस्य भारत भूमिकाः
पितृभूः पुण्यभुः च एव, स वै हिन्दुरीति स्मृतः 
One who considers this land from Indus to southern ocean (poetic way of saying entire Indian subcontinent, no need to take it literally) as "India" and regards this country as  his "pitRu bhumi" (land of forefathers) and Punya-bhumi (difficult to translate this one), he is "Hindu" 

India is my Pitrubhumi (Land of Pitaras - forefathers). All the places, rivers, mountains which I consider valuable and am ideologically and emotionally attached to, are in Indian subcontinent. Hence, India is my Pitrubhumi and Punyabhumi. Julia Roberts, for example, may be a Vaishnavaite, but her pitrubhumi is somewhere else. She is dharmik, but not Hindu. Hindu and Hindutva ARE geographically confined terms. These terms "Hindu" and "Hindutva" are for denoting dharmarthik (socio-politico-economic) aspirations of ethnic Indic people. Hindutva is a subset of Dharma. Dharma is for entire humanity.

Now that the bhumika (position) is stated, I will give a context of discussion that was happening which resulted in main-body of this article. The discussion, happened on Bhaarat-rakshak forum where I frequent, centered around why "Hindutva" and "Hindu-nationalism" has such a bad PR in market of ideas in current space and time? The very identity of "Hindu" came into existence in context to abrahmic monotheistic invasions. Before that there was no such identity as "hindu" - there were adhyatma-maarga based identities like shaiva, vaishnava bauddha, jaina etc. and there were jaati and varNa based based identities. 

The very term "Hindu" came into being as a rallying umbrella term to organize and strike back at Islamism (and Christianity). So it is natural that opposition to muslims (in fact it is opposition to Islamism which on street level manifests as opposition to local muslim person) is important (and bulk) portion of what constitutes as "hindutva nationalism" or whatever other names attributed to this socio-politico-economic movement. Hindutva is India's adaptive response to nation-state based polity. If and when current global polity based on Westphalian nation-state model will collapse, so will the dharmarthik ideology of Hindutva and even the identity of "Hindu" will fade away.

Why is it spoken in pejorative sense? Simple - it is a response which other contemporary ancient and medieval non-abrahmic civilizations have failed to develop against nation-state which preserves the core within; thereby preventing complete digestion of everything that Indian civilization stands for and means. Its a hindrance for those forces which would like to digest us. Hence hatred.

This position when state was responded by following argument.

XXX says that the terms ("Hindu" and "nationalism") are not owned by Indians and the owners are doing what they want. You are saying that the term Hindu was coined specifically as a reaction to invaders. In XXX's viewpoint "hindu nationalist" is pejorative because others choose to describe in in whatever way they like. But according to you, Hindu nationalism is anti-Muslim/Christian and this corresponds, for example, to Wendy Doniger's viewpoint.  

The implication from both meanings is that you cannot be a Hindu and a nationalist without admitting to be anti-minority. For example we dissect statements from Muslims and ask if they say "I am an Indian first" or whether they say "I am a Muslim first". A similar choice is being offered to the Hindu if he says that he is Hindu first, then he is anti-minority. He has to say "I am Indian" first unless he does not object to the anti-minority tag. 

In other words, for Indians, nationalism has to come in different flavors for different people. But the choice of being Hindu and nationalist is removed for all Hindus unless they admit to being anti-minority.

Following is my response to this argument which will form the main body of this article. It happened few weeks ago. I waited to think it through before considering this opinion fit to be published.

First, when we say "nationalism" or "nationalist" or "Hindu-nationalist" etc, we have to ask one basic question - what is this "nation" thingy? Does nation here means Republic of India - a Westphalian nation-state which emerged on world-stage on 26th January 1950? Or do we mean raashtra of Bhaarata which Vedas proclaim पृथिव्यै समुद्र पर्यन्तया एकराळिति (this land until the oceans is one raashtra). 

They very construct of Westphalian nation-state is very illogical according to me. It was designed to stop wars from ravaging Europe, but in fact, Westphalian nation-state has ravaged Europe much more. In fact, lasting peace of in Europe was achieved when post WW2, when the seeds of European Union were sowed and after conclusion of Yugoslavian war and fall of Berlin war, we now have a peace in Europe which seems to be organic, sustainable and lasting. Last 70 years have been most peaceful for Europe and this they achieved by moving away from Westphalian nation-state's rigidity.

However while they did this post WW2, they already had shaped the world in their image. Hence creation of nation-states all over the world. 

Now this construct is diametrically opposed to very nature of human societies to naturally expand and shrink in geography. What is a citizen? All German citizens are equal, as per German constitution - irrespective of his race, religion, creed and background. In exchange, all German citizens are expected to owe allegiance to Germany (which actually refers to a book with words "German constitution" written on its cover). While this is technical expectation from a German citizen, the expectations of ethnic Germans are however very human and basal - all German citizens should consider themselves German. But an Arab immigrant or a Pakistani or for that matter an Indian origin person may not feel that way. He has German passport alright, but he openly says he does not feel German and will never be a German. Thus the very construct is fundamentally flawed which will soon reveal itself in ugly manner in peaceful Europe. 

More or less, this is the fate of all other so called "nation-states". The problem of "citizen" is going to play havoc in today's globalized world.

In dharmik civilization, raashtra is separate from raajya which is also separate from desha.  Dharma is not limited to geography (desha) of Indian subcontinent. Dharma is universal. Raashtra in our narrative is linked with geography (desha) - hence the Rigvedik Richa that I quoted above. Our narrative acknowledges existence of other raashtras (varshas) on earth. The varsha or raashtra which we live in is called "bhaarat-varsha". 

Raajya or state, on the other hand, is not linked with raashtra, nor necessarily with desha. The raajyas of Saatavaahana-VaakaaTaka-chaalukya-raashTrakuTa-Kakatiya-hoysaala-yaadava-vijaynagar-marathas-maharashtra/AP/Karnataka - all have existed on same "desha", belong to same "raashtra" (which ran as per dictats of dharma), but were/are vastly different "Raajyas". That is they existed in same space and belonged to same raashtra but at different times. On the other hand, raajyas of Magadha and Chola were located in different space within same desha (i.e. Indian subcontinent) and same raashtra (Bhaarat-varsha) at same and different times. Thus we see raajya not being rigidly interlinked with geography and identity in same and different space and times.

Thus raashtra-raajya-desha segregation and interlink in dharmik (in post islamic times, Hindu) polity is understood and inherent. This is not the case in Abrahmic polity and its successor Westphalian nation-state based polity. 

In Abrahmic polity, deen and daulat (religion and state) cannot be separated. In post renaissance Westphalian model, while they forcefully separated state from religion to an extent, but in the process they linked it to geography and identity (vaguely - rashtra/nation). To make things complicated, they froze the borders. Thus giving rise to modern "nation-states".

This is so much different from our way of organizing the polity. But we were overcome post 1805 and our attempt to revert back to pre-1805 polity in 1857 was crushed by English. Thus we were forced to swallow this pill of reformatting our identity (raashtra), our way of organizing polity (raajya) and our desha (geography in form of partition) in British occupation. This was tried all over the world. 

Islamic world has Quran which preserves its "deen-daulat" model based on Sharia and since it is word of God (same god as European Christians worship), it was safeguarded. Look what happened to non-abrahmic cultures and their world-view. Look at China - they have given it up (or so it seems, I hope they too have preserved the core in some form) that. 

We too had to adapt to this. The era of nation-state had arrived and no matter how conflicting it was to our understanding, we had to find a way to preserve our core while preventing further loss of raashtra-raaajya-desha and dharma. This is where the theory of Hindutva arose. 

It has its origins in Hindavi-swarajya of MaraThas (which was an Indian or Indic socio-political response to Islamism) which in turn had origins in Vijaynagara movement and early Rajputs. Hindavi swaraya of Marathas (for sake of simplicity, we must understand that all non-islamic, non-christian political entities which existed in India in past 1000 years are "hindavi swarajya") was a socio-politico-economic rebellion of those native brown skinned Indians against Islamism and its socio-politico-economic dominance on people and geography of India. In other words, it was an Indian dharmaarthik response to Islamism.

Now as far as the word "Hindu" goes, as I said earlier, it was a collective umbrella term for all, Indian origin people following Indian any of adhyatmik paths. So it has an ethnic undertones to it. As I said previously, Julia Roberts is a VaishNava woman, but she is not a Hindu. On the other hand, APJ Abdul Kalam is a Hindu following Islam as his personal adhyatma maarga. 

The term 'Hindu' has always been a socio-judicio-politico-economic (dharmaarthik) term. British fused it with alien concept of "religion" and gave this term "religions" connotations thus giving rise to the nebulous "Hinduism". I do not even understand what religion means anymore - thankfully. I have managed to detoxify myself to some extent. 

So, in summary, we have terms Hindu and Hindutva. Hindu is an identity based term (raashtra) and Hindutva is dharmaarthik theory which deals with Hindu-polity in era of nation-state. 

Imagine for a while a time in distant future when this very edifice of nation-state has collapsed. Hindutva will collapse with it. It is a survival adaptation of Hindus. After few years/decades of collapse of Hindutva, when the very concept of "religion" collapses (or becomes irrelevant or non-interfering), the term "hindu" too will drop off. 

This has preserved our way of life in past 1000 years. Without this, in my opinion, dharma would have been relegated to museums like Zoroastrians and Egyptians. And since this adaptation, although uncomfortable, is a protective shield it is hated by those who wish to homogenize the world. 

Hence all this conflict. 

Shubham astu!!!

Advice by Ramdas Swamy to Sambhaji Maharj - Excellent lesson in strategy

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This is letter written by Samartha Ramdas Swami to Shivaji's son Sambhaji after he succeeded his great father. This is fantastic strategic message given to Indics (Sambhaji is Nimitta) by the sage at the wake of Aurangzeb's invasion on Deccan. I have inserted few other quote of Samartha Ramdas in this advise which are coherent and used by swami in similar context, but elsewhere. Worth emulating by everyone - especially our new Govt and the supporters of Modi should understand this too.

अखंड सावधान असावे| दुश्चित कदापि नसावे| 

तजविजा करीत बसावे| एकांत स्थळी||१||

One should always be cautious.. Never be malevolent... Always keep thinking and preparing.. alone..

काही उग्रस्थिती सांडावी| काही सौम्यता धरावी| 

चिंता लागावी परावी अंतर्यामी||२||

One should shed anger and impatience and imbibe patience.. Or else, concern starts nibbing the inner mind..

मागील अपराध क्षमावे| कारभारी हाती धरावे| 

सुखी करुनि सोडावे| कामाकडे||३||

Forgive few misgivings of old employees, but take the control in your hands... Make them attentive and satisfied towards their work

पाटवणी तुंब निघेना| तरी मग पाणी चालेना| 

तैसे सज्जनांच्या मना| कळले पाहिजे||४||

Once a mental block develops, the water (thoughts) stop flowing freely in minds of a Sajjana.. One should understand this..

जनांचा प्रवाहों चालिला| म्हणजे कार्यभाग आटोपला| 

जन ठायी ठायी तुंबला| म्हाणिजे खोटे||५||

One works as per all the wishes of subjects, his regime is shortlived. same happens to one who objects to all the wishes of subjects. 

श्रेष्ठी जे जे मेळविले| त्यासाठी भांडत बैसले| 

मग जाणावे फावले| गनिमासी||६||

When various factions in court/society start fighting for credit of glory and property achieved in past together, know that enemy is utmost happy..

ऐसे सहसा करू नये| दोघे भांडता तिसय्रासी जाए| 

धीर धरून महत्कार्य| समजून करावे||७|| 

Thus, be a careful interlocutor and bring in peace, or else, the third party benefits in the quarrel of first two.

आधीच पडला धस्ती| म्हणजे कार्यभाग होय नास्ती|

याकारणे समस्ती| बुद्धि शोधावी||८||

If subordinates and people start fearing you, understand that you have lost.. Think quickly of measures that would restore trust and eliminate fear..

राजी राखता जग| मग कार्यभागाची लगबग| 

ऐसे जाणोनिया सांग | समाधान राखावे||९||

सकळ लोक एक करावे| गनीम निपटुन काढावे| 

ऐसे करीता कीर्ति धावे| दिगंतरी||१०||

Unite all the people and eliminate the enemy.. Then the fame and glory reaches beyond all directions..

आधी गाजवावे तडाके| मग भूमंडळ धाके| 

ऐसे न होता धक्के| राज्यास होती||११||

Enemy will fear only when you do something to him.. Or else, your empire will start collapsing..

समय प्रसंग वोळखावा| राग निपटुन काढावा| 

आला तरी कळो नेदावा| जनांमध्ये||१२||

Understand the situation you are in and control your anger.. even if you are angry, don't let others know..

राज्यामध्ये सकळ लोक| सलगी देवून करावे सेवक| 

लोकांचे मनामध्ये धाक| उपजोचि नये||१३||

Be friendly towards all subjects, friends and servants.. Make sure that fear does not arise in their minds (since it breeds mistrust)

बहुत लोक मेळवावे| एक विचारे भरावे| 

कष्टे करोनी घसरावे| म्लेंच्छांवरी||१४||

Gather many such men.. Motivate them with the idea (of Hindavi swaraj)... prepare and fall on the Mlenchhas (Mughals) with vengeance..

मतामतांचा गलबला। कोणी पुसेना कोणाला। 

जो जे मतीं सांपडलां। तयास तेंचि थोर।

Millions of opinions flying around makes it difficult because each starts believing in the superiority of his opinion (which makes uniting men for one cause difficult).. 

मुलाचे चालीने चालावे। मुलांचे मनोगत बोलावे। 

तैसे जनास शिकवावे। हळूहळू।

One should teach them (masses) like we teach children in their language (referring to patience of the teacher)...

महंतें महंत करावे। युक्तिबुद्धीने भरावे। 

जाणते करून विखरावे। नाना देसी।

One should teach them the cause and associated philosophies.. Once wise, one should spread them across entire country..

सामर्थ्य आहे चळवळीचे । जो जो करील तयाचे। 

परंतु तेथे भगवंताचे । अधिष्ठान पाहिजे।।

The true strength lies only in mass-movement.. But there should be backing of Ishwara to such movement..

आहे तितुके जतन करावे| पुढे आणिक मेळवावे| 

महाराष्ट्र राज्य करावे |जिकडे तिकडे||१५||

Preserve what you already possess.. Get more.. Make Maratha Rajya (Hindavi swaraj) everywhere..

लोकी हिम्मत धरावी| शर्तीची तरवार करावी| 

चढ़ती वाढती पदवी| पावाल येणे||१६||

give people courage.. lead them from front.. promote and felicitate deserving achievers at every step..

देव मस्तकी धरावा। अवघा हलकल्लोळ करावा। 

मुलुख बुडवावा की बडवावा। स्वराज्या कारणे।

Bow to Raama and create a storm all over.. beat and drown the enemy provinces and assimilate them...

देशद्रोही तितुके कुत्ते । मारोन घालावे परते। 

देवदास पावती फत्ते। यदर्थी संशयो नाही।

The traitors are the real rabid dogs and should be slain similarly.. Any servant of sri Raama who does this, wins for sure..

धर्मासाठी झुंजावे|झुंझोनी अवघ्यासी मारावे || 

मारिता मारिता घ्यावे|राज्य आपुले

Prepare to fight for Dharma... While fighting, kill as many as you can.. Keep on working towards finishing the task (of establishing dharma and hindavi swaraj), even while fighting and killing...

शिवरायास आठवावे| जीवित्व तृणवत मानावे| 

इहलोकी परलोकी राहावे| कीर्तीरुपे||१७||

Remember your father, Shivaji.. Compare yourselves with him and do not think of yourselves too highly .. Learn from him how to live forever...

शिवरायांचे आठवावे स्वरूप| शिवरायांचा आठवावा साक्षेप| 

शिवरायांचा आठवावा प्रताप| भुमंडळी||१८||

Remember how he looked... Remember what he achieved.. Remember how he thought.. while on this earth..

शिवरायांचे कैसे चालणे| शिवरायांचे कैसे बोलणे| 

शिवरायांची सलगी देणे| कैसे असे||१९||

Remember how he walked.. Remember how he talked.. Remember how he loved his people...

सकळ सुखांचा त्याग| करुनी साधिजे तो योग| 

राज्यसाधनाची लगबग| ऐसी असे||२०||

Renunciating all pleasures, he achieved the Raaja-Yoga.. Study how he did it..

त्याहुनी करावे विशेष| तरीच म्हणावे पुरूष| 

या उपरी आता विशेष| काय लिहावे||२१

If you manage to achieve something like this, only then shall I consider you a man.. What more to write now?

समर्थाचिया सेवका वक्र पाहे। असा सर्व भूमंडळी कोण आहे।

जयाची लीला वर्णिती लोक तीन्ही। नुपेक्षी कदा रामदासाभिमानी।।

Know that, there is no one in this world who is strong enough to harm the servant of Sri Raama whose Leelas are sung by all three worlds..