Tam Tam Mantram Tatra Tara Prayunjānasya DhīmataH |
Bahavausyānubhāvena jahurYavanjam bhayam ||“Due to the cunning (of Maharaja Farzand Shahajiraje Bhonsale), all fear of the Yavanas has been destroyed (in Karnataka)!”
— Shri Kavindra Paramānanda 📜
He was comparable to Bhishma Pitamah, Samrat Prithviraja Chahamana, Maharathi Arjuna, Samrat Vikramaditya, and Raja Bhoja Parmara according to contemporary poets.
Due to his intervention, all Hindu chieftains of Karnataka were secured.
SuvarnĀisafuradavarnamārnāyatalocanam |
Krutakīrkulatrāsanāsā Vanshamanoharam||
Kalādhartirakāri Manohāri mukham punaH|
Jānuparyantvishrāntbhujam-Adbhutvigraham||— Description of Maharaja Farzand Shahajiraje Bhonsale by Shri Kavindra Paramānanda 📜
“Gold complexioned skin. Eyes full and intense, a nose like a parrot, a face like Moon glistening with Sunlight shining across it’s surface. Auspicious arms long enough to reach his kneecaps. A Godly celestial physique.”
Such was the father of Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaja.
“Dānavīram Dayāvīram Yuddhavīram Mahojasam,
MāllaBhupasutam Shāham varalakshmitam!”TRANSLATION:
“Garlanded with Altruism, Magnanimous, valorous, with dripping vigour, this was the son of Mālla Bhupāla, Shāhajiraje!”
Maharaja Shahajiraje Bhonsale was ruler of one of the largest semi-sovereign Hindu kingdoms in India at this point of time, owing to him & his father Maharaja Sargiroh Mallakarnajiraje Bhonsale. Adilshahi, Nizamshahi, Shah Jahan Taimurshahi, all danced around his trail of glory.
From Pūna-Chakan to Konkan and Sangamner to Ahmadnagar & Daulatabaad, extending over to Nashik-Tryambak. Mughal treachery reduced his gains considerably but he later regained Pūna, Sūpa along with 26 villages across Karad & also the Wai Pargana and Karnataka.
Maharaja Farzand Shahajiraje Bhonsale was betrayed by the Mughals in his rebellion against Adilshahi Sultanate where he was using Nizamshahi puppet Sultan as his aegis. He was forced by Adilshah Sultan to enter their office as a commander once again. The Mughals dreaded Shahajiraje so much that they firmly emphasized on treaty clause that he was only allowed to take Adilshah office if they did not allow him to retain any territory he conquered!+++(5)+++ That alone shows his might.
When Maharaja Shahajiraje Bhonsale heard that the famous general Ranadullah Khan was going to destroy many tribal chiefs that once served Vijaynagar who were hiding in jungles of Mysuru region south of Karnataka, Maharaja Shahajiraje Bhonsale tensely volunteered to serve this campaign, provided he lead the expedition. Maharaja Shahajiraje Bhonsale swiftly conquered Mysuru, and before the trailing Muslim soldiers of Adilshah could engage in any rapine, he forced all local Hindu Rajas, especially Virabhadra to quickly accept the terms of vassalage and reinstated Vijaynagar Hindu power again.
RandūllahKhānena khalenopahatam balāt | Madrāsanam swamadhyasta Vīrabhadrasya sambhyāt ||
“The rapacious Randullah Khan had forcibly seized the throne of Madras, which (Maharaja Shahajiraje Bhonsale) retook and had Vīrabhadra enthroned once again.”
The Adilshah Darbar was so impressed with this swift conquest of entire Karnataka & Mysuru singlehandedly by Maharaja Shahajiraje Bhonsale with just 12,000 Mahratta cavalry that they were tricked into awarding him territories with revenue of over 5 Lakh Hons and Bengaluru Fort. Maharaja Shahajiraje Bhonsale spent the rest of his life in Karnataka, ruling almost as a sovereign in Vijaynagar territories, around Bengaluru region, civilising the lands and cultivating alliances. Local lore records countless temples, ponds, gardens and orchards built by him.
Over 75 poets & Pandits were patronized by Maharaja Shahajiraje Bhonsale. He lived surrounded by men who spoke over 35 languages. His court was easily among the most cultured spaces on planet Earth. His son Ekojiraje Bhonsale went on to establish Tanjavur Kingdom, pinnacle of of Indian aesthetics.
Maharaja Shahajiraje Bhonsale’s greatest achievement was revival of Vedic culture in India and uniting most of the Maratha Kshatriya clans for the first time in centuries. He safeguarded the Vedas and Sanskrit literature from vandalism by Mlecchas.
Bengaluru Fort of Mahrattas was treacherously couped by Mughal commander Chikka Wadiyar during 27 Years War of Hindu Liberation. The local Jangama Shaiva Sadhus, Lingayats and the Raiyāts rebelled against the usurper. 400 Sadhus leading the rebellion were massacred. And over 700 Vīra-Shaiva Matha monasteries were destroyed. Every Sadhu dressed in Bhagwa was slain. Chikka was awarded title of “Jag Deva Raja” by Aurangzeb for this service.+++(4)+++ Thus rule of Mughal vassal Chikkadevaraja was established in Mysuru and it fell out of Maratha hands. Legacy of Marathas in Mysuru was thus lost forever.
Years later Wadiyar artillery chief Haidar Ali usurped the Mysuru Throne and the Wadiyars were reduced to begging for Marathas to come and rescue them, which was successfully accomplished during final assault on Tipu Sultan.