Shivaji was from his very childhood under the influence of Brahmins. His father had practically deserted him and his guardian was the Brahmin manager of his estate. The boy grew up with a strong bias for the orthodox religion of the Puranas and temples. It was given out that Shivaji used to get possessed by the goddess Bhavani and in that state obtain instructions from her regarding his conduct in difficult situations.
Brahmin propaganda stunt: This was probably one of the stories spread by priests to get Shivaji recognized as an inspired leader.
Shivaji was great in his own way. He had many brilliant qualities of head and heart which eminently fitted him to play the unique role of nation-builder. An intrepid warrior, a resourceful general, a brilliant organizer and administrator, the victor of many a battle and the creator of a kingdom, Shivaji was never able to rise above the Brahminical influence of his childhood and willingly surrendered himself and his kingdom to the yoke of the priests.
Stooge of Brahmins: The dedication or gift of the country to the Brahmin or the temple, the acceptance of Kshatriyahood which meant submission to the caste hierarchy, and the recognition of the right of the Brahmin to the dewans and advisers have been well- known stages of enslavement to Brahminism from the Puranic days of Bali and Vamana down to the recent history of Travancore.
Shivaji’s guru was a Brahmin, Ramdas. Shivaji made a gift of his kingdom to his guru and received it back as a trust to be managed of course for the preservation of Sanatana Dharma. In Travancore the country was dedicated to the temple and the Raja became a Dasa or agent of the deity. By this submission, Shivaji placed himself under a moral obligation to treat the country as Brahma swam or Brahmin raj.
Peshwa dictatorship: In his administration, military as well as civil, Brahmins predominated. There was a council of eight ministers immediately under the Raja. The Prime Minister, who held the highest authority both over civil and military administration was the Brahmin Peshwa. His office became hereditary and after Shivaji, the Peshwas became the virtual rulers. At the time of Shivaji’s coronation all ministers except the commander-in-chief were Brahmins.
Scattered throughout the western fringe, Shivaji had about 280 fronts with villages attached to each. The civil and revenue authority in each fort was in the hands of a Brahmin subedar and the military command in a Maratha havaldar. A Prabhu was in charge of the stores and repairs. This arrangement was more or less followed in the plains also.
In each unit of the general army under Maratha commanders, there were Brahmin and Prabhu colleagues as well as in the forts. Brahmins were also appointed to high command of large armies.
Caste rule enforced: In the Council of Ministers there was a Brahmin minister of religion called Panditrao who looked after all religious matters, enforced the rule of caste and custom and the civil and criminal laws and had control of the royal charities.
All the Brahmins received annual Dakshina allowances according to their learning and it is said that no Brahmin had to go outside the kingdom for a maintenance. The permanent endowments alone made for this purpose yielded an annual income of Rs. 5 lakhs when the English took over the country.
After over 30 years of incessant warfare Shivaji had established an unquestionable right to be considered an independent sovereign. Such a recognition was also necessary for putting his government on a legal basis. He was anxious to have his coronation celebrated in a fitting manner according to the Hindu shastras.
Shivaji’s coronation: This was another opportunity for Brahmins to reduce Shivaji to the position of an obedient Kshatriya ruler always under the Brahmin. “Learned” Brahmins were invited from all parts of the country and 11,000 of them, making a total of 50,000 with their wives and children, assembled at the capital, and Shivaji feasted them with sweets for four months besides giving them costly presents of gold and money.
The chief priest, Gaga Bhatta, alone is said to have received Rs.1 lakh. The whole ceremony involved an expenditure of not less than Rs. 50 lakhs, according to Sir Jadunath Sarkar, while some others put it down at the incredible figure of Rs. 7 crores. The Brahmins said that coronation according to the shastras could be performed only by a Kshatriya ruler. A genealogy was therefore invented by the priests and it was made out that Shivaji was a Kshatriya, descended from the Rajput rulers of Udaipur. He was then invested with the sacred thread for which he had to pay large sums to the priests. The latter then demanded another Rs. 8,000 for the forgiveness of the slaughter of Brahmins during Shivaji’s expeditions. In spite of these lavish gifts, they refused to initiate him into the vedic mantra and continued to speak of him as a sudra and no more or no less.
Humiliation: Shivaji keenly felt his humiliation at the hands of Brahmins to whose defence and prosperity he had devoted his life. Their insistence on treating him as a sudra drove him into the arms of Balaji Avji, the leader of the Kayasth’s.
