Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti 2023: Was Shivaji Maharaj Spiritual? Know About It In detail

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Samartha Ramdas was the pole star in the galaxy of saints that India has ever produced. Most famously known as Sant Ramdas, he was intensely devoted to Lord Rama. A contemporary of Shivaji and Sambhaji Maharaj, he was a saint, philosopher, poet, author, spiritual stalwart and many more roles rolled into one. Ramdas was a fiery saint with a warlike ideals and Shivaji Maharaj was a warrior with saintly ideals. Both had not met till sometime, despite having worked in the same dharmic and socio cultural arena. Finally, when they met, it was Shivaji who sought guidance on both military strategies on the worldly level and spiritual wisdom on a paranormal level from Sant Ramdas. Here is how it happened.

Meeting Of Shivaji With Sant Ramdas

Shivaji being a king, naturally knew about Sant Ramdas through several informants. One fine day, burning curiousity overpowered him and he left to Kondhaval to meet him. Despite sincere efforts, Shivaji Maharaj failed to get a darshan of Ramdas and days passed in fervent anticipation. Unable to take it anymore, Shivaji decided to pray to Bhavani Devi to allow him a darshan of Sant Ramdas, visited the temple, prayed, and stayed overnight there. That night, in his dream, Sant Ramdas appeared, blessed him by placing his hands on Shivaji's head and then disappeared. Shivaji saw a coconut on his palm the next morning when he woke up. It was a clear blessing from Sant Ramdas and Shivaji knew that he had found his spiritual master.

Blessings From Sant Ramdas

Later, after several conquests and victories in battles, Sant Ramdas met him personally at Shinganwadi and gave him Prasad which contained a coconut, a fistful of mud, horse dung and pebbles. This was exactly when Shivaji wanted to leave all his cares and pains at Ramdas feet and spend the rest of his life as his disciple. Samarth Ramdas advised him against this decision and put his thoughts back to the regal track."

Coconut indicated welfare, mud meant the lands he had to win, horse dung and pebbles indicated an army of horses and pebbles meant using guerilla warfare tactics to win hillforts. Shivaji never felt the lack of any material benefit or spiritual progress due to the grace of the guru. He believed in power of God helping the man and hence became an invincible warrior whose presence on the war field stopped the heart beats of his enemies. He was not a victim to the king sized ego and understood the concept of surrender in the right way.

Sant Ramdas' Advice To Shivaji

Samarth Ramdas used to encourage people, wherever he went to support and strengthen the hands of Shivaji. Samarth Ramdas' famous advice to Shivaji was about how to be cautious in the face of adversity. He asked Shivaji to beware of false friends, formulate war and political strategies in perfect solitude and silence, to never stop his efforts, and how to forge ahead in life without losing hope and lastly to have a lot of well-meaning friends around him.

Shivaji As A Spiritual Disciple

Shivaji one day came in search of Ramdas at his tiny cave where he saw Ramdas groaning in great pain, seeming as if he was on the brink of death. Shivaji, obviously shaken by this occurrence, asked him how he should be helped. Swami told him that only by drinking milk of a tigress, he would be okay. Shivaji did not heed Ramdas' pleas to stay back with him as getting a tigress milk would be impossible and too risky. But Shivaji was hellbent on saving his master's life. Little did he realise that it was his masters way of testing his devotion towards him.

Wielding his sword, Shivaji entered the depths of the jungle and rode into a cave where a tiger stayed with its cubs. When he entered the cave, he saw the Tiger cubs huddled together in one place. Silently he chose to sit beside the cubs waiting for their mother to arrive on the scene. He did think about the consequences obviously.

Seeing him sitting next to her cubs, the tigress sprang upon him, in the next fraction of a second, but Shivaji faced her boldy. He uttered his Gurus name, addressed her as mother, and requested for a can of her milk, drinking which his Guru will be back to good health. Totally calmed by the utterance of Swamis name, the tigress allowed him to milk her. He brought back the can of milk that he had received from her, and offered it to his master who sipped a few drops and the rest was given to Shivaji to drink. Swami now revealed to Shivaji that it was a test of true devotion and Guru bhakti and that Shivaji had won it hands down.

In another instance, as he was resting in his palace in a leisurely manner, he noticed Swami Ramdas strolling about with a begging bowl in the street. Shivaji was surprised but pained that Swami had to beg for a living. The next morning Shivaji sent a chit in which he had written off all his palatial property and the kingdom to be offered at the feet of Swami. Swami answered Shivaji that rulers should rule the kingdoms and brahmins need to do what is assigned for them and hence asked Shivaji to take back his kingdom and rule it in Samarths name and also to use Gerua Chaddar as his banner so that it proves lucky for him. Shivaji agreed to take it back only upon his masters orders to do so.

Shivaji was not only a king of valour but also a spiritual seeker, and a much favoured disciple of Swami Samarth. He won Samarth Ramdas heart with his unflinching devotion and selfless surrender which is certainly hard for a king to do.