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It is hardly
surprising that an institution of experts in Britain which carried
out a comparative assessment of the various celebrated heroes of the
world - such as Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Alexander, Napoleon, etc. -
to decide `who is the greatest world hero?' chose Shivaji for that
unique honor.
Jadunath Sarkar,
the famous historian of Bengal, giving out his assessment of Shivaji,
wrote that Shivaji symbolized the immortal spirit of the Hindu Race.
Swami Vivekananda spoke of him in these glowing terms: "Shivaji
is one of the greatest national saviours who emancipated our society
and our Dharma when they were faced with the threat of total
destruction. He was a peerless hero, a pious and God-fearing king
and verily a manifestation of all the virtues of a born leader of
men described in our ancient scriptures. He also embodied the
deathless spirit of our land and stood as the light of hope for our
future."
The celebration of
this day as Hindu Saamraajya Dinotsav, therefore, carries the
spirit of victorious resistance to foreign aggression and presents a
glorious vision of national freedom rich with its Hindu content.
The motto Shivaji
inscribed on his coin even at the early stage of his endeavors amply
reflects the age-old Hindu ideal pulsating in Shivaji's mind -
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