Some Political Aphorisms and Views of the Marathas
By Y. G. Kanetkar
Summary
This article seeks to uncover the political principles guiding the Marathas by examining textual sources rather than focusing on their military exploits. The Marathas built a vast dominion that extended from Attock in the north to Trichinopoly in the south; European historians noted their success in overthrowing the Mughal empire and challenging the British, prompting inquiries into their statecraftfile:///home/oai/share/split_pdfs/Some_Political_Aphorisms_and_Views_of_the_Marathas.pdf#:~:text=The%20Brosh%20empire%2011%20India,%E2%84%A2. Ramdas, the poet-saint and putative guru of Shivaji, articulated subtle diplomatic maxims in his Dasabodha, advising statesmen to address major political questions while refraining from revealing their strategies overtlyfile:///home/oai/share/split_pdfs/Some_Political_Aphorisms_and_Views_of_the_Marathas.pdf#:~:text=Rimdas%2C%20the%20poet,write%20In%20any%20way%20Positivciy. A more systematic exposition of Maratha political theory is found in Ramchandra Neelkantha Amatya’s Adnyapatra, a treatise reminiscent of Kautilya’s Arthashastra. The work emphasises fortification, administration and moral conduct: an enemy in the neighbourhood is likened to a stomach ailment and must be uprooted; dissent should not be encouraged; naval power is considered the body of the kingdom; borderlands should be secured by building forts and promoting civilisation; jagirs should not be granted; and civil authority must supervise the militaryfile:///home/oai/share/split_pdfs/Some_Political_Aphorisms_and_Views_of_the_Marathas.pdf#:~:text=%E2%80%98forts%20and%20strongholds%3B%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%98the%20test,Amitya. Amatya warns against concentrating absolute power in one person, arguing that such dictatorship breeds resentment and undermines the statefile:///home/oai/share/split_pdfs/Some_Political_Aphorisms_and_Views_of_the_Marathas.pdf#:~:text=power%20of%20the%20State%20into,JUNF%2C%201%E0%AB%A639%201K. He advises rulers to manage extremist leaders by either winning them over or suppressing them, thereby preventing rebellionfile:///home/oai/share/split_pdfs/Some_Political_Aphorisms_and_Views_of_the_Marathas.pdf#:~:text=their%20talemts,%E0%AA%A4%E0%AB%8D%E0%AA%B0%20State%20should%20either%20be. The article highlights the pragmatic yet ethical foundation of Maratha governance: decentralisation, civil-military balance, and strategic expansion. It suggests that far from being mere marauders, the Marathas possessed a sophisticated political ideology that balanced realpolitik with moral considerations.
Conclusion
By analysing the aphorisms of Ramdas and the Adnyapatra, the article demonstrates that Maratha leaders had articulated doctrines on governance, diplomacy and statecraftfile:///home/oai/share/split_pdfs/Some_Political_Aphorisms_and_Views_of_the_Marathas.pdf#:~:text=%E2%80%98forts%20and%20strongholds%3B%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%98the%20test,Amitya. They advocated decisive action against nearby enemies, discouraged dissent, valued naval strength, and promoted civil oversight of the military. Amatya’s warnings against autocracy and his guidance on dealing with political extremists reveal an awareness of institutional checks and the dangers of concentrated powerfile:///home/oai/share/split_pdfs/Some_Political_Aphorisms_and_Views_of_the_Marathas.pdf#:~:text=power%20of%20the%20State%20into,JUNF%2C%201%E0%AB%A639%201K. Thus the Marathas’ success was not only due to martial prowess but also to a coherent set of political principles that guided their administration and expansion.