Author:

Shrabanti Kanjilal
Ph. D. Research Scholar
Department of History
Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan
Birbhum,West Bengal,India

Email: shrabantikanjilal3@gmail.com

Abstract:: The Indian traditional knowledge affirms that the universe was born of the union of Purush, i.e., the man, and Prakriti, i.e., the nature. While Prakriti is considered to be the basis of human existence, Purush embodies consciousness and energy. As the Purush became stronger, Prakriti was undermined and even destroyed by him. In the search of material bliss, the mankind has showed little regard to the traditional wisdom, and has recklessly exploited the nature. During the medieval period, however, we come across a ruler- Chhatrapati Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire in the seventeenth century, who showed incomprehensible awareness towards the nature. We find him gaining success as an empire builder by making a calculated use of the environment in his warfare and policy matters. This paper examines the making of Chhatrapati Shivaji as a ‘real Purush’ by attempting to understand various aspects of his interactions with the environment.

Key Words:: Forts, Maratha, Nature, Prakriti, Shivaji, Swarajya, Samkhya etc.