Yugavatara by H.V.Sheshadri - The book review!



Yugavatara by H V Sheshadri
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of the most inspirational and influential books that I have ever had the chance to run into .

This book reminds me of an incident that happened a few years ago. I was enthusiastically speaking about the greatness of Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj, when a friend who is spiritually minded remarked "You should rather read the hagiography of saints or the work of psychics (He was a big fan of ESP etc). You should not waste your time knowing about Kings and emperors. They were all selfish and arrogant. I think you are wasting your time." I felt hurt by this remark, but as I had not read this book back then, I could not come up with a counterpoint.

Fast forward to 2016, my wife's cousin sister presents me this book. I try many times to read it, but it is only in 2018 that I am able to read it seriously. And what a book it was! Contrary to what my Psychic fanboy friend had said, this turned out to be the hagiography of a Rajarshi (Saintly King)

Ever since his birth in the fort of Shivneri to his becoming Chatrapathi of a Kingdom stretching the length and breadth of Maharashtra and Karnataka, the great King Shivaji ruled with one aim, and that was to establish Hindavi Swaraj.

This was the time when the bigoted emperor Aurangzeb ruled from Delhi. His religious persecution of Hindus and his cruelty knew no bounds. The Bahamani Sultan of Bijapur also continued the persecution of Hindus in the South post the fall of the Vijaynagar empire. Demonic generals like Afzal Khan and the African Siddhi made the lives of the Hindu civilians a veritable hell.

The 'brave' Rajputs like Mirza Raje Jai Singh and Jaswant Singh Rathod worked relentlessly for the foreign aggressors and were deaf to the cries of the suffering Hindus.

When slave mentality had become deeply rooted amongst the local populace, one young boy, the son of a mighty sardar called Shahaji Bhonsale dreamt of an India rid of demonic and bigoted elements and the establishment of an empire based on Moral and Ethical principles of the vedas. Such a king was Shivachhatrapathi.

The book by Shri H.V.Sheshadri is most reverential. It takes us through the great obstacles that the great Shivaji had to overcome to establish his dream of Hindavi Swaraj. This great man's ideals were absorbed quickly by a people wanting to overthrow the yolk of foreign bigots. The book beautifully narrates the life and times of Shree Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj and explains why we need to read about and follow Maharaj's ideals.

At this day and age, when India is threatened by enemy forces within and without, this book is a valuable treasure at the hands of all Nationalists. It is also a valuable treasure in the hands of those who think it is fashionable to hate this great Nation and are more interested in watching a movie on a drug addicted terrorist supporter who is a big name in Bollywood. For such people would realize, the freedom that they are enjoying, the freedom to think, be and do whatever they want, is because of the sacrifices of some of the great people this nation has given birth to.

During the era of Darkness post 10th century, when the country was overrun by foreign invaders, who made the lives of people a living hell, out of nowhere, there sprung a bright light that destroyed the darkness.

We need to carry on the legacy of the great Shiva Chatrapathi.

Jai Bhavani! Jai Shivaji!


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