Editing Shivaji (section)

=== Religious policy ===
Many modern commentators have deemed Shivaji's religious policies as tolerant. While encouraging Hinduism, Shivaji not only allowed Muslims to practice without harassment, but supported their ministries with endowments.{{sfn|Sarkar, Shivaji and His Times|1920|p=421}}

Noting that Shivaji had stemmed the spread of the neighbouring Muslim states, his contemporary, the poet [[Kavi Bhushan]] stated:

{{blockquote|Had not there been Shivaji, Kashi would have lost its culture, Mathura would have been turned into a mosque and all would have been circumcised.<ref name="Society1963">{{cite book|author=American Oriental Society|title=Journal of the American Oriental Society|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K684AAAAIAAJ|access-date=27 September 2012|year=1963|publisher=American Oriental Society|page=476}}</ref>}}

However, Gijs Kruijtzer, in his book ''Xenophobia in Seventeenth-Century India'', argues that the foundation for modern Hindu-Muslim [[Communalism (South Asia)|communalism]] was laid in the decade 1677–1687, in the interplay between Shivaji and Aurangzeb (though Shivaji died in 1680).<ref>Gijs Kruijtzer (2009). ''Xenophobia in Seventeenth-Century India''. Leiden University Press. pp. 8–9.</ref> During the sack of Surat in 1664, Shivaji was approached by Ambrose, a [[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin|Capuchin]] friar who asked him to spare the city's Christians. Shivaji left the Christians untouched, saying "the Frankish Padrys are good men."<ref name="Pissurlencar1975">{{cite book|author=Panduronga S. S. Pissurlencar|title=The Portuguese and the Marathas: Translation of Articles of the Late Dr. Pandurang S. Pissurlenkar's Portugueses E Maratas in Portuguese Language|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mdoBAAAAMAAJ|year=1975|publisher=State Board for Literature and Culture, Government of Maharashtra|page=152}}</ref>

Shivaji was not attempting to create a universal Hindu rule. He was tolerant of different religions and believed in syncretism. He urged Aurangzeb to act like Akbar in according respect to Hindu beliefs and places. Shivaji had little trouble forming alliances with the surrounding Muslim nations, even against Hindu powers. He also did not join forces with certain other Hindu powers fighting the Mughals, such as the Rajputs.{{Efn|Shivaji was not attempting to create a universal Hindu rule. Over and over, he espoused tolerance and syncretism. He even called on Aurangzeb to act like Akbar in according respect to Hindu beliefs and places. Shivaji had no difficulty in allying with the Muslim states which surrounded him – Bijapur, Golconda, and the Mughals – even against Hindu powers, such as the nayaks of the Karnatic. Further, he did not ally with other Hindu powers, such as the Rajputs, rebelling against the Mughals.{{sfn|Gordon|2007|p=81}}}} His own army had Muslim leaders from early on. The first Pathan unit was formed in 1656. His admiral, Darya Sarang, was a Muslim.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kulkarni |first=A. R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OY5LDwAAQBAJ&dq=Darya+Sarang+shivaji&pg=PT143 |title=Medieval Maratha Country |date=July 2008|publisher=Diamond Publications |isbn=978-81-8483-072-9 |language=en}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
File:Shivaji's letter (1).jpg|Bakhar dedicated to Shivaji
File:Samples of MoDi writing.jpg|Writings of [[Modi script|Modi Script]]. line 2 is from the time of Shivaji 
</gallery>

====Ramdas====
Shivaji was a contemporary of [[Samarth Ramdas]]. Historian [[Stewart N. Gordon|Stewart Gordon]] concludes about their relationship:

{{blockquote|Older Maratha histories asserted that Shivaji was a close follower of Ramdas, a Brahmin teacher, who guided him in an orthodox Hindu path; recent research has shown that Shivaji did not meet or know Ramdas until late in his life. Rather, Shivaji followed his own judgement throughout his remarkable career.<ref name="Gordon2007">{{cite book|author=Stewart Gordon|title=The Marathas 1600–1818|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iHK-BhVXOU4C&pg=PR9|date= 2007|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-03316-9|page=85}}</ref>}}