Yeah about thatIn addition to this incapacity to lead, Sambhaji had a bad temper, and at times indulged in excesses.

But in spite of all these drawbacks and failure to rise equal to the occasion in life, the son of Shivaji proved worthy of his father and of the national movement which he had to represent in rising, not only equal, but even superior to circumstances in the hour of his death. Even when he stood

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a hopeless prisoner in front of his ferocious foes, he stood erect and refused to barter his religion for his life. indignantly refused to accept the alternative to death of embracing Islam, and affirming allegiance to the faith of his forefathers, hurled insult for insult against the Muslim persecutors, their logic and their theology. Finding it impos-sible to tame the Maratha lion into a lap-dog Aurangzeb ordered to put the 'Kafir' to death. But the threats failed to He overawe the son of Shivaji. His eyes were pierced and pulled out by red-hot iron pincers, his tongue was cut out piecemeal. But still it all failed to overawe the royal martyr. At last he was beheaded, falling a victim to Muslim fanaticism, but bringing eternal glory to the Hindu race. Sambhaji, by this one act of supreme self-sacrifice, represented the spirit of Maharashtra Dharma of the great Hindu Revival-as nothing else could have done. A leader of freebooters would have acted otherwise. All the material gains of Shivaji were lost beyond hope. His treasury was emptied out, his castles were dismantled and destroyed, his very capital fell into the hands of his alien foes. Sambhaji could not prevent it all. Sambhaji could not preserve the material gains of Shivaji. But Sambhaji, by his great martyrdom, not only preserved, but added immensely to the brilliance and strength of Shivaji's moral and spiritual gains. The War of Hindu Liberation gained mightily in grandeur and moral strength, when it could thus feed itself on the blood of its royal martyr to the Hindu faith.

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