Stories of Indian Saints Translation of Mahipati’s Marathi Bhaktavijaya

' After quoting the words of the Abbott bequest the Report of this Society for Indian Historical Research expresses in terminology of deepest religious devotion the Society's greatful appreciation of the noble-minded donor and of the inspiration from above that led to such a gift. [...] This is the lino of life this is the line of growth and this is the line of well-being in India to follow the track of religion.' The Maratha Epic Fight For Religious Liberty There is a great deal in Mahipati's Bhaktavijaya to show that the Marathi saints of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries regarded themselves as Providentially designated to preserve for their fellow-countrymen the wor [...] The explanation lies in the fact that the people of the time ' looked upon the Maratha leaders as the liberators and defenders of their faith ' and the result of this fight for religious liberty extending over more than three centuries gave to the people of Maharashtra the famous epithet of Jayishnu or `conquering' while those of other provinces are described as sahishnu or passively suffering ' [...] We refer to the tragic outbreak of violence arising out of the protest by the villagers of Tiruvadi in the Tanjore District of South India against the attempt of the police acting under definite ordersxxi from Government to stop the brutalising practice of seltorture in the form of hook-swinging and hook-dragging as acts of propitiation of the local deity ; so fierce was the popular resentmen [...] 2. Victory to Thee Pervader of the universe Lord of all Giver of the gift of final deliverance infinitely generous Purifier of the sinful Saviour of the world Husband of Radhika Govinda.