पान:आंग्ल प्रभा.djvu/10

é ceeded to the throne, he had no sympathy with the section which had fol lowed Nana Fadilawis, and the Pat wardhans, the Raste, and Nana Fadnawis himself were the objects of bitterest hostility. This infusion of the racial and caste element among the military leaders of the nation was the most distinguishing mark of the latter half of the century. There were parties within parties, with little chance of a common and active sympathy throughout all the classes, who had been held together with such successful results by Shivaji, Rajaram and Shahu. The first half of the century was singularly free from these racial and caste jealousies. In latter half, they had attained such prominence that concert was impossible, and each great leader naturally cared to pursue his own interest to the sacrifice of the common weal. The Brahmins at this time came to regard themselves as a governing caste with special privileges and exemptions, which were unknown under the system founded by Shivaji. The Konkanastha Brahmin Karkoons, who had the monopoly of all the Secretariat or Daftar offices, and received respectable salaries, obtained the privilege of having their goods exempted from Custom duties and terry charges when they imported grain and other goods from outside ports and places. The Brahmin land-holders in the Kalyan Prant, and also in Maval, hid their lands assessed at half or lower rates than were levied from other classes. In Criminal Courts, the Brahmins had always enjoyed the exceptional privilege of exemption from the extreme penalty of the law, and even when they were confined in forts, they were more liberally treated than the other classes. Besides these advantages, they had the monopoly of the charities freely bestowed by the State on this class in consideration of their sanctity. The record which relates to the time of Bajirao II. bears ample testimony to the extent of the abuses which followed this indulgence. The Dakshana charity, started with a view to encourage learning became a grant generally to all Brahmins, and Poon 'n became the centre of a large pauper population. As many of 30 to 40 thousand Brahmins were fed for days together at State expense at the great festivals with the costliest viands. All thes, distinguishing features of purely sacerdotal or caste ascendency characterised the close of the century, and introduced a demoralisation of which few people have any core idea. In the hands of the last Bajirao, the state ceased to be the ideal protector of all classes, and upholder of equal justice. Ramdasa's high ideal of the religion of Maharashtra was lowered down to one in keeping with the belief that the State had no higher function than to protect the cow and the Brahmin and the usual consequences followed such a decadence of virtue,