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1680] to be worthy of such a rich heritage and to be true to all the high hopes which his own reign had raised in the Hindu world. (Sabh. 94; Chit. 174.) But a born judge of character like Shivaji must have soon perceived that his sermons were falling on deaf ears, and hence his last days were clouded by despair. (Sabh. 102-103.)

The evil was aggravated by intrigues within his harem.* At the age of 47 he had made the mistake of marrying three young women, though he had two or three other wives and two sons living. His old