According to GS. Sardesai, the object of Shivaji was not merely to free the Hindus of Maharashtra but also to set freedom for all the Hindus living in various parts of India.
G.S. Sardesai has gi^en many reasons for his view. According to him, Shivaji’s main object was to secure religious freedom for the Hindus and not territory. In 1645, he wrote to Dadaji Naras Prabhu about his scheme of “Hindavi – Swarajya”.
The scheme aimed at religious autonomy for the Hindus all over India. After the death of Shivaji, his ideal and ambition were interpreted in that light by the Marathas. Morever, “Shivaji’s levy of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi was conceived in the spirit of an all – India instrument of expansion.”
Shivaji decided to go to Agra with the object of studying the conditions in Northern India and find out the possibility of overthrowing the Mughal Empire. His desire to regenerate the Hindus is supported by the fact that he developed land and sea forces and set aside the prejudice against sea-voyages.
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Shivaji also encouraged the readmission into the Hindu Society of Hindu converts to Islam. He did not fight with the Rajput Chiefs and tried to maintain good relations with them.
However, this view is not accepted by the other historians. It is pointed out that it was impossible to secure religious autonomy for the Hindus so long as the Mughal Empire was not destroyed. There is nothing to show that he entertained any ambition to be the leader of the Hindus of India.
He had no definite scheme of an alliance with other Hindus of India against the Mughals. It is well-known that Shivaji did not avail of the services of Chhatrasal Bundela who came to help him. It is evident that Shivaji was not trying to set an All-India Hindu Empire.