In time Jadhavrao crossed over to the side of the Moghals of Delhi and Shahji remained a staunch supporter and the chief counselor of Nizam Shah. In this situation, Jijabai took the side of her husband.

Her strong sense of duty, her courage and fortitude and self-respect were the highlights of her character which were passed on to her son Shivaji, the founder and revivalist of Hindu empire in the enclave of foreign rule in socrth India.

Jijabai had observed the plight of the land of Marathas being overrun repeatedly by the Moghal of Delhi and the Muslim kings of south. She earnestly prayed to goddess Shivai that she might be blessed with a son who would put an end to

tyranny of the Moghals and the Muslims. She was blessed with a son whom she named Shivaji. Shivaji owed his greatness to the inspiration of his mother

who implanted in him not only the idea of free Maharashtra but also imbued him with the ideas of tolerance, justice and fair play. These were the virtues that made Shivaji a great king. She was very brave and able administrator. She guided Shivaji to achieve these qualities. Jijabai had taught Shivaji to hold all women in great respect. This code of conduct was rigidly enforced by Shivaji and his

lieutenant and counselors. It was also at the inspiration of his mother that Shivaji followed the policy of religious tolerance It was the nlstomm of the time that when a Hindu converted to another religion, he was forever lost

to Hinduism regardless of his own feelings. ~o combat this pernicious notion, Jijabai reconverted Bajaji Nimbalkar to Hinduism To show that a reconvert to Hinduism was of no less status than any other Hindu, she gave in marriage to Bajaji her own grand-daughter Sukhubai. the daughter of Shivaji. Such was the greatness of Jijabai.