Original Poem - Baji Prabhou

NOTES

Author's Note

This poem is founded on the historical incident of the heroic self-sacrifice of Baji Prabhou Deshpande, who to cover Shivaji's retreat, held the pass of Rangana for two hours with a small company of men against twelve thousand Moguls. Beyond the single fact of this great exploit there has been no attempt to preserve historical accuracy.

Baji Prabhou is one of Sri Aurobindo's earliest and finest narrative poems. Written in blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter), it combines history, patriotism, heroism, and spirituality. Although based on a real historical event, Sri Aurobindo himself notes that he did not attempt strict historical accuracy beyond the central incident.

Baji Prabhou was written by Sri Aurobindo in 1909–1910.

First Published Karmayogin, Feb–Mar 1910.