NCERT Class 9 textbook includes mythological accounts of kings and divine weapons
The NCERT Class 9 social science textbook 'Understanding Society — India and Beyond (Part 2)' includes references to historical rulers believed to have received swords from goddesses, drawing from mythological and traditional accounts. The rulers mentioned include Annamaraja of Bastar, Vijayanagara Empire's Kumara Kampana, and Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji. According to the textbook, Annamaraja is believed to have received his sword from Manikyadevi (Danteshvari), while Kumara Kampana was believed to have used a goddess-given sword against Sultanate forces at Madurai. Shivaji is traditionally believed to have obtained a sword from goddess Tulja Bhavani.
The textbook contextualizes these accounts within its discussion of the Bhakti tradition and notes that "worship of goddesses was a long-standing tradition in India" with kings invoking goddesses such as Kali, Durga, Bhavani and other forms of Shakti as protectors during conflicts. The social science chapter documents successive invasions of the Indian subcontinent from the 7th Century onward, driven by territorial expansion and religious motives, and describes how various kingdoms including the Rajputs, Ahom Kingdom, Vijayanagara Empire, Marathas, Sikhs, and Jats resisted invasions by Mughals, Turks, and European forces.
The textbook also covers India's profound religious and spiritual transformation between the 11th and 17th centuries through the Bhakti tradition, noting how devotional hymns in local languages strengthened shared identities and fostered solidarity.
