§9. Route of Shivaji's flight.
With consummate cunning Shiva threw his pursuers off the scent, by following a route exactly opposite to that which leads to Maharashtra. Instead of moving due south-west from Agra. through Malwa and Khandesh or Gujrat, he travelled eastwards to Mathura, Allahabad, Benares, Gay a, and Puri, and then south-westwards through Gondwana and Golkonda, describing a vast loop round India before returning to Rajgarh.
Arrived at Mathura, he found the boy Shambhu worn out by fatigue and unable to proceed further. Three Deccani Brahmans, — Krishnaji, Kashi, and Visaji, brothers-in-law of Moro Trimbak (the Peshwa), were living at this holy city. Niraji knew them and confided to them the story of Shiva's escape and his present plight. They nobly responded to the appeal in the name of their countr y and faith s and braving all risks of imperial vengeance in the event of detection, they agreed to keep Shambhuji*[1] till Shiva should
on hearing of this charge exclaims, "May God give death to the man who cherishes the very thought of such an act of faithlessness in his heart!" (H. A. 200a, 20a.) Eleven months later, on the death of his father, Ram Singh was taken back into favour and created a 4-hazari, but was soon afterwards sent to join the army fighting in Assam, to die of pestilence there. (A. N. 1051.) Z. C, arrest of Brahmans.
- ↑ * According to the Maratha chroniclers, (Sabh. 55, Chit. 117, Dig. 252, T. 5. 25a) also Dil. 61, Shambhuji was left at Mathura in charge of Kashi Pant and his brothers,. But
