[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 194 # Storia do Mogor 194: Capture of Sambha Ji. Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 194 - **Language:** English ### Capture of Sambha Ji. ### [194.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.194.1) It has been said that custom becomes nature; and a man accustomed to any vice cannot, even when he would, free himself from the tendency that by repeated acts he has contracted. Thus was it with Sambha Ji. Habituated to interfering with other men's wives, now when it had become necessary to act the hero, he could not rid himself of his perverse inclinations. This was the cause of his losing liberty and life. Kab Kalish availed himself of this evil propensity to deliver him into the hands of Aurangzeb. He told Sambha Ji that two leagues away there was a village where abode a lovely married woman. This was enough. Sambha Ji resolved to halt at this place, in order to secure his impure desires. As soon as Kab Kalish knew his master's resolve, he warned Aurangzeb to send at once five thousand horsemen, and without fail Sambha Ji would fall into his power. The eager king did not fail to send the soldiers, who awaited in ambush the coming of Sambha Ji. The latter quitted his soldiers, and followed by a few men, came to meet his doom. Before he had reached the village in question, he found himself encircled by his enemies, who took him and carried him away to the camp of Aurangzeb. ### [194.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.194.2) Let the reader hear how this king rewarded those who had worked in his favour. The first to pay for the capture of Sambha Ji was the selfsame Kab Kalish, who by a horrible death proclaimed to all the world the barbarity of the man who had already drunk so much blood, as may be seen from the rest of my history. Aurangzeb ordered that the tongue should be pulled out by the roots from the throat of the traitorous Kab Kalish, so that he might be unable to state that this great treason had been plotted at his (Aurangzeb's) instigation. ### [194.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.194.3) What could Sambha Ji hope for when his first minister, against whom the war had not been waged, came to such a miserable end! He well understood that death must be the end of all his \[246\] doings. But he did not foresee the mockery he should have to suffer before he died. Aurangzeb ordered him to be bound strongly upon a camel, and on his head was placed a long cap covered with little bells and rattles. This was meant for mockery of the Hindu princes and the Brahmans, who usually wear pointed caps, but without rattles. The licentious man having been thus bound, Aurangzeb directed that he should be paraded through the camp. The camel was made to run, so that the rattles made a great noise and aroused everyone's curiosity, and thus men issued from their tents to see who it was coming. In the course of the procession they made the camel turn from time to time with such suddenness, that the person on it looked as if he must fall from the various movements he made, but the cords with which he was bound prevented it and at the same time wearied him out. Finally, when the perambulation of the royal camp had been completed, the tyrant ordered him to be dragged into his presence. When there he ordered his side to be cloven open with an axe and his heart to be extracted. The body was then flung on a dunghill and abandoned to the tender mercies of the dogs. Thus did the licentious Sambha Ji pay for interfering with others. ### [194.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.194.4) It seemed as if the death of Sambha Ji was bound to secure Aurangzeb's lordship over all the lands of Hindustan down to the sea. But the commanders of valorous Shiva Ji, father of this unfortunate man, were by this time practised in fighting the Moguls, and expert in the way of dealing with those foreigners (? Persians and Central Asians) who deserted from his side. They determined to continue the campaign and uphold the cause of Ram Raja, younger brother of the deceased. Therefore they took him out of prison and made him their prince. This determination caused a revolution in the principality, for the mother of Sambha Ji, who had sons by her husband, claimed the government during the minority of those sons. She asserted that the crown belonged to them; but the commanders turned a deaf ear and sided with Rama Raja, or, to adopt the usual way of speaking, of the newly selected Shiva Ji. In this way the princess was forced to have recourse to the Mogul, to whom she delivered herself up and her sons, along with over twenty-two forts, in this way taking the nerve out of her competitors. ### [194.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.194.5) It seemed as if now the matter was decided, for the princess had a number of leading officers on her side. Aurangzeb detained the princess in his camp, and sent to take possession in his own name of the ceded forts. He also ordered out a large force against the fort of Parnalaguer (Parnalagarh), a fortress defending the frontier of Bijapur. It is placed on an eminence and is very strong, and once before this time Sultan Mu'izz-ud-din, when attacking it, had been so badly repulsed by the bravery of its garrison that he was obliged to retreat for twenty-four hours without a halt, through fear of the enemy who were at his heels. This force went against the fortress, but Shiva Ji ( = Ram Raja) never ceased rushing about everywhere with the officers who sided with him, and everywhere succeeded in his enterprises. Finally, when the Mogul army was scattered, he came and occupied the fortress of Gingi (Jinji) in the Choromandel Karnatik, and there fixing himself, his faithful captains did not fail to operate with energy. Then, to get rid of a stone of stumbling and give an opening for those who had deserted the princess (Sambha Ji's widow) to take up the cause of Shiva Ji (i.e., Ram Raja), they played off an imposture on the impostor, and paid out the old fox with cunning equal to his own. ### [194.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.194.6) The affair happened in this way. The officers at the fortress of Parnalagarh saw that Aurangzeb's force, though it had no intention of raising the investment, yet could not take the fortress, which was too well provisioned. Accordingly they sent envoys to inform Aurangzeb of their willingness to surrender the fortress, finding he was so tenacious about acquiring it. But they desired to deliver it into the hands of the princess and her sons, if she would come in person to take possession. The victor imagined they were speaking the truth, and sent Sambha Ji's family to the said fortress along with the princess \[except the eldest son, whom he detained as a prisoner\]. Upon their arrival there was a great festival and much rejoicing. But before giving up the fortress they asked that, according to custom, they might issue invitations for some days' festivity. This being a very reasonable request, the officers of Aurangzeb made no difficulties in conceding it. The entertainments began with a great banquet, Shiva Ji's officers going out and in. On the third day they mixed so much poison with the food that before the fourth day dawned the princess, her sons, and many of Aurangzeb's officers were dead. ### [194.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.194.7) Next morning the officers and soldiers issued from the fortress and fell upon the enemy's force with such valour and vigour that their army was routed, being deprived of its officers (as it was) and quite unsuspicious. The tents and treasure were appropriated. Aurangzeb was much concerned at this trick, but to repent himself of having believed them was now too late ; and this deed \[248\] was a reason for many of the officers in the princess's faction declaring themselves once more enemies of the Mogul. They joined Shiva Ji (Ram Raja), and thus in one thousand six hundred and eighty-nine the war recommenced with greater fury. It was not enough for Aurangzeb to have made himself master of Bijapur and of Gulkandah ; he must needs oppress a little prince, who yet was strong enough to compel so potent a king to remain away from his kingdom (i.e., Hindustan) and dwell in camp merely to prevent the loss of his previous conquests. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.194](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.194) · Pramāṇa