Storia do Mogor 338.14.5

338.14.5

[184] Being now old and with little strength left, the king (Aurangzeb) was very desirous of returning to the city of Dihlī, repenting of not having listened to the advice of his sister, Begam Sāhib. But he could not wisely do this, or leave someone in his place. For to those who know the force and energy of Shivā Jī [i.e., the Mahrattahs], to act as he proposed would lead to the loss of all the above-named kingdoms [i.e., the Dakhin], in addition to some other portions of his empire. Resigning himself to the necessity of protecting his conquests as well as he could, he has continued up to the present time in the kingdom of Bījāpur, occupying himself in different directions with the reduction of some fortresses of the said Shivā Jī, expending much time, much money, and many lives. Nor does he desist from issuing orders, which no one obeys. In the month of August of the year above named [1704] he ordered Dā,ūd Khān to take up the additional post of governor over the territory of Adonī. While Dā,ūd Khān was on his march the army of Shivā Jī surrounded him, and made every effort to destroy him. In this they did not succeed, for the said Dā,ūd Khān entrenched himself beneath a fortress called Darmavaraõ (Dharmavaram) and defended himself valiantly. The Mahrattahs, finding that they could not overcome him, and were losing time better devoted to other enterprises, contented themselves with accepting again seven hundred thousand rupees, which Dā,ūd Khān gave them as a present.