A History of the Mahrattas v1.c13.19

v1.c13.19

¹ [Elliot and Dowson (vol. vii, pp. 270-1) relate that three Māvalīs forced their way into Shāyista Khān's room, but two fell into a cistern of water and the third, though he cut off the Khān's thumb, was killed by his spear. Two slave-girls dragged Shāyista Khān to a place of safety. The Bombay Secretariat Records (Selections I, i. 15) support Grant Duff's account. The Sabhāsad Bakhar (Mānkar, 32) states, ‘The Nawāb, however, received sword blows which cut off three of his fingers.’ Kincaid and Parasnis (p. 199) following the Shivdigvijaya Bakhar, state that Shāyista Khān lost a thumb while trying to stem the rush of Sivājī's men into the women's apartments. Sarkar (Shivaji and His Times, p. 101) states that Sivājī cut off the Khān's thumb, that the lights were then put out, and that in the darkness Shāyista Khān was hurried by the slave-girls to a place of safety. Two Marāthās fell into a cistern which increased the confusion.]