A History of the Mahrattas v1.c20.46

v1.c20.46

Besides his foreign enemies, Bajee Rao had a domestic rival of some abilities in the Pritee Needhee. Jealousy in public situations is a passion which the most subtle Bramins can rarely command or conceal; it prevails in a remarkable degree amongst all of them, but it is most conspicuous between Bramins of different tribes,¹ The rivalry of Sreeput Rao tended to preserve the Raja’s ascendancy as head of the state for a longer period than it might otherwise have existed; but whilst it usefully controlled the conduct of Bajee Rao and Chimnajee Appa, both of whom are said to have been naturally domineering, it also for some years cramped the efforts of the Peishwa, obliged him to return to Satara more frequently than was conducive to the success of distant expeditions, and aided Nizam Ool Moolk in his endeavours to excite internal dissensions amongst the Mahrattas.