A History of the Mahrattas v1.c7.129

v1.c7.129

Shalivahan¹ annexed the territory of a raja, who reigned at Asseer, to his own dominions: this raja was descended from Sissoday,² a Rajpoot raja of the solar race; his ancester having emigrated from Koshul Desh, the modern Oude, and founded a state on the south side of the Nerbuddah, which, at the period of its conquest by Shalivahan, had existed 1680 years. Shalivahan put the whole of the members of his family to death, excepting one woman, who, having escaped with her infant son, found shelter and subsistence in a miraculous manner amongst the Sautpoora mountains: this son afterwards became the founder of the family of the Rana of Cheitore. From the Ranas of Cheitore³ sprang the Ranas of Oudepoor,⁴ universally admitted to be the oldest family in Hindoostan; and from them, according to the legend quoted, it is pretended that the founder of the Mahratta nation, as hitherto known to us, drew his lineage. The legend proceeds to state, that Shalivahan long waged war with Vikramajeet, the Prince of Malwa; but they at last concluded a treaty by which the Nerbuddah became the boundary of Shalivahan to the north, and of Vikramajeet to the south. The commencement of the reign of each was to form an epoch for future calculation in their respective countries; that of Vikramajeet commences fifty-seven years before the birth of our