New History of the Marathas v1.c13.53

v1.c13.53

For two years after Shivaji's coronation Bahadur Khan was left alone in charge of the Mughal interests in the Deccan, the indefatigable Dilir Khan having been recalled by the Emperor to the north, from April 1674 to June 1676. Aurangzeb soon perceived that Bahadur Khan was not equal to the task of subduing Shivaji and looked about for the best way of accomplishing that object. Why he himself did not come against Shivaji it is difficult to say. Possibly he did not like personally to take the lead. He consulted Dilir Khan on the subject and it was found that unless there was some one well acquainted with the geographical situation and the leading men of the Deccan, it would not be possible to subdue Shivaji. Such a man in their opinion was Netāji Pālkar who had long ago fallen out with Shivaji and being now a convert to the Muslim faith would, they conceived, support the imperial cause. Netāji alias Muhammad Kuli Khan, was sent for and he readily agreed to do his best in entrapping Shivaji if he was freely supplied with the necessary treasure and materials. The Emperor granted all that Netāji demanded and despatched him and Dilir Khan together for the destruction of Shivaji. They obtained news of Shivaji's movements and came upon him somewhere in the vicinity of Satara. One morning Netāji was suddenly missed from the Mughal Camp. He secretly rode away, came and met Shivaji privately and explained to him all that had happened. He had now been a Muslim convert for some eight years and had left his new family in the north. He solicited Shivaji for a reconversion and was at once admitted into the Hindu fold after performing the prescribed penance (*prayaschitta*) on 19 June 1676. Thus the Emperor's deep-laid plan of overcoming Shivaji was foiled.