New History of the Marathas v1.c15.31

v1.c15.31

Shivaji's advance into the Karnatak was a great indirect blow to the Mughal Emperor's dreams of conquest. While Aurangzeb and Dilir Khan were planning finally to extinguish both Bijapur and Golkanda, Shivaji stepped in and practically seized the southernmost regions. His alliance with Golkonda proved a master-stroke, which upset Dilir Khan beyond calculation. Finding the allied troops of Kutb Shah and Shivaji absent in the south, Dilir Khan made a dash for Golkonda; but Mādannā being fully prepared to meet him, easily turned him back from the way. The news of this move and the Emperor's fresh measures for taking prompt action against Shivaji, compelled the latter to hasten back home leaving the completion of his Karnatak venture to other hands. On the way back Shivaji established a strong line of defensive posts right from Panhālā to Tanjore. While returning to his homeland towards the end of 1677, he met a slight opposition at Belvadi near Belgaum from the guardian Desai (i.e. Thanadar) of that post and his heroic wife Savitri Bai. Belvadi was captured after a month's attack by the heroic effort of Dādāji Raghunāth Prabhu Nadkar, and the distressed and humiliated lady was taken under protection by Shivaji.¹ He reached Panhālā in April 1678 after an absence of nearly fourteen months, having added to his dominions a territory yielding 20 lacs of Hons and containing a hundred forts.