New History of the Marathas v1.c17.55

v1.c17.55

5. Grand projects.—Sanskrit poems have been discovered whose authorship doubtless goes to Sambhaji, showing that he was well tutored in old Sanskrit learning under the direction of his father. The Sanskrit *dana-patra* alluded to before, bears his own Sanskrit endorsement. He writes in it that he had it prepared on his own initiative. And now Sanskrit letters have been discovered in the archieves of Jaipur, written to Rajah Ram Sinh of Amber, both by Sambhājī and Kavi Kalash, enfolding a grand project of dethroning the Emperor Aurangzeb in co-operation with Akbar and Durgādās. These letters were sent by Sambhājī with his special agent Pratāp-Sinh, who was authorised to arrange the details personally. Sambhājī offered to lead a large and well equipped army through Gujarat into north India and called upon Rām Sinh to join them with an equal quota of his own Rajput troops for a combined dash upon Delhi and its capture for Akbar, thus taking advantage of the Emperor's absence in the south. “ We cannot ”, says Sambhājī, “ endure any longer the persecution that this wicked Emperor is inflicting upon the Hindu race and religion, and are prepared to sacrifice everything, our treasure, our land, our forts and even our lives, in an attempt to put him down. With this resolve we have for these two years entertained at our court our honoured guests Akbar and Durgādās, and have waged a ceaseless strife upon Aurangzeb. We have put to death many a brave captain of his, captured several, released some, either after exacting heavy ransoms or out of compassion. Many effected their escape by offering bribes. The moment has now arrived when the Emperor himself can be captured and made prisoner, so that we can carry out our religious functions without molestation. If you muster courage and co-operate with us, what is there to prevent success crowning our endeavours? You well remember how your own son the young Krishna Sinh was treacherously put to death by the Emperor. You are only to follow in the footsteps of your father, the revered Mirza Raja Jai Sinh, who helped Aurangzeb in acquiring for him the throne of Delhi as against his elder brother Dara Shukoh.”