New History of the Marathas v1.c19.s1.6

v1.c19.s1.6

In her dealings with the Emperor, Yesubai feigned from the beginning an attitude of hostility towards Rājārām and his Government. She declared that Rājārām saved his own life by escaping, and purposely allowed her to be captured at the fall of Raigad; and that now they all looked to the Emperor's mercy for their safety and comfort. This attitude was long and successfully kept up in order to lull the Emperor's suspicion about her treachery. Shahu's real name was Shivāji, and on arrival at the camp, Aurangzeb called him Shivāji the *Sav* (honest) in contrast with his wily grand-father. This word *Sav* is said to have been corrupted into Shāhu (Sādhu, Sahu) by which name he thereafter continued to be known. Although to all appearance Aurangzeb treated him kindly, his object was to make use of him as circumstances would require in his project of subduing the Maratha country. Once or twice Rājārām tried to effect Shāhu's release by means of a sudden and secret attack upon the camp: but these attempts failed. Once, it is recorded, when Shāhu came to make his obedience to the Emperor, the latter asked him, "I am ready to send you back to your uncle, are willing to go?" "No", replied Shāhu, "My uncle is my enemy, as he was my father's too. If I go to him, he will keep me in rigorous confinement. I will go back only when Your Majesty puts me firmly on the throne as a legitimate sovereign of the Marathas." What to do with Shāhu was thus a source of perennial anxiety to the Emperor. He often thought of converting him to the Muslim faith and making him a vassal-prince ruling the Maratha land. He omitted no occasion for creating disunion in the Maratha nation by asserting Shāhu's claim against Tarabai's son. But these attempts did not prove successful in his life-time.