New History of the Marathas v2.c24.104

v2.c24.104

Shankarajipant like a prophet assured the doubters and hesitators that the Mughal power was at that time only a make-believe ; that there was no less anarchy and turbulence in the north ; that races and principalities in those quarters were ready to greet any power that would come and relieve them ; that these lessons of adventure and self-reliance were bequeathed to them by the great Shivaji and that they must follow in his foot-steps. " Here," said Shankaraji, " are the two powerful Saiyads holding out their hand for friendship : grasp it by all means without hesitation : offer your own terms : they would be ungrudgingly granted : they are hard pressed by danger at this moment. Your king is pious and generous at heart. He will not sanction a policy that would do harm to the Emperor. This is an advantage in itself. The Saiyads themselves do not personally contemplate any harm to the Emperor : they are only anxious to set matters right in the administration which must run smoothly. They only seek to gain sufficient control over the government machinery. Shahu had given his solemn word to the dying Aurangzeb that he would never rise against the Empire, and that he would help it with all his power in its sore need."⁴ That was just the course that Shankaraji advocated. So a treaty of peace and good will, an agreement with definite terms, ensuring the interests of both parties, was advocated. Shahu and his Court were called upon only to stand by the Saiyad ministers as supporters.