New History of the Marathas v2.c29.20

v2.c29.20

Nor must one forget that in this respect the Shah Abdali too was in no better position. He too had come to extreme distress, having received only ten lacs from Najib Khan since his arrival. He stayed in India for a full year and a half from October 1759 to March 1761 : and this time he obtained little by plunder. His army was nearly as large as that of the Marathas, although the Rohillas and Shuja-ud-daula, his principal allies defrayed their own expenses. The trans-Jamuna region had for long been severely taxed and stripped of all its wealth. There was often an angry exchange of hot words between the Shah and Najib-ud-daula. The former was so hard pressed and dissatisfied with the Indian situation that he considered it the best policy to arrive at a peaceful understanding with the Marathas and return to his country without damaging his prestige. Sadashivrao thus wrote to Govindpant on 2nd September, “ Naro Shankar has been entrusted with the command of Delhi. The Shah Abdali, the Rohillas and Shuja-ud-daula are conducting negotiations of peace with us, but knowing that these would be protracted and that it is harmful to remain here idle, we have decided to advance to Kunjpura, thus drawing the enemy to the north and relieving the pressure upon Delhi ; you will in the case be free along with Gopalrao Ganesh to move into the Doab and devastate the Rohilla country.”²