New History of the Marathas v2.c35.23

v2.c35.23

3. Peaceful death.—The religious turn of the Peshwa's mind and his desire to render justice to all are evident in this paper. Thereupon knowing that his end was near, he called to his presence nearly every body of importance and spoke to them, taking his final leave in great composure of mind and peaceful satisfaction of duty done. His wife Ramabai mostly lived at Poona and occasionally visited her husband's death-bed like a pious and devoted wife. She performed severe austerities for his recovery. The malady often caused the patient excruciating pain and moments of agony, in which he loudly groaned calling upon his attendants to put him to death. In its last stage he abhorred the very sight of food, but when he abstained from eating anything, the people round him would not eat. For their sake he would force himself to take a light diet. To the last moment he was keen and conscious and as stern as ever, so that even in that weak condition people hardly dared to approach him. Sakharam Bapu and Nana Phadnis kept him constant company during his last days, and were enjoined to conduct the affairs of the State after him, making Narayanrao the Peshwa. In face of the cruel untimely death which he knew was fast approaching, with scarcely the strength to move his limbs in bed, he uttered not a single sigh of disappointment or sorrow. The thought that he had fulfilled his life’s task cheered him to the last. He invited Ramshastri to his presence as also the other worthies of his court and spoke parting words to each and all. To the last moment he retained his senses, and expired at 8 o’clock in the morning of Wednesday Kartik Krishna 8th, 18th November 1772.