History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c49.s6: §6. Durgadas Rathor, his character.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c49.s6
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§6. Durgadas Rathor, his character.
v3.c49.s6.1
Durgadas, one of the several sons of Jaswant's minister Askaran, the baron of Drunera, was born in 1638 at the village of lesser Salwe. When quite a lad he had shown his keen regard for his king's good name by slaying some royal grooms who had been feeding the State camels on the standing crops of the peasantry and wickedly asserting that it was done by the Rajah's command. But for his twenty-five years' unflagging exertion and wise contrivance, Ajit Singh could not have secured his father's throne. In scorn of the frequent risk of capture and other dangers of such a long journey, he volunteered to escort the luckless rebel Prince Akbar to the Maratha Court and thus saved him from the horrors of Aurangzib's vengeance. A soul of honour, he kept the deserted daughter of Akbar free from every stain and provided her with every facility for Islamic religious training in the wilderness of Marwar, Fighting against terrible odds and a host of enemies on every side, with distrust and wavering among his own countrymen, he kept the cause of his chieftain triumphant. Mughal gold could not seduce, Mughal arms could not daunt that constant heart. Almost alone among the Rathors he displayed the rare combination of the dash and reckless valour of a Rajput soldier with the tact, diplomacy and organizing power of a Mughal minister of State. No wonder that the Rathor bard should pray that every Rajput mother might have a son like Durgadas :*
v3.c49.s6.2
Eh mata put esa jin
Jesa Durga-das.
v3.c49.s6.3
When Aurangzib demanded the surrender of the infant Ajit Singh and placed a guard round his house to prevent his escape, Durgadas took counsel with his brother nobles and quickly formed a plan for saving his infant master. They pleaded with Aurangzib for delay, urging that the child was too young to be parted from his mother, and promising to present him at Court when he had grown up. The Emperor's wrath was inflamed by this resistance and on 15th July he sent a strong force under the Provost of Delhi city and the Captain of the imperial guards to seize the Ranis and Ajit and lodge them in the prison fortress of Nurgarh.†
v3.c49.s6.4
† M. A. 177; Ishwardas, 75a and b.