History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c62.s12.7

v4.c62.s12.7

The quarrel between Shah Alam and Dilir Khan daily grew bitterer. The Prince repeatedly urged Dilir to come away from Bijapur and expel Shivaji from the imperial territory. He even sent a secret message to Masaud, offering to induce the Emperor to make peace with Bijapur and recall Dilir, in return for a bribe of 25,000 hun. Dilir's palpable failure, rather than Shah Alam's complaints, had effect on the Emperor, and he wrote a strong letter of censure to the general, saying, "Your first duty was to guard the imperial dominions. What folly is this that you have practised? You have neither protected my dominions, nor gained your object. Withdraw quickly from the siege of Bijapur to the defence of the empire." The Prince, as the supreme authority in the Deccan, sent instructions to the Mughal officers there not to supply any money, gun or munition to Dilir, and even proclaimed to the captains of that general's army not to obey his order to attack Bijapur, as against the Emperor's wishes. (B.S. 504-505.)