History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c62.s4.7

v4.c62.s4.7

"The Emperor began to send Bahadur Khan repeated orders for invading Bijapur." But the task was obviously impossible. With the ordinary contingent of a provincial governor, Bahadur Khan was expected to curb the overgrown power of Shivaji,—then at the height of his greatness,—and at the same time conquer Bijapur, though in the last-named enterprise Jai Singh with much larger forces and the co-operation of Shivaji had failed. What Bahadur Khan did was to advance from the seat of his government to Pedgaon (afterwards named by him Bahadur-garh), a strategic point on the Bhima river 55 miles due east of Puna and nearly midway between Aurangabad and Bijapur. His aim was to direct his main forces against Shivaji and win territory from Bijapur by corrupting its nobles and threatening war, rather than by actual invasion. "Malik Barkhurdar, the Mughal envoy at the Adil-Shahi Court, began to seduce the Bijapuri nobles from their loyalty day and night."