History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c73.s2.5

v5.c73.s2.5

So, he slipped out of the fort in the garb of a Hindu religious beggar (yogi) on 5th April, and by way of Pratapgarh, Satara and Parli went to Panhala, where with the help of Ramchandra he began to levy fresh troops. But the Mughals were after him, and he found no real safety anywhere in the home country. True, all these forts were still in his possession; but how long would they withstand the captor of Bijapur and Golkonda? Moreover, it would be a wise strategy to divide the enemy's forces by transferring a part of the Maratha activities to the far-off East Coast, while the Mughals were kept in play on the western side of the Peninsula by his other officers. So he decided to retire to the Madras Karnatak and there make a stand with the help of his first cousin Shahji II of Tanjore (the successor of Vyankoji).