Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v2.c27.s5.t1.51

v2.c27.s5.t1.51

Jaswant Singh and his Wife.—In the civil war for empire amongst the sons of Shah Jahan, when Aurangzeb opened his career by the deposal of his father and the murder of his brothers, the Rajputs, faithful to the emperor, determined to oppose him. Under the intrepid Rathor Jaswant Singh, thirty thousand Rajputs, chiefly of that clan, advanced to the Nerbudda, and with a magnanimity amounting to imprudence, they permitted the junction of Murad with Aurangzeb, who, under cover of artillery served by Frenchmen, crossed the river almost unopposed. Next morning the action commenced, which continued throughout the day. The Rajputs behaved with their usual bravery; but were surrounded on all sides, and by sunset left ten thousand dead on the field.¹ The Maharaja retreated to his own country, but his wife, a daughter of the Rana of Udaipur, “ disdained (says Ferishta) to receive her lord, and shut the gates of the castle.”