History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c33.s4.45

v3.c33.s4.45

This is an account simple and credible enough. The Brahmins or perhaps Rajputs made a frantic resistance at the temple itself only to be slain. But the ruler of Gujarat Bhima could have made a stubborn resistance before Somnath. He could have brought into the field a greater army even, consisting of cavalry, than that of Mahmud if he had been but true to his name and the Rajput character. But it must be remembered that Mahmud’s prestige by this time as a conqueror, had by his constant success, risen to its highest pitch like that of Napoleon who himself was latterly looked upon as equal to one lakh of men. But even Napoleon was stubbornly opposed by the Germans and the English at the battle of Waterloo. The Hindu character, as stated already, lacks in stubbornness under unfavourable circumstances and it is no wonder that Bhima took refuge in a fort in Cutch. After taking Somnath, Mahmud is said to have attacked him there, though he was impeded by the water of the Runn of Cutch and passing it was dangerous in consequence of the possible rise of water at tide time. Bhima, when he saw the conqueror coming, fled even from there. Mahmud returned to Ghazni via Sind through the desert by a more westerly course where he knew water was not available and where he could not have been deceived by treacherous Hindu guides. He was troubled extremely by the pirates of the Indus who are supposed to have belonged to the Jud country*. By a subsequent expedition against these Jats, Mahmud gave them condign punishment.