Page:Shivaji and His Times.djvu/278

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258
SHIVAJI.
[CH. IX.


will be described in the chapter on South Konkan and Kanara.

§10. War with the Mughals renewed. Union with Bijapur.

In November, Bahadur Khan, on being sharply censured by Aurangzib, marched to Kalian, and pressed Shiva hard in North Konkan. In January next (1676), a Maratha band spread near Aurangabad, but Bahadur with light equipment and no tent, made a rapid march from Pedgaon, defeated the rovers near Lasur, 28 miles from the capital, and drove them back towards Junnar. (O. C. 4139; Dil. 140.)

At this time Shiva was taken severely ill, and passed the next three months on the sick-bed at Satara. His perfect recovery was announced at the end of March. The Marathas looted Athni, 43 m. west of Bijapur, in April. The civil war that had broken out between the Deccani and Afghan parties at Bijapur, was Shivaji's opportunity. Early in May we hear of his having sent out "4,000 horse that ranges up and down, plunders and robs without any hindrance or danger." (F. R. Surat, Vol. 89, Rajapur to Surat, 1 1 Jan. and 9 May 1676 ; O. C. 4202.)

In May, his prime-minister Moro Trimbak drove the Rajah of Ramnagar out of his country and took Pindol*[1] and Painecah within three days' march


  1. * Pindval, 11 m. s. e. of Dharampur, in the Dharampur State, south of Surat. Painecah. is probably either Panva, 5 m. w. of Pindval, or Panaj, 9 m. n. of Dharampur. (Ind. At., 24 N. E.)