CHAP. XIV.] AURANGZIB's DILEMMA. 34I
completely account for his success and that he was also beholden to Fortune, then the impartial historian of the period must admit that Aurang- zib had done everything to deserve Fortune's help.
Whichever wa}'^ Aurangzib turned, he was faced with danger. The exulting Deccanis interpreted his retreat from Bidar as a confession of defeat. The Bijapuris boasted that they had rolled the tide of Mughal invasion back ; their armies tried to hem the Imperialists round ; and their local officers drove out isolated Mughal outposts. Even the Sultan of Golkonda seized the opportunity of the retirement of Mughal troops : he renewed his efforts to retain a hold on the Karnatak and tried to seize some villages near the frontier fort of Udgir."*'
Yet Aurangzib could not remain where he
„. ,^, « , was. The news had got out His critical posi- *=•
tion in the Dec- that the Emperor had ordered peace to be made and recalled the additional troops sent to the Deccan. It was impossible for Aurangzib to punish the Bijapuris by arms, or to overawe them by a display of superior force. He could not even safely stay
- The Bijapur historian asserts that Aurangzib escaped
with his army from the Bijapur territory only by bribing the wazir Khan Muhammad {Basatin-i-salatin, 349.) Adab, job, 197a.
