sent to bring Jauhar back to the right path, but the mission was a failure. When, however, Ali reached Miraj and his Vanguard advanced beyond it still nearer to Panhala, Shivaji slipped out of the fort one
night with his family and 5 to 6 thousand soldiers, and Panhala returned to Adil Shah's possession without a blow (about 25th August, 1660.) As the Bijapur Court-poet sang in exultation, "Ali took Panhala from Salabat in a twinkle." (Tarikh-i-Ali, 82-93; B. S. 353-357; F. R. Rajapur, Kolhapur to Surat, dated 5 June, 1660. Chit. 64; Dig. 175-176; T. S. 18b-19a.)
Shiva's escape from the fort was soon detected, and a strong Bijapuri force under Jauhar's son Siddi Aziz and Afzal Khan's son Fazl Khan set out in pursuit of him. On reaching a narrow ravine (probably near Malkapur), Shiva left 5 thousand men there under Baji Pradhu (the deshpande of Hardis Maval) with orders to hold the mouth of the pass at all costs till the main body of the fugitives had reached Vishalgarh. The Bijapuris delivered three bloody assaults on the heroic rear-guard, all of which were beaten off. But when at last the gun-fire from Vishalgarh gave the anxiously expected signal that Shivaji had reached safety within its walls, the gallant Baji Prabhu was lying mortally wounded with 700 of his followers. The faithful servant had done his appointed duty. The Bijapuris declined to besiege Vishalgarh, and retired to their own territory, after recovering Pavangarh and some other forts in addition to Panhala.
