At the auspicious hour chosen for the interview,*[1] the Maratha army of more than 50,000 strong entered the city. The citizens gazed with admiration not unmixed with awe at the men who had vanquished the greatest kings of North India and South India alike, and caused wailing at the Court of Bijapur and
consternation among the peerage of Delhi. Here rode the fleet hardy horsemen who had poured like a swift resistless flood to the farthest districts of Mughal Deccan and carried their raids to the very gates of Bijapur and Golkonda. There tramped the Mavle infantry, whose feats were the theme of many a ballad and legend throughout the Southern land, whose assault no fort had been able to withstand, and whose swords were dreaded by every foe they had met in battle. The leaders were men whose names had become household words: Netaji Palkar, once
the Master of the Horse and surnamed the Second Shivaji; Suryaji Malusare and Yesaji Kank, the gigantic captains of the Mavles, each able to defeat an elephant in single combat; Sonaji Nayak, the royal door-keeper; Hambir Rao Mohite, the dashing but far-sighted commander-in-chief; and Babaji Dhandhere, (probably the captain of the bodyguard.).
Nor even among such heroic figures did the citizens fail to notice the high brows, the bright but sunken eyes, and the painted foreheads of the Maratha Brahmans, whose administrative capacity
- ↑ * Shivaji at Haidarabad: Sabh. 86-88; Chit. 136-137; Dig. 297-302; T.S. 36a-37b; Dil. 112-113.
