Bháo remained some time in the fort of Sháh-Jahánábád, in
consequence of the rainy season, which prevented the horses from
stirring a foot, and deprived the cavalry of the power of fighting;
he sent a person named Bhawání Shankar Pandit to Nawáb
Shujá'u-d daula, with the following message: “If it is inconvenient
for you to contract an alliance with your friends, you
should at least keep aloof from the enemy, and remain perfectly
neutral to both parties.” The above-named Pandit, having crossed
the river Jumna, went to Nawáb Shujá'u-d daula Bahádur, and
delivered this message. The latter, after ascertaining its drift,
despatched his eunuch Yákút Khán, who was one of the
oldest and most confidential servants of his government, in company
with Bhawání Shankar Pandit, and returned an answer
of this description: “As the Rájas of this empire and the
Rohilla chiefs were reduced to the last extremity by the violent
aggressions of Raghunáth Ráo, Dattá, Holkar, and their subordinates,
they solicited the Abdálí Sháh to come to Hindústán,
with the view of saving themselves from ruin. ‘The seed
that they sowed has now begun to bear fruit.’ Nevertheless,
if peace be agreeable to you, from true regard for our ancient
friendship, my best endeavours shall be used towards concluding
one.” Eventually, Bháo proposed that as far as Sirhind should
be under the Sháh's dominion, and all on this side of it should
belong to him; but the whole rainy season was spent in negocia-
In the interim, Rája Súraj Mal Ját, who discerned the speedy downfall of the Mahratta power, having moved with his troops, in company with 'Imádu-l Mulk, the wazír, from his position at Sarai Badarpúr, which is situated at a distance of six kos from Dehlí on the eastern side, and traversed fifty kos in one night, without informing Bháo betook himself to Balamgarh,* which is one of his forts.
As the Mahratta troops made repeated complaints to Bháo regarding the scarcity of grain and forage, the latter, on the 29th of the month of Safar, 1174 A.H. (9th October, 1760 A.D.), removed Sháh Jahán, son of Muhi'u-s Sunnat, son of Kám Bakhsh, son of Aurangzeb 'Álamgír, and having seated the illustrious Prince, Mirzá Jawán Bakht, the grandson of 'Álamgír II., on the throne of Dehlí, publicly conferred the dignity of wazír on Shujá'u-d daula. His object was this, that the Durrání Sháh might become averse to and suspicious of the Nawáb in question. Leaving Nárad Shankar Brahmin, of whom mention has been made above, behind in the fort of Sháh-Jahánábád, he himself set out, with all his partisans and retainers, in the direction of Kunjpúra.* This place is fifty-four kos to the west of Dehlí, and seven to the north of the pargana of Karnál, and it is a district the original cultivators of which were the Rohillas.
Bháo, on the 10th of Rabí'u-l awwal, 1174 A.H. (19th October, 1760), encompassed the fort of Kunjpúra with his troops, and subdued it in the twinkling of an eye by the fire of his thundering cannon. Several chiefs were in the fort, one of whom was 'Abdu-s Samad Khán Abdálí, governor of Sirhind, who had been taken prisoner by Raghunáth Ráo in 1170 A.H. (1756-7), but had ultimately obtained his release, as was related in the narrative of Adína Beg Khán's proceedings. There were, besides, Kutb Khán Rohilla, Dalíl Khán, and Nijábat Khán, all zamíndárs of places in Antarbed, who had been guilty of conveying supplies to the Abdálí Sháh's camp. After reducing the fort, Bháo made 'Abdu-s Samad Khán and Kutb Khán undergo capital punishment, and kept the rest in confinement; whilst he allowed Kunjpúra itself to be sacked by his predatory hordes.
As soon as this intelligence reached the Sháh's ear, the sea of his wrath was deeply agitated; and notwithstanding that the stream of the Jumna had not yet subsided sufficiently to admit of its being forded, a royal edict was promulgated, directing his troops to pay no regard to the current, but cross at once from one bank to the other. As there was no help but to comply with this mandate, on the 16th of the month of Rabí'u-l awwal, 1174 A.H. (25th October, 1760 A.D.), near Sháh-Jahánábád, on the road to Pákpat, which is situated fifteen kos to the north of Dehlí, they resigned themselves to fate, and succeeded in crossing. A number were swallowed up by the waves, and a small portion of the baggage and quadrupeds belonging to the army was lost in the passage. As soon as the intelligence reached Bháo's ear, that a party of Durránís had crossed, * * he sounded the drum of retreat from Kunjpúra, and with his force of 40,000 well-mounted and veteran cavalry, and a powerful train of European artillery, under the superintendence of Ibráhím Khán Gárdí, he repaired expeditiously to Pánípat, which lies forty kos from Dehlí towards the west.
The Abdálí Sháh, after crossing the river Jumna at the ghát of Pákpat, proceeded in a westerly direction, and commanded that Nawáb Shujá'u-d daula Bahádur and Najíbu-d daula should pitch their tents on the left of the royal army, and Dúndí Khán, Háfizu-l Mulk Háfiz Rahmat Khán, and Ahmad Khán Bangash on the right. As Bháo perceived that it was difficult to contend against the Durránís in the open field, by the advice of his counsellors he made a permanent encampment of his troops in the outskirts of the city of Pánípat, and having intrenched it all round with his artillery, took up his quarters in this formidable position. * *
In the interim Gobind Pandit, who was the tahsíldár of the district of Shukohábád, etc., betook himself to Dehlí at Bháo's suggestion, with a body of 10,000 cavalry, and intercepted the transport of supplies to the Durrání Sháh's army.* * *
When the basis of the enemy's power had been overthrown (at Pánípat), and the surface of the plain had been relieved of the insolent foe, the triumphant champions of the victorious army proceeded eagerly to pillage the Mahratta camp, and succeeded in gaining possession of an unlimited quantity of silver and jewels, 500 enormous elephants, 50,000 horses, 1000 camels, and two lacs of bullocks, with a vast amount of goods and chattels, and a countless assortment of camp equipage. Nearly 30,000 labourers too, who drew their origin from the Dakhin, fell into captivity. Towards evening the Abdálí Sháh went out to look at the bodies of the slain, and found great heaps of corpses, and running streams produced by the flood of gore. * * Thirty-two mounds of slain were counted, and the ditch, protected by artillery, of such immense length that it could contain several lacs of human beings, besides cattle and baggage, was completely filled with dead bodies.
Ráo Káshí Náth, on seeing Jankújí, who was a youth of twenty, with a handsome countenance, and at that time had his wounded hand hanging in a sling from his neck, became deeply grieved, and the tears started from his eyes. * * Jankújí raised his head and exclaimed: “It is better to die with one's friends than to live among one's enemies.”
The Nawáb, in unison with Sháh Walí Khán, solicited the Sháh to spare Jankújí's life; whereupon, the Sháh summoned Barkhúrdár Khán, and consulted him on the propriety of the step, to which the Khán in question returned a decided negative. At the same time, one of the Durránís, at Barkhúrdár Khán's suggestion, went and cut Jankújí's throat, and buried him under ground inside the very tent in which he was imprisoned.