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 RAGHUNATH AND MADHU EAO 263 as the flame of strife had been extinguished, a peace was established through the intervention of Malhar Rao Holkar, who had escaped with his life in safety from the battle with Abdali Shah. Both parties, concurring in the advantages of an amicable understanding, re- turned to their respective quarters. When Raghunath Rao began to usurp greater au- thority over the administration of affairs, Gopika Bai, Madhu Rao's mother 1, growing envious of his influence, inspired her son with evil suspicions against him, and planned several stratagems, so that their mutual friend- ship resulted in hatred and animosity, till at length Raghunath Rao became convinced that he would some day be imprisoned. Consequently, he mounted his horse one night, and fled precipitately from Poona with only a few adherents. Stopping at Nasik, which lies at a distance of eight stages from Poona, he fixed upon that town as his place of refuge and abode, and em- ployed himself in collecting troops, insomuch that Naradji Sankar, the revenue collector of Jhansi, Jas- want Rao Lud, Sakha Ram Bapu, and Nilkanth Maha- deo volunteered to join him, and eagerly engaged in active hostilities against Madhu Rao. As soon as Raghu- nath Rao arrived in this condition close to Poona, Madhu Rao was also obliged to sally forth from it in company with Trimbak Rao, Bapuji Manik, Gopal Rao, and Bhimji Lamdi. When the line of battle began to be formed, Raghunath Rao assumed the initiative in attacking his adversaries, and succeeded in routing Madhu Rao's force by a series of overwhelming as-