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326 and prosperous master like Shivaji, while he stagnated in the dull peaceful atmosphere of Tanjore. After much mutual irritation, one day there was a stormy scene at Court; Raghunath praised Shivaji as a model king and charged his own master with lack of ambition capacity and spirit and with an ignoble love of ease, while Vyankoji retorted by calling Shivaji a traitor and a rebel against his lawful sovereign and rebuking Raghunath for his outspokenness. (Chit. 131; Dig. 288.; T. S. 34b.)

The minister in disgust threw up his post and left Tanjore, feigning a desire to retire to Benares. But he set out for Maharashtra instead, and on the way halted at Haidarabad, where his theological learning and logical skill charmed Madanna Pant, the Qutb-Shahi prime-minister. Here Raghunath was made much of, and in his far-sighted diplomacy prepared the ground for a secret alliance between Shivaji and Qutb Shah. (Dig. 290-293; Chit. 133.) Then he went to Satara and interviewed Shiva, who honoured him highly for the sake of his father Narayan Pant and his own great services, and inquired minutely about Vyankojis doings and aims and the condition of his kingdom. Raghunath is said to have tempted Shivaji by giving him rich presents from the produce of the Karnatak and describing its fabulous wealth and the ease with which it could be conquered (Chit. 134.) As he knew the ins and outs of the country, he was at once taken into Shiva's service, with a view to using his local knowledge