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1659] The Bijapuri general had accepted the command in a spirit of bravado, and even boasted in open Court that he would bring Shiva back a captive without having once to dismount from his own horse. But his mind must have been oppressed by the heaviness of his task. He planned to effect his purpose by a combination of "frightfulness" and diplomacy. From Bijapur the expedition marched due north to Tuljapur, one of the holiest shrines in Maharashtra and the seat of Bhavani, the guardian goddess of the house of Bhonsla. Afzal's strategy was either to make a sweep round Shiva's line of "southern fortresses and peenetrate to Puna through the exposed eastern flank of the Maratha kingdom. or to provoke Shiva, by a gross outrage on his faith. into coming out of his fastnesses and meeting the Bijapuri army in the open. At Tuljapur he ordered the stone image of Bhavani to be broken and pounded into dust in a hand-mill. (Sabh. 13; Chit. 54; Dig. 157.)

Then the news reached him that Shiva had left Rajgarh and betaken himself to Pratapgarh in the south-west. Afzal now gave up the objective of Puna (Chit. 54, Dig. 158), and turned due west

she counselled him to pretend friendship with his enemy, which he did. And the other [i.e., ShivajiJ, whether through intelligence or suspicion it is not known, dissembled his love toward him &c." (Factors at Rajapur to Council at Surat, 10 Oct., 1659, F. R. Rajapur.)