पानीपत १७६१ (मराठा साम्राज्य एवं पानीपत महायुद्ध इतिहास)

THE JUDGMENT 121 Nana Phadnis, than whom no veracious and correct writer can be found, writes definitely about this difference in his autobiography.⁹ The irritability of temper and in general the loss of balance of mind, which is ascribed to the Peshwa during his last illness, was not a sudden growth after Panipat, but was a gradual development. Govindpant Bundele¹⁰ notes this change in the Peshwa's temper even from the north. It will be seen from this detailed discussion that the death of the Peshwa had little to do with the shock of Panipat. He would not have survived it long, even if it had ended in a victory. We have thought it necessary to enter into this detailed treatment of the problem as all historians have fallen into the trap by treating it as a result of Panipat We agree with Sir Jadunath¹¹ in thinking that the Peshwa's marriage at Hiradpuri had nothing to do with the issue in the north, because we do not think that the Peshwa was at this time in a fit physical or mental condition to help Bhau by proceeding post haste to the north. It was a national misfortune of the Marathas that the supreme head of the state should, in these critical years not be in a fit condition to direct the affairs of the state with a single minded devotion to the cause of the nation. A Shivaji or Santaji Ghorpade or Baji rao would have possibly relieved Bhau by marching to Delhi in the rear of Abdali in about a month with all the spare troops. Such an exploit was be- yond the capacity of Balaji Bajirao (alias Nanasaheb), to judge from his whole life. HISTORICAL OPINIONS ABOUT THE BATTLE OF PANIPAT That the disaster of Panipat ultimately led to the destruction of the Maratha power, was understood by Rajwade more than forty five years ago.¹ Even before him, other historians had also said the same thing. But while the foreigners were conscious of this result the Marathas were not, which only means that they had no proper understanding of the situation and were thus living in a fool's paradise. On the other hand, the English writers after Plassey seemed to be perfectly conscious of the things shaping in those times. Their knowledge and their self-consciousness ultimately made them the masters of India. A national disaster of the type of Panipat has naturally resulted in cast- 'ing a shadow of gloom over the Maratha nation. But the defeat has been treated differently by various students of history, who have given quite a dif- ferent turn to the whole discussion. Evans BELL wrote long ago that 'even the battle of Panipat was a triumph and a glory for the Marathas. They fought in the cause of 'India for the Indians,' while the great Muhammedan princes of Delhi, of Oude and the Deccan, stood as de, intriguing and trimming. And though the Marathas were defeated, the victorious Afghans retired and never again interfered in the affairs of India." Prof. RAWLINSON writes,² 'A defeat is 9 Ait Patre Yadi 192, RAJ 6 415 10 RAJ 1.143 11 Fall, 2.364 1 RAJWADE I Introduction, p. 46. 2 KASHIRAJ Introduction, p. xiii.