भारतीय इतिहास के ६ स्वर्णिम पृष्ठ (वीर सावरकर - विदेशी आक्रान्ताओं पर विजय गाथा)

nation, he was again defeated in 1001 by Mahmud of Ghazni, Jaipal preferred entrusting the kingdom to his son, Anangpal, and burning himself to death in a great pyre, to a disgraceful life and a meek surrender to the enemy. 368. King Anangpal, too, carried on his father’s arduous task of staunchly opposing the Muslim aggression. In A.D. 1006, Mahmud demanded passage through Anangpal’s territory in order to invade Multan; but Anangpal refused to give any, whereupon the Muslim aggressor marched on Anangpal and defeated him. Anangpal had to retreat and when Mahmud went ahead to Multan, Anangpal again organized a united Hindu stand for protecting the Hindu religion. Once again, the Hindu-Muslim armies met in the vicinity of the Indus, in A.D. 1008, when the Hindus fought so furiously that in the afternoon, the Muslim formation was broken through and there was confusion in the Muslim ranks. Even Sultan Mahmud had prepared to leave the battlefield to make a retreat, when all of a sudden, Anangpal’s elephant, scared by the shower of burning arrows, turned round and started running amuck. This was the most unfortunate thing, which had very often brought about the Hindu collapse, but no sufficient precaution was ever taken to prevent it. A great havoc was wrought by this retreating elephant among the Hindu ranks. Mahmud was quick enough to seize the opportunity of this decisive turn of the battle and reorganizing the choicest of his scattered soldiers, he once again fell upon the bewildered Hindu army and in a deadly struggle defeated it. But the Muslim army was no less worsted; so instead of pursuing Anangpal, Mahmud satisfied himself with the success he got and returned to Ghazni. But as it became quite clear to him that unless and until Anangpal was humbled completely, no Muslim power could be established in Punjab, he assailed the latter for the third time. This time unfortunately, Anangpal had nobody to help him. Yet he went to war with the remnant of his loyal army and, as a brave King that he was, he died in the thick of the fray. 369. Thus, King Jaipal and his son Anangpal and thousands of their brave soldiers boldly faced, and fought against the early ferocious Muslim onslaughts in Punjab and laid down their lives for the protection of the Hindu state and the Hindu religion. They did their sacred duty of arresting the enemy thrust.