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

January, 1565. Both the sides had many good cannons and they were arranged before the armies, tied fast with strong chains. The fact that for some time after the first shots were fired, there was fierce fighting and that the Muslims had a very hard knock, which caused confusion amongst their ranks, is admitted even by the Muslim historians. Enraged at this unpleasant turn of event, and thinking that the slightest slackness might bring upon them all total ruin, Sultan Husen Nizamshah dashed right on the centre and forcing a breach amongst the Hindu ranks, he made straight for Raja Ramrai. The historians have no consensus of opinion about what exactly happened at the moment. Some say that a Muslim soldier in the pay of Ramrai himself treacherously killed him. Others declare that Raja Ramrai got down from his palanquin, sat on a jewelled throne in the centre of his army rewarding the feats of valour of his soldiers with gold and jewels, and encouraged them incessantly. Some others avow that when the battle reached its high pitch of ferocity, the Muslims, drove an intoxicated elephant against the royal palanquin and slew him. Whatever that is, one thing is accepted on all hands that as soon as Raja Ramrai was encircled by the Muslims, they slew him and on the orders of Nizamshah, his bloody head was exhibited on the sharp end of a long spear through the entire army. The sight of that gory head unnerved the Hindus and the Muslims closed in upon them with triumphant war-cries. 907. In spite of all this confusion wrought amongst the Hindu ranks, Tirumalrai, the brother and Commander of Raja Ramrai, made haste to reach the capital city of Vijaynagar with many of the royal family, and before the Muslim forces arrived there, he left for the south with whatever royal treasure he could load upon five hundred and fifty elephants, and the remnant of his army, foot and horse. Mad with triumph, the Muslim armies soon came in hot pursuit of the defeated Hindu ones and not only did they capture the city but destroyed it completely with their traditional cruelty and animosity. They razed to the ground grand palaces, temples, town- halls, beautifully laid-out gardens, market places and colossal statues. Libraries of books were burnt to ashes; crores of rupees worth of treasures were pillaged. The Muslim writers themselves state with evident pride that the infernal fires started in Vijaynagar by the Muslims kept burning for five or six months together. Thus perished the grand city of Vijaynagar at the hands of the Muslim demons in human form.