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�Blood recognized the blood�, Shastriji said.
Raje picked him up, kissed him lovingly and held
him in his lap. Shivaji reached up and started playing with his
father�s beard. Vishwasrao smiled and said, �this is the first one I
have ever seen reaching directly for your beard! Brave, that he is!�
�No, this is the second one. But at the moment I
think he is here for an order for me!�
�Order?�
�Yes! From his mother, let me go inside and
come.�
ShahajiRaje got up and started for inside with
Shivaji in his arms. He saw Jijabai indoors and said, � he saw me and
leaped towards me!�
�Yes, he is brave and recognizes people quickly�
ShahajiRaje was on his way towards their room,
but Jijabai said, �Mother-in-law, your aunt, is waiting for you.�
�My mistake! I should go visit her first. Show
the way.�
Raje spent some time with Umabai. Finally when he
was alone with Jijabai, he asked, �How are you? Is everything all
right?�
Jijabai didn�t say anything, but started sobbing.
ShahajiRaje got up from his seat, went over to
Jijabai and said, �I understand. Your father was brutally killed, I am
sorry about that. We did have differences, but they were of the family
nature. When Nizam, an outsider interfered, I couldn�t stand it. That
is why I left his employ and joined Aadilshah.�
��How long can this go on like this?� |
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�Do you think I like it? I too would like to
spend time with my family. May be now with Shivaji�s good fortune,
days will change. May be I will be able to settle down somewhere.�
ShahajiRaje stayed for about ten days. He spent
time with Shivaji, Jijabai. He personally examined the fort, food
stock, animal stock, everything. He asked Vishwasrao if he had counted
and accounted for the money he had given to the fort treasurer.
Vishwasrao said he had, but that there was no need for that,
ShahajiRaje said, �Vishwasrao, you are taking
care of home, family, let me at least help financially.�
And then one day a message came for ShahajiRaje
from the Moguls.
ShahajiRaje said, �Vishwasrao, that is the end of
this relaxing trip.�
�What is the matter?�
�Badshah is marching in over the South. Employer
is here, employee has to go!�
�Can�t you leave in a day or two?�
�Sure I can, but it won�t sit right with me. Let
me go.�
Next day ShahajiRaje went in to tell Umabai that
he was leaving. She told him to take care of himself. Raje asked her
if she was going to stay for a while, but she said she too would be
leaving soon. Raje asked her to take Jijabai with her, but she
declined saying she herself was getting old and wouldn�t be able to
take care of Jijabai and the baby.
ShahajiRaje took his leave of Jijabai, hugged and
kissed Shivaji, and left to meet Shahajahan, leaving Vishwasrao in
charge of all at the fort and the palace once again!
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