Shivaji raja became invincible and uncapturable at the hands of Bijapur Nawab, as well as, the Muguals at Agra. The gurrilla-war craft was beyond their imagination and control . Muslim rulers in India were familiarwith the war practices of Rajputs and other warrior communities of India who use to come out in open and stood face to face with the enemy. Either they use to win or loose the war field but never ran way back from the war place. As they were scattered and ununited and individually small in number, they were usually defeated and overpowered by the enemy. Hence they lost the kingdoms. They were mostly beheaded and captivated and their womenflok was snatched and entered into the winner's harem. As a result by the mid seventeenth century, India was completely under Muslim rulers. The public was directionless and leaderless and weak. They also accepted the Muslims rulers as their ultimate emporers and aakka.
But, Mata Jijabai had a great hatred in her mind towards these invader; She trained her son Shivaji on the very different track of warcraft. She gave her son a very strange philosophy of life. She never pumped the vanity and idea of high blood and high and royal family theory in the young mind of her son. She gave a very free hand to him to play with and choose his friends from any class of society. His childhood friends or team-mates included Dalits, sudra and service class families like barbars and mathadys (sons of soil) and ghaties etc.,. But all of them were very loyal to Shivaji and his mother. Even Mata Jijabai also loved them like her own son. All the horses and weaponys of Jijabai's father were allowed to be used by the team of Shivaji. This resulted into a small but strong pack of fighters and rescuers to the kidnapped girls of Syhadri or the Puna region. In the nights, this team of fearless young swordsmen aging not more than 16 years of age, use to have hiking tracking, wandering and racing through the mountains and ravines and forests of Syhadry and western Ghats. Each and every route of the whole region was familiar and known to this team. Horse riding to the range of 250 to 300 miles in a night was the usual manoeuver of these youngsters. They were experts in climbing over the high mountains and cliffs with the help of a small raptile known as Gohi which use to climb over the cliffs on certain orders and use to stop at a particular spot on getting command by its master, and a strong rope was tied over its waist. The team workers used to climb over the cliff through this help silently. The majority of this team were matchless in swordmenship; one among them named Jiva who was a barnar by caste, was the most close friend of Shivaji. It is said that without Jiva's help, shivaji would have lost his life and battles.
When, the revenues were collected by force by Shivaji from the Zagirdars and patils of the region, under pressure and threat of life and cutting down of fingres on refusal, the complaints were filed in the court of Bijapur. Only at the age of 16 a fort was captured by this young team. The Fortess governors or kiledar were dared not to come down of the hills and loot away the poor villagers of their wealth, animals and girls. Because the team Shivaji on information and knowledge of such mischief used to climb over the fortress from back, cut down the limbs of these Muslim fortowners and free down the girls. These acts of shivaji became the great news to the villages and the general public. The treasures which used to be sent by the Bijapur Golkunda Mysore to Muguals at Agra and Delhi were looted and the soldiers were killed except one or two to complain of the event. The army of Nawabs and Muguls were afraid of passing through this route. Shivaji never believed in face to face fight and loose the battle or morcha. His war theory was based on Victory by all means over the groups of an enemy.
Shivaji's sword came out of Maharashtra and Marathwada, he won the Gujrat, Madhaya pradesh and Rajasthanetc and established his rule over there by appointing his most powerful swants like Gaikwas, Holkar, Scindhiyaand Peshwas.
Bijapur Nawab had a great general known as Afjal Khan who was very tall and stout and brave. He had a raputation of never losing a war in his life time and had a great terrified impression over his enemy. Nawab asked Afjal khan to face Shivaji but also warned him of this Pahadi Chuha or the most cunning warrior, and his war stratgy. He also causioned him to take a great care of his life and prestigue.
Afjal Khan was knowing all the war tricks of Shivaji. He could access his defeat if it took place in the war field. So he sent a message of Peace and truce to Shivaji with a condition of armless meeting in isolation and at the top of any mountain. Shivaji knew the bad intentions of this Muslim general and planned it thoroughly to face him. His loyal team- fellows instructed Shivaji not to believe him. They equipped Shivaji to wear a iron cap under his turban. As Shivaji was only 5 feet in height but Afjal Khan was more than 7 feet in height, they calculated a risk of hidden dragger with Afjal Khan and an attack from the upper side on head. Shivaji was mostly using a bagh nakh for point blank and hand to hand fight, so he also took baghnakh under his gown.
An the Pratapgarh mountain, in Maharashtra, the meeting was arranged for talks of peace and truce. The army of Afjal Khan was waiting down the hill but one or two close assistants of both were allowed to accompany the warriors but they were not allowed to intreapt or attack. On the top of the hill, both Afjal Khan and Shivaji stood at a distance of 100 yards and they were supposed to embrace each other by walking down half the way towards the center. Shivaji asked his Jiva to keep a close watch over the two muslim patedar or swordsmen of Afjal Khan as in his acessment, based on the fighting skill and knowledge, they seemed smart and may rush to cut him, while he embraces Afjal khan. Jiva assured Shivji that you fearlessly meet Afjal Khan and leave the other matters to him.
As Shivaji came near Afjal Khan and spread his arms to embrace, Afjal Khan took out his dragger and with a great force tried to stab Shivaji on his head. The iron cap saved Shivaji and the dragger slipped off to earth. Meanwhile, Shivaji took his baghnakh out of his garments and entered it into the stomack and lower parts of Afjal Khan. His intestines were pulled out with a great strength and force and swiftness. Afjal Khan cried hoarshly and fell down on ground. Jiva rushed towards the two soldiers of Afjal Khan with a lightening and lion's speed and valcity, with a great war roar, and cut down both of them into pieces. Afjal Khan was also beheaded and it was sent to their mother Jijabai as a great gift of victory and bravery. Mother Jijabai ordered a state honour bruial of the body of Afjal Khan on Pratapgarh itself which is in a tomb shape still today.
