6_Glorious_Epochs_of_Indian_History

368 SIX GLORIOUS EPOCHS OF INDIAN HISTORV
That he did this in order to root out all the Muslim Sultans-
from the Deccan and to found an all-embracing powerful
Hindu Kingdom can amply be proved by the fact that very
soon one of his sons could set up an independent powerful
and conquering Hindu Empire and that he could help him
secretly in that great cause. That this 'insignificant' 'rebel­
lious' son of his could not have grown into a successful
empire-builder without, not only the benevolent connivance
of Shahaji, but also his active but secret assistance and
guidance, requires no further elucidation*". Although for
reasons of chronological sequence we may not name this
illustrious son of Shahaji just yet, it must already have
flashed like a lightning in the hearts of the readers ! There
can be no doubt about it !
921. In similar circumstances, during the years A.D.
1316-1322, Khushrukhan commanded the Sultan's whole
army at Delhi as a Muslim, because the Hindu military help
was readily available, and conquered and consolidated
forcibly the Southern Hindu States, which never united of
their own accord, as parts of the vast empire of a Muslim
Sultan; (Oh. XVII). And only after he succeeded in perfec­
ting the plans for his coup d' etat, did he kill the Sultan of
Delhi overnight, ascending the throne himself as a Hindu
monarch. He merely brushed aside, as it were, the lable
'Muslim' from the imperial throne and wrote in bold letters
'Hindu' over it. Within a day the all-India Khilji empire
became a Hindu empire ! Again a little later when Harihar
and Bukka were captured and made Muslims and were
rotting in captivity at Delhi, they first employed the same
Koutileeya code of ethics to win the confidence of the Sultan
of Delhi under their Muslim garb. They invaded the rebellious
Hindus of the South as Muslim commanders at the head of
a Muslim army and aided by Muslim wealth; but at the
earliest opportunity they joined the rebellious Hindus
themselves and being reconverted to Hinduism founded a
strong independent Hindu empire at Vijaynagar. The same
Kontileeya strategy was used by Shahaji in conquering the