हम्मीर महाकाव्यम् (रणथम्भौर चौहान वीरगाथा एवं इतिहास)

20
began to dance proudly, keeping time with the musicians. The
king was diverted with this performance for a time, and forgot
the all important business of the moment.
The Muhammadans took advantage of the king's indolence
and made a vigorous attack. The Râjputs, under the circum-
stances, could do little. Secing this, Pṛithvirâja alighted
from his horse and sat on the ground. With the sword in his
hand he cut down many Muhammadans. Meanwhile, a Muham-
madan taking the king unawares from behind, threw his bow
round his neck and drew the king prostrate to the ground, while
other Muhammadans bound him captive. From this time the
royal captive refused all food and rest.
Pṛithvirâja, before he set out to encounter Shahâbu'd-dîn,
had commanded Udayarâja to follow him to attack the enemy.
Udayarâja¹¹ reached the battlefield just about the time when
the Muhammadans had succeeded in taking Pṛithvirâja captive.
But Shahâbu'd-dîn, fearing the consequences of further
fighting with Udayarâja, retired into the city, taking with
him the captive monarch.
When Udayarâja heard of the captivity of Pṛithvirâja,
his heart throbbed heavily with pain. He wished himself in the
place of Pṛithvirâja. He was unwilling to return back
leaving the king to his fate. Such a course, he said, would be
detrimental to his fair name, in his own country of Gauṛadeśa.
He therefore laid siege to the city of the enemy (Yoginîpura
or Dehli, which Shahâbu'd-dîn had taken possession of
before this battle), and sat before the gates for a whole month,
fighting day and night.
One day during the siege, one of Shahâbu'd-dîn's people went
up to him and remarked that it would be becoming on his part
for once to release Pṛithvirâja, who had several times taken
¹¹ This must be the famous Udayâditya Puwâr of Mâlwâ, mentioned by Chanda
as the great friend and ally of Pṛithvirâja.