१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

TEMPORARY PACIFICATION
account of the loose and spasmodic nature of the risings
and their want of co-operation, the English had not to
bear any severe strain in the south and could devote,
practically, all their resources to the north.
After having thus taken a bird's-eye view of the affairs
in the south, it is now high time that we should turn
our eyes to take a last glance at the proud Ayodhya which
is left groaning there at the end of the life story of the
heroic Moulvie Ahmad Shah.
In the case of extraordinary brilliant heroes like Moulvie
Ahmad Shah, their death is as noble and as extraordinary
as their life. Others may die when they are killed in
battle, but one whose very soul is on fire with a burning
patriotism and who is dancing on the battle-field with
shouts of “ Blood ! Blood ! ” in order to quench that fire,
knows no death ; even if such a patriot falls in battle be-
fore his thirst for revenge is slaked, he does not die !
Though the head was cut off, it has been seen, as a matter
of fact, that the trunk of heroic men continued the fight
in the field, and there is a belief that when even this latter
is cut to pieces their disembodied spirits harass the
enemy at night.
There is, indeed, a philosophic truth underlying such
superstitions. While Moulvie Ahmad Shah was still
fighting, Lord Canning had published a proclamation to
let the whole of Oudh know : “ Those who will volun-
tarily lay down their arms will not be considered as rebels
and will be granted a free and complete pardon for their
past actions, and those who help us now will receive back
their lands and Vatans. Now that the British power has
triumphed over the rebellion, if some still insist upon
their resistance to the British government, they shall all
be most severely punished for this unwarrantable perti-
nacity.” After such a proclamation and after many of
the leaders had died suddenly one after the other, the
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