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

A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW
even the religion of the land is threatened as soon as the
kingdoms of the land are destroyed. It is too well known.
It is for this reason that this war is waged. We are send-
ing Shrimant Bala Sahib, our brother, to you, and he
will clear up other things personally."⁸
The letter was sealed with the royal seal of the Peshwas
and sent to Jung Bahadur. After this letter, many con-
sultations followed. Jung Bahadur sent one of his
noblemen, Colonel Balbhadra Singh, to see personally
the leaders of the Revolutionaries. The leaders told him
unanimously, "We have fought for the Dharma of
the Hindus. Maharaja Jung Bahadur too is a Hindu and
therefore should help us. If he gives his help, even if
he orders his officers to lead us, we shall again dash on
Calcutta. We shall feed ourselves, and shall obey his
orders. Whatever country we conquer in fight will be-
come the possession of the Gurkha Government. If this
is not possible, at least let him give us asylum in his
country and we will live under his orders." Colonel
Balbhadra Singh, the Gurkha representative, said : "The
English have opened wide the door of mercy. So, throw
down your arms before the British and go to their
asylum." They replied : "We have heard of the procla-
mation. But we have no wish that some of our brothers
should have their lives at the expense of others. Maha-
raja Jung is a Hindu and we do not want to fight against
the Gurkhas. If he wants, we shall throw down our
arms before him, and even if we are to be murdered, we
submit unresistingly. But how can we submit to the
British by risking some of our own brethren to their
vengeance ? "
Many such consultations took place, but at last Jung
Bahadur finally told the Revolutionaries that if he had
wanted to help them he would not have sent his men to
8. Charles Ball's Indian Mutiny, Vol. II.
519