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

THE VOLCANO
there is no doubt, must have felt, and felt terribly, the
woeful humiliation of petitioning to his enemies for a
pension for that Empire, of which his ancestors were the
Prime Ministers, nay, rulers. The stories of the noble
deeds of the great Shivaji, whose memory he fondly
cherished, must, without doubt, have set ablaze in his
heart the flames of anger and vengeance. A Sanskrit
proverb says, "The honourable prefer death to dis-
honour," and Nana was above all honourable. Generous
as a prince, pride was his greatest wealth—as it always
is of the brave. Hence he could not bear the idea of
accepting any invitation from the European officers about
him. For was he not, as the Peshwa, entitled to the
salute of guns, which the Company was not willing to
fire in his honour? He was serious constitutionally and
his habits were simple. He had not a trace of extravagant
habits or vices.⁵ An Englishman who had observed him
closely on many occasions says that, at the time he saw
him, he was really about twenty-eight years of age, but
he looked forty. "He was inclined to embonapoint; his
face was round; his eyes, restless like those of a tiger,
were piercing and of great lustre; his complexion was like
that of any Spaniard; his conversation was characterised
by a touch of humour."⁶ In the Durbar, he was dressed
in kinkhabs. Englishmen used to admire the jewellery he
displayed about his person and his crowns studded with
diamonds. His generous and sympathetic heart, had
effectually won the love of his subjects. His kindness to
his subjects would be quite natural, but it is significant
that Shrimant was habitually generous even towards those
very English people, who, turning ungrateful, had depriv-
ed him of his all. If any youthful English couple wanted
change of air, the rich equipage of Maharaja Nana Sahib
was ready at their service. Many a "Sahib", tired of
5. "A quiet and unostentatious young man not at all addicted
to any extravagant habits."—Sir John Kaye.
6. Trevelyan's Cawnpore, pages 68-69.
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