MOST DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF 3rd PANIPAT BATTLE (1761)
MOST DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF 3rd PANIPAT BATTLE (1761)
by Raghunath Yadav (Maratha Side)
Extracts from Bakhar of Panipat,
"....When Bhau cast his eyes on the Maratha Army, it appeared like the ocean at the full tide of a full moon night that has surged forward breaking it's barriers.
The army with brave iron-willed warriors who cared not for their lives, Marathas of the 96 Clans of renown, adorning themselves with the equipment of war, moved ahead in rank and file. The earth was overwhelmed with many multi-hued banners.
Like the full moon brings on a full tide in an ocean, the army surged forwards.
The loud martial musical instruments began their fearful songs. The macemen and spearmen holding their gold and silver poles began a loud roar. Bards began to chant!
Like Indra going to the celestial garden or the Dwarkapuravaradhishvara Shri Krishna with 56 crore Yadavas entering Dwarka, or Duryodhan removing his crown to execute a kill, or Shri Rama the King of Ayodhya, with 80 billion strong army of Vanaras going to kill Ravana and Kumbhakarna!
... The battle began then! It was a terrifying sight. Howdah riders came in contact with other Howdah riders.
Jazails, Zamburaks, Hatnala, Garnala, Shaturnala, Rehkales, Arrows, Hokes, Pistols, Guns, and Muskets all incessantly fired and created smoke all over. The Sun was barely seen!
Both armies became as one in the melee. They sneered "Take this! Take that!" as they struck one another.
The battle situation was unclear. Feet kept moving forwards to charge. Not a single warrior took a step back. Each was more determined than the other. The strong as elephant Uzbeks, the Mughals, Pasthuns, Rajputs, Ruffians (Yatims & Tabanians), Punjabis, Bhils, Rohillas and Rathods; every community excelled one another. Like the crushing of sugarcane, they trampled the enemies and moved forwards cutting the heads of the braves.
Dismembered frightful bodies were full of blood oozing from the many cuts. Consciousness was lost.
The all round fire crossed all limits. Eminent Amir's elephants' seats were emptied. The Durranis earnest and eager to win, forcibly began to burn whatever they came across...
...The shooting of arrows stopped.
Stilletos, Daggers, Foils, Maces, Broadswords, Tiger-Claws were used to injure the vital parts of the bodies.
For three to four hours a close and intense battle ensued. Dead bodies piled on top of one another. It became difficult to recognize friend from foe. The braves became riotous in battle. Chiefs on Elephants began a fight with each other. There was no consciousness of one's own body...
On both sides eminent Chieftains remained oblivious to the danger to their own lives. They were severely wounded and bloodied. Some received fatal wounds and died.
Some fainted on the battlefield.
Some had their heads cut and lying on the ground.
Some had stabs on their abdomen with their innards protruding out.
Yet nobody gave an inch, or moved back. It was one huge tumultuous and wild uproar.
For nearly eight hours a fierce battle was fought. Never in the past was such a battle fought. It is unlikely it will ever happen again in all the three worlds. The king of Devas witnessed with astonishment and wonder..."
COMMENTARY: At this point, Marathas managed to triumphantly shove back the Afghan army from their first entrenched position for a distance of over seven Koses backwards to their second entrenchment where Abdali and the bulk of Afghan army was positioned.
Ahmad Shah Abdali decided to launch his entire reserve force of lakhs and lakhs of Jihadis before the Marathas could secure the first entrenchment or get any respite. By now Maratha warriors and their animals, (who had been fasting since the past many months), had been battling for over 6 to 8 hours without a grain of food or a drop of water began to understand their hopeless situation.
It had to end with their martyrdom.
2ND PHASE of the Battle:
"... Then around 3 hours of the day were left.
The army was stopping and moving. Abdali who was miserable as his son was killed (Not his real son Taimur Shah Abdali, but Haji Atai Khan, nephew of his Wazir and his bravest Sardar) and his army broken, with anger at his loss, wore the armour for war, took his weapons (bow and arrows), and sat on his war-elephant. He ordered his Mahout, "Bear no fear, drive the elephant into the army!".
Calling out his men, taking over a fifty thousand strong, fresh army, he started from his camp.
Seeing this (from the first entrenchment), Sadashivpant, Vishwasrao and all the Chieftains also turned around. The army was worn and wasted. Since sunrise for nine hours, they fought and were fatigued. They were already starving for three days. The horse had no grain and the men had no food. Even water was not available!
In such a situation, Abdali with an army of fresh troops had marched onto Sadashivpant's position! At this time Sadashivpant addressed everybody thus,
"What is to happen, cannot be avoided. What Shri Ishwar desires will come to pass. Now we will garland death! There is no option but to fight again!"
With great vigour, Abdali with his fresh fifty thousand troops charged at Vishwasrao. Ibrahim Khan Gardi fired all the guns at once at the enemy. There was smoke all over the armies and nothing was seen for a while.
....Gardis were experts, and fired furiously all around, it was not just wasteful sound. But absorbing all that fire, without caring for his life, Abdali mingled the artillery lines...Crossing the artillery, the Durrani came for Vishwasrao.
But before him stood the great Maratha Chieftain Yashwantrao Pawar who had pledged to fight to the end!
With no hope left of survival, deciding that death was most honourable way the Maratha chiefs brought out their families, their women and children, and with their own swords, killed them.
Then they charged ahead at the enemy. They fought alone, and cared not for their lives. For three to four Ghatikas (forty five minutes approx.), the sound of sharp weapons clashing against each other rent the air.
Neither could push the other. Feet always moving forward, the warriors who fought with great vigour, were adorned with several wounds and bathed in blood. Some died, falling lifeless on the ground. Some sustained wounds, some were hacked. Some were trampled upon, the body of one was mutilated and another fainted upon the battlefield. Such was the great fight the braves gave in this Bharati war.
They grappled against Durrani swords, daggers, sickles, pistols, tiger-claws, and got fatigued. They exceeded the limits of warrior-hood. "Take this! Take that!" was the shout that rent the air. They were deaf to all around them, nobody could separate friend from foe. The warriors were intoxicated with the spirit of bravery. Like in an unseasonable period, lightning flashes in the sky, at once lakhs of swords from both the armies flashed cross the battlefield like the brilliance of the sun.
This intense illumination blinded the eye.
Blood flowing from both the armies like the flowing rain. In this bloodied throng, the heads of the braves appeared to float like fish.
The Devas with Devaraj Indra, watched with wonder from the skies, seated on their Vimanas. The Gandharvas were dazzled. The armies of Vetalas manifested to drink this torrent of blood. Such a situation prevailed.
COMMENTARY: The battle soon concluded after this, as Abdali managed to snipe Vishwasrao and surround Sadashivpant and the last remaining Maratha contingent of 1200 warriors, with a net of over a lakh Durrani soldiers. All the Marathas valiantly charged into this dense formation and attained Veergati.
Shat Shat Naman to all these great heroes who waged this glorious war 
Source — Panipatāchi Bakhar (1761) penned by Raghunath Yadav
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