Source: The Extraordinary Epoch of Nanasaheb Peshwa - @mulamutha
विस्तारः (द्रष्टुं नोद्यम्)
Nanasaheb Peshwa’s letter to Gopalrao Patwardhan was a private reprimand goading him into action and taking the all-important fort of Daulatabad in 1760. The letter amply reflects his language, style & strategy.
Over and over again you write that the places are difficult to capture, that one cannot get involved in prolonged sieges, that one has to obtain one’s ends by planning - and therefore you have not attacked. This is indeed unprecedented! I have now entirely understood that only you have the gift of a long-term view. That this is politics, and initially one should be a little soft, one should not cut off supplies - is much appreciated by other clever Extraordinary people, and Bhau.
You find places difficult to take, but with the grace of God, they are like blades of grass.+++(4)+++ Malhar has took Dhodap fort by attacking, yesterday both the chiranjeevs furiously attacked the Mughal and crushed him in just one battle, but did anybody imagine this? Lakhs of difficult tasks become easy by the grace of God. You are a severe and quick soldier, so I sent you. If I knew you will send your thoughts to us, I would have sent a small contingent. Had you blocked all supplies and not spoken a word on the first day, the fort would have been yours by now.+++(4)+++ You are eminent, you are brought into play when the job is done, and after I order you, you do not achieve success, what can be said about that? Gopal rao! You feel this Daulatabad is difficult, but I will take it by cutting off supplies and not paying a rupee in a month or two. If you ask why, it is because nobody is able to help him. If the Mughal tries to help, we will gather an army of fifty thousand and make the Mughal disappear. The Mughal knows this, what is surprising is that you do not.+++(5)+++
You will get angry that I am scolding you. But you are repeatedly sending me your ideas, so I had to do this.+++(4)+++ If the fort is captured before you get this, well and good, otherwise, take the shahar panah and begin a siege, and by the grace of God the job will be done. When you indulge in politics, the task is ruined. Now all your anger on this letter should be directed against him (the killedar). If the job is already done, do not let anger rise within you. Since you are of an angry disposition, I did not write all this for so many days. When you repeatedly began writing of your thoughts, I had no option but to write all this. Nobody else has seen this letter. So, if I scold my employee who is like my son, he should not take any offence.+++(4)+++