114 C. A. Silberrad— -History of Western Bundelkh'and. [No. 2, 
Bundelas of Kathera. Birsingh Deva marched towards Orchha where 
be was opposed by Ram Sail’s forces under Bhupal Rao and Indarjit, 
In the battle that ensued Indarjit was wounded and the army of 
Orchha struck with panic fled. Bhupal Rao with a small detachment 
forced his way into the fort, and continued to assist Ram Sah. Nego^ 
tiations were opened and Ram Sah agreed to meet Khwaja Abdullah, 
who, however, treacherously made him prisoner and carried him to 
Delhi, where the Emperor received him with respect, but in order to 
stop further quarrels kept him captive for several years. By 1604! 
Birsingh Deva was supreme throughout the whole of Bundelkhand 
having reduced all the 22 chiefs who had participated in the kingdom. 
In 1608 after the Emperor had firmly established his power he released 
Ram Sah and bestowed on him the Jagir of Bar 8 yielding a revenue 
of three lakhs. The kingdom of Birsingh Deva contained 81 par- 
ganas and 12,500 villages ; the total revenue was two crores. Accord¬ 
ing to the Bundelkband-Charite it was bounded on the North by the 
Jamna, on the South by the Narbada, on the West by the Chambal, 
and on the East by the Tons. 
Birsingh Deva was well acquainted with the Dharam Shashtra 
and laws generally. He was mindful of the sin he had committed in 
usurping his brother’s kingdom, and feeling great remorse, in peni¬ 
tence made nine pilgrimages, and offered innumerable sacrifices. In 
Bindraban alone he presented 81 maunds of gold, a gift remembered 
to the present day. At Datia he built a grand palace at a cost of 
Rs. 36,90,980, which is still a notable structure. On one occasion 
by order of the Emperor, he attacked and overcame the Rajas of Rewa 
and Narwar. In 1613 he erected a temple in Bindraban at a cost of 
30 lakhs. He performed the Taraian Birt, 3 and listened for seven 
days to the recitation of the Maha-purana. He was famed for his 
strict justice; in this connection it is told of him that one day his 
eldest son Jagat Deva when hunting, allowed his hound to kill a 
Brahma-chari or hermit. On hearing thereof the Raja summoned his 
son to him, and put him to death for having caused the death of an 
innocent devotee. 
He constructed the famous tanks of Bir Sagar 4 and Barwa Sagar 6 
* ... • * • • . 
1 Almost certainly wrong, see preceding note. 
* In pargana Banpur (Jhansi district) 17 miles N.-E. of Lalitpur. The ruins of 
a fort and palace and several Muhbaras still mark this former seat of rule. 
8 This is a penance which consists in fasting by day for a month, only eating 
when the stars are visible. 
4 In Orchha, 12 miles S. S.-E. of Orchha town. 
6 In Jhansi district, 12 miles E. of Jhansi. 
