“Two pearls dissolved in water, 27 gold coins were lost and the loss of silver and copper cannot be estimated” – This statement is related to:
: This cryptic message was sent to Peshwa Balaji Bajirao to inform him of the catastrophic defeat at Panipat in 1761. The “two pearls” referred to the Peshwa’s son Vishwas Rao and cousin Sadashiv Rao Bhau, while the “27 gold coins” represented the lost high-ranking commanders. The silver and copper symbolized the thousands of fallen soldiers. ANSWER: (C) The destruction of the Maratha army in the Third Battle of Panipat
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After the Third Battle of Panipat, a merchant’s coded message reached the Peshwa, conveying the magnitude of the disaster. The “two pearls” represented the death of the heir-apparent Vishwas Rao and the commander-in-chief Sadashiv Rao Bhau. The “27 gold coins” symbolized the loss of prominent generals and sardars, while the “silver and copper” denoted the slaughter of nearly 40,000 regular troops and many more camp followers. This loss was so profound that it shattered the Peshwa’s health and permanently ended the Maratha aspiration for a centralized, all-India empire under the Pune administration.