Starting out from Pune, Shivaji's Marathas fought off the Deccan sultans at Bijapur and the Mughals at Purandar.
The battle was ferocious. 
mnli hypothesis: The battle was ferocious.  premise: Starting out from Pune, Shivaji's Marathas fought off the Deccan sultans at Bijapur and the Mughals at Purandar.