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