U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2022

Persian-Sanskrit Literary Exchange

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Who among the following had translated Chintamani Bhatt's Sanskrit text 'Suka Saptati' in Persian and gave it the title 'Tutinama'?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: C

Concept Medieval India saw a massive translation movement (Maktab Khana style) where Sanskrit fables were adapted into Persian to moralize and entertain the elite.

Explanation Khwaja Ziyauddin Nakhshabi, a 14th-century Sufi scholar, translated the *Suka Saptati
(Seventy Tales of a Parrot) into the Persian *Tutinama*.

Logical Breakup
Option C is Correct: Nakhshabi's version streamlined the original stories and became a favorite subject for Mughal illustrated manuscripts.
Context: The stories use a parrot as a narrator to prevent a woman from adultery by enthralling her with witty tales every night for 52 nights.

Active Recall

Question

What is the structural device used in the Tutinama?

Answer

A 'frame story' where a parrot tells sub-stories to keep the protagonist engaged, similar to the One Thousand and One Nights.

Core Insight

The Tutinama illustrates how animal fables were utilized across cultures as tools for moral education and strategic diversion.