[Solved] Sirr-i-Akbar: Dara Shikoh's Persian Upanishads

The Upanishads were translated into Persian by Dara Shikoh under the title:

[U.P. Lower Sub. (Spl) (Pre) 2004]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

Dara Shikoh believed that the Upanishads were the 'Hidden Book' (Kitab al-maknun) mentioned in the Quran, leading him to attempt an intellectual reconciliation.

Authentic Source Evidence

In 1657, Dara Shikoh completed the translation of 50 Upanishads into Persian under the title Sirr-i-Akbar (The Great Secret).

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: Option D is correct. This translation eventually reached Europe, making it the first source of Upanishadic knowledge for the West.

Logic 2: Majma-ul-Bahrain (Option C) is another work by Dara Shikoh, but it is an original treatise on the meeting of Hinduism and Islam, not the specific Upanishad translation.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"What was the purpose of Sirr-i-Akbar?"

To translate the Sanskrit wisdom of the Upanishads into Persian to bridge the gap between Islamic and Hindu philosophical thought.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"Dara Shikoh's work highlights the high point of Mughal intellectual pluralism before the orthodox turn under Aurangzeb."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Dara Shikoh 7 Sirr-i-Akbar 3 Upanishads 6

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