The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar released the Arabic Version of “Majma Ul-Bahrain” of Dara Shikoh in New Delhi on September 9.
Key facts
- The Vice President said that Majma-ul-Bahrain (which means ‘Confluence of Two Oceans’) throws invaluable light on the similarities between religions and helped bring stronger unity among the people of India.
- Calling Dara Shikoh a genius, a skilled poet, and a Sanskrit scholar, the Vice President said that he was a torchbearer of social harmony and religious unity.
- In this book ‘Majma-ul-Bahrain’, Dara Shikoh listed one by one, all the commonalities between Hinduism (Vedanta) and Islam (Sufism) and came to the conclusion that the difference between Islam and Hinduism is only verbal.
- The Vice President appreciated the translator of the book, Shri Amar Hasan, the publisher and ICCR for bringing out this book which opens up the celebrated work of the Mughal prince Dara Shikoh to Arabic-speaking audiences.
About Dara Shikoh
- Although in 1655 Shah Jahan declared his eldest son Dara Shikoh the Crown Prince, he was assassinated by his younger brother, Aurangzeb, in a bitter struggle for the throne on August 30, 1659.
- Dara Shikoh was 44 at the time of his death.
- His most important works, Majma-ul-Bahrain (Mingling of Two Oceans) and Sirr-i-Akbar (Great Mystery), are devoted to the cause of establishing connections between Hinduism and Islam.
- Dara Shikoh acquired proficiency in Sanskrit and Persian, which enabled him to play a key role in popularising Indian culture and Hindu religious thought.
- He translated the Upanishads and other important sources of Hindu religion and spirituality from Sanskrit to Persian.
- As a talented architect, he designed the Pari Mahal Garden Palace in Srinagar, and many other monuments.
- Dara Shikoh was executed in Khizrabad in Delhi on August 30, 1659 by his brother Aurangzeb after being betrayed by Afghan chief Malik Jiwan.
- Francois Bernier was the personal physician to Shikoh.
