Bringing Peace through Literature: The Impact of Dara Sukoh’s Vision of Synthesizing Sufism and Bhakti Tradition on Indian Society

Abstract

India has a tradition of producing some remarkable individuals who have contributed to the unification of society by trying to eliminate the religious polarities existing in the society. Dara Shikoh is one such personality who has dedicated his life in abridging the difference between Hindus and Muslims in India. Being the eldest son of Jahangir and Mumtaz Mahal, he carried the legacy of his grandfather, Emperor Akbar in terms of religious tolerance. His position in the Mughal court during his time is very pivotal in the sense as he was not just a royal figure but also a cultural and spiritual innovator who brought revolution in the field of translation. He was not only propounder of Sufism but also of Bhakti tradition. Mughal empire, being the most diverse empire in India as most of the rulers have embraced the culture and tradition of the majority of people living in India and individuals like Emperor Akbar and Dara Shikoh stand ahead in it. They tried to bridge the gap between Hindus and Muslims making India a plural society. Dara Shukoh’s one of the biggest achievements is his translations of Hindus religious texts like, The Upanishads, The Bhagavad Gita and the Atharva Veda from Sanskrit to Persian. In our present paper, we are trying to capture the essence of Dara Shikoh’s spiritual explorations and his translations influencing Indian society by bringing peace and strengthening mutual love between two communities.