Prince Dara Shikoh

Prince Dara Shikoh

The way Babur loved Humayun, Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Shah Jahan was loved by his father. He was the heir apparent, favored by his father Shah Jahan and sister Jahanara as a successor to the throne of Delhi.

This prince was an intellectual, wise and a paragon of harmonious coexistence of various religions. He loved Muslims, Hindus, Sufis and Sikhs all alike but was then taken as an eccentric by the followers of prophet including his Fakir brother Aurangzeb.

• This prince was invited to lay the foundation of the Golden Temple of Amritsar and he befriended with 7thGuru of Sikhs Guru Har Rai.
• Dara Shikoh dedicated himself to create a bridge of Hindu Muslim Unity and was so learned that translated 50 Upanishads from Sanskrit to Persian for the Muslim Scholars. This work is called Sirr-i-Akbar, the great mystery.
• The latest Upnishad is Muktikā Upanishad and it is said to have been recorded by Dara Shikoh. It predates to 1656 and provides list of 108 Upanishads of the Canon.