A History of Agriculture in India v2.c85.2

v2.c85.2

DARA SHIKOH, the eldest son of Shah Jahan, was a free-thinker, and was inclined towards Sufism. He got the Upanishads translated into Persian. Muhammad Kazim, the author of Alamgir-nama, mentions that ‘Instead of the sacred name of God, he adopted the Hindu name Prabhu, which the Hindus consider holy, and he had this name engraved in Hindi letters upon rings of diamond, ruby, etc. Through these perverted opinions he had given up the prayers, fasting and other obligations imposed by the law. It became manifest that if Dara Shikoh obtained the throne and established his power, the foundations of the faith would be in danger.¹ The fears of Muhammad Kazim proved groundless. Aurangzeb, the youngest son, was shrewd, unscrupulous and resourceful. In the fratricidal struggle which followed in 1658, Aurangzeb liquidated Dara, imprisoned his father Shah Jahan in Agra fort, and emerged as the successful claimant for the Mughal throne.