Razmnama
In 1574, Emperor Akbar opened a translation house called the Maktab Khana within his new capital at Fatehpur Sikri. This institution served as the engine for converting Sanskrit epics into Persian, the literary language of the Mughal court. Akbar directed a specific group to translate three major texts: Rajatarangini, Ramayana, and Mahabharata. The project began with a clear directive from the emperor himself to gather learned men across India. He personally oversaw early stages where Hindu scholars explained concepts to Muslim theologians who would draft the text in Persian. The name Razmnama combines two words meaning war and tale or epic, reflecting the core subject matter of the Mahabbarata.
Contemporary author Badauni recorded that Akbar had the book Mahabharat translated over several nights by Naqib Khan. On the third night, the emperor summoned Badauni to collaborate directly with Naqib Khan on the translation effort. They worked through eighteen chapters, known as fans, producing only two chapters in three or four months. Mulla Shiri and Naqib Khan completed one section while Sultan Haji Thanesari Munfarid brought another to completion. Shaikh Faizi was appointed to write the final version in verse and prose but finished no more than two chapters. The original instruction demanded exactitude so that nothing of the source material should be lost. Eventually, Akbar ordered Haji Thanesari dismissed and sent him back to his native city of Bhakkar for errors committed during the first round.
Naqib Khan, son of Abd al-Latif Husayni, translated the work from Sanskrit into Persian within one and a half years. Several learned Brahmans including Deva Misra, Satavadhana, Madhusudana Misra, Caturbhuja, and Shaykh Bhavan read the book aloud in Hindi to explain its meaning. These scholars provided the foundational knowledge that allowed Naqib Khan to write the text in Persian. Abul Fazl wrote a preface spanning two quires for the Razmnama manuscript. His role extended beyond writing; he established the historical context for the translation project. Other figures like Khwaja Inayatullah contributed to specific copies found today. The collaborative nature involved multiple layers of interpretation before any single page reached its final form.
One complete copy made between 1584 and 1586 now resides in Jaipur with 176 paintings. Thomas Holbein Hendley reproduced 147 of these illustrations in an 1884 publication titled Memorials of the Jeypore Exhibition. A second version completed between 1598 and 1599 split apart in 1921 to form British Library MS Or. 12076. Pages from this second copy spread across collections in North America, Europe, and India. A third known as the Birla manuscript sits in the Birla Academy of Art and Culture in Kolkata and dates to 1605. A fourth version contains only two or more miniatures currently identified and was created around 1616, 1617. These four surviving examples represent the physical legacy of Akbar's massive translation initiative.
The Jaipur Razmnama features 169 full-page miniatures attributed to artists Basawan, Daswanth, and Lal. Artist Daswant painted scenes such as Arjuna hitting a target alongside Kesho in the first copy. Mushfiq contributed many paintings to another version housed in the City Palace Museum of Jaipur. The second copy is more elaborate with 161 paintings compared to the earlier edition. Each illustration accompanied specific episodes within the translated text. Artists worked under court orders to ensure visual accuracy matched the narrative depth. The integration of painting and prose created a unique hybrid document combining literary history with Mughal artistic tradition.
Akbar ordered copies sent to all emirs of his kingdom as gifts intended to help them understand Hindu religion better. Abd al-Qadir Badayuni noted that the emperor instructed recipients to receive these books as gifts from God. Abul Fazl wrote that the intention behind distribution was very pious according to his preface. Nobles were also ordered to have their own copies transcribed by way of obtaining blessings. The project aimed to foster understanding between Hindus and Muslims through shared cultural texts. Akbar named the work Razmnama to emphasize its epic nature while promoting dialogue across religious lines. Copies served both as diplomatic tools and educational resources for the empire's elite.
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Common questions
When was the Razmnama translation project initiated by Emperor Akbar?
Emperor Akbar opened the translation house called the Maktab Khana in 1574 to begin converting Sanskrit epics into Persian. This institution served as the engine for translating texts like the Mahabharata within his new capital at Fatehpur Sikri.
Who translated the original text of the Razmnama from Sanskrit into Persian?
Naqib Khan, son of Abd al-Latif Husayni, translated the work from Sanskrit into Persian within one and a half years. Several learned Brahmans including Deva Misra, Satavadhana, Madhusudana Misra, Caturbhuja, and Shaykh Bhavan read the book aloud in Hindi to explain its meaning to him.
Where is the complete copy of the Jaipur Razmnama located today?
One complete copy made between 1584 and 1586 now resides in Jaipur with 176 paintings. Thomas Holbein Hendley reproduced 147 of these illustrations in an 1884 publication titled Memorials of the Jeypore Exhibition.
What does the name Razmnama mean in the context of the Mahabharata translation?
The name Razmnama combines two words meaning war and tale or epic reflecting the core subject matter of the Mahabharata. Akbar named the work Razmnama to emphasize its epic nature while promoting dialogue across religious lines.
How many surviving copies of the Razmnama exist and what are their dates?
Four known versions survive including a Birla manuscript that dates to 1605 and another created around 1616 or 1617 containing only two or more miniatures. A second version completed between 1598 and 1599 split apart in 1921 to form British Library MS Or. 12076.