Question map
Who among the following is associated with 'Songs from Prison', a translation of ancient Indian religious lyrics in English?
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 3: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
Songs from Prison is a collection of translations of ancient Indian religious hymns and lyrics, primarily from the Sanskrit tradition (including the Upanishads and Bhakti poets). M.K. Gandhi undertook this literary work during his imprisonment in the Yerwada Jail, Pune, in 1930.
- Why Option 3 is correct: Gandhi translated these texts into English to share the spiritual heritage of India with the Western world. The work was later edited and published in 1934 by his close associate, John S. Hoyland.
- Why other options are incorrect: While Tilak wrote Gita Rahasya and Nehru wrote Discovery of India in prison, neither is associated with this specific translation. Sarojini Naidu, though a poet, did not author this compilation.
This work highlights Gandhi’s deep engagement with Indian philosophy and his efforts to bridge cultural gaps through spiritual literature during the Indian National Movement.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a 'Peripheral Literature' question. It is NOT found in standard sources like Spectrum or NCERT. It tests your knowledge of the 'Prison Literature' genre of freedom fighters, specifically the spiritual/literary output of Gandhi beyond his political treatises.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Was Bal Gangadhar Tilak associated with the book "Songs from Prison", a translation into English of ancient Indian religious lyrics?
- Statement 2: Was Jawaharlal Nehru associated with the book "Songs from Prison", a translation into English of ancient Indian religious lyrics?
- Statement 3: Was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi associated with the book "Songs from Prison", a translation into English of ancient Indian religious lyrics?
- Statement 4: Was Sarojini Naidu associated with the book "Songs from Prison", a translation into English of ancient Indian religious lyrics?
States Tilak was tried, convicted and awarded rigorous imprisonment — establishing he spent time in prison (relevant because the book title refers to 'Prison').
A student could check lists of writings produced by prominent nationalist leaders during prison terms to see if Tilak authored or translated a prison-linked work.
Notes Tilak's use of religious symbols and festivals to mobilise Hindus, showing he engaged with religious material and publicised it.
One could investigate whether his publications or prison writings included translations or commentary on religious lyrics.
Records that Tilak edited newspapers (Kesari and Mahratta), indicating he had publishing experience and means to produce or disseminate translations.
A student might search bibliographies of Tilak's published works or the archives of his newspapers for evidence of translations like 'Songs from Prison'.
Mentions Sri Aurobindo's English translation of a religious song; demonstrates that nationalist/religious leaders translated religious lyrics into English.
Use this pattern (leaders translating religious songs) to plausibly include Tilak as a candidate and then check catalogs/author attributions for 'Songs from Prison'.
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This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.
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This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.
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