Ancient Literature and Litterateur

1. Narayan Pandit’s Hitopadesha is considered to be another version of

Narayan Pandit’s Hitopadesha is considered to be another version of

Panchatantra.
Lilavati.
Brihatsamhita.
Panchasiddhantika.
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Narayan Pandit’s Hitopadesha is a collection of Sanskrit fables that is explicitly stated to be a version or adaptation of the Panchatantra.
– Hitopadesha means “Beneficial Counsel”. It was compiled in the 12th century.
– It draws heavily from the Panchatantra but reorganizes the stories and adds new ones, focusing on niti (wise conduct) and worldly wisdom.
Panchatantra, meaning “Five Treatises”, is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in Sanskrit verse and prose, believed to have been compiled by Vishnu Sharma. Lilavati is a 12th-century mathematical treatise by Bhaskara II. Brihatsamhita and Panchasiddhantika are works on astronomy by Varahamihira (6th century).

2. Consider the following statements : 1. There are no parables in Upa

Consider the following statements :

  • 1. There are no parables in Upanishads.
  • 2. Upanishads were composed earlier than the Puranas.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
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The correct option is B.
Statement 1 is incorrect. Upanishads, while primarily philosophical texts based on dialogues and discussions, do contain illustrative stories and analogies, which can be considered parables or fables, used to explain complex concepts (e.g., the story of Nachiketa in Katha Upanishad).
Statement 2 is correct. The Upanishads are considered part of the later Vedic literature and generally predate the Puranas, which are part of the post-Vedic Smriti literature compiled much later, around the 4th to 16th centuries CE.
The major Upanishads are believed to have been composed between 800 BCE and 400 BCE. The Puranas are a vast genre of Indian literature containing narratives about the history of the Universe, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and cosmogony, philosophy, and geography.

3. Which one of the following is a work attributed to playwright Bhasa ?

Which one of the following is a work attributed to playwright Bhasa ?

Kavyalankara
Natyashastra
Madhyama-vyayoga
Mahabhashya
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The correct option is C.
Bhasa was a celebrated classical Sanskrit playwright who is believed to have lived sometime before Kalidasa. Among the options, ‘Madhyama-vyayoga’ is a well-known one-act play attributed to Bhasa. His works were lost for centuries and rediscovered in 1912 by T. Ganapati Sastri in Kerala. ‘Swapnavasavadattam’ is another famous play attributed to him.
Kavyalankara is a work on poetics. Natyashastra is the foundational treatise on Indian performing arts. Mahabhashya is a famous commentary on Panini’s grammar by Patanjali. These are works by different authors, not Bhasa.

4. With reference to ancient Indian History, consider the following pairs

With reference to ancient Indian History, consider the following pairs:

Literary work Author
1. Devichandragupta : Bilhana
2. Hammira-Mahakavya : Nayachandra Suri
3. Milinda-panha : Nagarjuna
4. Nitivakyamrita : Somadeva Suri

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

Only one
Only two
Only three
All four
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The pairs are:
1. Devichandragupta : Bilhana – Incorrect. Devichandragupta is a Sanskrit play attributed to Vishakhadatta. Bilhana was the court poet of the Chalukya king Vikramaditya VI and wrote Vikramankadevacharitam.
2. Hammira-Mahakavya : Nayachandra Suri – Correct. This is a famous epic poem about the life of Hammira Deva of Ranthambore.
3. Milinda-panha : Nagarjuna – Incorrect. Milinda-panha is a Buddhist text containing a dialogue between the Indo-Greek king Milinda (Menander I) and the Buddhist monk Nagasena. Nagarjuna was a significant philosopher of Mahayana Buddhism but not the author of Milinda-panha.
4. Nitivakyamrita : Somadeva Suri – Correct. This is a work on political science and ethics written by the Jain monk Somadeva Suri.
Therefore, only pairs 2 and 4 are correctly matched.
Identifying key literary works and their authors from ancient and medieval India is important for history sections in competitive exams. Specific texts like Milinda-panha are significant for understanding the interaction between Indian and Hellenistic cultures and Buddhist philosophy.
Vishakhadatta is also known for Mudrarakshasa. Somadeva Suri’s Nitivakyamrita is an important source for understanding the political and administrative ideas of the time, particularly influenced by Jain philosophy. Nayachandra Suri’s Hammira-Mahakavya provides historical information about the Chauhan dynasty of Ranthambore.

5. With reference to Indian history, consider the following pairs: Hi

With reference to Indian history, consider the following pairs:

Historical person Known as
1. Aryadeva — Jaina scholar
2. Dignaga — Buddhist scholar
3. Nathamuni — Vaishnava scholar

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

None of the pairs
Only one pair
Only two pairs
All three pairs
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The correct option is C, as only two of the pairs are correctly matched.
Pair 1: Aryadeva was a prominent Buddhist philosopher and a disciple of Nagarjuna. He was not a Jaina scholar.
Pair 2: Dignaga was a celebrated Buddhist logician and philosopher. This pair is correctly matched.
Pair 3: Nathamuni was a revered Vaishnava theologian and one of the earliest Acharyas of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition. This pair is correctly matched.
Aryadeva (around 3rd century CE) followed the Madhyamika school of Buddhism. Dignaga (around 5th century CE) is considered the founder of the Buddhist school of logic. Nathamuni (around 10th century CE) compiled and systematized the Tamil hymns of the Alvars, known as the Divya Prabandham.

6. With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla

With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous

Jain monks
playwrights
temple architects
philosophers
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Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla, and Kshemeshvara were famous playwrights.
Bhavabhuti was a celebrated Sanskrit playwright of the 8th century, known for works like ‘Malatimadhava’, ‘Mahaviracharita’, and ‘Uttararamacarita’. Hastimalla was a prolific Jain playwright of the 13th century, authoring several Kannada plays. Kshemeshvara was another notable Sanskrit playwright, likely active between the 10th and 11th centuries, known for his play ‘Chandakaushika’. All three are historically recognized for their contributions to drama.
While individuals might have had multiple roles (e.g., philosophers who were also playwrights), the primary fame and historical identification of these three figures are as playwrights. They are significant figures in the history of Indian theatre and Sanskrit literature.

7. With reference to the scholars/litterateurs of ancient India, consider

With reference to the scholars/litterateurs of ancient India, consider the following statements :

  • Panini is associated with Pushyamitra Shunga.
  • Amarasimha is associated with Harshavardhana.
  • Kalidasa is associated with Chandra Gupta – II.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
3 only
1, 2 and 3
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Statement 3 is correct because Kalidasa, the renowned Sanskrit poet and dramatist, is widely believed to have been one of the Navaratnas (nine gems) in the court of the Gupta Emperor Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya), who ruled from approximately 380 to 415 CE. Statement 1 is incorrect as Panini, the grammarian known for ‘Ashtadhyayi’, lived much earlier, around the 4th century BCE, while Pushyamitra Shunga founded the Shunga dynasty in the 2nd century BCE. Statement 2 is incorrect as Amarasimha, the author of the lexicon ‘Amarakosha’, is also traditionally placed in the court of Chandragupta II, not Harshavardhana who ruled in the 7th century CE.
Kalidasa is firmly associated with the Gupta period, particularly the reign of Chandragupta II.
Panini’s ‘Ashtadhyayi’ is a foundational text of Sanskrit grammar. Amarasimha’s ‘Amarakosha’ is a popular Sanskrit thesaurus. Harshavardhana’s court had notable scholars like Banabhatta.

8. With reference to the cultural history of India, the memorizing of chr

With reference to the cultural history of India, the memorizing of chronicles, dynastic histories and epic tales was the profession of who of the following?

Shramana
Parivraajaka
Agrahaarika
Maagadhaa
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The profession of memorizing and reciting chronicles, dynastic histories, and epic tales in ancient and medieval India was typically carried out by bards or court-historians. The term ‘Maagadhaa’ (or Magadha) referred to a class of bards who were professional panegyrists and genealogists, responsible for preserving and reciting historical accounts, epics, and praise poetry.
Option A (Shramana) refers to an ascetic or monk, particularly in heterodox traditions like Buddhism and Jainism.
Option B (Parivraajaka) refers to a wandering ascetic.
Option C (Agrahaarika) refers to the recipient or administrator of an Agrahara land grant, usually a Brahmin scholar or priest.
None of these professions primarily involved the memorization and recitation of historical chronicles and epic tales in the manner described.
Maagadhaa were bards who memorized and recited historical accounts, genealogies, and epics.
Bards played an important role in transmitting historical and cultural knowledge through oral tradition before written records became widespread. They were often patronized by kings and nobles. Other related terms include Suta (charioteer, often also a bard) and Bandin (panegyrist).

9. Which one of the following books of ancient India has the love story o

Which one of the following books of ancient India has the love story of the son of the founder of Sunga dynasty?

Swapnavasavadatta
Malavikagnimitra
Meghadoota
Ratnavali
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The Sunga dynasty was founded by Pushyamitra Sunga after overthrowing the Mauryan dynasty. His son and successor was Agnimitra. The love story of Agnimitra is the subject of a famous Sanskrit play.
The Sanskrit playwright Kalidasa wrote the play ‘Malavikagnimitra’ (meaning ‘Malavika and Agnimitra’). This play narrates the love story of King Agnimitra of Vidisha (son of Pushyamitra Sunga) and Malavika, a beautiful maiden who works as a servant in his palace.
Let’s look at the other options:
A) Swapnavasavadatta: A play by Bhasa, dealing with the story of King Udayana of Vatsa and his queen Vasavadatta.
C) Meghadoota: A lyric poem by Kalidasa, where a Yaksha sends a message to his beloved through a cloud. It does not feature the son of the Sunga founder.
D) Ratnavali: A play by Harshavardhana, also dealing with the story of King Udayana and his queen Ratnavali.
Therefore, ‘Malavikagnimitra’ is the correct book.

10. The national motto of India, ‘Satyameva Jayate’ inscribed below the Em

The national motto of India, ‘Satyameva Jayate’ inscribed below the Emblem of India is taken from

Katha Upanishad
Chandogya Upanishad
Aitareya Upanishad
Mundaka Upanishad
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The national motto of India, ‘Satyameva Jayate’ (Truth alone triumphs), is taken from the Mundaka Upanishad.
The question asks for the source of India’s national motto.
‘Satyameva Jayate’ is a mantra from the Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.6). It is inscribed in the Devanagari script at the base of the Lion Capital of Ashoka and forms part of the national emblem of India.
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