Which twelfth century Sanskrit scholar was first responsible for the c

Which twelfth century Sanskrit scholar was first responsible for the compilation of ‘Nibandhas’ or digests of epic and Puranic texts?

Harsha
Govindachandra
Lakshmidhara
Kalidasa
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2017
Lakshmidhara was a twelfth-century Sanskrit scholar known for his extensive compilation of Nibandhas.
Lakshmidhara, a minister of the Gahadavala king Govindachandra (reigned c. 1114–1155 CE), compiled the *Krutya Kalpataru* (also spelled Kṛtyakalpataru). This vast work is one of the earliest and most comprehensive Nibandhas (digests) covering various aspects of dharma, drawing upon Epics, Puranas, Smritis, and other ancient texts. This period saw the rise of Nibandha literature which aimed to reconcile and systematize the vast and sometimes conflicting body of ancient Hindu law and custom.
Harsha often refers to Harshavardhana (7th century) or Harsha of Kashmir (11th-12th century, known for patronizing Kalhana, author of Rajatarangini). Govindachandra was the king who patronized Lakshmidhara. Kalidasa was a celebrated poet and dramatist of the classical Gupta period (likely 4th-5th century CE), long before the period of Nibandha compilation.
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