Ancient Literature and Litterateur

Q.1 Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the list. (U.P.P.C.S. (Pre.) 2021)

List-I List-II

(Text) (Author)

A. Ragamala 1. Somanath

B. Rasa Kaumudi 2. Venkatraman

C. Raga Vibodh 3. Pundrik Vitthal

D. Chaturdandi 4. Sri Kantha

Prakash

Codes :

A B C D

(a) 3 4 1 2

(b) 4 2 1 3

(d) 1 2 3 4

Ans. (a)

Exp:

· Ragamala is associated with Pundrik Vitthal, a prominent musicologist of the 16th century. He wrote works dealing with Indian musical theory and ragas.

· Rasa Kaumudi was written by Sri Kantha and deals with aspects of Indian music.

· Raga Vibodh was written by Somanath. It is an important work on Indian classical music, particularly the theory and classification of ragas.

· Chaturdandi Prakashika was written by Venkatamakhin (Venkatamakhin/Venkatamakhin) in the 17th century. It is particularly important for the development of the melakarta system of Carnatic music.

Q.2 The Panchasiddhantika of Varahmihira is based upon – (U.P.P.S.C. (R.I.) 2014)

(a) Persian astronomy

(b) Greek astronomy

(d) Mesopotamian astronomy

Ans. (b)

Exp:

· Panchasiddhantika was written by Varahamihira in the 6th century CE. It is a work on astronomy that summarizes five astronomical systems (Siddhantas) known in his time. One of these, the Romaka Siddhanta, shows clear influence of Greek/Greco-Roman astronomy. Varahamihira's work reflects the transmission of astronomical knowledge between India and the wider ancient world.

Q.3 With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous – (UPSC - 2021)

(a) Jain monks

(b) Playwrights

(d) Philosophers

Ans (b)

Exp:

· All three were associated with Sanskrit drama/literature. Bhavabhuti was a renowned Sanskrit playwright and poet of the 8th century CE. His famous plays include: Malatimadhava, Mahaviracharita and Uttararamacharita.

· Hastimalla was a Sanskrit playwright, associated with medieval Indian dramatic literature.

· Kshemeshvara was also a Sanskrit dramatist/playwright. His works include Naisadhananda and other literary compositions.

Q.4 How many Tarangas are in Rajtarangini of Kalhana? (U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2015)

(a) Eight (b) Nine (c) Ten (d) Eleven

Ans. (a)

Exp:

· Rajatarangini (River of Kings) was written by Kalhana in 12th century CE, around 1148–1150 CE. It is a historical chronicle of the rulers of Kashmir. The work is divided into 8 Tarangas (books/chapters).

· Kalhana presents the history of Kashmir through eight Tarangas, beginning with early legendary rulers and continuing to the contemporary rulers of his period.

· Taranga = “wave”. So, Rajatarangini = River of Kings → 8 Waves (Tarangas).

Q.5 Which of the following pair is not correctly matched? (U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2012)

(a) Karpurmanjari - Harsha

(b) Malavikagnimitra - Kalidasa

(d) Saundarananda - Asvaghosha

Ans. (a)

Exp:

· Karpuramanjari was not written by Harsha. It was written by Rajasekhara, a famous Sanskrit poet and dramatist of the 9th–10th century CE.

· Malavikagnimitra is a Sanskrit play written by Kalidasa. It revolves around the love story of King Agnimitra and Malavika.

· Mudrarakshasa was written by Vishakhadatta. It describes the political events surrounding Chandragupta Maurya and Chanakya and the overthrow of the Nandas.

· Saundarananda is a Buddhist Sanskrit epic/poem by Ashvaghosha, dealing with the transformation of Nanda after coming into contact with the Buddha.

Q.6 Which one of the following books of ancient India has the love story of the son of the founder of Sunga dynasty? (UPSC - 2016)

(a) Swapnavasavadatta (b) Malavikagnimitra (c) Meghadoota (d) Ratnavali

Ans. (b)

Exp:

· Malavikagnimitra is a Sanskrit play written by Kalidasa. Its central character is King Agnimitra, the son of Pushyamitra Shunga, who founded the Shunga dynasty. The play revolves around Agnimitra's love for Malavika, a woman in the royal household.

· Swapnavasavadatta — Written by Bhasa. It deals primarily with King Udayana and Vasavadatta, not Agnimitra.

· Meghaduta — Written by Kalidasa. It is a lyrical poem about a Yaksha separated from his wife, not the Shunga royal family.

· Ratnavali — Traditionally attributed to Harshavardhana and concerns the love story of King Udayana and Ratnavali.

Q.7 'Lilavati' was written by – (U.P.P.S.C. (GIC) 2017)

(a) Mahaviracharya (b) Hemchandraacharya (c) Bhaskaracharya (d) Kalkacharya

Ans. (c)

Exp:

· Lilavati was written by Bhaskaracharya (Bhaskara II), the famous Indian mathematician and astronomer of the 12th century CE. It is the first part of his mathematical work Siddhanta Shiromani, dealing mainly with arithmetic and mathematics.

· Mahaviracharya — He was a 9th-century Jain mathematician who wrote Ganita Sara Sangraha, not Lilavati.

· Hemchandraacharya — He was a Jain scholar known for works on grammar, prosody and literature, not Lilavati.

· Kalkacharya — He was associated with Jain religious and literary traditions, not the authorship of Lilavati.

Q.8 Which one of the following Indian Mathematician invented decimal place value ? (U.P.P.S.C. (R.I.) 2014)

(a) Bhaskar (b) Varahmihira (c) Brahmagupta (d) Aryabhatta

Ans. (d)

Exp:

· Aryabhata (Aryabhatta) is associated with the early development and use of the decimal place-value system. In the Aryabhatiya, he clearly describes successive numerical places in powers of ten, demonstrating the place-value principle.

· Bhaskar — Bhaskara II was a major mathematician of the 12th century, famous for Lilavati and Bijaganita, but he is not credited with originating the decimal place-value system.

· Varahamihira — A 6th-century scholar known mainly for astronomy and astrology, especially Panchasiddhantika and Brihat Samhita.

· Brahmagupta — A 7th-century mathematician who made major contributions to zero, negative numbers and algebra, but the question's traditional attribution is to Aryabhata.

Q.9 Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? (U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) (Re. Exam) 2015)

(a) Life of Hiuen Tsang - Hui-li

(b) The Natural History - Ptolemy

(d) The Histories – Herodotus

Ans. (b)

Exp:

· Natural History (Naturalis Historia) was written by Pliny the Elder, a Roman scholar, in the 1st century CE. Therefore, this is the incorrectly matched pair.

· Hui-li (Huīlì) was a disciple of Hiuen Tsang and wrote his biography, commonly known as The Life of Hiuen-Tsang. The work provides important information about Hiuen Tsang's journey and his stay in India.

· The Historiae Philippicae (Philippic Histories) was written by Pompeius Trogus, a Roman-era historian. It dealt with the history of Macedonia and various kingdoms of the ancient world.

· The Histories was written by Herodotus, the famous Greek historian of the 5th century BCE.

Q.10 With reference to ancient Indian History, consider the following pairs: (UPSC - 2023)

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?

(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four

Ans: (b)

Exp:

Devichandragupta is attributed to Vishakhadatta, the author of Mudrarakshasa. It deals with the political episode involving Ramagupta and Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya). Bilhana was the author of Vikramankadevacharita, which describes the reign of Vikramaditya VI of the Western Chalukyas.
Hence, pair 1 is incorrect.
Hammira-Mahakavya was composed by Nayachandra Suri, a Jain scholar. It narrates the history of Hammiradeva (Hammira) of Ranthambore, including his conflict with Alauddin Khalji.
Hence, pair 2 is correct.
Milinda-panha (Questions of Milinda) records a dialogue between King Menander (Milinda) and the Buddhist monk Nagasena. It is not attributed to Nagarjuna.
Hence, pair 3 is incorrect.
Nitivakyamrita is a work of Somadeva Suri, a Jain scholar. It deals with ethics, polity, governance and statecraft.
Hence, pair 4 is correct.

Therefore, pairs 2 and 4 only are correctly matched.

Hence, option (b) is correct.

Q.11 ‘Yogavasistha’ was translated into Persian by Nizamuddin Panipati during the reign of: (UPSC - 2022)

(a) Akbar (b) Humayun (c) Shahjahan (d) Aurangzeb

Ans: (a)

· Yogavasistha has been translated into many Indian languages and the stories are told to children in various forms. During the Mughal rule, it was translated into Persian several times at the request of Akbar, Jahangir and Darah Shikoh.

· Nizamuddin Panipati translated Yogavasistha into Persian at the end of 16th century during the reign of Akbar.

· Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Q.12 With reference to Indian history, consider the following texts: (UPSC - 2022)

1. Nettipakarana

2. Parishishtaparvan

3. Avadanashataka

4. Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana

Which of the above are Jaina texts?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2 and 4 only (c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 2, 3 and 4

Ans: (b)

Exp:

· Nettipakarana is a mythological Buddhist scripture, sometimes included in the Khuddaka Nikaya of Theravada Buddhism’s Pali canon.

· Parishishtaparvan is a 12th-century Sanskrit mahakavya by Hemachandra which details the histories of the earliest Jain teachers.

· Avadanasataka (A Hundred Glorious Deeds) is an anthology of one hundred biographical stories in Sanskrit from the first to second centuries CE. It is associated to Buddhist legends.

· Trishashthilkshana Mahapurana is a major Jain text composed largely by Acharya Jinasena during the rule of Rashtrakuta.

· Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Q.13 Which one of the following is a work attributed to playwright Bhasa? (UPSC - 2024)

(a) Kavyalankara (b) Natyashastra (c) Madhyama-vyayoga (d) Mahabhashya

Ans. (c)

Exp:

· Madhyama-vyayoga is a Sanskrit play attributed to Bhasa, one of the earliest known Sanskrit dramatists, generally placed around the early centuries CE.

· Kavyalankara — Attributed to Bhamaha, an important Sanskrit literary theorist. It deals with poetics and figures of speech.

· Natyashastra — Traditionally attributed to Bharata Muni. It is the foundational treatise on Indian drama, dance and music.

· Mahabhashya — Written by Patanjali, an important work on Sanskrit grammar and a commentary on Panini's Ashtadhyayi.

Q.14 Consider the following statements: (UPSC - 2026)

I. Pali texts contain the first definite references to coins, e.g., kahapana, nikkha, kamsa, and kakanika.

II. The literary evidence from Pali texts is corroborated by archaeological evidence of punch-marked coins from many sites, most of them made of silver.

The above statements have been associated with which of the following?

1. Emergence of urban life

2. Transition to money economy

Select the answer using the code given below :

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans. (c)

Exp:

· The two statements are associated with both the emergence of urban life and the transition towards a money economy in ancient India.

· Statement I — Correct : Pali Buddhist texts contain some of the earliest definite literary references to coins. They mention terms such as: Kahapana (Karshapana)-a commonly mentioned coin, Nikkha, Kamsa, and Kakanika. The appearance of such monetary terminology indicates the increasing importance of monetary transactions in the economy.

· Statement II — Correct : The literary evidence from Pali texts is supported by archaeological evidence, particularly the discovery of punch-marked coins at numerous archaeological sites. Most early punch-marked coins were made of silver.This archaeological evidence strengthens the argument that ancient Indian society was moving towards a money-based economy.

· How does this relate to the two developments?:

1. Emergence of urban life — The period associated with the Second Urbanisation (c. 6th century BCE onwards) witnessed the growth of towns, trade, markets and occupational specialization. Growing urban centres required increasingly sophisticated systems of exchange and commerce, encouraging the use of coins.

2. Transition to money economy — The use of coins represents an important shift from predominantly barter-based exchange towards monetary transactions.

Q.15 Match List–I with List–II : (69th BPSC (Pre) 2023)

List—I List—II

a. Charaka 1. Mathematics

b. Brahmagupta 2. Medicine

c. Varahamihira 3. Playwright

d. Vishakhadatta 4. Astrology

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

(A) a b c d

2 1 4 3

(B) a b c d

1 2 3 4

3 2 4 1

(D) a b c d

1 4 3 2

Ans. (A)

Exp:

· Charaka was a renowned physician of ancient India and is traditionally associated with the Charaka Samhita, one of the foundational texts of Ayurveda and medicine.

· Brahmagupta was a 7th-century mathematician and astronomer. His Brahmasphutasiddhanta contains important contributions to mathematics, including rules concerning zero and negative numbers.

· Varahamihira was a 6th-century astronomer and scholar. His Brihat Samhita covers astronomy, astrology, geography, meteorology and other subjects.

· Vishakhadatta was a Sanskrit playwright, best known for Mudrarakshasa, a political drama dealing with the establishment of Chandragupta Maurya's rule.

Q.16 Nitisara, an early book of politics, was written by - (69th BPSC (Pre) 2023)

(A) Kautilya (B) Kamandaka (C) Charaka (D) None of them

Ans. (B)

Exp:

· Nitisara (also called Kamandakiya Nitisara) is a famous ancient Indian treatise on politics, diplomacy, administration and statecraft, attributed to Kamandaka. It is generally dated to the Gupta/post-Gupta period and was strongly influenced by the political ideas found in Kautilya's Arthashastra.

· Kautilya — Kautilya (Chanakya) wrote the Arthashastra, the major ancient Indian treatise on statecraft and administration.

· Charaka — Charaka is associated with medicine/Ayurveda, particularly the Charaka Samhita.