Q50. Which inscription notably mentions the Sanskrit poets Kalidasa and Bharavi?
[UPPCS Mains, 2013]
A. Aihole Inscription
B. Hathigumpha Inscription
C. Junagadh Inscription
D. Nasik Inscription
Answer: A. Aihole Inscription
Explanation: Ravikirti’s Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II praises its composer’s literary skill by referring to celebrated Sanskrit poets Kalidasa and Bharavi.
Q49. Which ruler-scholar was credited in the examination with a work dealing with remarkable or artificial mechanical devices?
[UPPSC RO/ARO, 2013]
A. Bhoja
B. Harsha
C. Samudragupta
D. Kanishka
Answer: A. Bhoja
Explanation: King Bhoja was a prolific patron and reputed author. His Samarangana Sutradhara discusses architecture and contains famous passages describing mechanical devices and automata.
Q48. Rajatarangini is associated with the history of:
[MPPSC, 2012]
A. Kashmir
B. Bengal
C. Magadha
D. Kalinga
Answer: A. Kashmir
Explanation: Kalhana’s Sanskrit chronicle recounts Kashmir’s rulers and political events, making it one of the most important narrative historical texts produced in premodern India.
Q47. Which author–work pair is incorrectly matched?
[UPPCS Prelims, 2012]
A. Kalidasa–Meghaduta
B. Harsha–Karpuramanjari
C. Bharavi–Kiratarjuniya
D. Banabhatta–Kadambari
Answer: B. Harsha–Karpuramanjari
Explanation: Karpuramanjari is a Prakrit play by Rajasekhara, not Harsha. Harsha is traditionally credited with Ratnavali, Priyadarshika and Nagananda.
Q46. Milindapanha provides information about which Indo-Greek ruler?
[Uttarakhand PCS, 2012]
A. Menander
B. Demetrius
C. Antialcidas
D. Apollodotus
Answer: A. Menander
Explanation: The text calls Menander ‘Milinda’ and presents his philosophical questions to monk Nagasena, making it a major literary source for Indo-Greek-Buddhist interaction.
Q45. Which pair of western ports is mentioned in the Sangam literary tradition?
[UPPCS, 2012]
A. Tondi and Muziris
B. Tamralipti and Sopara
C. Bharuch and Arikamedu
D. Korkai and Puhar
Answer: A. Tondi and Muziris
Explanation: Sangam poems refer to thriving west-coast ports such as Tondi and Muziris, reflecting active maritime trade between Tamilakam and the Mediterranean world.
Q44. Who wrote Rajatarangini?
[BPSC, 2011]
A. Kalhana
B. Bilhana
C. Bana
D. Dandin
Answer: A. Kalhana
Explanation: Kalhana’s Sanskrit chronicle is distinguished by his attempt to examine earlier sources critically and arrange Kashmir’s rulers within a continuous historical narrative.
Q43. Who authored Ashtadhyayi?
[Jharkhand PCS, 2011]
A. Panini
B. Patanjali
C. Katyayana
D. Yaska
Answer: A. Panini
Explanation: The Ashtadhyayi is Panini’s highly condensed grammatical masterpiece, comprising thousands of rules that systematically describe Sanskrit linguistic structure.
Q42. Which ruler was a contemporary of Kalhana, author of Rajatarangini?
[UPPSC GIC, 2010]
A. Jayasimha
B. Lalitaditya
C. Avantivarman
D. Didda
Answer: A. Jayasimha
Explanation: Kalhana completed Rajatarangini during the reign of the Kashmir ruler Jayasimha in the twelfth century, providing particularly valuable information for contemporary events.
Q41. Who wrote the mathematical work Lilavati?
[Uttarakhand PCS, 2010]
A. Bhaskaracharya
B. Brahmagupta
C. Aryabhata
D. Varahamihira
Answer: A. Bhaskaracharya
Explanation: Bhaskara II’s Lilavati presents arithmetic and geometry through elegant Sanskrit verse problems and forms part of his mathematical-astronomical Siddhanta Shiromani.
