Q130. Gunadhya is traditionally credited with which famous work composed in Paisachi?
[RRB NTPC Stage-II, 2022]
A. Brihatkatha
B. Kathasaritsagara
C. Kadambari
D. Dashakumaracharita
Answer: A. Brihatkatha
Explanation: Gunadhya’s largely lost Brihatkatha was reportedly composed in Paisachi. Later Sanskrit collections such as Kathasaritsagara drew upon its narrative tradition.
Q129. Who wrote Indica, an important account of Mauryan India?
[RRB NTPC Stage-II, 2022]
A. Megasthenes
B. Pliny
C. Ptolemy
D. Strabo
Answer: A. Megasthenes
Explanation: Megasthenes served as a Greek ambassador at Chandragupta Maurya’s court. His lost Indica survives through quotations and summaries in later classical writers.
Q128. The Bhagavad Gita occurs in which Parva of the Mahabharata?
[RRB NTPC Stage-II, 2022]
A. Adi Parva
B. Sabha Parva
C. Bhishma Parva
D. Shanti Parva
Answer: C. Bhishma Parva
Explanation: The Bhagavad Gita forms part of the Bhishma Parva, presenting Krishna’s dialogue with Arjuna on duty, action, knowledge, devotion and liberation.
Q127. Which grammatical work was composed by Panini?
[RRB NTPC CBT-II, 2022]
A. Mahabhashya
B. Ashtadhyayi
C. Nirukta
D. Amarakosha
Answer: B. Ashtadhyayi
Explanation: Panini’s Ashtadhyayi comprises eight chapters of highly systematised grammatical rules and forms the foundation of classical Sanskrit grammatical analysis.
Q126. The 1,028 hymns of the Rigveda are arranged into how many Mandalas?
[RRB NTPC, 2022]
A. Eight
B. Ten
C. Twelve
D. Eighteen
Answer: B. Ten
Explanation: The Rigveda comprises ten Mandalas. The second through seventh are often called family books because particular priestly families are associated with them.
Q125. Sangam texts were traditionally associated with assemblies of poets. Which city is most prominently linked with the later Sangams?
[SSC CGL, 2022]
A. Madurai
B. Kanchipuram
C. Uraiyur
D. Vanji
Answer: A. Madurai
Explanation: Tamil tradition associates three Sangams with Pandya patronage, especially Madurai. The historical details are legendary, but the literary corpus is of major historical importance.
Q124. Who composed the Allahabad or Prayaga Prashasti?
[WBCS Prelims, 2022]
A. Harisena
B. Kalidasa
C. Banabhatta
D. Amarasimha
Answer: A. Harisena
Explanation: Harisena’s Sanskrit eulogy is a primary source for Samudragupta’s reign, describing his campaigns and differentiated policies towards conquered rulers and frontier states.
Q123. Which Greek writer stated that slavery, as understood in the Greek world, did not exist in India?
[WBCS Prelims, 2022]
A. Megasthenes
B. Herodotus
C. Ptolemy
D. Plutarch
Answer: A. Megasthenes
Explanation: Accounts derived from Megasthenes’ Indica contain the observation, although historians treat such statements cautiously because they reflect an outsider’s interpretation of Indian society.
Q122. Arrange these foreign travellers chronologically: Megasthenes, Fa-Hien, Xuanzang and I-Tsing.
[WBCS Prelims, 2022]
A. Megasthenes–Fa-Hien–Xuanzang–I-Tsing
B. Fa-Hien–Megasthenes–I-Tsing–Xuanzang
C. Megasthenes–Xuanzang–Fa-Hien–I-Tsing
D. Xuanzang–Fa-Hien–Megasthenes–I-Tsing
Answer: A. Megasthenes–Fa-Hien–Xuanzang–I-Tsing
Explanation: Megasthenes visited Mauryan India, Fa-Hien came during the Gupta age, while Xuanzang and I-Tsing travelled to India during the seventh century.
Q121. Which Kalidasa work principally concerns the birth of Kartikeya?
[RRB NTPC, 2022]
A. Raghuvamsha
B. Kumarasambhava
C. Meghaduta
D. Malavikagnimitram
Answer: B. Kumarasambhava
Explanation: Kumarasambhava, literally ‘Birth of Kumara’, narrates events leading to the birth of Kartikeya, particularly the penance and marriage of Shiva and Parvati.
