Q200. Ancient Pali texts contain definite references to coins such as Kahapana, Nikkha, Kamsa and Kakanika. The emergence of such coinage was closely associated with which developments?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 2026]
A. Emergence of urban life only
B. Transition towards a money economy only
C. Both emergence of urban life and transition towards a money economy
D. Neither of the above
Answer: C. Both emergence of urban life and transition towards a money economy
Explanation: Pali literature and punch-marked coin evidence reflect expanding trade, urban centres and increasing monetisation during the second phase of urbanisation in northern India.
Q199. Consider the following ruler–dynasty pairs of early Tamilakam: 1. Senguttuvan–Chera 2. Udiyanjeral–Chola 3. Nedunjeliyan–Pandya. Which pair is NOT correctly matched?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 2026]
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. 3 only
D. 1 and 3
Answer: B. 2 only
Explanation: Senguttuvan and Udiyanjeral were celebrated Chera rulers, whereas Nedunjeliyan belonged to the Pandya dynasty. Sangam literature remains an important source for these rulers.
Q198. Who wrote the historical chronicle Rajatarangini?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Banabhatta
B. Kalhana
C. Bilhana
D. Dandin
Answer: B. Kalhana
Explanation: Kalhana composed Rajatarangini in Sanskrit during the twelfth century. Its eight Tarangas narrate the history and traditions of Kashmir’s ruling dynasties.
Q197. Which ancient Indian text gives a detailed account of Mauryan administration, economy and principles of statecraft?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Manusmriti
B. Arthashastra
C. Natyashastra
D. Buddhacharita
Answer: B. Arthashastra
Explanation: Traditionally attributed to Kautilya or Chanakya, the Arthashastra discusses kingship, taxation, administration, diplomacy, espionage, economic management, warfare and judicial institutions.
Q196. According to the Arthashastra, what were the two principal types of courts dealing with disputes and offences?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Sabha and Samiti
B. Dharmasthiya and Kantakashodhana
C. Parishad and Gana
D. Dharma and Nyaya
Answer: B. Dharmasthiya and Kantakashodhana
Explanation: Dharmasthiya courts largely handled civil disputes, while Kantakashodhana courts dealt with criminal matters, public order and offences affecting the security of the state.
Q195. Who is traditionally credited with composing the Tamil ethical classic Tirukkural?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Ilango Adigal
B. Sattanar
C. Thiruvalluvar
D. Kamban
Answer: C. Thiruvalluvar
Explanation: Thiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural contains 1,330 couplets dealing with virtue, wealth and love. It is among the most influential works of classical Tamil literature.
Q194. Who wrote the astronomical treatise Panchasiddhantika?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Aryabhata
B. Brahmagupta
C. Varahamihira
D. Bhaskaracharya
Answer: C. Varahamihira
Explanation: Varahamihira’s Panchasiddhantika summarises five astronomical traditions. It is an important source for understanding the development of mathematical astronomy in classical India.
Q193. Which section of the Buddhist Tripitaka principally contains discourses and dialogues attributed to the Buddha?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Vinaya Pitaka
B. Sutta Pitaka
C. Abhidhamma Pitaka
D. Jataka Pitaka
Answer: B. Sutta Pitaka
Explanation: The Sutta Pitaka preserves sermons, dialogues and teachings attributed to the Buddha and his disciples and forms one of the three baskets of the Pali Canon.
Q192. The stories describing the previous births of Gautama Buddha are known as:
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Jatakas
B. Nikayas
C. Agamas
D. Sutras
Answer: A. Jatakas
Explanation: Jataka stories narrate the Buddha’s previous births in human and animal forms, illustrating virtues such as generosity, compassion, wisdom and moral conduct.
Q191. Which Buddhist Pitaka lays down disciplinary rules for monks and nuns?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Sutta Pitaka
B. Vinaya Pitaka
C. Abhidhamma Pitaka
D. Dhammapada
Answer: B. Vinaya Pitaka
Explanation: The Vinaya Pitaka contains rules governing Buddhist monastic discipline, procedures, offences and communal life and is fundamental to the organisation of the Sangha.
Q190. Which of the following is specifically known as the ‘Basket of Discipline’ in Buddhist literature?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Sutta Pitaka
B. Abhidhamma Pitaka
C. Vinaya Pitaka
D. Milindapanha
Answer: C. Vinaya Pitaka
Explanation: Vinaya literally concerns discipline. This Pitaka codifies conduct for monks and nuns and records procedures used by the early Buddhist monastic community.
Q189. In which language was the principal corpus of Sangam literature composed?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Sanskrit
B. Pali
C. Tamil
D. Prakrit
Answer: C. Tamil
Explanation: Sangam texts were composed in ancient Tamil. They provide valuable information about the society, warfare, economy, landscape, trade and rulers of early historic Tamilakam.
Q188. Which celebrated Tamil epic narrates the story of Kannagi and her husband Kovalan?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Manimekalai
B. Silappadikaram
C. Tolkappiyam
D. Tirukkural
Answer: B. Silappadikaram
Explanation: Silappadikaram, traditionally attributed to Ilango Adigal, centres on Kannagi’s fidelity and justice after Kovalan’s wrongful execution by the Pandya king.
Q187. Who composed the famous Prayaga Prashasti praising Samudragupta?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Kalidasa
B. Harisena
C. Banabhatta
D. Vishakhadatta
Answer: B. Harisena
Explanation: Harisena, Samudragupta’s court poet and official, composed the Sanskrit Prayaga Prashasti, an important inscription describing the Gupta emperor’s conquests and political achievements.
Q186. In the Prayaga Prashasti, Samudragupta is compared with which deity associated with wealth?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Indra
B. Varuna
C. Kubera
D. Agni
Answer: C. Kubera
Explanation: Harisena’s eulogy employs elaborate comparisons with deities to portray Samudragupta’s power, generosity and accomplishments, illustrating the literary character of Gupta royal inscriptions.
Q185. The Prayaga Prashasti was composed primarily to glorify which ruler?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Chandragupta I
B. Samudragupta
C. Chandragupta II
D. Skandagupta
Answer: B. Samudragupta
Explanation: The inscription records Samudragupta’s military expeditions, tributary rulers and political achievements and remains a major literary-epigraphic source for Gupta history.
Q184. Which is regarded as the earliest Vedic composition and an important source for early Vedic society?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Samaveda
B. Yajurveda
C. Rigveda
D. Atharvaveda
Answer: C. Rigveda
Explanation: The Rigveda is the oldest Vedic Samhita. Its hymns provide information about early Vedic religion, social organisation, political institutions and geographical knowledge.
Q183. Which Veda contains 1,028 hymns arranged into ten Mandalas?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Rigveda
B. Samaveda
C. Atharvaveda
D. Yajurveda
Answer: A. Rigveda
Explanation: The Rigveda traditionally contains 1,028 hymns divided into ten Mandalas, mainly dedicated to deities such as Indra, Agni, Soma and Varuna.
Q182. How many hymns are traditionally counted in the Rigveda?
[RRB NTPC, 2026]
A. 1,000
B. 1,008
C. 1,028
D. 1,080
Answer: C. 1,028
Explanation: The Rigvedic corpus is conventionally counted as 1,028 hymns. These hymns are organised in ten books or Mandalas and represent India’s oldest surviving literary tradition.
Q181. Which Svetambara Jain text contains biographies of the Tirthankaras and is ceremonially read during Paryushana?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Acharanga Sutra
B. Kalpa Sutra
C. Bhagavati Sutra
D. Uttaradhyayana Sutra
Answer: B. Kalpa Sutra
Explanation: The Kalpa Sutra, traditionally associated with Bhadrabahu, contains accounts of Jain Tirthankaras, especially Mahavira, together with monastic traditions and rules.
Q180. Which language was predominantly employed in the inscriptions of Ashoka and also in Kharavela’s Hathigumpha inscription?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Sanskrit
B. Prakrit
C. Tamil
D. Pali
Answer: B. Prakrit
Explanation: Most Ashokan inscriptions and Kharavela’s Hathigumpha inscription employ varieties of Prakrit, demonstrating its importance for public communication in early historic India.
Q179. Kalidasa is traditionally associated with the court of which Gupta ruler?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Samudragupta
B. Chandragupta II
C. Kumaragupta I
D. Skandagupta
Answer: B. Chandragupta II
Explanation: Literary tradition associates Kalidasa with Chandragupta II Vikramaditya’s court, although precise biographical details about the great Sanskrit poet remain historically uncertain.
Q178. Which celebrated Sanskrit poet and dramatist is traditionally included among the Navaratnas of Chandragupta II?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Bhasa
B. Kalidasa
C. Bharavi
D. Magha
Answer: B. Kalidasa
Explanation: Kalidasa is renowned for works including Abhijnanashakuntalam, Meghaduta, Raghuvamsha and Kumarasambhava, representing the high achievement of classical Sanskrit literature.
Q177. In Sangam literature, the term ‘Uzhavar’ refers to:
[RRB NTPC, 2026]
A. Merchants
B. Ploughmen or cultivators
C. Soldiers
D. Priests
Answer: B. Ploughmen or cultivators
Explanation: Sangam texts use Uzhavar for cultivators or ploughmen, reflecting the significance of agriculture and differentiated occupational groups in early Tamil society.
Q176. Besides Keeladi, which archaeological sites are important for correlating material evidence with the society described in Sangam literature?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Adichanallur, Korkai and Alagankulam
B. Harappa, Mohenjo-daro and Lothal
C. Sarnath, Kushinagar and Vaishali
D. Taxila, Purushapura and Begram
Answer: A. Adichanallur, Korkai and Alagankulam
Explanation: These Tamil Nadu sites reveal habitation, craft production, trade and burial evidence that help historians evaluate the social and economic world represented in Sangam texts.
Q175. In Sangam poetry, ‘Puram’ compositions mainly deal with:
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-II, 2026]
A. Personal love and separation
B. War, heroism and public life
C. Religious rituals alone
D. Agricultural technology
Answer: B. War, heroism and public life
Explanation: Sangam poetry broadly distinguishes Akam, concerning inner or romantic life, from Puram, which celebrates warfare, kingship, generosity, honour and public activities.
Q174. Which inscription is an important textual source for understanding Chola village self-government and committee selection?
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-II, 2026]
A. Hathigumpha Inscription
B. Uttaramerur Inscription
C. Junagadh Inscription
D. Nasik Inscription
Answer: B. Uttaramerur Inscription
Explanation: The Uttaramerur inscriptions describe village assemblies, qualifications and disqualifications for committee membership and the Kudavolai system under the imperial Cholas.
Q173. Who composed Harshacharita, an important literary source for Harshavardhana’s reign?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Banabhatta
B. Kalhana
C. Bharavi
D. Harisena
Answer: A. Banabhatta
Explanation: Banabhatta, Harsha’s court poet, wrote Harshacharita, a Sanskrit prose biography that combines literary embellishment with valuable information about seventh-century northern India.
Q172. Consider the pairs: 1. Banabhatta–Harshacharita 2. Harisena–Rajatarangini 3. Kalhana–Mushikavamsha. Which is correctly matched?
[UPSC CDS, 2026]
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2
C. 2 and 3
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 1 only
Explanation: Banabhatta wrote Harshacharita. Rajatarangini was written by Kalhana, while Mushikavamsha is attributed to Atula, making the remaining pairs incorrect.
Q171. How many of these author–work pairs are correctly matched: Dayabhaga–Jimutavahana; Prithviraj Raso–Chand Bardai; Lilavati–Bhaskaracharya; Mitakshara–Vijnaneshvara?
[UPSC NDA, 2026]
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
Answer: D. Four
Explanation: All four traditional pairings are correct. They represent major works spanning Hindu law, heroic poetry and mathematics and are frequently tested through author-work matching.
Q170. Who composed the Allahabad Pillar or Prayaga Prashasti of Samudragupta?
[SSC CHSL, 2025]
A. Kalidasa
B. Harisena
C. Banabhatta
D. Ravikirti
Answer: B. Harisena
Explanation: Harisena served Samudragupta and composed his elaborate Sanskrit eulogy, documenting conquests and political relationships while exemplifying the ornate Prashasti tradition.
Q169. Which ancient scholar is most famous for systematising Sanskrit grammar through the Ashtadhyayi?
[SSC CHSL, 2025]
A. Panini
B. Patanjali
C. Katyayana
D. Yaska
Answer: A. Panini
Explanation: Panini’s Ashtadhyayi systematically formulates Sanskrit grammar through nearly four thousand concise rules and became the foundational work of the Sanskrit grammatical tradition.
Q168. Which Buddhist text is sometimes described as the ‘Gita of Buddhism’?
[RRB NTPC, 2025]
A. Dhammapada
B. Mahavamsa
C. Milindapanha
D. Dipavamsa
Answer: A. Dhammapada
Explanation: The Dhammapada is a celebrated collection of verses on Buddhist ethics, mental discipline and wisdom preserved within the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Pali Canon.
Q167. In which Veda are learned women such as Ghosha, Apala and Visvavara associated with hymns?
[RRB NTPC, 2025]
A. Rigveda
B. Samaveda
C. Yajurveda
D. Atharvaveda
Answer: A. Rigveda
Explanation: Several hymns of the Rigveda are traditionally associated with women seers, including Ghosha, Apala, Lopamudra and Visvavara, indicating female participation in Vedic intellectual traditions.
Q166. Which Buddhist text prominently expresses the doctrine that conditioned things are impermanent and all dhammas are without a permanent self?
[RRB NTPC, 2025]
A. Dhammapada
B. Arthashastra
C. Manusmriti
D. Kalpa Sutra
Answer: A. Dhammapada
Explanation: Verses in the Dhammapada summarise core Buddhist principles including impermanence, suffering and non-self, presenting moral and philosophical teachings in memorable poetic form.
Q165. Which of the following is a famous Sanskrit drama by Kalidasa?
[RRB NTPC, 2025]
A. Abhijnanashakuntalam
B. Mudrarakshasa
C. Mrichchhakatika
D. Uttararamacharita
Answer: A. Abhijnanashakuntalam
Explanation: Abhijnanashakuntalam narrates the story of Dushyanta and Shakuntala and is Kalidasa’s internationally celebrated dramatic adaptation of a Mahabharata episode.
Q164. Who wrote the Sanskrit-Bengali historical poem Ramacharita?
[UPSC NDA, 2025]
A. Sandhyakara Nandi
B. Bilhana
C. Kalhana
D. Jayadeva
Answer: A. Sandhyakara Nandi
Explanation: Sandhyakara Nandi’s Ramacharita uses double meaning to narrate both the Ramayana story and events involving the Pala ruler Ramapala.
Q163. The Prayaga Prashasti is also commonly known as the:
[SSC CGL, 2025]
A. Allahabad Pillar Inscription
B. Aihole Inscription
C. Mehrauli Inscription
D. Junagadh Inscription
Answer: A. Allahabad Pillar Inscription
Explanation: The Prayaga Prashasti is engraved on the ancient pillar at Prayagraj and was composed by Harisena to celebrate the achievements of Samudragupta.
Q162. Who was the celebrated court poet and biographer of Harshavardhana?
[SSC CGL, 2025]
A. Dandin
B. Banabhatta
C. Bharavi
D. Magha
Answer: B. Banabhatta
Explanation: Banabhatta served Harsha and wrote Harshacharita and the prose romance Kadambari, becoming one of the foremost prose stylists of Sanskrit literature.
Q161. Which literary figure is traditionally counted among the Navaratnas of Vikramaditya and associated with Mantrashastra?
[SSC CGL, 2025]
A. Vetala Bhatta
B. Varahamihira
C. Kalidasa
D. Amarasimha
Answer: A. Vetala Bhatta
Explanation: Traditional Navaratna lists associate Vetala Bhatta with specialised learning including Mantrashastra, although such court lists belong largely to later literary tradition.
Q160. In which language did Kalhana compose Rajatarangini?
[SSC MTS, 2024]
A. Pali
B. Sanskrit
C. Prakrit
D. Kashmiri
Answer: B. Sanskrit
Explanation: Kalhana wrote Rajatarangini in Sanskrit verse. The work traces Kashmir’s kings through eight Tarangas and combines traditions, inscriptions, records and historical recollections.
Q159. Who authored the Jain work Brihatkathakosha?
[SSC MTS, 2024]
A. Harisena
B. Hemachandra
C. Bhadrabahu
D. Gunadhya
Answer: A. Harisena
Explanation: Brihatkathakosha is a collection of Jain narrative stories composed by Harisena, distinct from Gunadhya’s earlier and largely lost Brihatkatha.
Q158. Which ancient/early-medieval scholar is renowned for giving a systematic historical account of Kashmir?
[SSC MTS, 2024]
A. Bilhana
B. Kalhana
C. Banabhatta
D. Dandin
Answer: B. Kalhana
Explanation: Kalhana’s Rajatarangini stands apart for its chronological approach, critical comments on earlier traditions and sustained narrative of Kashmir’s dynastic history.
Q157. Sangam poets principally composed their literature in which language?
[SSC MTS, 2024]
A. Sanskrit
B. Pali
C. Tamil
D. Ardhamagadhi
Answer: C. Tamil
Explanation: Sangam literature represents the earliest extensive corpus of Tamil poetry, covering love, warfare, kingship, social groups, economic activities and the landscapes of Tamilakam.
Q156. Who was the author of Brihatkathakosha?
[SSC CHSL, 2024]
A. Harisena
B. Kalhana
C. Amarasimha
D. Bharavi
Answer: A. Harisena
Explanation: Harisena’s Brihatkathakosha preserves Jain didactic narratives and should not be confused with the Brihatkatha, traditionally attributed to Gunadhya.
Q155. Which of the following dramas was NOT written by Harshavardhana?
[SSC CGL, 2024]
A. Ratnavali
B. Priyadarshika
C. Nagananda
D. Vikramorvashiyam
Answer: D. Vikramorvashiyam
Explanation: Harsha is traditionally credited with Ratnavali, Priyadarshika and Nagananda. Vikramorvashiyam, narrating Pururavas and Urvashi, is a drama by Kalidasa.
Q154. In the Tamil epic tradition, Manimekalai was the daughter of:
[SSC CGL, 2024]
A. Kovalan and Kannagi
B. Kovalan and Madhavi
C. Nedunjeliyan and Madhavi
D. Senguttuvan and Kannagi
Answer: B. Kovalan and Madhavi
Explanation: Manimekalai, the Buddhist Tamil epic attributed to Sattanar, centres on the daughter of Kovalan and the courtesan Madhavi introduced in Silappadikaram.
Q153. Ravikirti, composer of the famous Aihole inscription, was the court poet of:
[SSC CGL, 2024]
A. Pulakeshin II
B. Harshavardhana
C. Narasimhavarman I
D. Vikramaditya II
Answer: A. Pulakeshin II
Explanation: Ravikirti composed the Sanskrit Aihole Prashasti celebrating Chalukya king Pulakeshin II. It is also notable for mentioning famous poets Kalidasa and Bharavi.
Q152. Who traditionally presided over the First Buddhist Council at Rajagriha?
[WBCS Prelims, 2024]
A. Ananda
B. Mahakassapa
C. Upali
D. Moggaliputta Tissa
Answer: B. Mahakassapa
Explanation: Buddhist tradition states that Mahakassapa presided over the First Council after Buddha’s death, where Ananda recited teachings and Upali recited monastic discipline.
Q151. In Sangam literature, the term ‘Muvendar’ refers to:
[SSC CGL, 2024]
A. Three assemblies of poets
B. Chera, Chola and Pandya rulers
C. Three Tamil epics
D. Three categories of merchants
Answer: B. Chera, Chola and Pandya rulers
Explanation: Muvendar, meaning the three crowned kings, collectively denotes the Chera, Chola and Pandya dynasties repeatedly celebrated in classical Tamil Sangam poetry.
Q150. Who wrote Kumarasambhavam?
[WBCS Prelims, 2023]
A. Kalidasa
B. Bharavi
C. Bhavabhuti
D. Magha
Answer: A. Kalidasa
Explanation: Kalidasa’s Kumarasambhavam is a Sanskrit mahakavya describing the birth of Kumara or Kartikeya, particularly the union of Shiva and Parvati.
Q149. Who authored the Sanskrit play Mrichchhakatika?
[UPPSC APS, 2023]
A. Shudraka
B. Kalidasa
C. Bhasa
D. Vishakhadatta
Answer: A. Shudraka
Explanation: Mrichchhakatika, or The Little Clay Cart, is traditionally attributed to Shudraka and depicts romance, urban society, politics and social diversity.
Q148. Who is the celebrated commentator associated with the Manusmriti commentary called Manvarthamuktavali?
[UPPSC APS, 2023]
A. Kulluka Bhatta
B. Medhatithi
C. Vijnaneshvara
D. Jimutavahana
Answer: A. Kulluka Bhatta
Explanation: Kulluka Bhatta’s influential commentary helped shape later readings of the Manusmriti, one of the major Dharmashastra texts of the Sanskrit tradition.
Q147. Kumarasambhava was composed by which Sanskrit poet?
[UPPSC Medical Officer, 2023]
A. Kalidasa
B. Banabhatta
C. Bharavi
D. Dandin
Answer: A. Kalidasa
Explanation: The poem celebrates the birth of Kartikeya and is admired for Kalidasa’s descriptions of nature, love, asceticism and the Shiva-Parvati narrative.
Q146. Milindapanha records a philosophical dialogue between King Milinda and which Buddhist monk?
[UPPCS Prelims, 2023]
A. Nagasena
B. Vasumitra
C. Upali
D. Ashvaghosha
Answer: A. Nagasena
Explanation: Milindapanha presents questions posed by Indo-Greek king Menander, or Milinda, and responses by monk Nagasena on Buddhist philosophy, identity and rebirth.
Q145. The Charaka Samhita is traditionally organised into how many sections and chapters?
[UPPCS Prelims, 2023]
A. 6 sections and 100 chapters
B. 8 sections and 120 chapters
C. 10 sections and 108 chapters
D. 12 sections and 150 chapters
Answer: B. 8 sections and 120 chapters
Explanation: The received Charaka Samhita is divided into eight Sthanas and traditionally 120 chapters, covering diagnosis, therapeutics, physiology and principles of Ayurveda.
Q144. Mrichchhakatika is traditionally attributed to:
[UPSC NDA-I, 2023]
A. Shudraka
B. Harsha
C. Bhasa
D. Bhavabhuti
Answer: A. Shudraka
Explanation: The ten-act Sanskrit drama combines the love story of Charudatta and Vasantasena with political intrigue, providing vivid representations of ancient urban society.
Q143. Arrange these works/traditions chronologically according to the exam key: 1. Charaka Samhita 2. Natyashastra 3. Sangam literature 4. Ashtadhyayi.
[UPSC NDA-II, 2023]
A. 4-3-1-2
B. 3-4-2-1
C. 4-1-3-2
D. 1-4-2-3
Answer: A. 4-3-1-2
Explanation: The keyed sequence places Panini earliest, followed by early Sangam compositions, the Charaka tradition and the developed form of Bharata’s Natyashastra. Exact datings remain debated.
Q142. Who wrote Mrichchhakatika?
[SSC CGL, 2023]
A. Shudraka
B. Kalidasa
C. Harsha
D. Vishakhadatta
Answer: A. Shudraka
Explanation: Shudraka is the traditional author of this celebrated Sanskrit social drama featuring Charudatta and Vasantasena and a wide spectrum of urban characters.
Q141. The famous ‘Battle of Ten Kings’ or Dasharajna is described in which ancient text?
[WBCS Mains, 2023]
A. Atharvaveda
B. Rigveda
C. Ramayana
D. Mahabharata
Answer: B. Rigveda
Explanation: The Battle of Ten Kings is described in the seventh Mandala of the Rigveda and centres on King Sudas and a confederacy of rival tribes.
Q140. Which of the following are Jain texts: 1. Nettipakarana 2. Parishishtaparvan 3. Avadanashataka 4. Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 2022]
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 4 only
C. 1, 3 and 4
D. 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B. 2 and 4 only
Explanation: Parishishtaparvan by Hemachandra and Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana belong to Jain literature, whereas Nettipakarana and Avadanashataka are Buddhist works.
Q139. The Arabic work Kalila wa Dimna ultimately derives from which Indian collection of animal fables?
[UPSC NDA-II, 2022]
A. Hitopadesha
B. Panchatantra
C. Kathasaritsagara
D. Jataka
Answer: B. Panchatantra
Explanation: The Panchatantra travelled through Middle Persian and Arabic translations, notably Kalila wa Dimna, becoming one of India’s most internationally transmitted literary works.
Q138. Kautilya’s Arthashastra primarily deals with:
[UPSC NDA-I, 2022]
A. Dramaturgy
B. Statecraft and administration
C. Medicine
D. Grammar
Answer: B. Statecraft and administration
Explanation: The Arthashastra examines governance, taxation, diplomacy, intelligence, military policy, law and economic administration, making it a major treatise on ancient Indian polity.
Q137. Which of the following is NOT regarded as a work of Ashvaghosha?
[UPSC CDS-II, 2022]
A. Buddhacharita
B. Saundarananda
C. Shariputraprakarana
D. Manjushrimulakalpa
Answer: D. Manjushrimulakalpa
Explanation: Ashvaghosha is associated with Buddhacharita and Saundarananda. Manjushrimulakalpa is a Buddhist ritual and doctrinal work not attributed to him.
Q136. Which Indian epic is generally considered the longest epic poem in world literature?
[RRB Group D, 2022]
A. Ramayana
B. Mahabharata
C. Raghuvamsha
D. Buddhacharita
Answer: B. Mahabharata
Explanation: The Mahabharata, traditionally attributed to Vyasa, contains roughly 100,000 verses and incorporates narrative, philosophical, religious, legal and didactic material.
Q135. Who wrote the Sanskrit drama Ratnavali?
[RRB NTPC Stage-II, 2022]
A. Harshavardhana
B. Kalidasa
C. Bhavabhuti
D. Shudraka
Answer: A. Harshavardhana
Explanation: Harsha is traditionally credited with three Sanskrit dramas—Ratnavali, Priyadarshika and Nagananda—reflecting the flourishing literary culture of his court.
Q134. Which work was NOT composed by Kalidasa?
[RRB NTPC Stage-II, 2022]
A. Meghaduta
B. Raghuvamsha
C. Kumarasambhava
D. Nitisara
Answer: D. Nitisara
Explanation: Nitisara is associated with Kamandaka. Kalidasa’s famous works include Meghaduta, Raghuvamsha, Kumarasambhava and several celebrated dramas.
Q133. Meghaduta was originally composed in which language?
[RRB NTPC Stage-II, 2022]
A. Tamil
B. Sanskrit
C. Prakrit
D. Pali
Answer: B. Sanskrit
Explanation: Kalidasa’s lyrical Meghaduta is a Sanskrit messenger poem in which an exiled Yaksha asks a cloud to carry a message to his beloved.
Q132. Kalidasa’s Vikramorvashiyam tells the love story of:
[RRB NTPC Stage-II, 2022]
A. Dushyanta and Shakuntala
B. Pururavas and Urvashi
C. Charudatta and Vasantasena
D. Rama and Sita
Answer: B. Pururavas and Urvashi
Explanation: Vikramorvashiyam dramatises the ancient legend of mortal king Pururavas and celestial nymph Urvashi, a story with roots in Vedic literature.
Q131. Nagananda is traditionally attributed to which ruler-author?
[RRB NTPC Stage-II, 2022]
A. Harshavardhana
B. Bhoja
C. Chandragupta II
D. Mahendravarman I
Answer: A. Harshavardhana
Explanation: Nagananda is one of three dramas associated with Harsha and notably combines Brahmanical and Buddhist themes in the story of Jimutavahana.
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.
Q120. Who wrote Svapnavasavadattam?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Bhasa
B. Kalidasa
C. Shudraka
D. Bhavabhuti
Answer: A. Bhasa
Explanation: Svapnavasavadattam is one of the best-known plays attributed to Bhasa and revolves around King Udayana, Queen Vasavadatta and political strategy.
Q119. Mrichchhakatika was written by:
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Shudraka
B. Harsha
C. Kalidasa
D. Vishakhadatta
Answer: A. Shudraka
Explanation: The Sanskrit drama attributed to Shudraka depicts the relationship between impoverished Brahmana Charudatta and courtesan Vasantasena against a lively urban and political background.
Q118. Aryabhata composed Aryabhatiya primarily in which language?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Sanskrit
B. Pali
C. Prakrit
D. Tamil
Answer: A. Sanskrit
Explanation: Aryabhatiya is a concise Sanskrit mathematical-astronomical treatise covering arithmetic, algebraic ideas, geometry, time calculation and astronomical models.
Q117. Who composed the Ashtadhyayi?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Panini
B. Patanjali
C. Katyayana
D. Yaska
Answer: A. Panini
Explanation: Panini’s grammatical system profoundly influenced Indian linguistic scholarship and is admired for its formal structure, economy and sophisticated use of metarules.
Q116. Panini is best remembered as an ancient Indian:
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Physician
B. Grammarian
C. Dramatist
D. Astronomer
Answer: B. Grammarian
Explanation: Panini systematised Sanskrit through the Ashtadhyayi, making him one of history’s most influential grammarians and a foundational figure in India’s linguistic tradition.
Q115. Sushruta Samhita is principally associated with:
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Grammar
B. Medicine and surgery
C. Astronomy
D. Drama
Answer: B. Medicine and surgery
Explanation: The Sushruta Samhita is a foundational Ayurvedic text especially noted for surgical procedures, anatomy, instruments, wound treatment and descriptions of reconstructive surgery.
Q114. What was an early traditional name of the Mahabharata?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Jaya
B. Bharati
C. Purana
D. Itivritta
Answer: A. Jaya
Explanation: Tradition describes the epic’s textual development from Jaya to Bharata and finally the much larger Mahabharata, conventionally attributed to Vyasa.
Q113. Who wrote Dashakumaracharita?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Dandin
B. Banabhatta
C. Subandhu
D. Bharavi
Answer: A. Dandin
Explanation: Dandin’s Sanskrit prose romance Dashakumaracharita recounts adventures of ten princes and is celebrated for its sophisticated narrative technique and ornate prose.
Q112. What was the name of the son of Dushyanta and Shakuntala in the Shakuntala tradition?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Bharata
B. Pururavas
C. Agnimitra
D. Udayana
Answer: A. Bharata
Explanation: Bharata, son of Dushyanta and Shakuntala, becomes a great king in the tradition represented in the Mahabharata and Kalidasa’s Abhijnanashakuntalam.
Q111. Who wrote the Sanskrit epic Buddhacharita?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Ashvaghosha
B. Nagarjuna
C. Vasumitra
D. Nagasena
Answer: A. Ashvaghosha
Explanation: Ashvaghosha’s Buddhacharita presents a poetic biography of Gautama Buddha and is an important early example of Buddhist Sanskrit literary composition.
Q110. Who authored Harshacharita?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Banabhatta
B. Harisena
C. Kalhana
D. Dandin
Answer: A. Banabhatta
Explanation: Banabhatta was a court writer of Harsha. His Harshacharita blends biography and ornate prose while providing significant information about seventh-century India.
Q109. The Panchatantra is traditionally attributed to:
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Vishnu Sharma
B. Narayana Pandit
C. Gunadhya
D. Somadeva
Answer: A. Vishnu Sharma
Explanation: Vishnu Sharma is traditionally credited with the Panchatantra, a collection of interconnected animal fables designed to teach political wisdom and practical conduct.
Q108. Who is traditionally regarded as the author of the Natyashastra?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Bharata Muni
B. Kalidasa
C. Bhasa
D. Patanjali
Answer: A. Bharata Muni
Explanation: Bharata’s Natyashastra is the foundational Indian treatise on dramaturgy, acting, music, dance, stagecraft and aesthetic theory, including the influential concept of rasa.
Q107. Who composed Brihat Samhita?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Varahamihira
B. Aryabhata
C. Brahmagupta
D. Bhaskara I
Answer: A. Varahamihira
Explanation: Varahamihira’s encyclopaedic Brihat Samhita discusses astronomy, astrology, architecture, weather, omens, gems, water sources and numerous aspects of contemporary knowledge.
Q106. Who was Harshavardhana’s famous court poet?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Banabhatta
B. Kalidasa
C. Ravikirti
D. Harisena
Answer: A. Banabhatta
Explanation: Banabhatta flourished at Harsha’s court and wrote Harshacharita and Kadambari, two landmark works of ornate Sanskrit prose literature.
Q105. Who was the author of the Greek account Indica?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Megasthenes
B. Arrian
C. Pliny
D. Strabo
Answer: A. Megasthenes
Explanation: Megasthenes wrote Indica from observations and reports concerning Mauryan India. The original is lost but fragments survive in later Greco-Roman authors.
Q104. The Mauryan officials called Adhyakshas are described in detail by which author?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Kautilya
B. Kalidasa
C. Banabhatta
D. Patanjali
Answer: A. Kautilya
Explanation: The Arthashastra describes numerous superintendents or Adhyakshas responsible for mines, commerce, agriculture, weights, customs and other branches of state administration.
Q103. Which ancient Indian mathematician wrote the Aryabhatiya?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Aryabhata
B. Brahmagupta
C. Varahamihira
D. Bhaskaracharya
Answer: A. Aryabhata
Explanation: Aryabhata composed Aryabhatiya in 499 CE, presenting mathematical rules and astronomical ideas including methods for calculation and an explanation of apparent stellar motion.
Q102. Which astronomer is traditionally listed among the Navaratnas of Chandragupta II?
[RRB NTPC, 2021]
A. Varahamihira
B. Aryabhata
C. Brahmagupta
D. Bhaskara II
Answer: A. Varahamihira
Explanation: Later tradition counts Varahamihira among Vikramaditya’s nine gems. He became celebrated for astronomical and encyclopaedic works including Panchasiddhantika and Brihat Samhita.
Q101. Who composed the Prakrit historical poem Gaudavaho?
[Jharkhand PCS, 2021]
A. Vakpati
B. Bana
C. Bhavabhuti
D. Dandin
Answer: A. Vakpati
Explanation: Vakpati’s Gaudavaho celebrates the exploits of Yashovarman of Kannauj and is an important example of historical court poetry composed in Prakrit.
Q100. Who wrote Mrichchhakatika?
[RRB NTPC, 2020]
A. Shudraka
B. Kalidasa
C. Bhasa
D. Harsha
Answer: A. Shudraka
Explanation: Shudraka’s Mrichchhakatika is unusual among Sanskrit plays for its broad social setting, complex urban plot and characters drawn from several social groups.
Q99. Who composed Gita Govinda?
[RRB NTPC, 2020]
A. Jayadeva
B. Kalidasa
C. Bharavi
D. Bilhana
Answer: A. Jayadeva
Explanation: Jayadeva’s lyrical Sanskrit Gita Govinda celebrates Krishna and Radha through devotional poetry and strongly influenced Indian music, dance, painting and Vaishnava traditions.
Q98. Which of the following was written by Kalidasa?
[RPF Constable, 2019]
A. Malavikagnimitram
B. Mudrarakshasa
C. Mrichchhakatika
D. Nagananda
Answer: A. Malavikagnimitram
Explanation: Malavikagnimitram is Kalidasa’s drama about King Agnimitra and Malavika and contains useful literary references to the later Shunga period.
Q97. Who wrote Abhijnanashakuntalam?
[RPF SI, 2019]
A. Kalidasa
B. Bhasa
C. Shudraka
D. Bharavi
Answer: A. Kalidasa
Explanation: Kalidasa adapted the Shakuntala episode into a refined Sanskrit drama famous for its poetic imagery, recognition motif and treatment of love and separation.
Q96. Stories dealing with Buddha’s previous births are called:
[RPF Constable, 2019]
A. Jatakas
B. Vedas
C. Agamas
D. Prashastis
Answer: A. Jatakas
Explanation: Jataka narratives use stories of Buddha’s earlier existences to illustrate Buddhist virtues and became influential across South and Southeast Asian literary and artistic traditions.
Q95. Raghuvamsha was written by:
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Kalidasa
B. Bharavi
C. Magha
D. Banabhatta
Answer: A. Kalidasa
Explanation: Raghuvamsha is Kalidasa’s Sanskrit mahakavya tracing the lineage of Raghu, including Rama, and is celebrated for its polished classical poetic style.
Q94. Which epic has sometimes been traditionally referred to as the ‘Fifth Veda’?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Mahabharata
B. Raghuvamsha
C. Kumarasambhava
D. Buddhacharita
Answer: A. Mahabharata
Explanation: The Mahabharata acquired immense religious and cultural authority and has been popularly described as a Fifth Veda because of its comprehensive ethical and philosophical content.
Q93. Mrichchhakatika was composed by:
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Shudraka
B. Bhasa
C. Kalidasa
D. Bhavabhuti
Answer: A. Shudraka
Explanation: This Sanskrit drama attributed to Shudraka is known for its realistic urban setting, romance, humour and political subplot involving a change of ruler.
Q92. Who authored Ashtadhyayi?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Panini
B. Patanjali
C. Katyayana
D. Bharata
Answer: A. Panini
Explanation: Panini formulated a highly sophisticated system of Sanskrit grammar in eight chapters, establishing rules that became authoritative for later grammatical scholarship.
Q91. Kamban’s famous Tamil literary work is a version of which epic?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Ramayana
B. Mahabharata
C. Silappadikaram
D. Manimekalai
Answer: A. Ramayana
Explanation: Kamban composed the Tamil Ramavataram, popularly known as Kamba Ramayanam, creating one of the most influential regional retellings of the Rama story.
Q90. Silappadikaram and Manimekalai were composed in which language?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Sanskrit
B. Tamil
C. Pali
D. Prakrit
Answer: B. Tamil
Explanation: Both are major Tamil epics. Silappadikaram is traditionally attributed to Ilango Adigal, while the Buddhist Manimekalai is attributed to Sattanar.
Q89. Who wrote the Sanskrit political drama Mudrarakshasa?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Vishakhadatta
B. Shudraka
C. Kalidasa
D. Bhasa
Answer: A. Vishakhadatta
Explanation: Mudrarakshasa depicts Chanakya’s political manoeuvres to secure Chandragupta Maurya’s rule and win over Rakshasa, minister of the former Nanda regime.
Q88. The Panchatantra is traditionally attributed to:
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Vishnu Sharma
B. Somadeva
C. Bana
D. Dandin
Answer: A. Vishnu Sharma
Explanation: The interconnected fables of the Panchatantra were intended to teach niti—practical wisdom, diplomacy and political conduct—through entertaining animal narratives.
Q87. The Natyashastra was traditionally written by:
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Bharata Muni
B. Kalidasa
C. Patanjali
D. Panini
Answer: A. Bharata Muni
Explanation: The Natyashastra systematically discusses theatre, acting, dance, music, stage design and aesthetic experience and became foundational to Indian performing arts.
Q86. Which work was composed by Kalhana?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Rajatarangini
B. Harshacharita
C. Kadambari
D. Kiratarjuniya
Answer: A. Rajatarangini
Explanation: Kalhana’s Rajatarangini, ‘River of Kings’, presents Kashmir’s dynastic history in eight books and exhibits an unusually historical outlook for its literary genre.
Q85. Who wrote the biography Harshacharita?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Banabhatta
B. Kalhana
C. Dandin
D. Bharavi
Answer: A. Banabhatta
Explanation: Banabhatta’s ornate Sanskrit biography remains a major literary source for Harsha’s family, political circumstances, court culture and seventh-century social life.
Q84. Information about Harshavardhana’s administration is obtained from which literary work by Banabhatta?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Harshacharita
B. Kadambari
C. Rajatarangini
D. Nitisara
Answer: A. Harshacharita
Explanation: Although highly literary and eulogistic, Harshacharita provides valuable evidence on political institutions, settlements, elite culture and social conditions under Harsha.
Q83. The famous lexicon Amarakosha was composed in which language?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Sanskrit
B. Prakrit
C. Tamil
D. Pali
Answer: A. Sanskrit
Explanation: Amarakosha, traditionally attributed to Amarasimha, is an influential Sanskrit thesaurus arranged in verse to facilitate memorisation by students and scholars.
Q82. Who served as the celebrated court poet of Harshavardhana?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Banabhatta
B. Harisena
C. Ravikirti
D. Kalidasa
Answer: A. Banabhatta
Explanation: Banabhatta’s association with Harsha produced Harshacharita, while his Kadambari became one of the most famous prose romances in classical Sanskrit.
Q81. The Chinese pilgrim I-Tsing is said to have studied Sanskrit for several years at which eastern Indian port?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Tamralipti
B. Bharuch
C. Sopara
D. Kaveripattinam
Answer: A. Tamralipti
Explanation: I-Tsing reached the major eastern port of Tamralipti, where he studied Sanskrit before proceeding to major Buddhist centres including Nalanda.
Q80. Which of the following literary works was NOT composed in Sanskrit?
[RRB NTPC, 2017]
A. Tirukkural
B. Meghaduta
C. Raghuvamsha
D. Kumarasambhava
Answer: A. Tirukkural
Explanation: The Tirukkural is a classical Tamil text attributed to Thiruvalluvar, whereas the other three listed works belong to the classical Sanskrit literary tradition.
Q79. Bhaskaravarman, mentioned by Banabhatta in Harshacharita, belonged to which ruling house?
[UPSC CDS-II, 2017]
A. Varman dynasty of Kamarupa
B. Maukhari dynasty
C. Pushyabhuti dynasty
D. Maitraka dynasty
Answer: A. Varman dynasty of Kamarupa
Explanation: Bhaskaravarman ruled Kamarupa in Assam and maintained friendly relations with Harsha. Banabhatta’s narrative refers to diplomatic exchanges between their courts.
Q78. Which Sanskrit work contains a love story involving the son of the founder of the Shunga dynasty?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 2016]
A. Malavikagnimitram
B. Swapnavasavadattam
C. Ratnavali
D. Mrichchhakatika
Answer: A. Malavikagnimitram
Explanation: Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitram centres on Agnimitra, son of Shunga founder Pushyamitra, and Malavika while also containing references to Shunga political events.
Q77. Kautilya’s Arthashastra is principally a treatise on:
[UPSC NDA, 2016]
A. Statecraft
B. Grammar
C. Medicine
D. Poetics
Answer: A. Statecraft
Explanation: Its extensive discussions encompass government, taxation, diplomacy, espionage, warfare, courts, agriculture, commerce and state-controlled economic activities.
Q76. Which author–work pair is correctly matched?
[Karnataka PSC, 2016]
A. Bharavi–Kiratarjuniya
B. Harsha–Nagananda
C. Kalidasa–Malavikagnimitram
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: Bharavi wrote Kiratarjuniya, Harsha is credited with Nagananda, and Malavikagnimitram is one of Kalidasa’s three surviving Sanskrit dramas.
Q75. Which Sanskrit works draw their central themes from the Mahabharata: 1. Naishadhiyacharita 2. Kiratarjuniya 3. Shishupalavadha 4. Dashakumaracharita?
[RPSC/RAS Prelims, 2016]
A. 1, 2 and 3
B. 1 and 4
C. 2 and 4
D. All four
Answer: A. 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: The first three mahakavyas use epic-associated themes or characters, whereas Dandin’s Dashakumaracharita is a prose adventure narrative about ten princes.
Q74. Sushruta is popularly known as the:
[RRB NTPC, 2016]
A. Father of Indian Surgery
B. Father of Sanskrit Grammar
C. Father of Astronomy
D. Father of Indian Drama
Answer: A. Father of Indian Surgery
Explanation: The Sushruta Samhita describes surgical instruments, operations, anatomy and wound care, leading to Sushruta’s traditional reputation as a pioneer of surgery.
Q73. Who is traditionally regarded as the author of the Panchatantra?
[RRB NTPC, 2016]
A. Vishnu Sharma
B. Bana
C. Kalhana
D. Shudraka
Answer: A. Vishnu Sharma
Explanation: Vishnu Sharma supposedly composed the instructional fables to educate princes in practical wisdom, statecraft and human behaviour through memorable interconnected stories.
Q72. Panchasiddhantika was written by:
[RRB NTPC, 2016]
A. Varahamihira
B. Aryabhata
C. Brahmagupta
D. Bhaskara II
Answer: A. Varahamihira
Explanation: The work summarises five astronomical systems and is particularly valuable for preserving information about earlier Indian and Greco-Roman astronomical traditions.
Q71. Who compiled/composed the Tirukkural?
[RRB NTPC, 2016]
A. Thiruvalluvar
B. Ilango Adigal
C. Sattanar
D. Kamban
Answer: A. Thiruvalluvar
Explanation: Thiruvalluvar’s 1,330 concise couplets are grouped under virtue, wealth and love, giving the Tirukkural enduring ethical and literary significance.
Q70. Charaka Samhita belongs to which branch of traditional Indian knowledge?
[RRB NTPC, 2016]
A. Ayurveda
B. Astronomy
C. Dramaturgy
D. Grammar
Answer: A. Ayurveda
Explanation: The Charaka Samhita is a foundational Ayurvedic medical text particularly concerned with internal medicine, diagnosis, therapeutics, physiology, diet and medical ethics.
Q69. Rajatarangini principally narrates the history of:
[RRB NTPC, 2016]
A. Kashmir
B. Magadha
C. Kalinga
D. Tamilakam
Answer: A. Kashmir
Explanation: Kalhana constructed a continuous narrative of Kashmir’s rulers using earlier chronicles, inscriptions, coins, legends and other sources available to him.
Q68. Manusmriti was originally composed in:
[RRB NTPC, 2016]
A. Sanskrit
B. Pali
C. Tamil
D. Persian
Answer: A. Sanskrit
Explanation: Manusmriti or Manava Dharmashastra is a Sanskrit Dharmashastra dealing with social duties, law, conduct, kingship and norms of the varna-ashrama order.
Q67. Which of the following was a celebrated ancient Indian mathematician?
[RRB NTPC, 2016]
A. Bhaskara
B. Bana
C. Bharata
D. Bhavabhuti
Answer: A. Bhaskara
Explanation: The name Bhaskara is associated with major Indian mathematician-astronomers, most famously Bhaskara II, author of Lilavati, Bijaganita and Siddhanta Shiromani.
Q66. Which famous Indian mathematical work is associated with Bhaskaracharya?
[RRB NTPC, 2016]
A. Lilavati
B. Natyashastra
C. Arthashastra
D. Nirukta
Answer: A. Lilavati
Explanation: Lilavati forms the arithmetic section of Bhaskara II’s Siddhanta Shiromani and discusses arithmetic, geometry, mensuration and mathematical problems in verse.
Q65. Who produced a well-known English translation of Manusmriti in the nineteenth century?
[RRB NTPC, 2016]
A. George Bühler
B. William Jones
C. Max Müller
D. James Prinsep
Answer: A. George Bühler
Explanation: Georg Bühler translated the Laws of Manu for the Sacred Books of the East series, contributing significantly to modern scholarly study of Dharmashastra literature.
Q64. The expression ‘Tamaso ma Jyotirgamaya’ belongs to which broad category of Vedic literature?
[Chhattisgarh PSC, 2016]
A. Upanishads
B. Puranas
C. Smritis
D. Vedangas
Answer: A. Upanishads
Explanation: The celebrated prayer occurs in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and asks to be led from untruth to truth, darkness to light and mortality to immortality.
Q63. The story of Satyakama Jabala occurs in which Upanishad?
[RPSC/RAS, 2016]
A. Chandogya Upanishad
B. Kena Upanishad
C. Isha Upanishad
D. Mundaka Upanishad
Answer: A. Chandogya Upanishad
Explanation: Satyakama Jabala’s story in the Chandogya Upanishad emphasises truthfulness and spiritual worth and is frequently discussed in relation to Vedic social ideas.
Q62. The title ‘Shvetashvatara’ literally conveys the idea of:
[Chhattisgarh PSC, 2016]
A. White horse
B. Sacred fire
C. Great forest
D. Supreme knowledge
Answer: A. White horse
Explanation: The name Shvetashvatara is conventionally interpreted from Sanskrit components meaning ‘white’ and ‘horse’; the Upanishad contains significant theistic and philosophical speculation.
Q61. Who wrote the modern archaeological-historical study The Roots of Ancient India?
[UPPCS Prelims, 2016]
A. Walter A. Fairservis
B. D. D. Kosambi
C. R. S. Sharma
D. A. L. Basham
Answer: A. Walter A. Fairservis
Explanation: Archaeologist Walter A. Fairservis authored The Roots of Ancient India, a modern scholarly work examining archaeological evidence for early Indian civilisation and cultural development.
Q60. Into how many Tarangas is Kalhana’s Rajatarangini divided?
[UPPCS Mains, 2015]
A. Six
B. Eight
C. Ten
D. Twelve
Answer: B. Eight
Explanation: Rajatarangini consists of eight Tarangas, literally ‘waves’, narrating Kashmir’s dynasties from legendary antiquity to approximately Kalhana’s own twelfth-century period.
Q59. Which author–work pair is incorrectly matched?
[UPPCS Re-Examination, 2015]
A. Life of Xuanzang–Hui-li
B. Natural History–Ptolemy
C. Histories–Herodotus
D. Historiae Philippicae–Pompeius Trogus
Answer: B. Natural History–Ptolemy
Explanation: Natural History was written by Pliny the Elder. Ptolemy is instead renowned for geographical and astronomical works, including the Geographia and Almagest.
Q58. According to Kautilya’s Saptanga theory in the Arthashastra, which is the seventh constituent of the state?
[UPPCS Prelims Re-Exam, 2015]
A. Janapada
B. Danda
C. Mitra
D. Kosha
Answer: C. Mitra
Explanation: Kautilya’s seven limbs are Swamin, Amatya, Janapada, Durga, Kosha, Danda and Mitra, representing the ruler, administration, territory, fortifications, treasury, force and allies.
Q57. Varahamihira’s Panchasiddhantika reflects the influence of which astronomical tradition among those emphasised in the examination?
[UPPSC Kanoongo, 2014]
A. Greek astronomy
B. Chinese astronomy
C. Mayan astronomy
D. Babylonian literature alone
Answer: A. Greek astronomy
Explanation: Some systems summarised by Varahamihira preserve clear Greco-Roman astronomical influence, illustrating intellectual interaction between Indian and western astronomical traditions.
Q56. Which combination consists entirely of plays attributed to Harshavardhana?
[UPPSC RO/ARO, 2014]
A. Ratnavali, Nagananda and Priyadarshika
B. Ratnavali, Meghaduta and Nagananda
C. Priyadarshika, Mudrarakshasa and Ratnavali
D. Nagananda, Kadambari and Raghuvamsha
Answer: A. Ratnavali, Nagananda and Priyadarshika
Explanation: These three Sanskrit dramas are traditionally credited to Harsha. Meghaduta is Kalidasa’s, Mudrarakshasa Vishakhadatta’s and Kadambari Banabhatta’s.
Q55. Who wrote Indica, describing aspects of Mauryan India?
[RRB JE, 2014]
A. Megasthenes
B. Ptolemy
C. Pliny
D. Arrian
Answer: A. Megasthenes
Explanation: Megasthenes visited the Mauryan court as a Seleucid ambassador. His observations, though preserved only in fragments, remain important evidence for Mauryan society.
Q54. Tolkappiyam is primarily a work on:
[UPPSC Kanoongo, 2014]
A. Tamil grammar and poetics
B. Medicine
C. Astronomy
D. Statecraft
Answer: A. Tamil grammar and poetics
Explanation: Tolkappiyam is the oldest extant Tamil grammatical work and also discusses phonology, morphology, poetics, social conventions and classifications employed in classical Tamil literature.
Q53. Who composed Gaudavaho?
[UPPSC Kanoongo, 2014]
A. Vakpati
B. Bana
C. Magha
D. Bharavi
Answer: A. Vakpati
Explanation: Vakpati wrote the Prakrit poem Gaudavaho, celebrating Yashovarman of Kannauj. It combines royal praise with conventions of historical court poetry.
Q52. The Panchatantra is traditionally attributed to whom?
[MPPSC Prelims, 2013]
A. Vishnu Sharma
B. Somadeva
C. Kalhana
D. Narayana
Answer: A. Vishnu Sharma
Explanation: The Panchatantra is a didactic collection of animal fables intended to communicate practical wisdom and political understanding through layered narrative stories.
Q51. Which classical Tamil work has sometimes been described as a ‘Laghu Veda’ because of its ethical authority?
[UPPSC RO/ARO Mains, 2013]
A. Tirukkural
B. Silappadikaram
C. Manimekalai
D. Tolkappiyam
Answer: A. Tirukkural
Explanation: The Tirukkural contains concise universal ethical teachings concerning virtue, material prosperity and love, earning exceptional authority within Tamil literary culture.
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.
Q40. Which of the following works were associated with the Gupta/classical Sanskrit age: Amarakosha, Kamasutra, Meghaduta and Mudrarakshasa?
[UPPCS Mains, 2009]
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1, 3 and 4 only
D. All four
Answer: D. All four
Explanation: These works are conventionally placed within or around the broad Gupta-classical literary milieu and represent lexicography, erotics, poetry and political drama respectively.
Q39. Who composed Dashakumaracharita?
[UP Lower Subordinate, 2008]
A. Dandin
B. Bana
C. Subandhu
D. Bharavi
Answer: A. Dandin
Explanation: Dandin’s prose romance follows the adventures of ten princes and is renowned for its complex narrative construction, humour and sophisticated Sanskrit prose.
Q38. Ashvaghosha, author of Buddhacharita, is traditionally associated with the reign of:
[UPPCS Mains, 2008]
A. Kanishka
B. Ashoka
C. Harsha
D. Samudragupta
Answer: A. Kanishka
Explanation: Buddhist tradition connects Ashvaghosha with Kushana emperor Kanishka. His literary works helped establish polished Sanskrit as an important medium for Buddhist expression.
Q37. Who among the following was NOT traditionally associated with Kanishka’s court?
[UP Lower Subordinate, 2008]
A. Ashvaghosha
B. Vasumitra
C. Nagarjuna
D. Patanjali
Answer: D. Patanjali
Explanation: Patanjali, author of the Mahabhashya, lived considerably earlier than Kanishka, while later traditions associate Ashvaghosha, Vasumitra and Nagarjuna with the Kushana milieu.
Q36. Aryabhata was principally famous as an Indian:
[Uttarakhand UDA/LDA, 2007]
A. Mathematician and astronomer
B. Dramatist
C. Grammarian
D. Physician
Answer: A. Mathematician and astronomer
Explanation: Aryabhata’s Aryabhatiya made major contributions to mathematical computation and astronomy, including trigonometric methods and explanations of celestial phenomena.
Q35. Who wrote Gita Govinda?
[Uttarakhand UDA/LDA, 2007]
A. Jayadeva
B. Bilhana
C. Kalhana
D. Bhavabhuti
Answer: A. Jayadeva
Explanation: Jayadeva’s lyrical poem portrays the love of Radha and Krishna and profoundly shaped later devotional literature, music, dance and visual arts.
Q34. Manusmriti primarily deals with:
[UPPCS Prelims, 2007]
A. Social and legal norms
B. Astronomy
C. Drama
D. Medicine
Answer: A. Social and legal norms
Explanation: As a Dharmashastra, Manusmriti discusses duties, social relationships, kingship, judicial matters, inheritance, penances and the idealised varna-ashrama social order.
Q33. Which author–work pair is incorrectly matched?
[UPPCS Mains, 2006]
A. Kalidasa–Raghuvamsha
B. Bhasa–Svapnavasavadatta
C. Subandhu–Kadambari
D. Harsha–Ratnavali
Answer: C. Subandhu–Kadambari
Explanation: Kadambari was composed chiefly by Banabhatta and completed by his son Bhushanabhatta. Subandhu is associated with the Sanskrit prose romance Vasavadatta.
Q32. Sanskrit writer Dandin is traditionally connected with the court of which dynasty?
[UP UDA/LDA Special, 2006]
A. Pallava
B. Gupta
C. Kushana
D. Maurya
Answer: A. Pallava
Explanation: Dandin is generally associated with the Pallava cultural milieu and is known for Dashakumaracharita and the important literary-critical treatise Kavyadarsha.
Q31. Which ruler is credited with the encyclopaedic Sanskrit work Manasollasa?
[UP UDA/LDA Special, 2006]
A. Someshvara III
B. Bhoja
C. Harsha
D. Rajaraja I
Answer: A. Someshvara III
Explanation: Western Chalukya king Someshvara III’s Manasollasa covers governance, music, food, sports, painting, courtly culture and numerous branches of practical knowledge.
Q30. Who composed Dashakumaracharita?
[UPPCS Mains, 2005]
A. Dandin
B. Kalidasa
C. Bana
D. Bharavi
Answer: A. Dandin
Explanation: The work is a Sanskrit prose narrative about ten princes whose adventures provide lively descriptions of society, politics, cities and human behaviour.
Q29. Mudrarakshasa was written by:
[BPSC, 2005]
A. Vishakhadatta
B. Bhasa
C. Shudraka
D. Kalidasa
Answer: A. Vishakhadatta
Explanation: Vishakhadatta’s political drama focuses on Chanakya’s efforts to consolidate Chandragupta Maurya’s power and recruit the capable Nanda minister Rakshasa.
Q28. Which of the following is NOT a work of Kalidasa?
[MPPSC, 2005]
A. Raghuvamsha
B. Meghaduta
C. Janaki Harana
D. Kumarasambhava
Answer: C. Janaki Harana
Explanation: Janaki Harana is traditionally attributed to Kumaradasa. Kalidasa’s accepted works include Raghuvamsha, Kumarasambhava, Meghaduta and three surviving dramas.
Q27. Which is NOT regarded as a masterpiece of Kalidasa?
[Chhattisgarh PSC, 2005]
A. Abhijnanashakuntalam
B. Meghaduta
C. Mrichchhakatika
D. Raghuvamsha
Answer: C. Mrichchhakatika
Explanation: Mrichchhakatika is traditionally attributed to Shudraka. The remaining works listed are among the most celebrated compositions of the Sanskrit poet Kalidasa.
Q26. Who among the following was NOT traditionally associated with Kanishka’s court?
[UPPCS Mains, 2005]
A. Ashvaghosha
B. Vasumitra
C. Vishakhadatta
D. Nagarjuna
Answer: C. Vishakhadatta
Explanation: Vishakhadatta is best known for Mudrarakshasa and belongs to a considerably later literary context than the scholars conventionally associated with Kushana emperor Kanishka.
Q25. Who was regarded in ancient Indian tradition as the great lawgiver associated with a major Dharmashastra?
[UPPCS Mains, 2004]
A. Manu
B. Panini
C. Bharata
D. Charaka
Answer: A. Manu
Explanation: Manu is the traditional authority behind Manusmriti or Manava Dharmashastra, an influential Sanskrit work concerning dharma, law, social duties and kingship.
Q24. The Tripitaka is a collection of the teachings associated with:
[UP Lower Subordinate, 2004]
A. Buddhism
B. Jainism
C. Ajivikas
D. Vedic ritualism
Answer: A. Buddhism
Explanation: The Buddhist Tripitaka consists of Vinaya, Sutta and Abhidhamma collections, covering monastic discipline, discourses and systematic analysis of Buddhist teachings.
Q23. Which category of Vedic literature particularly explores philosophical questions concerning knowledge and liberation?
[UPPCS Mains, 2003]
A. Upanishads
B. Brahmanas only
C. Sutras on ritual only
D. Vedangas
Answer: A. Upanishads
Explanation: The Upanishads shift emphasis towards philosophical inquiry into Brahman, Atman, knowledge, karma and liberation and therefore form the concluding philosophical layer of Vedic literature.
Q22. Match the court writers with rulers: Kalidasa–Chandragupta II; Harisena–Samudragupta; Banabhatta–Harsha. Which statement is correct?
[UP UDA/LDA, 2002]
A. Only first
B. First and second
C. Second and third
D. All three
Answer: D. All three
Explanation: Traditional historical associations connect Kalidasa with Chandragupta II, Harisena directly with Samudragupta’s Prashasti, and Banabhatta securely with Harshavardhana’s court.
Q21. Who wrote Kumarasambhava?
[BPSC, 2001]
A. Kalidasa
B. Bharavi
C. Magha
D. Bhavabhuti
Answer: A. Kalidasa
Explanation: Kalidasa’s epic poem centres on Shiva, Parvati and the birth of Kumara or Kartikeya, combining mythology with celebrated descriptions of nature and emotion.
Q20. Who was the author of Abhijnanashakuntalam?
[MPPSC, 2000]
A. Kalidasa
B. Bhasa
C. Shudraka
D. Harsha
Answer: A. Kalidasa
Explanation: Kalidasa transformed the Mahabharata’s Shakuntala narrative into one of Sanskrit drama’s greatest works, centred on love, separation and eventual recognition.
Q19. Who continued the historical narrative of Kashmir after Kalhana’s Rajatarangini?
[UPPCS Prelims, 2000]
A. Jonaraja and Srivara
B. Bana and Dandin
C. Bilhana and Bharavi
D. Somadeva and Kshemendra
Answer: A. Jonaraja and Srivara
Explanation: Later Kashmir chroniclers, notably Jonaraja and Srivara, continued the Rajatarangini tradition, extending the narrative beyond the period covered by Kalhana.
Q18. Nagananda, Ratnavali and Priyadarshika are traditionally attributed to:
[RPSC/RAS, 1999]
A. Harshavardhana
B. Kalidasa
C. Bhasa
D. Rajasekhara
Answer: A. Harshavardhana
Explanation: These three Sanskrit dramas are traditionally credited to seventh-century ruler Harsha, illustrating the close relationship between royal courts and literary production.
Q17. Who wrote Svapnavasavadatta?
[BPSC, 1999]
A. Bhasa
B. Shudraka
C. Kalidasa
D. Bhavabhuti
Answer: A. Bhasa
Explanation: Bhasa’s drama about King Udayana and Vasavadatta is considered one of the finest surviving works attributed to this early Sanskrit playwright.
Q16. Jayadeva, author of Gita Govinda, is traditionally associated with the court of:
[UPPCS, 1999]
A. Lakshmana Sena
B. Harshavardhana
C. Bhoja
D. Chandragupta II
Answer: A. Lakshmana Sena
Explanation: Literary tradition links Jayadeva with Bengal’s Sena ruler Lakshmana Sena, whose court became associated with distinguished Sanskrit poets and scholars.
Q15. The Buddha’s teaching of the Noble Eightfold Path is classically associated with which discourse?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 1998]
A. Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
B. Mahaparinibbana Sutta
C. Satipatthana Sutta
D. Tevijja Sutta
Answer: A. Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
Explanation: The discourse traditionally represents Buddha’s first sermon at Sarnath and explains the Middle Way, Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path.
Q14. Who is the principal king and hero of Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitram?
[UPPCS Prelims, 1998]
A. Agnimitra
B. Pushyamitra
C. Dushyanta
D. Udayana
Answer: A. Agnimitra
Explanation: The play centres on Shunga prince-king Agnimitra and his love for Malavika, while also preserving literary references to the Shunga political setting.
Q13. Milindapanha records a dialogue between King Menander and:
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 1997]
A. Nagasena
B. Ashvaghosha
C. Nagarjuna
D. Vasumitra
Answer: A. Nagasena
Explanation: The dialogue explores Buddhist doctrines through logical questions posed by Indo-Greek ruler Menander and explanations offered by the monk Nagasena.
Q12. Milindapanha is primarily preserved in which language?
[UPPCS, 1996]
A. Pali
B. Sanskrit
C. Tamil
D. Persian
Answer: A. Pali
Explanation: The surviving canonical version of Milindapanha is in Pali and is especially significant for its lucid philosophical dialogue and analogies explaining Buddhist doctrines.
Q11. Match the scholars with their fields: Vishakhadatta–Drama; Varahamihira–Astronomy; Charaka–Medicine; Brahmagupta–Mathematics. Which are correctly matched?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 1996]
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1, 2 and 4 only
D. All four
Answer: D. All four
Explanation: Vishakhadatta was a dramatist; Varahamihira an astronomer; Charaka is associated with medicine; and Brahmagupta made major contributions to mathematics and astronomy.
Q10. In classical Sanskrit dramas of the Gupta and related period, women and lower-status characters commonly spoke:
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 1995]
A. Prakrit
B. Sanskrit exclusively
C. Pali exclusively
D. Tamil
Answer: A. Prakrit
Explanation: Sanskrit dramaturgical convention often assigned Sanskrit to elite male characters while women and many other characters spoke particular Prakrit varieties, reflecting literary rather than simple everyday usage.
Q9. Who is conventionally called the ‘Father of History’ in the Western classical tradition?
[RPSC/RAS, 1994]
A. Herodotus
B. Thucydides
C. Megasthenes
D. Strabo
Answer: A. Herodotus
Explanation: Herodotus’ Histories systematically narrates the Greco-Persian conflicts while incorporating ethnographic accounts, earning him the traditional designation ‘Father of History’.
Q8. India’s national motto ‘Satyameva Jayate’ is taken from which Upanishad?
[MPPSC, 1994]
A. Mundaka Upanishad
B. Kena Upanishad
C. Isha Upanishad
D. Katha Upanishad
Answer: A. Mundaka Upanishad
Explanation: ‘Satyameva Jayate’—Truth alone triumphs—comes from the Mundaka Upanishad and was adopted beneath the State Emblem of India.
Q7. Charaka Samhita is principally a work on:
[MPPSC, 1993]
A. Medicine
B. Grammar
C. Astronomy
D. Statecraft
Answer: A. Medicine
Explanation: The Charaka Samhita is one of Ayurveda’s foundational texts and focuses particularly on internal medicine, diagnosis, treatment, diet, physiology and medical ethics.
Q6. Which ancient Indian work is encyclopaedic in character and covers subjects ranging from astronomy to architecture and meteorology?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 1993]
A. Brihat Samhita
B. Meghaduta
C. Ashtadhyayi
D. Mrichchhakatika
Answer: A. Brihat Samhita
Explanation: Varahamihira’s Brihat Samhita surveys an exceptionally wide range of knowledge, including astronomy, astrology, rainfall, architecture, gems, omens and groundwater.
Q5. Which set of author–work pairs is correctly matched?
[UPPCS, 1992]
A. Panini–Ashtadhyayi; Vatsyayana–Kamasutra; Chanakya–Arthashastra; Kalhana–Rajatarangini
B. Panini–Rajatarangini; Vatsyayana–Arthashastra; Chanakya–Kamasutra; Kalhana–Ashtadhyayi
C. Panini–Kamasutra; Vatsyayana–Ashtadhyayi; Chanakya–Rajatarangini; Kalhana–Arthashastra
D. None of these
Answer: A. Panini–Ashtadhyayi; Vatsyayana–Kamasutra; Chanakya–Arthashastra; Kalhana–Rajatarangini
Explanation: These four pairings connect foundational works respectively with Sanskrit grammar, erotic-social theory, statecraft and the historical chronicle of Kashmir.
Q4. The teaching ‘Your right is to action alone, never to its fruits’ is found in:
[UPPCS, 1992]
A. Bhagavad Gita
B. Rigveda
C. Dhammapada
D. Arthashastra
Answer: A. Bhagavad Gita
Explanation: The statement expresses the Gita’s doctrine of Nishkama Karma—performing one’s prescribed action without attachment to personal gain or the fruits of action.
Q3. Which ancient Indian collection became exceptionally famous for being translated into numerous Indian and foreign languages?
[RPSC/RAS, 1992]
A. Panchatantra
B. Natyashastra
C. Arthashastra
D. Raghuvamsha
Answer: A. Panchatantra
Explanation: The Panchatantra travelled through Persian, Arabic and European translations, making its animal fables one of India’s most widely disseminated literary traditions.
Q2. Who wrote Saundarananda?
[MPPSC, 1991]
A. Ashvaghosha
B. Nagarjuna
C. Vasumitra
D. Nagasena
Answer: A. Ashvaghosha
Explanation: Ashvaghosha’s Sanskrit poem Saundarananda narrates the spiritual transformation of Buddha’s half-brother Nanda and combines polished poetry with Buddhist religious instruction.
Q1. Kalidasa is traditionally believed to have flourished during the reign of which Gupta ruler?
[MPPSC, 1990]
A. Chandragupta II
B. Samudragupta
C. Skandagupta
D. Kumaragupta II
Answer: A. Chandragupta II
Explanation: Literary tradition associates Kalidasa with Chandragupta II Vikramaditya and the classical Gupta cultural milieu, although firm contemporary evidence for his exact chronology remains limited.