UPSC Indian Art and Culture – Chapter 14: Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit Literature (26 MCQs)

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UPSC Indian Art and Culture – Chapter 14: Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit Literature (26 MCQs) – 26 questions, subject: History. Every question has the correct answer with a one-line explanation; tap "Show Answer". Free practice for TNPSC, UPSC, SSC, Bank and RRB exams – Shanmugam IAS Academy, Coimbatore.

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1.  

India's national motto "Satyameva Jayate" is taken from the:

Correct Answer: C [Mundaka Upanishad]

Explanation:

The words 'Satyameva Jayate' (Truth alone triumphs) come from mantra 3.1.6 of the Mundaka Upanishad.

2.  

Which of the following is not a Vedanga?

Correct Answer: D [Itihasa]

Explanation:

Itihasa denotes the epics; the six Vedangas are Shiksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chhanda and Jyotisha.

3.  

The Ashtadhyayi was written by:

Correct Answer: B [Panini]

Explanation:

Panini composed the Ashtadhyayi, the foundational grammar of Sanskrit, around the 5th–4th century BCE.

4.  

Svapnavasavadatta is a play by:

Correct Answer: C [Bhasa]

Explanation:

Svapnavasavadatta is Bhasa's play, one of the dramas rediscovered in Kerala in the early 20th century.

5.  

The Mricchakatika ("The Little Clay Cart") was written by:

Correct Answer: A [Shudraka]

Explanation:

Shudraka's Mricchakatika portrays city life and the courtesan Vasantasena.

6.  

Nagananda, Ratnavali and Priyadarshika were written by:

Correct Answer: D [Harsha]

Explanation:

Harsha, king of Kannauj, wrote the plays Nagananda, Ratnavali and Priyadarshika.

7.  

The Uttararamacharita was written by:

Correct Answer: C [Bhavabhuti]

Explanation:

Bhavabhuti, the 8th-century playwright, wrote Uttararamacharita along with Malatimadhava and Mahaviracharita.

8.  

The Rajatarangini, a history of Kashmir, was written by:

Correct Answer: A [Kalhana]

Explanation:

Kalhana completed the Rajatarangini, the verse history of the kings of Kashmir, in 1148–49 CE.

9.  

The Gita Govinda was written by:

Correct Answer: B [Jayadeva]

Explanation:

Jayadeva composed the Sanskrit Gita Govinda on Radha and Krishna in the 12th century.

10.  

Consider the following statements:

1. The Jatakas are stories of the former births of the Buddha.
2. The Visuddhimagga was written by Buddhaghosa.
3. The Kalpasutra is a Buddhist text.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: B [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

The Jatakas tell the Buddha's former births and Buddhaghosa wrote the Visuddhimagga, but the Kalpasutra is Jain.

11.  

Assertion (A): Kalhana's Rajatarangini is regarded as an early work of history writing in India.

Reason (R): Kalhana used older chronicles, inscriptions and records and tried to judge them critically.

Correct Answer: A [Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A]

Explanation:

Kalhana's critical use of earlier chronicles, inscriptions and records is exactly why the Rajatarangini counts as early history writing.

12.  

The Vikramankadevacharita is a biography of:

Correct Answer: A [the Chalukya king Vikramaditya VI]

Explanation:

Bilhana's Vikramankadevacharita celebrates the Kalyani Chalukya king Vikramaditya VI, his patron.

13.  

The Mahavamsa is a chronicle of:

Correct Answer: D [Sri Lanka]

Explanation:

The Mahavamsa, with the Dipavamsa, is the Pali chronicle of Sri Lanka.

14.  

The Jain Agamas of the Shvetambaras are written in:

Correct Answer: B [Ardhamagadhi]

Explanation:

The Shvetambara Agamas, given final form at the council of Vallabhi, are written in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit.

15.  

The Gatha Saptashati, a collection of Prakrit poems, is ascribed to:

Correct Answer: A [the Satavahana king Hala]

Explanation:

The Gatha Saptashati, an anthology of Maharashtri Prakrit verses, is ascribed to the Satavahana king Hala.

16.  

Kiratarjuniya, a mahakavya, was written by:

Correct Answer: D [Bharavi]

Explanation:

Bharavi wrote the Kiratarjuniya, the mahakavya on Arjuna's encounter with Shiva as a hunter (kirata).

17.  

Arrange the following in chronological order:

1. Gita Govinda
2. Ashtadhyayi
3. Abhijnanashakuntalam
4. Harshacharita

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: C [2-3-4-1]

Explanation:

Panini, Kalidasa, Bana, Jayadeva.

18.  

The Buddhacharita was written by:

Correct Answer: A [Ashvaghosha]

Explanation:

Ashvaghosha, the Buddhist poet of the Kushana age, wrote the Buddhacharita and the Saundarananda.

19.  

The Kathasaritsagara was compiled by:

Correct Answer: D [Somadeva of Kashmir]

Explanation:

Somadeva of Kashmir compiled the Kathasaritsagara, the 'Ocean of Streams of Stories', in the 11th century.

20.  

The Milindapanha records a dialogue between Menander and:

Correct Answer: D [Nagasena]

Explanation:

The Milindapanha is a Pali dialogue between the Indo-Greek king Menander (Milinda) and the monk Nagasena.

21.  
UPSC Prelims 2024

Sanghabhuti, an Indian Buddhist monk, who travelled to China at the end of the fourth century AD, was the author of a commentary on:

Correct Answer: C [Sarvastivada Vinaya]

Explanation:

Sanghabhuti, who reached China at the end of the 4th century, wrote a commentary on the Sarvastivada Vinaya.

22.  
UPSC Prelims 2023

With reference to ancient Indian History, consider the following pairs :

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?

Correct Answer: B [Only two]

Explanation:

pairs 2 and 4; Devichandragupta is by Vishakhadatta, and Milinda-panha records Nagasena's dialogue.

23.  
UPSC Prelims 2022

With reference to Indian history, consider the following texts :

1. Nettipakarana
2. Parishishtaparvan
3. Avadanashataka
4. Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana

Which of the above are Jaina texts ?

Correct Answer: B [2 and 4 only]

Explanation:

Nettipakarana and Avadanashataka are Buddhist.

24.  
UPSC Prelims 2021

With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous

Correct Answer: B [playwrights]

Explanation:

Bhavabhuti (Uttararamacharita), Hastimalla (Jain dramas) and Kshemeshvara (Chandakaushika) were all Sanskrit playwrights.

25.  
UPSC Prelims 2016

Which one of the following books of ancient India has the love story of the son of the founder of Sunga dynasty?

Correct Answer: B [Malavikagnimitra]

Explanation:

Agnimitra, son of Pushyamitra Shunga.

26.  
UPSC Prelims 2014

The national motto of India, 'Satyameva Jayate' inscribed below the Emblem of India is taken from

Correct Answer: D [Mundaka Upanishad]

Explanation:

The motto under the State Emblem, Satyameva Jayate, is taken from the Mundaka Upanishad.

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