Ancient & Classical — Set 1

Correct Answer: A. Kalidasa

• **Kalidasa** = He is the renowned author of the ancient Sanskrit play 'Abhijnanashakuntalam', a masterpiece telling the story of King Dushyanta and Shakuntala. • **Gupta period** — His works generally date back to this era, and he is often considered the greatest poet and dramatist of the Sanskrit language. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Bhasa: known for plays like 'Swapnavasavadattam'; Shudraka: author of 'Mricchakatika'; Vishakhadatta: wrote 'Mudrarakshasa'.

Correct Answer: C. Chanakya

• **Chanakya** = Also known as Kautilya or Vishnugupta, he wrote the ancient political treatise 'Arthashastra', a comprehensive manual on statecraft and economic policy. • **First Maurya emperor** — He was a strategic advisor to Chandragupta Maurya, providing detailed insights into ancient Indian administration and law. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Ashoka: a Maurya emperor, not the author; Chandragupta Maurya: the first Maurya emperor, advised by Chanakya; Megasthenes: authored 'Indica', describing Mauryan India.

Correct Answer: A. Hiuen Tsang

• **Hiuen Tsang** = Also known as Xuanzang, he wrote the book 'Si-Yu-Ki' describing his extensive journey to India, which serves as a vital source for understanding the social and religious conditions of that era. • **7th century** — He visited India during the reign of King Harshavardhana and spent several years studying at the ancient Nalanda University. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Fa-Hien: an earlier Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who visited India; Itsing: another Chinese Buddhist monk who visited India after Hiuen Tsang; Sun Tzu: ancient Chinese military strategist, author of 'The Art of War'.

Correct Answer: C. Megasthenes

• **Megasthenes** = He was a Greek ambassador sent by Seleucus Nicator to the court of Chandragupta Maurya and authored 'Indica', which provides a detailed account of Mauryan India. • **First foreign account** — Although the original book is lost, fragments survive and it describes the administrative system of Pataliputra. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Selucus: the Greek general who sent Megasthenes to India; Alexander: the Macedonian king who invaded India before the Mauryan Empire; Ptolemy: a Greek geographer known for his work 'Geographia'.

Correct Answer: C. Kalhana

• **Kalhana** = He composed 'Rajatarangini', a historical chronicle of the kings of Kashmir, which is one of the earliest systematic historical accounts in India. • **12th century** — This work was composed in this century, and its title literally translates to 'The River of Kings'. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Bilhana: a Kashmiri poet known for 'Vikramankadevacharita'; Jonaraja: continued Kalhana's work in his own 'Dvitiya Rajatarangini'; Hemachandra: a Jain scholar and polymath.

Correct Answer: A. Ashvaghosha

• **Ashvaghosha** = He was a prominent Buddhist philosopher and poet who authored the 'Buddha Charita', an epic biography of Gautama Buddha, considered a masterpiece of Sanskrit Kavya literature. • **Fourth Buddhist Council** — He played a key role in this council, which was held under Kanishka during the Kushan period. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Vasumitra: presided over the Fourth Buddhist Council; Nagarjuna: a highly influential Buddhist philosopher, founder of the Madhyamaka school; Amoghavarsha: a Rashtrakuta emperor, also a noted poet.

Correct Answer: C. Aryabhata

• **Aryabhata** = He authored the mathematical and astronomical work 'Aryabhatiya', which covers advanced concepts in arithmetic, algebra, and trigonometry. • **5th century** — He authored this text in this century, and was the first to propose that the Earth rotates on its own axis. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Varahamihira: another great Indian astronomer and astrologer; Brahmagupta: a mathematician and astronomer who wrote 'Brahmasphutasiddhanta'; Bhaskara I: a 7th-century Indian mathematician who wrote commentaries on Aryabhata's works.

Correct Answer: D. Charaka

• **Charaka** = He is considered a principal contributor to Ayurveda and specialized in internal medicine, authoring the ancient medical text 'Charaka Samhita', a foundational text of traditional Indian medicine. • **Holistic approach** — His Samhita emphasizes this approach to health through diet and lifestyle. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Sushruta: known for his work 'Sushruta Samhita' focusing on surgery; Dhanvantari: the Hindu god of medicine; Vagbhata: another important author of Ayurvedic texts like 'Ashtanga Hrudayam'.

Correct Answer: A. Shudraka

• **Shudraka** = He is the playwright of the famous 10-act Sanskrit drama 'Mricchakatika' (The Little Clay Cart), unique for focusing on the lives of common people rather than royalty or gods. • **10-act drama** — This play is a renowned drama set in the ancient city of Ujjain, revolving around the love between a poor merchant and a courtesan. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Bhavabhuti: a great Sanskrit dramatist known for 'Malatimadhava'; Kalidasa: authored 'Abhijnanashakuntalam' among others; Harsha: the king Harshavardhana, who wrote plays like 'Ratnavali'.

Correct Answer: A. Vishnu Sharma

• **Vishnu Sharma** = He is credited with compiling 'Panchatantra', a collection of ancient animal fables used to educate young princes in political wisdom. • **Most widely translated** — It is one of the most widely translated non-religious books in the world, using talking animals to convey moral and social lessons. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Narayan Pandit: authored 'Hitopadesha', another collection of fables; Somadeva: wrote 'Kathasaritsagara', a large collection of Indian legends and folk tales; Gunadhya: ancient Indian author of 'Brihatkatha' in Paishachi Prakrit.