Ancient Literature – Old Year Questions and Answers

By IASbook Team September 12, 2023 Ancient History 0 Comments

1. Greek History

Herodotus = ‘Father of History’
Wrote Historica (India-Persia relations, 5th Cen. BCE)

2. Sanskrit Plays

Mudrarakshasa by Vishakhadatta
- Story of Chandragupta & Kautilya overthrowing Nandas
Svapnavasavadattam by Bhasa
Mrichchakatika by Shudraka
Devi-Chandragupta by Vishakhadatta
Malavikagnimitram by Kalidasa
- Love story of King Agnimitra (Sunga dynasty)

3. Gupta Era Literature (Golden Age of Sanskrit)

Amarakosha by Amara Simha (Lexicon)
Kamasutra by Vatsyayana
Meghaduta by Kalidasa (Poem)
Mudrarakshasa by Vishakhadatta (Play)
Abhijnanashakuntalam by Kalidasa (Play)

4. Kalidasa’s Works

Plays: Abhijnanashakuntalam, Vikramorvashiyam, Malavikagnimitram
Epics: Raghuvamsa, Kumarasambhava
Poem: Meghaduta
❌ NOT by Kalidasa: Janaki Haranama (by Kumaradasa), Mrichchakatika (by Shudraka)

5. Key Authors & Their Texts

Panini: Ashtadhyayi (Grammar)
Vatsyayana: Kamasutra
Chanakya: Arthashastra (Statecraft)
Kalhana: Rajatarangini (History of Kashmir)
- 8 Tarangas (chapters)
- Continued by Jonaraja & Srivara
- Written during King Jai Singh’s reign
Banabhatta: Harshacharita (Biography of Harsha), Kadambari
- Court poet of Harshavardhana
Harshavardhana: Nagananda, Ratnavali, Priyadarshika (Plays)
Ashvaghosha: Buddhacharita, Saundarananda (story of Nanda, the Buddha’s half-brother)
Bhavabhuti: Uttararamacharita, Malatimadhava
Jayadeva: Geet Govind (Sanskrit poem)
- Court poet of King Lakshmana Sen (Bengal)
Bhasa: Svapnavasavadattam
Dandin (Dandi): Dashkumarcharitam
Vakpati: Gaudavaho (History of Yasovarman)

6. Philosophical Systems

Charvaka (Lokayata): Materialist school. Accepts only Perception (Pratyaksha) as valid proof.
Nyaya Philosophy: Founded by Gautama. Focus on logic & epistemology.

7. Scientific Texts

Charaka: Charaka Samhita (Medicine)
Sushruta: Sushruta Samhita (Surgery)
Varahamihira: Brihat Samhita (Encyclopedic), Panchasiddhantika (Astronomy, based on Greek knowledge)
Aryabhatta: Aryabhatiya (Maths/Astronomy). Invented decimal place value.
Bhaskaracharya II: Lilavati (Mathematics, Algebra)
Brahmagupta: Mathematician, first to define zero as a number.
An anonymous Indian discovered the concept of Zero. The symbol “0” (a dot or circle) was used in Indian texts like the Bakhshali Manuscript.

8. Other Key Texts

Natyashastra by Bharata Muni: “Bible” of Indian classical music & performing arts.
Milindapanha: Pali text; dialogue between King Menander (Indo-Greek) & monk Nagasena.
Manusmriti by Manu: Code of Law & Social System (Hindu dharma).
Panchatantra by Vishnu Sharma: Animal fables. Translated into 15 Indian & 40 foreign languages.
Mahabharata: “What is here is found elsewhere, but what is not here is nowhere else.”
Bhagavad Gita: “You have a right to work only, never to its fruits.”

9. Misc. Facts

Veena is the most ancient Indian musical instrument.
Sangam Literature is silent on ancient trade routes.
Pliny the Elder wrote Natural History (not Ptolemy).
Mahendra Varman (Pallava ruler) wrote Mattavilasa Prahasana.
Life of Hiuen Tsang – Hui-li
Historial Philippical – Pompeius Trogus
Ashtanga-Samgraha is a medical text (Ayurveda) written by Vagbhata.
Das Rupaka refers to the ten types of plays (dramas) in Sanskrit literature.

1. The title ‘Father of History’ rightly belongs to :

(a) Herodotus
(b) Euripides
(c) Thucydides
(d) Socrates

[R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 1994]

See Answer & Explanation

2. Who of the following was the writer of Mudrarakshasa?

(a) Aswaghosha
(b) Vishakhadatta
(b) Kalidasa
(d) Bhasa

[47th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2005, U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1992]

See Answer & Explanation

3. Which of the following classical works of literature were written during the Gupta Era?
1. Amarakosha
2. Kamasutra
3. Meghaduta
4. Mudrarakshasa
Select the correct answer from the codes given below :
Code :

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2, and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2009]

See Answer & Explanation

4. ‘Bible Book’ of North Indian classical music is related to

(a) Natyashastra
(b) Sursagar
(c) Nad-Vinad
(d) Sufi nama

[U.P.B.E.O. (Pre) 2019]

See Answer & Explanation

5. Daskumar Charitam was composed by –

(a) Surdas
(b) Dandin
(c) Tulsidas
(d) Kalidas

[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2005]

See Answer & Explanation

7. ‘Kumarasambhava,’ an epic poem was composed by –

(a) Banabhatta
(b) Chanda Bardai
(c) Harishena
(d) Kalidasa

[45th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2001]

See Answer & Explanation

8. Which of the following drama was not written by Kalidas?

(a) Malavikagnimitram
(b) Abhigyan Shakuntalam
(c) Kumarasambhavam
(d) Janaki haranama

[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2005]

See Answer & Explanation

9. Match the following:-
A. Panini (1) Kamasutra
B. Vatsyayana (2) Rajatarangini
C. Chanakya (3) Ashtadhyayi
D. Kalhana (4) Arthashastra
Code :
A B C D
(a) 3 1 4 2
(b) 4 1 2 3
(c) 2 3 1 4
(d) 1 2 3 4

[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1992]

See Answer & Explanation

*11. A historical work “Gaudavaho” like Kalhana’s “Rajatarangini” was written by :

(a) Sandhyakar Nandi
(b) Vakpati
(c) Banabhatta
(d) Bilhan

[Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre.) 2021]

See Answer & Explanation

12. ‘Rajatarangini’ written by Kalhan is associated with which of the following?

(a) Chandragupta’s reign
(b) Anthology of lyrics
(c) History of Kashmir
(d) Reign of Krishna Deva Raya

[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2012]

See Answer & Explanation

14. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists :

List-I (Authors)	List-II (Works)
A. Bharavi	1. Karpuramanjari
B. Harsha	2. Kiratarjuniya
C. Kalidasa	3. Malavikagnimitram
D. Rajasekhara	4. Nagananda

Code :
A B C D
(a) 1 2 3 4
(b) 3 4 2 1
(c) 2 1 4 3
(d) 2 4 3 1

[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2006]

See Answer & Explanation

15. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the list.

List-I	List-II
A. Ragamala	1. Somanath
B. Rasa Kaumudi	2. Venkatraman
C. Raga Vibodh	3. Pundrik Vitthal
D. Chaturdandi Prakash	4. Sri Kantha

Codes :
A B C D
(a) 3 4 1 2
(b) 4 2 1 3
(c) 2 3 4 1
(d) 1 2 3 4

[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre.) 2021]

See Answer & Explanation

16. Which of the following Sanskrit works has taken up their theme from the Mahabharata?
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
(i) Naishadha Charita
(ii) Kiratarjuniya
(iii) Sisupalavadha
(iv) Dasakumaracharita
Code :
(a) (ii) and (iii)
(b) (ii), (iii) and (iv)
(c) (i) and (iii)
(d) (i), (ii) and (iii)

[R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 2016]

See Answer & Explanation

17. Match List- I with List- II and select the correct answer
List- I List- II
A. Vishakhadatta 1. Medicine
B. Varahamihira 2. Drama
C. Charaka 3. Astronomy
D. Brahmagupta 4. Mathematics
Code :
A B C D
(a) 1 3 4 2
(b) 2 1 3 4
(c) 2 3 1 4
(d) 3 4 1 2

[I.A.S. (Pre) 1996]

See Answer & Explanation

18. Who accepts only Perception?

(a) Jaina
(b) Charvaka
(c) Bauddha
(d) Samkhya

[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]

See Answer & Explanation

19. Charvaka philosophical system was also called:

(a) Lokayata system
(b) Astika system
(c) Mimansa system
(d) Vaisesika system

[Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre.) 2021]

See Answer & Explanation

20. Who is the propounder of Nyaya Philosophy?

(a) Gautam
(b) Kapil
(c) Shamkara
(d) Vallabha

[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]

See Answer & Explanation

21. Charaka Samhita is related to which of the following subject?

(a) Arthashastra
(b) Politics
(c) Medicine
(d) Religion

[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1993]

See Answer & Explanation

22. The Panchasiddhantika of Varahmihira is based upon –

(a) Persian astronomy
(b) Greek astronomy
(c) Iranian astronomy
(d) Mesopotamian astronomy

[U.P.P.S.C. (R.I.) 2014]

See Answer & Explanation

23. Which one of the following is not correctly matched?

(a) Kalidasa – Raghuvansa
(b) Bhasa – Svapna Vasavadattam
(c) Subandhu – Kadambari
(d) Harsha – Ratnavali

[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2006]

See Answer & Explanation

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

(a) Jain monks
(b) Playwrights
(c) Temple architects
(d) Philosophers

[I.A.S. (Pre.) 2021]

See Answer & Explanation

25. ‘Milindapanha’ is a –

(a) Sanskrit drama
(b) Jain chronicle
(c) Pali text
(d) Persian epic

[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1996]

See Answer & Explanation

26. Buddhist text ‘Milindapanha’ throws light on which Indo-Greek ruler?

(a) Diodorus -II
(b) Demetrius
(c) Menander
(d) Strato- I

[Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2012]

See Answer & Explanation

27. Milindapanha is in the form of a dialogue between king Menander and Buddhist monk :

(a) Nagarjuna
(b) Nagabhatta
(c) Nagasena
(d) Kumarilabhatta

[I.A.S. (Pre) 1997]

See Answer & Explanation

28. Name the source that is silent about the trade routes of ancient India

(a) Sangam Sahitya
(b) Milindpanha
(c) Jataka Tales
(d) All of the above

[39th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1994]

See Answer & Explanation

29. Match List- I with List- II and select the correct answer from the code given below the lists :
List- I List- II
(Court Poet) (King)
A. Amir Khusrau 1. Chandra Gupta II-
B. Kalidasa 2. Samudra Gupta-
C. Harisena 3. Harshavardhana
D. Banabhatta 4. Alauddin Khilji
Code :
A B C D
(a) 1 2 3 4
(b) 4 1 2 3
(c) 4 3 2 1
(d) 2 4 1 3

[U.P.U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2002]

See Answer & Explanation

30. The contemporary ruler of Kalhana, the author of Rajatarangini was –

(a) Jai Singh
(b) Harsha
(c) Govind Chandra
(d) Jayachandra

[U.P.P.S.C. (GIC) 2010]

See Answer & Explanation

32. Who among the following continued the Rajtarangini of Kalhana:

(a) Bilhana and Merutunga
(b) Bilhana and Mammata
(c) Jonaraja and Merutunga
(d) Jonaraja and Srivara

[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2000]

See Answer & Explanation

33. Saundarananda was the composition of:

(a) Ashvaghosha
(b) Banabhatta
(c) Bhavbhuti
(d) Bhaas

[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1991]

See Answer & Explanation

34. “Nagananda”, ‘Ratnavali’ and ‘Priyadarshika’ were written by:

(a) Bana Bhatta
(b) Vishakha Datta
(c) Vatsyayan
(d) Harshavardhana

[R.A.S./R.T.S.(Pre) 1999]

See Answer & Explanation

36. Among the four works mentioned below which one is encyclopedic in nature?

(a) Amarakosha
(b) Siddhantasiromani
(c) Brihat Samhita
(d) Ashtangahidayam

[I.A.S. (Pre) 1993]

See Answer & Explanation

37. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?
1. Mricchakatika – Sudraka
2. Buddha Charita – Vasubandhu
3. Mudrarakshasa – Vishakhadatta
4. Harshacharita – Banabhatta
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
Code :
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4
(d) 2 and 3

[I.A.S. (Pre) 1998]

See Answer & Explanation

*38. Match List- I with List- II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists :
List I (Author) List II (Text)
A. Varahamihira 1. Prabandha Chintamani
B. Vishakhadatta 2. Mrichchakatikam
C. Sudraka 3. Brihat-Samhita
D. Bilhana 4. Devi-Chandragupta
5. Vikramankadevacharita
Code :
A B C D
(a) 3 4 5 2
(b) 3 4 2 5
(c) 5 3 4 1
(d) 1 3 5 2

[I.A.S. (Pre) 1997]

See Answer & Explanation

*39. Which of the following pair is not correctly matched?

(a) Karpuramanjari – Harsha
(b) Malavikagnimitram – Kalidasa
(c) Mudrarakshasa – Vishakhadatta
(d) Saundarananda – Asvaghosa

[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2012]

See Answer & Explanation

40. Who wrote ‘Shakuntalam’?

(a) Bana Bhatt
(b) Veda Vyasa
(c) Kalidasa
(d) Bhavabhuti

[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2000]

See Answer & Explanation

41. Which of the following is not a literary masterpiece of Kalidasa?

(a) Mrichchhakatikam
(b) Meghduta
(c) Ritu Sanghar
(d) Vikramorvasiyam

[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2005]

See Answer & Explanation

42. The protagonist of the Play ‘Malavikagnimitra’, written by Kalidasa is –

(a) Pushyamitra Shunga
(b) Gautamiputra Satakarni
(c) Agnimitra
(d) Chandragupta- II

[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1998]

See Answer & Explanation

44. The author of ‘Swapnavasavadatta’ is

(a) Kalidasa
(b) Bhasa
(c) Bhavabhuti
(d) Rajshekhara

[43rd B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1999]

See Answer & Explanation

45. Who is the author of ‘Geet Govind’?

(a) Jayadeva
(b) Surdasa
(c) Kesava
(d) Mira

[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1997, Uttarakhand U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2007]

See Answer & Explanation

48. Match List- I with List – II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List – I (Compositions) List – II (Subject)
A. Ashtanga – Samgraha 1. Play
B. Das rupaka 2. Grammar
C. Lilavati 3. Maths
D. Mahabhasya 4. Medical
Code :
A B C D
(a) 3 2 1 4
(b) 4 1 3 2
(c) 2 3 4 1
(d) 1 4 2 3

[U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2002]

See Answer & Explanation

49. The right is to work only, but never with its fruits. This is stated in which of the following books?

(a) Astadhyayi
(b) Mahabhasya
(c) Geeta
(d) Mahabharata

[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1992]

See Answer & Explanation

50. In which epic it was told “What is here is also found elsewhere, but if not here is found nowhere else –

(a) Ramayana
(b) Mahabharata
(c) Geeta
(d) Rajatarangini

[U.P. P.C.S. (Pre) 1992]

See Answer & Explanation

51. Which ancient Indian book has been translated into 15 (fifteen) Indian and 40 (forty) foreign languages?

(a) Hitopadesha
(b) Panchatantra
(c) Katha Saritsagar
(d) Shakuntala

[Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2010, R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 1992]

See Answer & Explanation

53. The author of ‘Vinaya-Patrika’ is

(a) Tulsidas
(b) Surdas
(c) Kabir
(d) Keshavdasa

[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]

See Answer & Explanation

54. Match List- I with List- II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List-I List-II
A. Sarva varma 1. Mitakshara
B. Sudraka 2. Rajatarangini
C. Vigneshwara 3. Mrichchakatikam
D. Kalhana 4. Katantra
Code :
A B C D
(a) 3 4 2 1
(b) 4 3 1 2
(c) 2 1 4 3
(d) 4 2 1 3