Ancient Literature – Old Year Questions and Answers
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]
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]
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]
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]
5. Daskumar Charitam was composed by –
(a) Surdas
(b) Dandin
(c) Tulsidas
(d) Kalidas
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2005]
6. Who wrote Dashkumarcharitam?
(a) Bharavi
(b) Bilhana
(c) Dandin
(d) Soma deva
[U.P. Lower Sub. (Spl) (Pre) 2008]
7. ‘Kumarasambhava,’ an epic poem was composed by –
(a) Banabhatta
(b) Chanda Bardai
(c) Harishena
(d) Kalidasa
[45th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2001]
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]
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]
10. What is the name of Kalhana’s book?
(a) Arthashastra
(b) Indica
(c) Purana
(d) Rajatarangini
[53rdto 55thB.P.S.C. (Pre) 2011]
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]
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]
13. ‘Ashtadhyayi’ was written by –
(a) Vedavyas
(b) Panini
(c) Shukadeva
(d) Valmiki
[Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2011, U.P.P.S.C. (GIC) 2010]
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]
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]
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]
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]
18. Who accepts only Perception?
(a) Jaina
(b) Charvaka
(c) Bauddha
(d) Samkhya
[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]
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]
20. Who is the propounder of Nyaya Philosophy?
(a) Gautam
(b) Kapil
(c) Shamkara
(d) Vallabha
[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]
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]
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]
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]
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]
25. ‘Milindapanha’ is a –
(a) Sanskrit drama
(b) Jain chronicle
(c) Pali text
(d) Persian epic
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1996]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
31. How many Tarangas are in Rajatarangini of Kalhana?
(a) Eight
(b) Nine
(c) Ten
(d) Eleven
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2015]
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]
33. Saundarananda was the composition of:
(a) Ashvaghosha
(b) Banabhatta
(c) Bhavbhuti
(d) Bhaas
[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1991]
34. “Nagananda”, ‘Ratnavali’ and ‘Priyadarshika’ was written by:
(a) Bana Bhatta
(b) Vishakha Datta
(c) Vatsyayan
(d) Harshavardhana
[R.A.S./R.T.S.(Pre) 1999]
35. Which of the following works were authored by Harsha?
1. Priyadarshika
2. Nagananda
3. Harshacharita
4. Ratnavali
Select your answer using the codes given below:
Code :
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 1, 2, and 3
(d) 2 and 3
[U.P.R.O./A.R.O. (Pre) 2014]
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]
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]
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]
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]
40. Who wrote ‘Shakuntalam’?
(a) Bana Bhatt
(b) Veda Vyasa
(c) Kalidasa
(d) Bhavabhuti
[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2000]
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]
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]
43. Which one of the following books of ancient India has the love story of the son of the founder of the Sunga dynasty?
(a) Swapnavasavadatta
(b) Malavikagnimitra
(c) Meghadoota
(d) Ratnavali
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2016]
44. The author of ‘Swapnavasavadatta’ is
(a) Kalidasa
(b) Bhasa
(c) Bhavabhuti
(d) Rajshekhara
[43rd B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1999]
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]
46. Whose court was embellished by ‘Jaydev,’ composer of Geet Govind?
(a) Dharmapala
(b) Devpala
(c) Vijayasen
(d) Lakshmana Sen
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1999]
47. Who composed the ‘Gita Govinda’?
(a) Dhoyin
(b) Govardhan Acharya
(c) Jayadeva
(d) Lakshmana Sena
[U.P.P.C.S (Pre) 2010]
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]
49. The right is to work only, but never with its fruits. This is stated in which of the following book?
(a) Astadhyayi
(b) Mahabhasya
(c) Geeta
(d) Mahabharata
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1992]
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]
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]
52. ‘Panchatantra’ was originally written by –
(a) Kalidasa
(b) Vishnu Sharma
(c) Tulsidas
(d) Raidas
[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]
53. The author of ‘Vinaya-Patrika’ is
(a) Tulsidas
(b) Surdas
(c) Kabir
(d) Keshavdasa
[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]
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
[U.P. Lower Sub. (Spl) (Pre) 2002, U.P. P.C.S. (Spl) (Pre) 2003]
55. Which of the following is especially known for his contribution to the field of Algebra?
(a) Aryabhatta
(b) Brahmagupta
(c) Bhaskar
(d) Lall
[U.P. P.C.S. (Pre) 2002, U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2002]
56. ‘Lilavati’ a treatise on Mathematics, was written by –
(a) Ramanuj
(b) Kautilya
(c) Amartya Sen
(d) Bhaskaracharya
[Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2010]
57. ‘Lilavati’ was written by :
(a) Mahaviracharya
(b) Hemchandracharya
(c) Bhaskaracharya
(d) Kalkacharya
[U.P.P.S.C. (GIC) 2017]
58. Aryabhatta was –
(a) Indian Politician
(b) Indian Mathematician and Astronomer
(c) Indian Sanskrit Scholar and Poet
(d) None of these
[Uttarakhand U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2007]
59. Which one of the following Indian Mathematicians invented decimal place value?
(a) Bhaskar
(b) Varahmihira
(c) Brahmagupta
(d) Aryabhatta
[U.P.P.S.C. (R.I.) 2014]
60. Who was the author of “Matta Vilasa Prahasana”?
(a) Gautamiputra Satakarni
(b) Mahakshatrap Rudradaman
(c) Mahendra Varman
(d) Pulakesin II
[U.P. U.D.A./L.D.A. (Spl) (Pre) 2010]
61. The ancient name “Nilotpala” for Mahanadi was stated in
(a) Matsya Puran
(b) Markandey Puran
(c) Brahm Puran
(d) Vayu Puran
(e) None of the above
[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2017]
62. ‘Manusmriti’ is mainly related to –
(a) Social System
(b) Law
(c) Economics
(d) Working Method of State
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2007]
63. The great lawgiver of ancient times was –
(a) Ashoka
(b) Arya Bhatta
(c) Manu
(d) Vatsyayan
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2004]
64. Who among the following is considered to be the first law-giver of India?
(a) Panini
(b) Manu
(c) Kautilya
(d) Kapil
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2008]
65. “Zero” was discovered by –
(a) Aryabhatta
(b) Varahmihira
(c) Bhaskara-I
(d) An anonymous Indian
[I.A.S. (Pre) 1995]
66. Zero was invented by –
(a) Romans
(b) Chinese
(c) Indians
(d) Sumerians
[U.P. Lower Sub. (Mains) 2015]
67. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
(a) Life of Hiuen Tsang – Hui-li
(b) The Natural History – Ptolemy
(c) Historial Philippical – Pompeius Trogus
(d) The Histories – Herodotus
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) (Re. Exam) 2015]
68. The most ancient musical instrument in the given options is–
(a) Sitar
(b) Veena
(c) Sarod
(d) Tabla
[U.P.P.S.C. (GIC) 2010]