Skip to main content

Books and Authors Quiz

Vasantsena by artist Raja Ravi Varm / Image Credit


Q.1. Whose drama Mṛcchakatika did film personality Shashi Kapoor adapt for the Hindi film Utsav?

(A) Sudraka

(B) Bhavabhuti

(C) Vishakhadatta 

(D) Mahendravarman I

Q.2. The writer of the Brihatkatha was

(A) Dattamitra

(B) Gudadhya

(C) Bhadrabahu

(D) Sarvavarman

Q.3. Which Prakrit work by Vakpati centres on exploits of Kannauj ruler Yashovarman?

(A) Gaudavaho

(B) Setubandha or Ravanavaho

(C) Harivijaya 

(D) Gathasaptashati

Q.4. Who wrote Kalpasutra? 

(A) Simuka

(B) Panini

(C) Bhadrabahu

(D) Patanjali

Q.5. Which of these books was not written by Bhavabhuti?

(A) Mahaviracharita (Deeds of a Great Hero)

(B) Malatimadhava

(C) Kiratarjuniya (Arjuna and the Kirata )

(D) Uttararamacarita (The Later Deeds of Rama)

Q. 6. From which Upanishad are the words 'Satyameva Jayate', adopted by Indian Republic as its National Emblem, taken?

(A) Aitareya Upanishad

(B) Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

(C) Chandogya Upanishad

(D) Mandukya Upanishad


Answers

1. A

Mricchakatika (The Little Clay Cart) is ascribed to Śūdraka,  Utsav is a 1984 Hindi erotic drama film, produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Girish Karnad. The film is based on play Mrichakatika by Śūdraka.

Mrichakatika  tells a story of the love of a poor Brahman Charudatta for a wealthy and virtuous courtesan Vasantasena.

2. B

Gunadhya's Brihatkatha is written in the Paishachi language. Gunadhya was a scholar in the court of Satvahana King Hala. 

3. A

Gaudavaho, ascribed to 8th century poet Vakpat.  details the exploits of Yashovarman who had established an empire at Kanyakubj which for a while controlled much of the North India. Vakpati was the court poet of Yasovarman. 

In this work the poet has described the slaying of the king of Bengal by Yashovarman.

4. C

The Kalpa Sūtra is a Jain scripture containing the biographies of the Tirthankaras, notably Parshvanatha and Mahavira. Kalpasutra was written by Bhadrabahu who was spiritual teacher of Chandragupta Maurya. 

5. C

Kiratarjuniya is an epic poem written by Bhāravi, written in Sanskrit

6. D 

The words "Satyameva Jayate" are taken from the Mundaka Upanishad, which is a part of the Atharva Veda. This ancient Sanskrit text means "Truth Alone Triumphs," which was adopted as the national motto of India on January 26, 1950, and is inscribed below the National Emblem of India. 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Muhammad Shah Rangila

Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal emperor, died in 1707. Muhammad Shah became Mughal emperor in 1719. During the interregnum, Bahadur Shah I , Jahandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, Rafi-ud-Darajat and Rafi-ud-Daula ascended the Mughal throne. Jahandar Shah was murdered on the orders of Farrukhsiyar who had the support of the two powerful Mughal nobles Sayyid Abdullah and his brother Sayyid Husain Ali at that time. They are famous in history as Sayyid brothers, the King-makers. In 1719, Farrukhsiyar were murdered in utter disregard of a Mughal emperor by Sayyid brothers. Rafi-ud-Darajat died of consumption in a few months. Rafi-ud-Daula was addicted to opium and died in 4 months. Sayyid brothers now chose Raushan Akhtar, a son of Jahan Shah (the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I), to be the emperor. Raushan Akhtar ascended the throne under the title of Muhamamd Shah in September 1719. In the beginning Muhammad Shah was a puppet in the hands of Sayyid brothers who soon began to lose their gri...
1 comment
Read more

Turkan-i-Chahalgani, the Group of Forty

Amir-i-Chahalgani, known variously as Turkan-i-Chahalgani and Chalisa (The Forty), was a group of 40 faithful slaves which came into existence with the task of protecting Shamsuddin Iltutmish , the third Slave Sultan of Delhi Sultanate. The idea to form the group was taken by him when he came to realize that Turkish nobles cannot be trusted and could be a threat to his rule. With the passage of time the group went on to become very influential and powerful. Though Iltutmish succeeded in keeping the group under control, after his rule they became notorious and intrigued against nearly all his successors.  The Forty acquired domination on the affairs of the state so much so that no ruler could defy them. Without their support it was utterly out of questions for the rulers to win the battle for succession. The members of this Turkish nobility used to appropriate all the offices of the state to themselves. Some of the rulers of the Slave dynasty after Iltutmish were murdered by these s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sanskrit Books and Authors in Ancient India

  Books Authors Abhigyan Shakuntalam (Recognition of Shakuntala) Kalidasa Aihole Prasasti Ravikirti Amarakosha   Amarasimha   Arthashastra Kautilya Ashtadhyayi   Panini Bhattikavya Bhatti Brihat Samhita   Varahamihira Buddhacharita   Asvaghosa   Charaka Samhita ( Compendium of Charaka ) Charaka Devichandraguptam   Vishakhadatta Gita Govinda  ( Song of the Cowherd) Jayadeva Gatha Saptashati Hala Lilavati   Bhaskara II   Hammira Mahakavya   Nayachandra Suri Janakiharana   ( Janaki's abduction) Kumaradasa   Kama Sutra Vatsyayana ...
Post a Comment
Read more