With reference to the scholars/litterateurs of ancient India, consider the following statements : 1. Panini is associated with Pushyamitra Shunga. 2. Amarasimha is associated with Harshavardhana. 3. Kalidasa is associated with Chandra Gupta – II. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only ✓ UPSC's answer
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Why the answer is (c)

• Statement 3 is correct: Kalidasa, author of Abhijnanashakuntalam and Meghaduta, is traditionally placed at the court of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya (c. 375–415 CE).

• Statement 1 is wrong: Panini, author of the Ashtadhyayi, lived c. 5th–4th century BCE, centuries before Pushyamitra Shunga (2nd century BCE); Patanjali, not Panini, is linked to the Shungas.

• Statement 2 is wrong: Amarasimha, author of the lexicon Amarakosha, is counted among the 'navaratnas' of Chandragupta II, not Harsha's court (Banabhatta was Harsha's poet).

• Hence 3 only, option (c).

Why the other options are wrong

(a) 1 and 2 only: Both 1 and 2 are wrong; Kalidasa's link is the correct one.
(b) 2 and 3 only: Statement 2 is wrong: Amarasimha belongs to the Gupta court.
(d) 1, 2 and 3: Statements 1 and 2 are wrong.

Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2020, held on 4 October 2020. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.