With reference to ancient Indian History, consider the following pairs : Literary work Author 1. Devichandragupta : Bilhana 2. Hammira-Mahakavya : Nayachandra Suri 3. Milinda-panha : Nagarjuna 4. Nitivakyamrita : Somadeva Suri How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
- (a) Only one
- (b) Only two ✓ UPSC's answer
- (c) Only three
- (d) All four
Why the answer is (b)
• Pair 2 is correct: the Hammira-Mahakavya, on the Chauhan king Hammira of Ranthambore, was written by the Jain scholar Nayachandra Suri (15th century).
• Pair 4 is correct: the Nitivakyamrita, a treatise on polity, is by the Jain author Somadeva Suri (10th century).
• Pair 1 is wrong: Devichandragupta, the play about Chandragupta II rescuing Dhruvadevi, is by Vishakhadatta; Bilhana wrote the Vikramankadevacharita.
• Pair 3 is wrong: the Milinda-panha records the dialogue between King Menander and the monk Nagasena, not Nagarjuna.
• Hence two pairs, option (b).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Only one
- Both the Hammira-Mahakavya and Nitivakyamrita pairs are correct.
- (c) Only three
- Pairs 1 (Vishakhadatta) and 3 (Nagasena) are wrong.
- (d) All four
- Devichandragupta is by Vishakhadatta and Milinda-panha features Nagasena.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2023, held on 28 May 2023. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.