Who among the following rulers in ancient India had assumed the titles 'Mattavilasa', 'Vichitrachitta' and 'Gunabhara'?
- (a) Mahendravarman I ✓ UPSC's answer
- (b) Simhavishnu
- (c) Narasimhavarman I
- (d) Simhavarman
Why the answer is (a)
• Mahendravarman I (c. 600–630 CE), the Pallava king of Kanchi, was a poet, musician and patron who took the titles Mattavilasa ('drunken sport'), Vichitrachitta ('curious-minded') and Gunabhara ('bearer of virtues').
• He wrote the Sanskrit farce Mattavilasa Prahasana, which satirises Shaiva and Buddhist ascetics, and is credited with beginning rock-cut cave temples in the Tamil country (e.g. Mandagapattu).
• Simhavishnu was his father, who founded the imperial Pallava line; Narasimhavarman I was his son, the victor over Pulakeshin II and builder of Mamallapuram; Simhavarman was an earlier ruler.
• Mahendravarman was converted from Jainism to Shaivism by the saint Appar.
• Hence option (a).
Why the other options are wrong
- (b) Simhavishnu
- Simhavishnu was Mahendravarman's father and did not bear these titles.
- (c) Narasimhavarman I
- Narasimhavarman I was known as Mamalla, not by these titles.
- (d) Simhavarman
- Simhavarman was an earlier Pallava; the titles belong to Mahendravarman I.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025, held on 25 May 2025. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.