UPSC Prelims 2025 GS Paper I · Q24 of 99 History hard

Who among the following rulers in ancient India had assumed the titles 'Mattavilasa', 'Vichitrachitta' and 'Gunabhara'?

  1. (a) Mahendravarman I ✓ UPSC's answer
  2. (b) Simhavishnu
  3. (c) Narasimhavarman I
  4. (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.

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