Ancient Literature and Litterateur

Ancient Literature and Litterateur MCQs

1. Daskumar Charitam was composed by [UPPCS (Mains) 2005]

(A) Surdas

(B) Dandin

(C) Tulsidas

(D) Kalidas

Answer: (B) Dandin

2. 'Kumarasambhava' an epic poem was composed by [45th BPSC (Pre) 2001]

(A) Banabhatta

(B) Chand Bardai

(C) Harishena

(D) Kalidasa

Answer: (D) Kalidasa

3. The title 'Father of History' rightly belongs to [RAS/RTS (Pre) 1994]

(A) Herodotus

(B) Euripides

(C) Thucydides

(D) Socrates

Answer: (A) Herodotus

4. Who of the following was the writer of Mudrarakshasa? [47th BPSC (Pre) 2005]

(A) Ashwaghosha

(B) Vishakhadatta

(C) Kalidasa

(D) Bhas

Answer: (B) Vishakhadatta

5. Which of the following drama was not written by Kalidas? [MPPCS (Pre) 2005]

(A) Malavikagnimitram

(B) Abhigyan Shakuntalam

(C) Kumarsambhavam

(D) Janaki haranam

Answer: (D) Janaki haranam

6. What is the name of Kalhana's book? [53rd to 55th BPSC (Pre) 2011]

(A) Arthashastra

(B) Indica

(C) Purana

(D) Rajatarangini

Answer: (D) Rajatarangini

7. 'Rajatarangini' written by Kalhan is associated with which of the following? [MPPCS (Pre) 2012]

(A) Chandragupta's reign

(B) Anthology of lyrics

(C) History of Kashmir

(D) Reign of Krishna Deva Raya

Answer: (C) History of Kashmir

8. 'Ashtadhyayi' was written by [Jharkhand PCS (Pre) 2011 UPPSC (GIC) 2010]

(A) Vedavyas

(B) Panini

(C) Shukhadeva

(D) Valmiki

Answer: (B) Panini

9. Charaka Samhita is related to which of the following subject? [MPPCS (Pre) 1993]

(A) Arthashastra

(B) Politics

(C) Medicine

(D) Religion

Answer: (C) Medicine

10. The Panchasiddhantika of Varahamihira is based upon [UPPCS (RI) 2014]

(A) Persian astronomy

(B) Greek astronomy

(C) Iranian astronomy

(D) Mesopotamian astronomy

Answer: (B) Greek astronomy

11. Which one of the following is not correctly matched? [UPPCS (Mains) 2006]

(A) Kalidasa - Raghuvansa

(B) Bhasa - Svapna Vasavadattam

(C) Subandhu - Kadambari

(D) Harsha - Ratnavali

Answer: (C) Subandhu - Kadambari

12. 'Milindapanha' is a [UPPCS (Pre) 1996]

(A) Sanskrit drama

(B) Jain chronicle

(C) Pali text

(D) Persian epic

Answer: (C) Pali text

13. Buddhist text 'Milindapanha' throws light on which Indo-Greek ruler? [Uttarakhand PCS (Pre) 2012]

(A) Diodorus-II

(B) Demetrius

(C) Menander

(D) Strato-I

Answer: (C) Menander

14. Milindapanha is in the form of a dialogue between King Menander and Buddhist monk [IAS (Pre) 1997]

(A) Nagarjuna

(B) Nagabhatta

(C) Nagasena

(D) Kumarilabhatta

Answer: (C) Nagasena

15. Name the source that is silent about the trade routes of ancient India [39th BPSC (Pre) 1994]

(A) Sangam Sahitya

(B) Milindpanha

(C) Jataka Tales

(D) All of the above

Answer: (B) Milindpanha

16. The contemporary ruler of Kalhana, the author of Rajatarangini was [UPPSC (GIC) 2010]

(A) Jai Singh

(B) Harsha

(C) Govindchandra

(D) Jayachandra

Answer: (A) Jai Singh

17. How many Tarangas are in Rajtarangini of Kalhana? [UPPCS (Mains) 2015]

(A) Eight

(B) Nine

(C) Ten

(D) Eleven

Answer: (A) Eight

18. Who among the following continued the Rajtarangini of Kalhana? [UPPCS (Pre) 2000]

(A) Bilhana and Merutunga

(B) Bilhana and Mammata

(C) Jonaraja and Merutunga

(D) Jonaraja and Srivara

Answer: (D) Jonaraja and Srivara

19. Saundarananda was the composition of [MPPCS (Pre) 1991]

(A) Asvaghosa

(B) Banabhatta

(C) Bhavbhuti

(D) Bhaas

Answer: (A) Asvaghosa

20. 'Nagananda', 'Ratnavali' and 'Priyadarshika' was written by [RAS/RTS (Pre) 1999]

(A) Bana Bhatta

(B) Vishakha Datta

(C) Vatsyayan

(D) Harshavardhana

Answer: (D) Harshavardhana

21. Among the four works mentioned below which one is encyclopedic in nature? [IAS (Pre) 1993]

(A) Amarakosha

(B) Siddhantasiromani

(C) Brihat Samhita

(D) Ashtangahidayam

Answer: (C) Brihat Samhita

22. Which of the following pair is not correctly matched? [UPPCS (Pre) 2012]

(A) Karpurmanjari - Harsha

(B) Malavikagnimitra - Kalidasa

(C) Mudrarakshasa - Vishakhadatta

(D) Saundarananda - Asvaghosha

Answer: (A) Karpurmanjari - Harsha

23. Who wrote 'Shakuntalam'? [MPPCS (Pre) 2000]

(A) Bana Bhatt

(B) Ved Vyas

(C) Kalidasa

(D) Bhavabhuti

Answer: (C) Kalidasa

24. Which of the following is not a literary masterpiece of Kalidasa? [Chhattisgarh PCS (Pre) 2005]

(A) Mrichchhakatikam

(B) Meghduta

(C) Ritu Sanghar

(D) Vikramorvasiyam

Answer: (A) Mrichchhakatikam

25. The protagonist of the Play 'Malvikagnimitra' written by Kalidasa is [UPPCS (Pre) 1998]

(A) Pushyamitra Shunga

(B) Gautamiputra Satakarni

(C) Agnimitra

(D) Chandragupta-II

Answer: (C) Agnimitra

26. Which one of the following books of ancient India has the love story of the son of the founder of Sunga dynasty? [IAS (Pre) 2016]

(A) Swapnavasavadatta

(B) Malavikagnimitra

(C) Meghadoota

(D) Ratnavali

Answer: (B) Malavikagnimitra

27. The author of 'Swapnavasavadatta' is [43rd BPSC (Pre) 1999]

(A) Kalidasa

(B) Bhasa

(C) Bhavabhuti

(D) Rajshekhara

Answer: (B) Bhasa

28. Who is the author of 'Geet Govind'? [MPPCS (Pre) 1997 Uttarakhand UDA/LDA (Pre) 2007]

(A) Jayadeva

(B) Surdas

(C) Kesav

(D) Mira

Answer: (A) Jayadeva

29. Whose court was embellished by 'Jaydev' composer of Geet Govind? [UPPCS (Pre) 1999]

(A) Dharmapala

(B) Devpala

(C) Vijayasen

(D) Lakshmana Sen

Answer: (D) Lakshmana Sen

30. Thy right is to work only, but never with its fruits. This is stated in which of the following book? [UPPCS (Pre) 1992]

(A) Astadhyayi

(B) Mahabhasya

(C) Geeta

(D) Mahabharata

Answer: (C) Geeta

31. In which epic it was told 'what is here is also found elsewhere, but if not here is found nowhere else'? [UPPCS (Pre) 1992]

(A) Ramayana

(B) Mahabharata

(C) Geeta

(D) Rajtarangini

Answer: (B) Mahabharata

32. Which ancient Indian book has been translated into 15 (fifteen) Indian and 40 (forty) foreign languages? [Uttarakhand PCS (Pre) 2010 RAS/RTS (Pre) 1992]

(A) Hitopadesha

(B) Panchatantra

(C) Katha Saritsagar

(D) Shakuntala

Answer: (B) Panchatantra

33. 'Panchatantra' was originally written by [MPPCS (Pre) 2013]

(A) Kalidasa

(B) Vishnu Sharma

(C) Tulsidas

(D) Raidas

Answer: (B) Vishnu Sharma

34. Who of the following is especially known for his contribution in the field of Algebra? [UPPCS (Pre) 2002 UP Lower Sub. (Pre) 2002]

(A) Aryabhatta

(B) Brahmagupta

(C) Bhaskar

(D) Lall

Answer: (C) Bhaskar

35. Lilavathi, a treatise on Mathematics, was written by [Uttarakhand PCS (Pre) 2010]

(A) Ramanuj

(B) Kautilya

(C) Amartya Sen

(D) Bhaskaracharya

Answer: (D) Bhaskaracharya

36. Aryabhatta was [Uttarakhand UDA/LDA (Pre) 2007]

(A) Indian Politician

(B) Indian Mathematician and Astronomer

(C) Indian Sanskrit Scholar and Poet

(D) None of the above

Answer: (B) Indian Mathematician and Astronomer

37. Which one of the following Indian Mathematician invented decimal place value? [UPPSC (RI) 2014]

(A) Bhaskar

(B) Varahmihira

(C) Brahmagupta

(D) Aryabhatta

Answer: (D) Aryabhatta

38. Who was the author of 'Matta Vilasa Prahasana'? [UP UDA/LDA (Spl) (Pre) 2010]

(A) Gautamiputra Satakarni

(B) Mahakshatrap Rudradaman

(C) Mahendra Varman

(D) Pulakesin II

Answer: (C) Mahendra Varman

39. 'Manusmriti' is mainly related to [UPPCS (Pre) 2007]

(A) Social System

(B) Law

(C) Economics

(D) Working method of State

Answer: (A) Social System

40. The great lawgiver of ancient times was [UPPCS (Mains) 2004]

(A) Ashoka

(B) Arya Bhatta

(C) Manu

(D) Vatsyayan

Answer: (C) Manu

41. 'Zero' was discovered by [IAS (Pre) 1995]

(A) Aryabhatta

(B) Varahmihira

(C) Bhaskar-I

(D) An anonymous Indian

Answer: (D) An anonymous Indian

42. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? [UPPCS (Pre)(Re. Exam) 2015]

(A) Life of Hiuen Tsang - Hui-li

(B) The Natural History - Ptolemy

(C) Historial Philippical - Pompeius Trogus

(D) The Histories - Herodotus

Answer: (B) The Natural History - Ptolemy

43. The most ancient musical instrument in given option is [UPPSC (GIC) 2010]

(A) Sitar

(B) Veena

(C) Sarod

(D) Tabla

Answer: (B) Veena

44. Match the following. [UPPCS (Pre) 1992]
List-I
(a) Panini (b) Vatsyayan
(c) Chanakya (d) Kalhana
List-II
1. Kamasutra 2. Rajatarangini
3. Ashtadhyayi 4. Arthashastra
Code

(A) 3 1 4 2

(B) 4 1 2 3

(C) 2 3 1 4

(D) 1 2 3 4

Answer: (A) 3 1 4 2

45. Which of the following classical works of literature were written during the Gupta Era?
1. Amarakosh
2. Kamasutra
3. Meghaduta
4. Mudrarakshasa
Select the correct answer from the code given below. [UPPCS (Mains) 2009]

(A) Only 1 and 2

(B) Only 2 and 3

(C) Only 1, 2 and 3

(D) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: (D) 1, 2, 3 and 4

46. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer. [IAS (Pre) 1996]
List-I
(a) Vishakhadatta
(b) Varahamihira
(c) Charaka
(d) Brahmagupta
List-II
1. Medicine 2. Drama
3. Astronomy 4. Mathematics
Code

(A) 1 3 4 2

(B) 2 1 3 4

(C) 2 3 1 4

(D) 3 4 1 3

Answer: (C) 2 3 1 4

47. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by using the code given below the lists. [Karnataka PSC (Mains) 2016]
List-I (Authors)
(a) Bharavi (b) Harsha
(c) Kalidasa (d) Rajasekhara
List-II (Works)
1. Kapurmanjari
2. Kiratarjuniyam
3. Malavikagnimitram
4. Nagananda
Code

(A) 1 2 3 4

(B) 3 4 2 1

(C) 2 1 4 3

(D) 2 4 3 1

Answer: (D) 2 4 3 1

48. Which of the following Sanskrit works has taken up their theme from the Mahabharata?
1. Naishdhiyacharita
2. Kiratarjuniyam
3. Sisupalavadha
4. Dasakumaracharita
Select the correct answer from the code given below. [RAS/RTS (Pre) 2016]

(A) 2 and 3

(B) 2, 3 and 4

(C) 1 and 3

(D) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (D) 1, 2 and 3

49. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the code given below the lists. [UP UDA/LDA (Pre) 2002]
List-I (Court Poet)
(a) Amir Khusrau
(b) Kalidasa
(c) Harisena
(d) Banabhatta
List-II (King)
1. Chandra Gupta II
2. Samudra Gupta
3. Harshavardhana
4. Allauddin Khalji
Code

(A) 1 2 3 4

(B) 4 1 2 3

(C) 4 3 2 1

(D) 2 4 1 3

Answer: (B) 4 1 2 3

50. Which of the following works were authored by Harsha?
1. Priyadarshika
2. Nagananda
3. Harshacharita
4. Ratnavali
Select your answer using the code given below. [UPRO/ARO (Pre) 2014]

(A) 1, 2, 3 and 4

(B) 1, 2 and 4

(C) 1, 2 and 3

(D) 2 and 3

Answer: (B) 1, 2 and 4

51. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?
1. Mrichchakatikam - Sudraka
2. Buddhacharita - Vasubandhu
3. Mudrarakshasa - Vishakhadatta
4. Harshacharita - Banabhatta
Select the correct answer using the code given below. [IAS (Pre) 1998]

(A) 1, 2, 3 and 4

(B) 1, 3 and 4

(C) 1 and 4

(D) 2 and 3

Answer: (B) 1, 3 and 4

52. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists. [IAS (Pre) 1997]
List-I (Author)
(a) Varahamihira
(b) Vishakhadatta
(c) Sudraka
(d) Bilhana
List-II (Text)
1. Prabandha Chintamani
2. Mrichchha-Katikam
3. Brihat-Samhita
4. Devi-Chandraguptam
5. Vikramankadevacharita
Code

(A) 3 4 5 2

(B) 3 4 2 5

(C) 5 3 4 1

(D) 1 3 5 2

Answer: (B) 3 4 2 5

53. Match the List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists. [UP Lower Sub. (Pre) 2002]
List-I (Compositions)
(a) Ashtanga - Samgraha
(b) Das rupak
(c) Lilavati
(d) Mahabhasya
List-II (Subject)
1. Play 2. Grammar
3. Maths 4. Medical
Code

(A) 3 2 1 4

(B) 4 1 3 2

(C) 2 3 4 1

(D) 1 4 2 3

Answer: (B) 4 1 3 2

54. Match the List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists. [UP Lower Sub. (Spl) (Pre) 2002 UPPCS (Spl)(Pre) 2003]
List-I
(a) Sarvavarma
(b) Sudrak
(c) Vigyaneshwara
(d) Kalhana
List-II
1. Mitakshara
2. Rajtarangini
3. Mrichchhakatikam
4. Katantra
Code

(A) 3 4 2 1

(B) 4 3 1 2

(C) 2 1 4 3

(D) 4 2 1 3

Answer: (B) 4 3 1 2

Ancient Literature and Litterateur MCQs for Competitive Exams