UPSC Prelims 2023 Question:

With reference to ancient Indian History, consider the following pairs

Sr. No.	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?

Explanation:

• Vishakhadatta’s Mudrarakshasa (7th/8th century) revolves around the manoeuvres of Chanakya to win over Rakshasa, a minister of the Nandas, to Chandragupta’s side. His Devichandragupta centres on an incident set in the reign of the Gupta king Ramagupta. Narrative literature such as the Panchatantra (5th–6th centuries) and the Kathasaritsagara (Ocean of Streams of Stories, 11th century) are collections of popular folk tales that ordinary people may have known, listened to, and enjoyed. So, pair 1 is not correctly matched.
  
  
• Nayacandra Suri wrote the Hammira-mahakavya, which is among the latest important works of Sanskrit literature. So, pair 2 is correctly matched.
  
  
• Milindapanha (1st century BCE–1st century CE), which consists of a dialogue on various philosophical issues between king Milinda—no doubt the Indo-Greek Menander—and the monk Nagasena. So, pair 3 is not correctly matched.
  
  

• Somadeva followed up the concepts of the Arthashastra tradition comprising mandala, sadgunyam, and four upayas in his Nitivakyamrita (the nectar of the Niti—lessons). The author has also attached importance to the acquisition of land, which, according to him, is better than that of money, which is better than acquiring the land. He has also referred to the importance of the king’s three powers (shaktis) after Kautilya, such as the intellectual, the material, and the volitional. So, pair 4 is correctly matched.
  
  

Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer.

Subject: History | Indian Literature