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Books & AuthorsMediumAsked in: NDA · NDA (I) 2023, 16 Apr 2023

Who among the following was author of the famous Sanskrit work 'Mrichchhakatika'?

  1. A.Kalidasa
  2. B.Bhasa
  3. C.Valmiki
  4. D.Shudraka

Correct answer

D. Shudraka

Explanation

The correct answer is D, Shudraka. Mrichchhakatika, The Little Clay Cart, is a ten-act Sanskrit play written by Shudraka, a king-poet of the classical age. Unlike most classical plays about kings and gods, it tells the story of an ordinary poor Brahmin merchant, Charudatta, and his love for the courtesan Vasantasena in the city of Ujjain, with the wicked prince Shakara as villain and a political revolt in the background; the title comes from the toy clay cart of Charudatta's son. It is prized for its realistic picture of city life, thieves, gamblers and courts, and Girish Karnad's film Utsav (1984) is based on it. A, Kalidasa, wrote Abhijnanashakuntalam, Malavikagnimitram, Vikramorvashiyam, Meghaduta and Raghuvamsha. B, Bhasa, wrote Svapnavasavadattam and Charudattam, the shorter play on which Shudraka built his story. C, Valmiki, is the author of the Ramayana, an epic and not a play. Exam tip: Mrichchhakatika by Shudraka, Mudrarakshasa by Vishakhadatta, Ratnavali by Harsha, Svapnavasavadattam by Bhasa.

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Q1.Books & AuthorsAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2018, GKMedium

Who is the author of Manimekalai?

  1. A.Kovalan
  2. B.Sathanar
  3. C.Ilango Adigal
  4. D.Tirutakkatevar
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Sathanar

Manimekalai, one of the five great epics of Tamil literature, was written by Sithalai Sathanar, a grain merchant of Madurai, in the post-Sangam period.

Q2.Books & AuthorsAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2018, GKMedium

Consider the following statement : "A sound body means one which bends itself to the spirit and is always a ready instrument at its service." The above statement is attributed to

  1. A.Sardar Patel
  2. B.Winston Churchill
  3. C.Mahatma Gandhi
  4. D.Baden-Powell
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Mahatma Gandhi

The line comes from Gandhi's writings on health, where he treats the body as a servant of the spirit. Gandhi wrote widely on diet, fasting, nature cure and self-control, most famously in his little book on health.