Who among the following was the author of the famous Sanskrit work 'Mrichchhakatika'?
- A.Kalidasa
- B.Bhasa
- C.Valmiki
- D.Shudraka
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, Shudraka. Mrichchhakatika, meaning 'The Little Clay Cart', is a ten-act Sanskrit play attributed to King Shudraka.
The play tells the love story of Charudatta, a generous Brahmin merchant of Ujjayini who has lost his wealth, and Vasantasena, a rich and noble courtesan. Around it runs a political plot in which a cowherd, Aryaka, overthrows the unjust king Palaka. Unlike most classical Sanskrit dramas, which deal with kings and heroes, it shows ordinary city life, with thieves, gamblers, servants and a corrupt court, which makes it a valuable picture of urban society. The title comes from a toy clay cart that belongs to Charudatta's son.
A is wrong because Kalidasa wrote Abhijnanashakuntalam, Malavikagnimitram, Meghaduta and Raghuvamsha. B is wrong because Bhasa, an earlier dramatist, is known for Svapnavasavadattam; his play Charudattam is thought to be the source of Shudraka's plot. C is wrong because Valmiki composed the Ramayana and is called the Adikavi.
Exam tip: Mrichchhakatika – Shudraka; Svapnavasavadattam – Bhasa; Abhijnanashakuntalam – Kalidasa.
Practice Questions
View allThe principle that the framing of the new Constitution for independent India should be primarily (though not solely) the responsibility of Indians themselves, was for the first time conceded in the
- A.Government of India Act, 1935
- B.August Offer of Viceroy Linlithgow
- C.Cripps Proposals
- D.Cabinet Mission
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Made on 8 August 1940, it was the first time the British government accepted that framing India's new constitution should be mainly the responsibility of Indians.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following statements about the technological innovations during the Industrial Revolutions are correct ? 1. Mule was the nickname for a machine invented in 1779, that allowed the spinning of strong and fine yarn. 2. Water Frame, invented in 1769 by Richard Arkwright, made it possible to weave pure cotton clothes. 3. Power loom, invented by Edmund Cartwright in 1787, could be used to weave any kind of materials. Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.1, 2 and 3
- C.2 and 3 only
- D.3 only
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All three statements correctly describe the spinning and weaving machines that drove the British cotton industry in the late eighteenth century.
Read the full explanation →Which one among the following was NOT a Panch Sheel principle ?
- A.Peaceful Co-existence
- B.Mutual respect for territorial integrity
- C.Nuclear deterrence
- D.Non-interference in internal affairs
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Panchsheel is a set of five principles of peaceful relations between states, and the threat of nuclear weapons has no place in it.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following statements about Rabatak inscription is not correct ?
- A.It throws important light on Kushana genealogy.
- B.It refers to Kanishka as 'a king of kings and a son of God'.
- C.The 23-line inscription is written in Gandhari language.
- D.It mentions names of States which were part of Kanishka's empire.
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The Rabatak inscription is written in the Bactrian language using the Greek script, not in Gandhari. The inscription was found in 1993 at Rabatak in northern Afghanistan.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following statements : 1. Terracotta models of the plough have been found at sites in Cholistan and at Banawali (Haryana). 2. There is evidence of a ploughed field at Kalibangan associated with the mature phase of the Harappan civilization. 3. The ploughed field at Kalibangan had two sets of furrows crossing at right angles to each other suggesting two different crops were grown together in it. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- A.1, 2 and 3
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.None of the above
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The ploughed field at Kalibangan belongs to the Early Harappan levels, not the mature phase, so statement 2 is wrong.
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