UPSC Prelims 1995 · General Studies
Question 34: History and Culture
Who among the following were famous jurists of medieval India? I. Vijnanesvara II. Hemadri III. Rajasekhara IV. Jimutavahana Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:
AnswerThe answer is (c).
Vijnanesvara wrote the Mitakshara, a commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smriti. Hemadri, a minister of the Yadavas of Devagiri, wrote the Chaturvarga Chintamani on dharma. Jimutavahana wrote the Dayabhaga, the law of inheritance followed in Bengal. Rajasekhara was a poet and dramatist (Karpuramanjari, Kavyamimamsa), not a jurist. Remember: Mitakshara, Dayabhaga and Chaturvarga Chintamani are law books.
- I. Vijnanesvara wrote the Mitakshara, a legal commentary.
- II. Hemadri wrote the Chaturvarga Chintamani on dharma.
- III. Rajasekhara was a poet and dramatist.
- IV. Jimutavahana wrote the Dayabhaga on inheritance.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Includes Rajasekhara, a poet and dramatist, and leaves out Jimutavahana.
- (b) Includes Rajasekhara and leaves out Vijnanesvara, the author of the Mitakshara.
- (c) Right: Vijnanesvara, Hemadri and Jimutavahana were writers on law.
- (d) Incomplete: leaves out Hemadri, who wrote on dharma.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1995, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.