UPSC Prelims 2020 · GS Paper I
Question 36: History and Culture
With reference to the scholars/litterateurs of ancient India, consider the following statements :
- 1.Panini is associated with Pushyamitra Shunga.
- 2.Amarasimha is associated with Harshavardhana.
- 3.Kalidasa is associated with Chandra Gupta – II.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).
Kalidasa is traditionally linked with the court of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) of the Gupta dynasty. Panini, the grammarian, lived centuries earlier; it was Patanjali, who wrote on Panini's grammar, who is linked with Pushyamitra Shunga. Amarasimha, author of the Amarakosha, is counted among the scholars of Chandragupta II's court, not Harsha's, whose court poet was Banabhatta.
- 1. Panini is much earlier; Patanjali is linked with Pushyamitra Shunga.
- 2. Amarasimha is associated with the Gupta court, not Harsha.
- 3. Kalidasa is associated with Chandragupta II.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (a), (b) and (d) go: each of them includes 2.
What you needed to know: Amarasimha is associated with the Gupta court, not Harsha.
Only (c) is left. You didn’t need statements 1 or 3.
Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Wrong: neither statement 1 nor statement 2 is correct.
- (b) Wrong: statement 2 is false because Amarasimha is not linked with Harsha.
- (c) Right: only statement 3 is correct.
- (d) Wrong: statements 1 and 2 are false.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2020, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.