Question map
With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 2: playwrights.
During the early medieval period in India, literary arts flourished under various royal patronages. The individuals mentioned in the question are distinguished figures in the field of Sanskrit and Prakrit literature:
- Bhavabhuti: A renowned 8th-century scholar and poet, often ranked alongside Kalidasa. He was the court poet of King Yashovarman of Kannauj and is celebrated for masterpieces like Malatimadhava, Mahaviracharita, and Uttararamacharita.
- Hastimalla: A significant 13th-century Hoysala playwright known for his works like Vikrantakaurava and Maithilikalyana.
- Kshemeshvara: An 11th-century playwright from the court of King Mahipala, famous for the drama Chandakaushika.
Since their primary contributions lie in dramatic compositions and theatrical literature, they are classified as playwrights. They were neither Jain monks (though some wrote on Jain themes), temple architects, nor primarily known as philosophers, making options 1, 3, and 4 incorrect.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a classic 'Anchor & Noise' question. Bhavabhuti is a Tier-1 static fact (Post-Gupta literature); the other two are obscure 'noise' designed to induce panic. The strategy is simple: Identify the one famous name, determine their profession, and assume the list is homogeneous. If you know Bhavabhuti wrote 'Uttararamacharita', the answer is Playwrights.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Were Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara Jain monks in the history of ancient India?
- Statement 2: Were Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara playwrights in the history of ancient India?
- Statement 3: Were Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara temple architects in the history of ancient India?
- Statement 4: Were Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara philosophers in the history of ancient India?
Snippet shows that specific named authors (Jinasena, Gunabhadra) were Jain writers and that rulers patronised Jain authors — indicating authorship can be associated with Jain monk identity.
A student could check whether Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla or Kshemeshvara are named as authors in Jain bibliographies or inscriptions like Jinasena/Gunabhadra were.
States that Jaina monks not only wrote religious treatises but also promoted secular literature — establishing a pattern that literary authorship can coincide with being a Jain monk.
Compare the genres and languages of works attributed to the three names with the typical corpus of Jain monk-authors to see if they match.
Notes royal patronage of Jain scholars (example: Ravikirti as a Jain scholar) and the building of Jain temples, showing that Jain scholars are documented in courtly records and inscriptions.
Search inscriptions, court records or regional literary histories from Chalukya-era or related regions for mentions of the three names to test Jain affiliation.
Describes Khāravela as a devout follower and the existence of caves developed for Jain monks, illustrating that Jain monastic presence is often archaeologically and epigraphically attested in regions.
Map the known regional activity or works of Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara against archaeological/inscriptional Jain centers to see if their careers coincide with Jain monastic locales.
Explains distinct practices and social roles of Jain monks (vows, occupational restrictions), implying that identifying someone as a monk often relies on biographical details about lifestyle and vows.
Look for biographical statements (e.g., vows observed, monastic titles) in prefaces, colophons or hagiographies of works attributed to the three names to evaluate monkly status.
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This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.
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This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.
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