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Q1 (IAS/2021) History & Culture › Culture, Literature, Religion & Philosophy › Ancient and classical literature Official Key

With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous

Result
Your answer:  ·  Correct: B
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.

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Q. With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous [A] Jain monks [B] playwrights [C]…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 2.5/10
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This 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.

How this question is built

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?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 8: Harsha and Rise of Regional Kingdoms > Literature > p. 114
Strength: 5/5
“The Rashtrakuta rulers were great patrons of learning. Kannada and Sanskrit literature made great progress during their reign. Amoghavasa was the author of Prasnottaramalika, a Sanskrit work, and Kavirajamarga, a Kannada work. Jinasena wrote the Adipurana of the Jains. Krishna II's spiritual guide, Gunabhadra, wrote the Mahapurana of the Jains. The three gems of ancient Kannada literature - Kavichakravarthi Ponna, Adikavi Pampa and Kavichakravarti Ranna - were patronised by Rashtrkuta king Krishna III, as well as by Tailapa and Satyashraya of Western Chalukyas.”
Why relevant

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.

How to extend

A student could check whether Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla or Kshemeshvara are named as authors in Jain bibliographies or inscriptions like Jinasena/Gunabhadra were.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 3: Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects > Life of Mahavira > p. 39
Strength: 5/5
“It consisted of 12 angas (limbs). Another council was. It was held in Valabhi, Gujarat, in the 5th century CE. It added 12 upangas (minor sections). The Jaina monks not only wrote religious treatises but also promoted secular literature. Achārangasūtra, Sutrakṛtanga, and Kalpasūtra are the earliest Jaina texts. Most of the early Jaina texts were written in Ardha-Magadhi, the language of the common people.”
Why relevant

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.

How to extend

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.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > Religion > p. 120
Strength: 4/5
“The Chalukyas patronised both Saivism and Vaishnavism. They built temples for Siva and Vishnu. Brahmin groups were invited from the Gangetic regions and settled to perform regular pujas and conduct festivals and ceremonies in the temples. Notable Chalukya rulers like Kirtivarman I, Mangalesa (597-609), and Pulikesin II (609-642) performed yagnas. They bore titles such as parama-vaishana and paramamaheswara. Chalukyas gave prominent place to Kartikeyan, the war god. Saiva monasteries. became centres for popularising Saivism. Chalukyas patronised heterodox sects also and lavishly donated lands to the Jain centres. Ravikirti, the poet-laureate of Pulikesin II, was a Jain scholar. In the reign of Kirtivarman II a Jain village official built a Jain temple in a place called Annigere.”
Why relevant

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.

How to extend

Search inscriptions, court records or regional literary histories from Chalukya-era or related regions for mentions of the three names to test Jain affiliation.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 6: The Age of Reorganisation > Coming of the Chedis > p. 128
Strength: 3/5
“Let us go back a little. Do you remember the Kalinga war mentioned in the previous chapter? After the decline of the Maurya Empire, Kalinga rose as a prominent power under the kings of the Chedi dynasty. Khāravela, one of their main rulers, was a devoted follower of Jain teachings; he was sometimes called bhikṣhu-rāja or monk-king, although he respected all schools of thoughts. Near Bhubaneswar, the famous Udayagiri-Khandagiri caves, likely developed for Jain monks, feature intricate panels and statues, and spacious rooms carved into the rock, showcasing the skill of the craftsmen. The design and craftsmanship of these caves make them notable examples of 'rock-cut architecture', a style of architecture that we will turn to in higher classes.”
Why relevant

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.

How to extend

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.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 3: Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects > Non-Violence > p. 40
Strength: 3/5
“The five vows are common to both the monks and lay followers. The monks were to observe the vows more rigorously than the lay followers. As Jainism placed great emphasis on non-violence, strict observers of the faith wear a muslin cloth around their mouth and nose so that they would not inhale small insects even by mistake. To avoid trampling on ants and other insects, Jain monks used feathers to sweep the path before walking. Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects Jains could not practice agriculture or other crafts that involve killing or injury to living organisms. Hence they took to trading and money-lending and excelled in it.”
Why relevant

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.

How to extend

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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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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