89 MCQs on Ancient Indian Literature and Authors with Answers for Competitive Exams

89 MCQs on Ancient Indian Literature and Authors with Answers for Competitive Exams

Ancient Indian literature reflects the rich cultural, philosophical, and historical traditions of India. From Kalidasa’s classical plays to Panini’s grammar, and from Jain and Buddhist texts to mathematical and astronomical works, these literary contributions shaped Indian civilization. We have compiled 89 MCQs on Ancient Indian Literature and Authors to help aspirants who are preparing for UPSC, State PSCs, SSC, Railway, and other competitive exams.

1. Aryabhatta was________
(A) Indian Politician
(B) Indian Mathematician and Astronomer
(C) Indian Sanskrit Scholar and Poet
(D) None of the above
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2. Which one of the following Indian Mathematician invented decimal place value?
(A) Bhaskar
(B) Varahmihira
(C) Brahmagupta
(D) Aryabhatta
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3. ‘Zero’ was discovered by_______
(A) Aryabhatta
(B) Varahmihira
(C) Bhaskar-I
(D) An anonymous Indian
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Sangam Period MCQs with answers

4. Who of the following was the writer of Mudrarakshasa?
(A) Ashwaghosha
(B) Vishakhadatta
(C) Kalidasa
(D) Bhas
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5. The Kathasaritsagara, a collection of stories, was written by________
(A) Somadeva
(B) Bana Bhatta
(C) Kshemendra
(D) Visakhadatta
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6. Who compiled Amarakosha?
(A) Amarasimha
(B) Hemachandra
(C) Panini
(D) Bhartrihari
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Chola Dynasty MCQs with Answers

7. Charaka Samhita is related to which of the following subject?
(A) Arthashastra
(B) Politics
(C) Medicine
(D) Religion
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8. Sushruta Samhita is primarily a text on________
(A) Astronomy
(B) Grammar
(C) Surgery and Medicine
(D) Philosophy
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9. The Harshacharita, biography of Harshavardhana, was written by_________
(A) Kalhana
(B) Bana Bhatta
(C) Rajasekhara
(D) Kshemendra
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10. The author of Prithviraj Raso was__________
(A) Chand Bardai
(B) Amir Khusrau
(C) Vidyapati
(D) Surdas
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Chalukya Dynasty MCQs with Answers

11. ‘Rajatarangini’ written by Kalhan is associated with which of the following?
(A) Chandragupta’s reign
(B) Anthology of lyrics
(C) History of Kashmir
(D) Reign of Krishna Deva Raya
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12. Who is the author of Mricchakatika?
(A) Sudraka
(B) Bhasa
(C) Kalidasa
(D) Rajasekhara
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13. Who is the author of Geet Govind?
(A) Jayadeva
(B) Surdas
(C) Kesav
(D) Mira
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14. Whose court was embellished by ‘Jayadev’, composer of Geet Govind?
(A) Dharmapala
(B) Devpala
(C) Vijayasen
(D) Lakshmana Sen
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15. The Kamasutra was composed by___________
(A) Bhartrihari
(B) Vatsyayana
(C) Varahamihira
(D) Patanjali
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16. Who is the author of the Tamil ethical text Thirukkural?
(A) Kamban
(B) Tiruvalluvar
(C) Ilango Adigal
(D) Appar
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Vijayanagara Empire MCQs with Answers

17. A famous Tamil epic, the Shilappadikaram, was composed by_________
(A) Ilango Adigal
(B) Tiruvalluvar
(C) Avvaiyar
(D) Kamban
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18. The Panchasiddhantika of Varahamihira is based upon___________
(A) Persian astronomy
(B) Greek astronomy
(C) Iranian astronomy
(D) Mesopotamian astronomy
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19. Which of the following drama was not written by Kalidasa?
(A) Malavikagnimitram
(B) Abhigyan Shakuntalam
(C) Kumarsambhavam
(D) Janaki haranam
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20. ‘Nagananda’, ‘Ratnavali’ and ‘Priyadarshika’ was written by_________
(A) Bana Bhatta
(B) Vishakha Datta
(C) Vatsyayan
(D) Harshavardhana
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MCQs on Stone Age

21. The Jain text Kalpasutra is traditionally attributed to___________
(A) Bhadrabahu
(B) Kundakunda
(C) Hemachandra
(D) Umasvati
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22. Lalitavistara is a Buddhist text that primarily narrates the__________
(A) Life of Buddha
(B) Spread of Buddhism in Sri Lanka
(C) Buddhist monastic rules
(D) Philosophical debates of Buddhism
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23. The Arthashastra, an ancient text on polity and economics, was composed by________
(A) Kalhana
(B) Panini
(C) Kautilya (Chanakya)
(D) Bhartrihari
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24. The Vakyapadiya was composed by__________
(A) Panini
(B) Bhartrihari
(C) Pingala
(D) Katyayana
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25. Who is the author of the epic poem Sisupalavadha?
(A) Magha
(B) Bharavi
(C) Rajasekhara
(D) Kshemendra
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26. The work Naishadhiyacharita is an epic poem written by__________
(A) Magha
(B) Sriharsha
(C) Kalidasa
(D) Bhavabhuti
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27. Who is the author of the Sanskrit play Karpuramanjari?
(A) Bhavabhuti
(B) Rajasekhara
(C) Kalidasa
(D) Bana
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28. Which of the following Sanskrit text was written by Rajasekhara?
(A) Kavya Mimamsa
(B) Kiratarjuniyam
(C) Meghaduta
(D) Kadambari
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29. ‘Kumarasambhava’ an epic poem was composed by___________
(A) Banabhatta
(B) Chand Bardai
(C) Harishena
(D) Kalidasa
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30. Daskumar Charitam was composed by_________
(A) Surdas
(B) Dandin
(C) Tulsidas
(D) Kalidas
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31. The protagonist of the play Malavikagnimitra written by Kalidasa is________
(A) Pushyamitra Shunga
(B) Gautamiputra Satakarni
(C) Agnimitra
(D) Chandragupta-II
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32. Which one of the following books of ancient India has the love story of the son of the founder of Sunga dynasty?
(A) Swapnavasavadatta
(B) Malavikagnimitra
(C) Meghadoota
(D) Ratnavali
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33. The author of ‘Swapnavasavadatta’ is__________
(A) Kalidasa
(B) Bhasa
(C) Bhavabhuti
(D) Rajshekhara
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34. Saundarananda was the composition of_________
(A) Asvaghosa
(B) Banabhatta
(C) Bhavbhuti
(D) Bhasa
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35. ‘Milindapanha’ is a_________
(A) Sanskrit drama
(B) Jain chronicle
(C) Pali text
(D) Persian epic
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36. Buddhist text Milindapanha throws light on which Indo-Greek ruler?
(A) Diodorus-II
(B) Demetrius
(C) Menander
(D) Strato-I
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37. Milindapanha is in the form of a dialogue between King Menander and Buddhist monk______
(A) Nagarjuna
(B) Nagabhatta
(C) Nagasena
(D) Kumarilabhatta
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38. The contemporary ruler of Kalhana, the author of Rajatarangini, was_________
(A) Jai Singh
(B) Harsha
(C) Govindchandra
(D) Jayachandra
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39. How many Tarangas are in Rajatarangini of Kalhana?
(A) Eight
(B) Nine
(C) Ten
(D) Eleven
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40. Who among the following continued the Rajatarangini of Kalhana?
(A) Bilhana and Merutunga
(B) Bilhana and Mammata
(C) Jonaraja and Merutunga
(D) Jonaraja and Srivara
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41. Who was the author of Matta Vilasa Prahasana?
(A) Gautamiputra Satakarni
(B) Mahakshatrap Rudradaman
(C) Mahendra Varman
(D) Pulakesin II
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42. ‘Manusmriti’ is mainly related to__________
(A) Social System
(B) Law
(C) Economics
(D) Working method of State
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43. The great lawgiver of ancient times was_________
(A) Ashoka
(B) Arya Bhatta
(C) Manu
(D) Vatsyayan
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44. Which ancient Indian book has been translated into 15 Indian and 40 foreign languages?
(A) Hitopadesha
(B) Panchatantra
(C) Katha Saritsagar
(D) Shakuntala
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45. ‘Panchatantra’ was originally written by________
(A) Kalidasa
(B) Vishnu Sharma
(C) Tulsidas
(D) Raidas
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46. The contemporary ruler of Kalidasa was__________
(A) Chandragupta II
(B) Samudragupta
(C) Harsha
(D) Kumaragupta
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47. Which one of the following is not correctly matched?
(A) Kalidasa – Raghuvansa
(B) Bhasa – Svapna Vasavadattam
(C) Subandhu – Kadambari
(D) Harsha – Ratnavali
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48. Which of the following pair is not correctly matched?
(A) Karpurmanjari – Harsha
(B) Malavikagnimitra – Kalidasa
(C) Mudrarakshasa – Vishakhadatta
(D) Saundarananda – Asvaghosha
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49. The title ‘Father of History’ rightly belongs to_______
(A) Herodotus
(B) Euripides
(C) Thucydides
(D) Socrates
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50. The most ancient musical instrument in the given options is________
(A) Sitar
(B) Veena
(C) Sarod
(D) Tabla
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51. Who among the following is the author of Mahabhashya?
(A) Katyayana
(B) Patanjali
(C) Bhartrihari
(D) Pingala
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52. Who was the author of Abhidharmakosha?
(A) Asanga
(B) Vasubandhu
(C) Nagarjuna
(D) Dignaga
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53. The Buddhist text Mahavibhasha is associated with which school of thought?
(A) Yogachara
(B) Vaibhashika (Sarvastivada)
(C) Madhyamika
(D) Theravada
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54. The Harshacharita, biography of Harshavardhana, was written by
(A) Kalhana
(B) Bana Bhatta
(C) Rajasekhara
(D) Kshemendra
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55. Who compiled Amarakosha?
(A) Amarasimha
(B) Hemachandra
(C) Panini
(D) Bhartrihari
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56. The Kamasutra was composed by__________
(A) Bhartrihari
(B) Vatsyayana
(C) Varahamihira
(D) Patanjali
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57. Who among the following is the author of Prakrit grammar Prakrit Prakash?
(A) Vararuchi
(B) Hemachandra
(C) Panini
(D) Bhasa
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58. Who is the writer of Ashtanga Hridaya?
(A) Charaka
(B) Vagbhata
(C) Sushruta
(D) Kashyapa
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59. Sushruta Samhita is primarily a text on__________
(A) Astronomy
(B) Grammar
(C) Surgery and Medicine
(D) Philosophy
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60. The Panchasiddhantika of Varahamihira is based upon__________
(A) Persian astronomy
(B) Greek astronomy
(C) Iranian astronomy
(D) Mesopotamian astronomy
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61. Who is the author of Mricchakatika?
(A) Sudraka
(B) Bhasa
(C) Kalidasa
(D) Rajasekhara
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62. The text Harivamsa is considered a supplement to________
(A) Ramayana
(B) Mahabharata
(C) Vishnupurana
(D) Bhagavata Purana
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63. The Kathasaritsagara, a collection of stories, was written by_________
(A) Somadeva
(B) Bana Bhatta
(C) Kshemendra
(D) Visakhadatta
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64. Whose court was embellished by Jayadeva, composer of Geet Govind?
(A) Dharmapala
(B) Devpala
(C) Vijayasen
(D) Lakshmana Sen
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65. In which language is Geet Govindam written?
(A) Apabhramsha
(B) Sanskrit
(C) Prakrit
(D) Pali
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66. Who is the author of Geet Govind?
(A) Jayadeva
(B) Surdas
(C) Kesav
(D) Mira
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67. The author of Prithviraj Raso was_________
(A) Chand Bardai
(B) Amir Khusrau
(C) Vidyapati
(D) Surdas
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68. Who is the author of the Tamil ethical text Thirukural?
(A) Kamban
(B) Tiruvalluvar
(C) Ilango Adigal
(D) Appar
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69. A famous Tamil epic, the Shilappadikaram was composed by_________
(A) Ilango Adigal
(B) Tiruvalluvar
(C) Avvaiyar
(D) Kamban
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70. Who among the following is especially known for his contribution in the field of Algebra?
(A) Aryabhatta
(B) Brahmagupta
(C) Bhaskar
(D) Lall
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71. Lilavathi, a treatise on Mathematics, was written by__________
(A) Ramanuj
(B) Kautilya
(C) Amartya Sen
(D) Bhaskaracharya
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72. ‘Ashtadhyayi’ was written by_________
(A) Vedavyas
(B) Panini
(C) Shukhadeva
(D) Valmiki
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73. Who wrote ‘Shakuntalam’?
(A) Bana Bhatt
(B) Ved Vyas
(C) Kalidasa
(D) Bhavabhuti
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75. Thy right is to work only, but never with its fruits. This is stated in which of the following book?
(A) Astadhyayi
(B) Mahabhasya
(C) Geeta
(D) Mahabharata
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76. In which epic it was told: “What is here is also found elsewhere, but if not here is found nowhere else”?
(A) Ramayana
(B) Mahabharata
(C) Geeta
(D) Rajatarangini
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77. Who of the following was the writer of Mudrarakshasa?
(A) Ashwaghosha
(B) Vishakhadatta
(C) Kalidasa
(D) Bhas
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78. Which of the following is not a literary masterpiece of Kalidasa?
(A) Mrichchhakatikam
(B) Meghduta
(C) Ritu Sanghar
(D) Vikramorvasiyam
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79. Match the following.
List-I
(a) Panini (b) Vatsyayan (c) Chanakya (d) Kalhana
List-II

1. Kamasutra 2. Rajatarangini 3. Ashtadhyayi 4. Arthashastra

Code
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 3 1 4 2
(B) 4 1 2 3
(C) 2 3 1 4
(D) 1 2 3 4
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80. Which of the following classical works of literature were written during the Gupta Era?

1. Amarakosh

2. Kamasutra

3. Meghaduta

4. Mudrarakshasa

Code
(A) Only 1 and 2
(B) Only 2 and 3
(C) Only 1, 2 and 3
(D) 1, 2, 3 and 4
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81. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer.
List-I
(a) Vishakhadatta
(b) Varahamihira
(c) Charaka
(d) Brahmagupta

List-II

1. Medicine 2. Drama 3. Astronomy 4. Mathematics

Code
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 1 3 4 2
(B) 2 1 3 4
(C) 2 3 1 4
(D) 3 4 1 3
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82. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer.
List-I (Authors)
(a) Bharavi (b) Harsha (c) Kalidasa (d) Rajasekhara

List-II (Works)

1. Kapurmanjari

2. Kiratarjuniyam

3. Malavikagnimitram

4. Nagananda

Code
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 1 2 3 4
(B) 3 4 2 1
(C) 2 1 4 3
(D) 2 4 3 1
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83. Which of the following Sanskrit works has taken up their theme from the Mahabharata?

1. Naishdhiyacharita

2. Kiratarjuniyam

3. Sisupalavadha

4. Dasakumaracharita

Code
(A) 2 and 3
(B) 2, 3 and 4
(C) 1 and 3
(D) 1, 2 and 3
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84. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer.
List-I (Court Poet)
(a) Amir Khusrau
(b) Kalidasa
(c) Harisena
(d) Banabhatta

List-II (King)

1. Chandra Gupta II

2. Samudra Gupta

3. Harshavardhana

4. Allauddin Khalji

Code
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 1 2 3 4
(B) 4 1 2 3
(C) 4 3 2 1
(D) 2 4 1 3
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85. Which of the following works were authored by Harsha?

1. Priyadarshika

2. Nagananda

3. Harshacharita

4. Ratnavali

Code
(A) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(B) 1, 2 and 4
(C) 1, 2 and 3
(D) 2 and 3
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86. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?

1. Mrichchakatikam – Sudraka

2. Buddhacharita – Vasubandhu

3. Mudrarakshasa – Vishakhadatta

4. Harshacharita – Banabhatta

Code
(A) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(B) 1, 3 and 4
(C) 1 and 4
(D) 2 and 3
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87. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer.
List-I (Author)
(a) Varahamihira
(b) Vishakhadatta
(c) Sudraka
(d) Bilhana

List-II (Text)

1. Prabandha Chintamani

2. Mrichchha-Katikam

3. Brihat-Samhita

4. Devi-Chandraguptam

5. Vikramankadevacharita

Code
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 3 4 5 2
(B) 3 4 2 5
(C) 5 3 4 1
(D) 1 3 5 2
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88. Match the List-I with List-II and select the correct answer.
List-I (Compositions)
(a) Ashtanga – Samgraha
(b) Das rupak
(c) Lilavati
(d) Mahabhasya

List-II (Subject)

1. Play

2. Grammar

3. Maths

4. Medical

Code
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 3 2 1 4
(B) 4 1 3 2
(C) 2 3 4 1
(D) 1 4 2 3
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89. Match the List-I with List-II and select the correct answer.
List-I
(a) Sarvavarma
(b) Sudrak
(c) Vigyaneshwara
(d) Kalhana

List-II

1. Mitakshara

2. Rajtarangini

3. Mrichchhakatikam

4. Katantra

Code
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 3 4 2 1
(B) 4 3 1 2
(C) 2 1 4 3
(D) 4 2 1 3
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