Question

Who was the court poet of Harshavardhana?
(A) Kalidasa
(B) Ravi Kirti
(C) Banabhatta
(D) Vishnu Sharma

Answer 1

Hint: The Indian emperor Harshvardhana, who ruled North India from 606 to 647 CE was a member of the Vardhana dynasty. He was the son of Prabhakara Vardhana. Prabhakar Vardhan defeated the Alchon Huns invaders in his time. Prabhakar Vardhan was the brother to the king of Thanesar, present-day Haryana.

Complete step-by-step answer:
Banabhatta was the Asthana Kavi of Harshvardhana. Sanskrit prose writer and 7th Century poet of India, Banabhatta has contributed a lot to Sanskrit literature. He was the court poet until Harshvardhana reigned that is from 606 CE to 647 CE in north India first from Shanishvara (Thanesar), and later Kannauj. The Harshacharita (Deeds of Harsha), and the novel Kadambari are one of the popular works of Banabhatta. Although Banabhatta died before finishing the novel, Bhūṣaṇabhaṭṭa; he completed his work. Sanskrit literature has both of these works within it. Some of his other works include Caṇḍikāśataka and a drama, the Pārvatīpariṇaya. " Banochhistam jagat sarvam" meaning Bana has described everything in this world and nothing is left is another of his praised works. Harshacharita which is considered as a historical biography is considered as the first Indian work. It gives a flamboyant picture of life in the countryside.

Thus, option (C) is correct.

Note: Bana was the son of Chitrabhānu and Rājadevi. He was born in the town of Pritikuta on the banks of the Hiraṇyavāhu in a Bhojaka group of Vātsyāyana gotra in the current region of Chhapra in advanced Bihar. He received a letter from Krishna, a cousin of King Harsha which led him to meet the king while he was camping near the town of Manitara.