Question

Samudragupta’s passion for music is proved by his veena- playing pictures on his ………………
A.Royal emblem
B.Coins
C.Inscriptions
D.Sword

Answer 1

Hint:Samudragupta was the ruler of Ancient India's Gupta Empire. As the son of Emperor Chandragupta I of Gupta and Princess Kumaradevi of Licchavi, he greatly extended the political influence of his dynasty.

Complete answer:
The coins of Samudragupta show him as a man of tall stature with a robust body. The inscription of the Allahabad Pillar portrays him as a merciful king, saying that his "mind was engaged in providing relief to the low, the poor, the helpless, and the afflicted'' It also mentions that like the kings vanquished by him, he restored several royal families who had lost their kingdoms. It notes at the same time that he kept tight administration ("prachanda shasana").

The inscription says that because of his literary works, Samudragupta became popular among learned people and received the epithet "king of poets" This indicates that several literary works were written by him, but none of these works still survive.

The inscription also boasts that through his lovely performances of music, Samudragupta put to shame the celestial musicians Tumburu and Narada. The musical skills of Samudragupta are also corroborated by his gold coins that show him playing a veena.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note:In Hindu mythology, among Gandharvas or celestial musicians, Tumburu is the greatest and is often described as the best performer. He is identified as performing as well as singing praises of the god Vishnu in the courts of the gods Kubera and Indra. Narada, or Narada Muni, is a god-sage, popular as a wandering musician and storyteller in Hindu traditions.