Question

Shudraka wrote _______ .
A. Mrichchakatikam
B. Harshacharita
C. Panchatantra
D. Kavyadarsha

Answer 1

Hint: It is known as " the Little clay cart". It is a Sanskrit drama written in the 2nd century BCE. The play was set in the historical city of Ujjain during the empire of the King Palaka.

Complete Answer:
A. Mrichchakatikam is Shudraka's work. The main theme of this play is poverty and infidelity. It narrates the love affair between a young man named Charudatta, and his love for Vasantasena, a rich courtesan. This option is correct.
B. The Harshacharita is the memoir of the Indian emperor Harsha written by Banabhatta. He was the court poet of Harsha. The Harshacharita was the first writing of Bana and is considered to be the outset of writing of historical poetic works in the Sanskrit language. This option is incorrect.
C. Panchatantra is an old collection of fables which consists of five books, written by Vishnu Sharma. There are a total of 84 stories. The five tantras of Panchatantra are; Mitra-bheda, Mitra-labha, Kakolukiyam, Labdhapranasam and Apariksitakarakam. This option is incorrect.
D. The Kavyadarsha was written by Dandin. He is an Indian Sanskrit grammarian and author of prose romances. This option is incorrect.

Hence, the correct answer is option A.

Note: Shudraka was an Indian king who had gained insight into the Rigveda, the Samaveda, mathematics, the Kamashastra and the art of training elephants.
- Mrichchakatikam is one of the most widely enjoyed and often performed plays in the West.
- The play was summarized into English by Arthur W. Ryder in 1905 as The Little Clay Cart.
- The first silent film of Kannada film industry, Mricchakatika, 1931 and Utsav, a 1984 Hindi Bollywood film by Girish Karnad was an adaptation of this play.