Question

Which of the following are two works of Kalidasa?
A. Raghuvamsha and Kiratarjuniya
B. Kumara Sambhav and Raghuvamsha
C. Malti Madhava and Kumarasambhava
D. Malti Madhava and Rajatarngini

Answer 1

Hint: Kalidasa was one of the greatest playwrights and dramatists of India. He lived during the Gupta period.

Complete answer: Kalidasa was a poet in the court of King Vikramaditya of Ujjain, a famous Gupta king. He lived during the late 4th century or the early 5th century. Kalidas is unambiguously accepted as the greatest of Sanskrit poets and dramatists. This prominent literary figure was highly influenced by the Vedas, the Puranas, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Only a few of his works survive to date. Most notable of his surviving literature is three plays namely, Abhijnana Shakuntalam, Vikramorvashi, and Malavikagnimitra, two epic poems Raghuvamsa and Kumarasambhava, and the lyric “Meghaduta”. Abhijnana Shakuntalam is widely acclaimed as his best work and has been translated into various languages.
Raghuvamsa is an epic poem that vividly describes the rule of the kings of the Raghu dynasty.
Kumarasambhava is one of the two surviving epics by Kalidasa. It describes the birth, life, and marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It deals with the possibility of a son being born to Parvati and Shiva.

So, option B is the correct answer.

Note: Kiratarjuniya is an epic composed in the Sanskrit language by MahakaviBharavi. It describes the battle between Arjun and Lord Shiva (disguised as Kirata or a “mountain-dwelling hunter”)
Malti Madhava is a play written by Bhavabhuti. He is often compared to Kalidasa. This play is a perfect amalgam of love and horror and is an unparalleled work in Sanskrit literature. Rajatarangini is a poem by Kalhana about the kings of Kashmir. It is also written in Sanskrit.