UPSC CSE Pre. 1996

Bhakti Literature

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Prem Vatika, poems on the life of Krishna, was composed by:

Answer: C

Concept The Bhakti movement saw poets from diverse religious backgrounds expressing intense devotion to deities like Lord Krishna.

Explanation Raskhan, born Sayyad Ibrahim, was a Muslim poet who became a devoted follower of Lord Krishna and wrote 'Prem Vatika' around 1614 CE.

Logical Breakup

Option C is Correct: Raskhan's work is celebrated for its emotional depth and purity of language in Braj Bhasha.

Logic: While Surdas also wrote on Krishna, 'Prem Vatika' is the specific magnum opus of Raskhan.

Question

To which school of Hindu philosophy was Raskhan associated?

Answer

He was a disciple of Vithalnath of the Vallabha sect (Pushtimarg).

Raskhan’s poetry exemplifies the transcendent nature of Bhakti, where religious identity is dissolved in the love for the divine.