Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Which of the following statements about Vijayanagara is/are true? 1. Kings ruled on behalf of God Virupaksha. 2. Rulers used title 'Hindu Suratrana'. 3. Orders were signed in Kannada, Sanskrit and Tamil. 4. Royal portrait sculptures were displayed in temples.
Solution & Analysis
Answer: D
Concept
Vijayanagara kingship was deeply integrated with Hindu religious symbolism. The kings positioned themselves not as absolute owners of the land, but as 'regents' of the divine.Explanation
Statement 1 is true: Royal orders were signed 'Sri Virupaksha,' indicating the kings ruled as agents of the deity.
Statement 2 is true: They used the title Hindu Suratrana (Emperor among Hindu Kings, a Sanskritized version of 'Sultan').
Statement 4 is true: Bronze and stone royal portrait sculptures (like the famous one of Krishnadeva Raya) were placed in temples.
Statement 3 is incorrect: While many languages were spoken, official court orders and inscriptions of the time were primarily written in Kannada and Telugu, with Sanskrit for religious matters, rather than the three-language formal signature suggested.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: The 'Hindu Suratrana' title shows how they adopted and modified Islamic political terminology to suit their sovereign identity.
Logic 2: The presence of royal statues in temples reinforced the king's image as the supreme devotee and protector of the faith.