47th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2005

Ancient Sanskrit Literature

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Who has written the 'Harshacharita'?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: B

Concept Royal biographies in ancient India served to immortalize the ruler's achievements and provide a detailed social and political snapshot of their reign.

Explanation Banabhatta, the court poet of King Harshavardhana, wrote the *Harshacharita*. It is a masterpiece of Sanskrit prose and the earliest surviving biographical work of an Indian king.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: The book narrates the life, family, and military achievements of Harsha in a refined literary style.
Logic 2: Aryabhatta was a mathematician, and Vishnugupta (Chanakya/Kautilya) wrote the *Arthashastra*.
Logic 3: Banabhatta is also famous for writing *Kadambari*, one of the world's earliest novels.

Active Recall

Question

What is the literary significance of the Harshacharita?

Answer

It is the first major biographical narrative (charita) in Sanskrit literature, blending history with poetic ornamentation.

Core Insight

Banabhatta's work is essential for modern historians as it provides a detailed, if panegyrical, account of the 7th-century socio-political environment.