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Kerala +2 Sanskrit Sastra practice questions

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Question 1Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In Sanskrit dramaturgy, the Natyashastra is traditionally attributed to which sage, who is said to have composed it after being asked by Indra to create a fifth Veda accessible to all?

  1. Bhamaha
  2. Bhavabhuti
  3. Bharata Correct answer.
  4. Bhasa

Explanation

The Natyashastra, the foundational treatise on Sanskrit drama covering rasa, bhava, and stagecraft, is ascribed to the sage Bharata. Tradition frames it as the 'fifth Veda' created at Indra's request. Bhavabhuti and Bhasa are playwrights, and Bhamaha is a rhetorician.

Question 2Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

How many rasas are enumerated in the classical Sanskrit aesthetic tradition, with shanta added to Bharata's original set?

  1. Eight
  2. Eleven
  3. Seven
  4. Nine Correct answer.

Explanation

Bharata's Natyashastra lists eight rasas: shringara, hasya, karuna, raudra, vira, bhayanaka, bibhatsa, and adbhuta. Later writers such as Abhinavagupta and the shanta-rasa tradition add shanta as the ninth, giving the standard navarasa scheme.

Question 3Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which dramatist is credited with the play Svapnavasavadatta, in which the king Udayana's queen Vasavadatta feigns death so that he can marry Padmavati for political advantage?

  1. Harsha
  2. Kalidasa
  3. Shudraka
  4. Bhasa Correct answer.

Explanation

Svapnavasavadatta belongs to the thirteen plays of the Bhasa corpus, recovered from manuscript in Kerala and published in 1912. Its plot turns on Vasavadatta's self-sacrificing stratagem and Udayana's dream recollection of her. Kalidasa, Shudraka, and Harsha wrote other plays.

Question 4Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

The Nayaka (hero) of Kalidasa's Abhijnanashakuntala is King Dushyanta. According to the natya classification of heroes, Dushyanta is best described as which type?

  1. Dhirashanta, a calm and detached hero
  2. Dhirodatta, a noble and self-controlled hero Correct answer.
  3. Dhiralalita, a playful and pleasure-loving hero
  4. Dhiroddhata, a haughty and boastful hero

Explanation

Classical dramaturgy divides the nayaka into four types by temperament: dhirodatta, dhiroddhata, dhiralalita, and dhirashanta. Dushyanta is the model dhirodatta hero, magnanimous, restrained, and dignified in both love and kingship, even when he rejects Shakuntala under the curse.

Question 5Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In the opening of Abhijnanashakuntala, the anklet (nupura) of Shakuntala is lost and later recovered, and a ring serves as the token of recognition. Which term names the dramatic device of a recognition token that resolves the plot?

  1. Vidushaka
  2. Nidarshana
  3. Anagnorisis in the Sanskrit sense of abhijnana Correct answer.
  4. Abhijnana

Explanation

The play's title uses abhijnana, literally 'recognition' or 'recollection by a token', the Sanskrit counterpart of anagnorisis. The lost ring, restored when a fisherman is arrested, re-establishes Dushyanta's memory of Shakuntala and drives the denouement.

Question 6Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which play by Shudraka is a prakaran (social drama) depicting the love of the merchant Charudatta and the courtesan Vasantasena, and includes the subplot of the wicked prince Samsthanaka?

  1. Mrichchhakatika Correct answer.
  2. Mudrarakshasa
  3. Malavikagnimitra
  4. Uttararamacharita

Explanation

Mrichchhakatika, 'the little clay cart', is Shudraka's ten-act prakaran. It follows the impoverished merchant Charudatta and the courtesan Vasantasena, with the villain Samsthanaka, and is unusual for its low-life setting and trial scene.

Question 7Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Bhavabhuti's play Uttararamacharita continues the Ramayana narrative. Which episode forms its central dramatic subject?

  1. Rama's crossing to Lanka and the slaying of Ravana
  2. The Ashvamedha horse being captured by Lava
  3. The abandonment of Sita and her later reunion with Rama Correct answer.
  4. The birth and education of Lava and Kusha only

Explanation

Uttararamacharita dramatizes the later Ramayana: Rama's abandonment of the pregnant Sita, her refuge in Valmiki's hermitage, the birth of Lava and Kusha, and the final reunion. Its emotional centre is karuna rasa, pathos, rather than heroic warfare.

Question 8Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In Sanskrit dramaturgy, the vidushaka is a stock character. Which description fits him?

  1. A Brahmin companion of the hero, often comic and gluttonous Correct answer.
  2. A heroic warrior who assists the nayaka in battle
  3. A female attendant of the queen
  4. A celestial messenger who announces the gods' will

Explanation

The vidushaka is the hero's Brahmin confidant, typically depicted as ugly, fond of food, and comic in speech. He provides humor and advances the love plot by carrying messages and easing tense situations. He is not a warrior or a divine figure.

Question 9Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

The term 'sandhi' in Sanskrit dramaturgy refers to a division of the plot. How many sandhis does Bharata's system recognize in a well-constructed play?

  1. Seven
  2. Five Correct answer.
  3. Four
  4. Three

Explanation

The Natyashastra and later dramaturgical texts recognize five sandhis, or junctures of the plot: mukha, pratimukha, garbha, vimarsha, and nirvahana. Each corresponds to a stage in the movement from beginning to resolution.

Question 10Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which rasa arises primarily from the sthayibhava of 'shoka', grief, as when a character mourns a loss?

  1. Karuna Correct answer.
  2. Raudra
  3. Shringara
  4. Hasya

Explanation

Each rasa is generated by a dominant stable emotion (sthayibhava). Shoka, grief, is the sthayibhava of karuna rasa, the pathetic sentiment, as seen in Sita's lament or in the death scenes of classical drama.

Question 11Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

The ten 'rupakas' are the major forms of Sanskrit drama. Which of the following is a rupaka characterized by a single act and a single rasa, often depicting a divine or heroic episode?

  1. Nataka
  2. Anka
  3. Prakarana
  4. Vyayoga Correct answer.

Explanation

The vyayoga is one of the ten rupakas, a one-act play with few characters and typically a single dominant rasa, often heroic or ferocious. The nataka and prakarana are multi-act major forms, while anka is a minor uparupaka, not a rupaka of this class.

Question 12Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In the classification of Sanskrit drama, which of these is an 'uparupaka', a minor dramatic form, rather than one of the ten rupakas?

  1. Prahasana Correct answer.
  2. Prakarana
  3. Nataka-variety of anka
  4. Nataka

Explanation

The prahasana, a farce, is commonly listed among the uparupakas, the minor dramatic forms, alongside bhana, vithi, and others. The nataka, prakarana, and related forms constitute the ten rupakas.

Question 13Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Kalidasa's play Malavikagnimitra is named for King Agnimitra. What is the central romantic situation of the play?

  1. Agnimitra falls in love with Malavika, a maid in the queen's service, and must overcome the queen's jealousy Correct answer.
  2. Agnimitra renounces the throne to follow Malavika into exile
  3. Agnimitra wages war against a rival king to rescue Malavika
  4. Agnimitra marries a princess to seal a political alliance with Vidarbha

Explanation

Malavikagnimitra is a 'love-in-the-palace' drama: Agnimitra becomes enamoured of Malavika, a young woman in the queen's household, and the plot revolves around concealing the affair from the jealous queen Dhariṇi and eventually revealing Malavika's noble birth.

Question 14Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In the technical vocabulary of Sanskrit poetics, 'dhvani' denotes which phenomenon?

  1. The meter of a verse
  2. The literal meaning of a word
  3. Suggested or implied meaning that is the soul of poetry Correct answer.
  4. The ornamentation of a sentence

Explanation

Dhvani, developed by Anandavardhana in the Dhvanyaloka, is the power of suggestion by which poetry conveys meaning beyond the literal. It is called the 'soul of poetry' and is central to later Sanskrit aesthetics.

Question 15Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following pairs correctly matches a playwright with a play attributed to him?

  1. Kalidasa - Uttararamacharita
  2. Shudraka - Abhijnanashakuntala
  3. Vishakhadatta - Mudrarakshasa Correct answer.
  4. Bhavabhuti - Mrichchhakatika

Explanation

Mudrarakshasa, a political drama about Chanakya's stratagems to install Chandragupta, is by Vishakhadatta. The other pairings are deliberately crossed: Uttararamacharita is Bhavabhuti's, Abhijnanashakuntala is Kalidasa's, and Mrichchhakatika is Shudraka's.

Question 16Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Bhavabhuti's Malatimadhava is famous for its depiction of which theme, unusual in classical Sanskrit drama?

  1. The rivalry of two brothers for a throne
  2. The love of Malati and Madhava, involving sorcery and a Buddhist nun's aid Correct answer.
  3. The exile of a queen for bearing a daughter
  4. The love of a king for a courtesan

Explanation

Malatimadhava dramatizes the love of Malati and Madhava, complicated by a rival suitor and resolved with the help of the Buddhist nun Kamandaki and magical arts. Its use of sorcery and a Buddhist character marks it as distinctive within the classical corpus.

Question 17Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In Sanskrit drama, which term denotes the prologue, spoken typically by the sutradhara and an assistant before the play proper begins?

  1. Vishkambhaka
  2. Prastavana Correct answer.
  3. Praveshaka
  4. Nandi

Explanation

The prastavana is the prologue, normally featuring the sutradhara, the stage manager, and an associate, in which the audience is introduced to the play. It follows the nandi, a benedictory verse, and precedes the first act.

Question 18Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Read the description: a play of five to ten acts, with a noble hero drawn from legend or history, a corresponding heroine, and a plot moving through the five sandhis to a happy resolution. This describes which dramatic form?

  1. Vyayoga
  2. Nataka Correct answer.
  3. Bhana
  4. Prahasana

Explanation

The nataka is the major rupaka: five to ten acts, a dhirodatta hero of legendary or royal descent, a worthy heroine, and a plot developed through the five sandhis toward a happy ending. Abhijnanashakuntala is a standard example.

Question 19Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In the theory of rasa, the 'sthayibhava' is best defined as which of the following?

  1. The ornament that decorates a verse
  2. The physical gesture accompanying a speech
  3. The transient emotion that flickers across a scene
  4. The permanent or dominant emotion that is developed into a rasa Correct answer.

Explanation

Sthayibhava is the stable, dominant emotion in a character or play, such as rati or shoka, which, when developed by vibhavas, anubhavas, and vyabhicaribhavas, is savored as rasa. Transient emotions are vyabhicaribhavas, not the permanent one.

Question 20Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which statement best captures the relationship between 'vibhava', 'anubhava', and 'vyabhicaribhava' in rasa theory?

  1. They are three types of meter used in drama
  2. They are three classes of hero
  3. They are three independent rasas
  4. They are the determinants, consequents, and transient emotions that together evoke rasa Correct answer.

Explanation

Rasa is evoked by the combination of vibhavas (determinants such as the beloved or the setting), anubhavas (consequents such as glances and gestures), and vyabhicaribhavas (transient emotions such as jealousy or fear). Together with the sthayibhava they produce the aesthetic experience of rasa.

Question 21Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

The 'sutradhara' in Sanskrit drama is conventionally described as which of the following?

  1. The villain who opposes the hero
  2. The king who sponsors the performance
  3. The heroine's confidante
  4. The director or stage manager who introduces the play Correct answer.

Explanation

The sutradhara, literally 'holder of the strings', is the director and stage manager. He opens the performance with the nandi and conducts the prastavana, introducing the play and its author to the audience.

Question 22Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following correctly pairs a rasa with its corresponding sthayibhava?

  1. Karuna - hasa (laughter)
  2. Bibhatsa - shoka (grief)
  3. Raudra - rati (love)
  4. Adbhuta - vismaya (wonder) Correct answer.

Explanation

Adbhuta rasa arises from vismaya, wonder or astonishment. The other pairs are mismatched: karuna corresponds to shoka, raudra to krodha, and bibhatsa to jugupsa.

Question 23Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In Sanskrit dramaturgy, the four types of 'abhinaya' (histrionic representation) are angika, vacika, aharya, and sattvika. Which of these refers to representation through bodily gesture and movement?

  1. Angika Correct answer.
  2. Aharya
  3. Vacika
  4. Sattvika

Explanation

Angika abhinaya is expression through the limbs and body, including gestures and postures. Vacika is vocal delivery, aharya concerns costume and makeup, and sattvika concerns the inner emotional states conveyed through physical signs such as trembling.

Question 24Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

A dramatist wishes to depict a scene in which a character's inner turmoil is shown through trembling, tears, and changes of color, without words. Which category of abhinaya does this draw on?

  1. Sattvika Correct answer.
  2. Angika
  3. Aharya
  4. Vacika

Explanation

Sattvika abhinaya represents involuntary bodily signs of emotion, such as trembling, tears, and pallor, arising from the character's inner state. It is distinguished from deliberate gesture (angika), costume (aharya), and speech (vacika).

Question 25Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which playwright wrote the play Nagananda, a Buddhist-themed drama whose hero is Jimutavahana, and is also credited with Ratnavali and Priyadarshika?

  1. Bhasa
  2. Harsha Correct answer.
  3. Vishakhadatta
  4. Kalidasa

Explanation

King Harshavardhana is credited with three plays: Nagananda, Ratnavali, and Priyadarshika. Nagananda is notable for its Buddhist subject and its hero Jimutavahana, who offers himself to save the nagas.

Question 26Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In Sanskrit poetics, which alamkara is illustrated by the statement 'the moon is like a lotus'?

  1. Rupaka
  2. Shlesha
  3. Utpreksha
  4. Upama Correct answer.

Explanation

Upama (simile) explicitly compares two dissimilar things using a word such as 'iva' or 'yatha', as in 'the moon is like a lotus'. Rupaka is metaphor, utpreksha is poetic fancy, and shlesha is paronomasia, so none of those fits the stated comparison.

Question 27Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which Sanskrit poet is traditionally credited with the poem 'Meghaduta', a mandakranta verse work in which a yaksha sends a message to his beloved through a cloud?

  1. Bhavabhuti
  2. Kalidasa Correct answer.
  3. Bharavi
  4. Magha

Explanation

The Meghaduta is universally attributed to Kalidasa and is famous for its mandakranta metre and its theme of the exiled yaksha's message. Bhavabhuti, Bharavi, and Magha are known for other works, not this poem.

Question 28Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In the Natyashastra, the term 'natyadharmi' refers to which of the following?

  1. The realistic, everyday mode of acting
  2. The physical gesture language of dance
  3. The musical accompaniment of a play
  4. The conventional, stylized mode of dramatic representation Correct answer.

Explanation

Natyadharmi is the stylized, conventional mode of dramatic presentation, as opposed to lokadharmi, which is the realistic mode. The other options describe music, gesture, or realism, not the term itself.

Question 29Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following is the correct definition of 'kavya' in Sanskrit literary theory?

  1. A dramatic work intended only for performance
  2. A prose narrative that recounts historical events
  3. A composition whose primary purpose is to produce aesthetic delight through suggested meaning Correct answer.
  4. A didactic verse text teaching grammar

Explanation

In Sanskrit poetics, kavya is defined as a verbal composition that aims at rasa, the aesthetic relish, often through dhvani or suggested sense. It is not limited to history, drama, or grammar instruction.

Question 30Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In Sanskrit drama, the term 'ankam' (act) is conventionally marked by which feature?

  1. The introduction of a new rasa
  2. The singing of the national anthem
  3. A change in the dramatic situation or the exit of a character Correct answer.
  4. The appearance of the sutradhara

Explanation

An act (anka) in Sanskrit drama is typically concluded when the stage is cleared or when a significant change in situation occurs, often marked by a character's exit. The sutradhara appears in the prologue, not at every act division.

Question 31Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following correctly pairs a Sanskrit dramatist with the play 'Mudrarakshasa'?

  1. Harsha
  2. Bhasa
  3. Vishakhadatta Correct answer.
  4. Shudraka

Explanation

The Mudrarakshasa, a political drama about Chanakya and Rakshasa, is attributed to Vishakhadatta. Shudraka, Harsha, and Bhasa are associated with other plays.

Question 32Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In Sanskrit poetics, the 'vakyarthas' are primarily concerned with which aspect of a sentence?

  1. The metrical pattern of the verse
  2. The grammatical cases of nouns
  3. The meaning of the sentence as a whole Correct answer.
  4. The meaning of individual words only

Explanation

Vakyartha denotes sentence meaning, which arises from the combination of word meanings but is distinct from them. It is not about individual words, case endings, or metre.

Question 33Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following is a characteristic of the 'mahakavya' (court epic) genre?

  1. It is composed in a mixture of prose and verse
  2. It typically begins with a benediction and includes descriptions of cities, oceans, and seasons Correct answer.
  3. It is always performed on stage
  4. It consists solely of dialogue

Explanation

The mahakavya is a long narrative poem in verse that conventionally opens with a benediction and contains set descriptions (varnana) of cities, mountains, seasons, and the like. It is not a mixed prose-verse form, nor is it a dramatic or purely dialogic work.

Question 34Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In the theory of dhvani, which type of suggested meaning is illustrated when the literal sense is discarded and a new sense is suggested, as in 'the sun has set' implying 'let us go home'?

  1. Rasa-dhvani
  2. Alamkara-dhvani
  3. Arthapatti
  4. Vastu-dhvani Correct answer.

Explanation

Vastu-dhvani is the suggestion of a fact or idea (vastu) that is not directly stated, as in the example of the sunset implying departure. Alamkara-dhvani suggests a figure, rasa-dhvani suggests an emotion, and arthapatti is inference, not a type of dhvani.

Question 35Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following is the correct order of the five stages of action (arthaprakriti) in the plot of a Sanskrit drama?

  1. Mukha, pratimukha, garbha, vimarsha, upasamhara
  2. Bija, bindu, pataka, prakarin, karya Correct answer.
  3. Adi, madhya, anta, upasamhara, nirvahana
  4. Bija, mukha, pataka, garbha, karya

Explanation

The five arthaprakritis, the causal elements of the plot, are bija (seed), bindu (drop), pataka (banner), prakarin (episode), and karya (denouement). The other lists confuse these with the five avasthas or with invented sequences.

Question 36Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In Sanskrit dramaturgy, 'pravritti' refers to which of the following?

  1. The hero's physical appearance
  2. The local colour or regional style of a play Correct answer.
  3. The emotional state of the audience
  4. The prologue of a play

Explanation

Pravritti denotes the regional or local style, such as avanti, dakshinatya, or odramagadhi, which determines costumes, manners, and speech in a play. It is not the hero's appearance, the prologue, or audience emotion.

Question 37Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following correctly describes the 'sandhyanga'?

  1. The musical instruments used in the prologue
  2. The types of heroes in Sanskrit drama
  3. The subdivisions of the five sandhis in a dramatic plot Correct answer.
  4. The gestures of the hands in dance

Explanation

Sandhyangas are the constituent parts or subdivisions of each of the five sandhis (plot divisions), such as mukha-sandhi's opening etc. They are not instruments, hand gestures, or hero types.

Question 38Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In the classification of Sanskrit drama, which of the following is a 'rupaka' that has a single act and a heroic or comic theme, often with a female protagonist?

  1. Prahasana Correct answer.
  2. Bhava
  3. Anka
  4. Vithi

Explanation

Prahasana is a one-act rupaka, usually satirical or farcical, often featuring a courtesan or a rogue. Bhava and vithi are uparupakas, and anka is a type of uparupaka, not a rupaka.

Question 39Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following is the correct definition of 'anubhava' in rasa theory?

  1. The external manifestations of emotion, such as glances and gestures Correct answer.
  2. The transient emotions that accompany the dominant state
  3. The causes that stimulate an emotion
  4. The permanent emotional state itself

Explanation

Anubhavas are the physical or verbal expressions that follow from an emotion, such as side-glances, smiles, or gestures. Vibhavas are the causes, vyabhicaribhavas are the transient emotions, and sthayibhava is the permanent state.

Question 40Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

A character in a Sanskrit play is described as 'dhira-lalita', a lover who is calm yet playful. Which type of hero (nayaka) does this represent?

  1. Dhiroddhata
  2. Dhirodatta
  3. Dhira-shanta
  4. Dhira-lalita Correct answer.

Explanation

Dhira-lalita is one of the four types of nayaka, characterized as calm (dhira) and playful (lalita), often a lover devoted to pleasure. The other options are different nayaka types with distinct temperaments.

Question 41Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In Sanskrit drama, which of the following best describes the function of the 'vidushaka'?

  1. He is the female lead
  2. He provides comic relief and assists the hero Correct answer.
  3. He is the hero's antagonist
  4. He is the director of the play

Explanation

The vidushaka is a stock comic character, usually a Brahmin friend of the hero, who provides humour and helps advance the hero's romantic interests. He is not the antagonist, the director, or the heroine.

Question 42Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In the context of Sanskrit dramaturgy, what is the 'nandi'?

  1. The concluding verse of a play
  2. The curtain used in the theatre
  3. The musical instrument played in the prologue
  4. A benedictory verse recited at the beginning of a play Correct answer.

Explanation

The nandi is a benedictory or auspicious verse traditionally recited at the start of a Sanskrit play, often before the sutradhara's prologue. It is not the concluding verse, the curtain, or an instrument.

Question 43Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following is a correct example of the alamkara 'utpreksha'?

  1. The moon, as it were, is a lotus Correct answer.
  2. The moon is a lotus
  3. The moon and the lotus are both white
  4. The moon is like a lotus

Explanation

Utpreksha is a poetic fancy that presents one thing as if it were another, often using 'iva' in a speculative sense, as in 'the moon, as it were, is a lotus'. Upama uses a comparative particle, rupaka is direct metaphor, and mere similarity is not a figure.

Question 44Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In Sanskrit poetics, which of the following is the correct definition of 'rasa' according to the Natyashastra?

  1. Rasa is the moral lesson of the play
  2. Rasa is the permanent emotion itself
  3. Rasa is the aesthetic relish born of the combination of vibhava, anubhava, and vyabhicaribhava Correct answer.
  4. Rasa is the physical gesture of the actor

Explanation

Bharata defines rasa as the aesthetic experience produced by the combination of the determinants (vibhava), the consequents (anubhava), and the transient emotions (vyabhicaribhava). It is not the permanent emotion alone, nor gesture, nor moral instruction.

Question 45Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following is a characteristic feature of the 'bhana' type of Sanskrit drama?

  1. It is a one-act monologue delivered by a single character Correct answer.
  2. It is a play with a large chorus
  3. It is a play performed only by women
  4. It is a ten-act play with a heroic theme

Explanation

Bhana is a one-act rupaka in which a single character, often a rogue or a parasite, narrates and enacts the story through a monologue. It is not a multi-act heroic play, nor is it defined by a chorus or by an all-female cast.

Question 46Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In the theory of rasa, which of the following is the correct sequence of the rasas in the traditional list beginning with shringara?

  1. Shringara, karuna, hasya, raudra, vira, bhayanaka, bibhatsa, adbhuta, shanta
  2. Shringara, vira, karuna, hasya, raudra, bhayanaka, bibhatsa, adbhuta, shanta
  3. Shringara, hasya, karuna, vira, raudra, bhayanaka, bibhatsa, adbhuta, shanta
  4. Shringara, hasya, karuna, raudra, vira, bhayanaka, bibhatsa, adbhuta, shanta Correct answer.

Explanation

The traditional order of the nine rasas is shringara, hasya, karuna, raudra, vira, bhayanaka, bibhatsa, adbhuta, and shanta. The other options alter the order of hasya, karuna, raudra, and vira.

Question 47Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following correctly identifies the author of the 'Kavyadarsha', a foundational text on Sanskrit poetics?

  1. Bhamaha
  2. Mammata
  3. Dandin Correct answer.
  4. Anandavardhana

Explanation

The Kavyadarsha is attributed to Dandin, who discusses the two styles (gauḍiya and vaidarbhi) and various alamkaras. Bhamaha wrote the Kavyalamkara, Anandavardhana the Dhvanyaloka, and Mammata the Kavyaprakasha.

Question 48Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In Sanskrit dramaturgy, the term 'samavakara' denotes which type of play?

  1. A play performed without dialogue
  2. A play with a mixed plot and a large cast, often dealing with gods and demons Correct answer.
  3. A play with a single hero and heroine
  4. A one-act monologue

Explanation

Samavakara is a type of rupaka characterized by a mixed (prakhyata and utpadya) plot, a large number of characters, and themes involving gods, demons, and sages. It is not a monologue, a simple romance, or a silent performance.

Question 49Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

Which of the following is the correct definition of 'vritti' in the context of Sanskrit drama?

  1. The metre of the verse passages
  2. The type of hero
  3. The auspicious benediction
  4. The style of dramatic composition and acting, such as bharati or kaishiki Correct answer.

Explanation

Vritti refers to the mode or style of dramatic representation, of which four are traditionally listed: bharati (verbal), sattvati (heroic), kaishiki (graceful), and arabhati (energetic). It is not metre, hero type, or benediction.

Question 50Sanskrit poetry (Kavya) and drama (Natya)

In the Dhvanyaloka, Anandavardhana argues that the highest form of poetry is that in which the suggested sense (dhvani) predominates. Which of the following is the correct classification of dhvani according to his theory?

  1. Sthayi, vyabhicari, and sattvika
  2. Vastu-dhvani, alamkara-dhvani, and rasa-dhvani Correct answer.
  3. Upama, rupaka, and utpreksha
  4. Shabda, artha, and ubhaya

Explanation

Anandavardhana classifies dhvani into three types: vastu-dhvani (suggestion of fact), alamkara-dhvani (suggestion of figure), and rasa-dhvani (suggestion of emotion). The other options list figures of speech, means of knowledge, or emotional components, not types of dhvani.