NDA (I) 2023 General Ability Test · Question 118 of 149

Correct — D, Shudraka. The Sanskrit play 'Mrichchhakatika' ('The Little Clay Cart') is attributed to King Shudraka. It is a ten-act social drama about the love of the impoverished Brahmin Charudatta and the courtesan Vasantasena, notable for its realistic depiction of ordinary urban life.

• (a)Kalidasa — The great classical poet-dramatist who wrote Abhijnanashakuntalam, Meghaduta and Raghuvamsha — not the Mrichchhakatika.
• (b)Bhasa — An early Sanskrit dramatist (Svapnavasavadatta, Pratijna-Yaugandharayana); the Mrichchhakatika is a separate work attributed to Shudraka, though it reworks an unfinished Bhasa theme.
• (c)Valmiki — The sage credited with the epic Ramayana, not a writer of classical drama such as the Mrichchhakatika.

Classical Sanskrit literature includes a rich dramatic tradition. The Mrichchhakatika ('Little Clay Cart'), ascribed to Shudraka, stands out for its social realism — it features a poor hero, a courageous courtesan, gamblers, thieves and a political sub-plot, rather than gods and kings alone.

This is an author-to-work matching item. Kalidasa, Bhasa and Valmiki are famous names, but the Mrichchhakatika is specifically linked to Shudraka. Knowing the signature works of each author isolates the answer.

• Mrichchhakatika ('The Little Clay Cart') is attributed to Shudraka.
• It is a ten-act Sanskrit prakarana (social drama).
• Its main characters are Charudatta and the courtesan Vasantasena.
• Kalidasa wrote Shakuntala; Bhasa wrote Svapnavasavadatta; Valmiki composed the Ramayana.

• Defaulting to Kalidasa for any Sanskrit play.
• Confusing Shudraka's Mrichchhakatika with Bhasa's dramas.

Asked as the author of the Mrichchhakatika, or matching authors to their Sanskrit works.

No directly related past PYQ was found.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Abhijnanashakuntalam was written by

  • (a)Shudraka
  • (b)Kalidasa
  • (c)Bhasa
  • (d)Banabhatta

  Answer(b) Kalidasa.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Mrichchhakatika is best described as a

  • (a)religious epic
  • (b)social drama (prakarana)
  • (c)grammar treatise
  • (d)law code

  Answer(b) social drama (prakarana).