UPSC Prelims 2022 Q56: Art & Culture – Philosophy & Religion
With reference to Indian history, consider the following pairs : Historical person - Known as
1. Aryadeva - Jaina scholar
2. Dignaga - Buddhist scholar
3. Nathamuni - Vaishnava scholar How many pairs given above are correctly matched ?
- (a) None of the pairs
- (b) Only one pair
- (c) Only two pairs
- (d) All three pairs
Answer: (c) Only two pairs
Explanation
Matching scholars to traditions
| Person | Given as | Actually | Match? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aryadeva | Jaina scholar | Buddhist philosopher of the Madhyamaka school, disciple of Nagarjuna | No |
| Dignaga | Buddhist scholar | Buddhist logician, founder of Buddhist pramana (epistemology) | Yes |
| Nathamuni | Vaishnava scholar | First Sri Vaishnava acharya; compiled the Nalayira Divya Prabandham of the Alvars | Yes |
Two pairs are correctly matched.
Answer: (c) Only two pairs.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Dignaga (Buddhist) and Nathamuni (Vaishnava) are both correctly matched.
- (b) Incorrect. Two pairs are right, not one: Dignaga and Nathamuni.
- (c) CORRECT. Only Aryadeva is wrong; he was a Buddhist Madhyamaka thinker, not a Jaina.
- (d) Incorrect. Aryadeva was a Buddhist disciple of Nagarjuna, so pair 1 is wrong.
Key point
Aryadeva = Buddhist (Madhyamaka, Nagarjuna's disciple); Dignaga = Buddhist logician; Nathamuni = first Sri Vaishnava acharya.
Remember
Aryadeva is Buddhist, not Jaina; two pairs correct.
Common mistakes
- Taking 'Arya' in Aryadeva as a Jaina marker; he was a Buddhist monk.
- Not knowing Nathamuni compiled the Alvar hymns into the Divya Prabandham.
- Confusing Dignaga with Dharmakirti; both are Buddhist logicians, so the pair stays correct either way.
Exam tip
Madhyamaka line: Nagarjuna → Aryadeva. Sri Vaishnava line: Nathamuni → Yamunacharya → Ramanuja.
Sources
- NCERT Class XII — Themes in Indian History II, Ch 6 (Bhakti-Sufi Traditions)
- Upinder Singh — A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India