UPSC Prelims 2024 Q63: Art & Culture – Literature & Languages
- (a) Kavyalankara
- (b) Natyashastra
- (c) Madhyama - vyayoga
- (d) Mahabhashya
Answer: (c) Madhyama - vyayoga
Explanation
Works Attributed to Playwright Bhasa
| Work | Author | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kavyalankara | Bhamaha (not Bhasa) | A treatise on Sanskrit poetics/rhetoric by Bhamaha (c. 7th century CE) |
| Natyashastra | Bharata Muni (not Bhasa) | The foundational Sanskrit text on dramaturgy, dance, and music |
| Madhyama-vyayoga | Bhasa | A one-act play (vyayoga = a type of Sanskrit drama) depicting a scene from the Mahabharata - the meeting of Bhima with his unknown son Ghatotkacha |
| Mahabhashya | Patanjali (not Bhasa) | A major commentary on Panini's grammar Ashtadhyayi |
About Bhasa:
Bhasa was an ancient Sanskrit playwright (c. 3rd-4th century CE or earlier).
13 plays are attributed to him, discovered by T. Ganapati Shastri in Kerala (1912).
Major works include: Svapnavasavadatta, Pancharatra, Madhyama-vyayoga, Urubhanga, Karnabhara, Pratima-nataka.
Answer: (c) Madhyama - vyayoga.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Kavyalankara is a work on Sanskrit poetics attributed to Bhamaha (c. 7th century CE), not Bhasa the playwright.
- (b) Incorrect. Natyashastra is the foundational work on Indian dramaturgy, dance, and music attributed to Bharata Muni - not Bhasa.
- (c) CORRECT. Madhyama-vyayoga is a short one-act Sanskrit play attributed to Bhasa. It depicts Bhima's encounter with Ghatotkacha in the Mahabharata context.
- (d) Incorrect. Mahabhashya is Patanjali's commentary on Panini's grammar (Ashtadhyayi). Patanjali and Bhasa are entirely different authors from different fields.
Key point
Bhasa = Sanskrit playwright. His works include Madhyama-vyayoga, Svapnavasavadatta, Pancharatra, Urubhanga. Natyashastra = Bharata Muni. Mahabhashya = Patanjali. Kavyalankara = Bhamaha.
Remember
Madhyama-vyayoga is a one-act Sanskrit play attributed to Bhasa. Natyashastra is Bharata Muni's work, not Bhasa's.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Bhasa (playwright) with Bharata Muni (Natyashastra author) - both are associated with Sanskrit drama but are different authors from different eras.
- Not knowing Madhyama-vyayoga - it is one of 13 plays attributed to Bhasa, rediscovered in Kerala in 1912 by T. Ganapati Shastri.
- Confusing Mahabhashya (Patanjali's grammar commentary) with works on drama - the similar 'Maha' prefix causes confusion.
Exam tip
Bhasa = playwright = Madhyama-vyayoga, Svapnavasavadatta, Urubhanga (13 plays total). Bharata = Natyashastra. Patanjali = Mahabhashya. Bhamaha = Kavyalankara. Connect: Bhasa plays = Mahabharata stories.
Sources
- R. S. Sharma — Ancient India (NCERT textbook for Class XI)
- A. B. Keith — The Sanskrit Drama in its Origin, Development, Theory and Practice (Oxford University Press, 1924)