Q. Which one of the following books of ancient India has the love story of the son of the founder of Sunga dynasty?

  • Swapnavasavadatta
  • Malavikagnimitra
  • Meghadoota
  • Ratnavali

Answer: (b) Malavikagnimitra

Notes:
  • Malavikagnimitra:
    • It is the Sanskrit play written by Kalidasa in the 5th-century CE.
    • It narrates the love story of King Agnimitra, the Shunga Emperor at Vidisha.
    • Agnimitra was the son of Pushyamitra Shunga, founder of the Sunga dynasty.
    • Kalidasa is the most distinguished dramatist and he treated the rasa of love in all its possible manifestations.
  • Svapnavasavadattam is a Sanskrit play of six acts written by Bhasa.
    • The plot of the drama is drawn from the romantic narratives about the kaushambi king Udayana and Vasavadatta, the daughter of Pradyota, the ruler of Avanti, which were current in the poet’s time and which seem to have captivated popular imagination.
    • The main theme of the drama is the sorrow of Udayana for his queen Vasavadatta, believed by him to have perished in a fire, which was actually a rumour spread by Yaugandharayana, a minister of Udayana to compel his king to marry Padmavati, the daughter of the king of Magadha.
    • It forms, in context, a continuation of his another drama, Pratijnayaugandharayana.
  • Meghadoota is a Sanskrit poem by Kalidasa.
    • It describes how a yakṣa (or nature spirit), who had been banished by his master to a remote region for a year, asked a cloud to take a message of love to his wife.
  • Ratnavali is a Sanskrit drama about a princess Ratnavali, and a king Udayana, written by Harshvardhana. 
    • It tells the story of King Udayana and Princess Ratnavali, whose love story unfolds amidst palace intrigues and the intervention of loyal advisors, ultimately leading to their marriage.
  • Yoga Sutras and Mahabhashya:
    • Patanjali, a revered figure in yoga and Sanskrit grammar, is known for both the Yoga Sutras, a foundational text for yoga philosophy, and the Mahabhashya, a commentary on Sanskrit grammar.
    • Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and Mahabhashya were composed in the Shunga Empire period.