UPSC Prelims 2024 Question:

Which one of the following is a work attributed to playwright Bhasa?

Explanation: 

• Madhyama Vyayoga is a One-Act play of the Vyayoga type written by Bhasa. It is known for its fast-paced action and easy-flowing humor. In the classical Sanskrit dramatic tradition, the vyayoga was a one-act play with a heroic mood, lacking romantic elements and featuring few feminine roles. "Madhyama" refers to the middle one, in this case, the middle sibling. The play refers to Bhima, the middle son among the three sons of Kunti in the Mahabharata. The plot of the drama revolves around the stay of the Pandavas in a village and their encounter with Hidimba.
  
  

• • The Sanskrit play Madhyama Vyayoga is attributed to Bhasa, a famous Sanskrit poet. However, there is no consensus regarding when the play was written, and it has been dated variously from 475 BCE to the 11th century CE
  • The Sanskrit poet Nannaya, who lived around 400 CE, has mentioned Bhasa in his works, and this suggests Bhasa may have lived around 350 CE contemporary to the Gupta period. 
  • Kavyalankara (The Ornaments of poetry) is attributed to Bhamaha who was roughly contemporary with Dandin in 7th century CE. Written in the form of instruction for aspiring poets to guide them into the nuances of writing a good poem and also defining the qualities of a true poet. Not much was known about this work of Bhamaha until 1900s when it attracted the attention of Indologists.
    
    

• Natya Shastra is attributed to sage Bharata, and its first complete compilation is dated to between 200 BCE and 200 CE. This book on dance, drama and music is the bible of performing arts in ancient India and defined the standards and rules for the same. (It should have been easily eliminated by aspirants given its reference in ancient art and culture. 
  
  

• Mahabhasya is attributed to Patanjali, which is a commentary on selected rules of Sanskrit grammar from Pāṇini's treatise, the Aṣṭādhyāyī, as well as Kātyāyana's Vārttika-sūtra, an elaboration of Pāṇini's grammar. 
  
  

Therefore, option (3) is the correct answer.

Subject: History| Indian Literature