General Awareness ยท History

Indian Literature and Texts

2,973 Questions

Indian literature features rich ancient texts, epics like the Mahabharata, and philosophical Upanishads. This topic covers seminal works of Indian mythology and Sanskrit tradition. It is a highly scoring area in UPSC, state PSC, and other competitive examinations.

Ancient Indian epicsSacred Hindu textsSanskrit traditionIndian mythologyJain literary texts

Indian Literature and Texts Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest epic poem in Indian literature?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. The Upanishads
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Mahabharata is an epic poem that tells the story of the Kurukshetra War between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. It is the longest epic poem in the world, and it is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian literature.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest love story in Indian literature?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. Laila Majnu
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Laila Majnu is a tragic love story that tells the story of two lovers who are separated by their families. It is considered to be one of the greatest love stories in Indian literature.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest work of Indian drama?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. Abhijnanashakuntalam
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Abhijnanashakuntalam is a play that tells the story of Shakuntala, a young woman who is abandoned by her lover, King Dushyanta. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian drama.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest work of Indian non-fiction?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. The Arthashastra
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Arthashastra is a treatise on statecraft and economics that was written by Kautilya in the 4th century BCE. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian non-fiction.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest work of Indian poetry?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. Gitanjali
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Gitanjali is a collection of poems that was written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1910. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian poetry.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest work of Indian fiction?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. Godan
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Godan is a novel that was written by Premchand in 1936. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian fiction.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest work of Indian children's literature?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. Malgudi Days
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Malgudi Days is a collection of short stories that was written by R.K. Narayan in 1943. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian children's literature.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest work of Indian science fiction?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. The Day of the Triffids
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Day of the Triffids is a science fiction novel that was written by John Wyndham in 1951. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian science fiction.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest work of Indian fantasy?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. The Chronicles of Narnia
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of fantasy novels that was written by C.S. Lewis between 1950 and 1963. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian fantasy.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest work of Indian horror?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. The Exorcist
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Exorcist is a horror novel that was written by William Peter Blatty in 1971. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian horror.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest work of Indian mystery?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. And Then There Were None
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

And Then There Were None is a mystery novel that was written by Agatha Christie in 1939. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian mystery.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is considered to be the greatest work of Indian autobiography?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is an autobiography that was written by Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian autobiography.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the ancient Indian text that contains mathematical and astronomical knowledge?

  1. Rigveda

  2. Yajurveda

  3. Samaveda

  4. Atharvaveda
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Rigveda is the oldest of the four Vedas, the sacred texts of Hinduism, and contains hymns and prayers. It also includes mathematical and astronomical knowledge, such as the concept of zero and the use of geometric shapes.

Multiple choice

Which of these is an adaptation of a Hindu epic?

  1. The Ramayana

  2. The Mahabharata

  3. The Bhagavad Gita

  4. The Upanishads
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Ramayana is a Hindu epic poem that tells the story of Rama, a prince who is exiled from his kingdom and must rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana.

Multiple choice

Which of these is an adaptation of a Buddhist text?

  1. The Dhammapada

  2. The Lotus Sutra

  3. The Heart Sutra

  4. The Diamond Sutra
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Dhammapada is a collection of Buddhist teachings that was compiled in the 3rd century BCE. It is one of the most popular Buddhist texts and has been translated into many languages.