Aspirant Academy
ENHI

RAS question

Mahendravarman I of the Pallava dynasty was also a:

Correct answer: (B) Poet and author of the farce Mattavilasa Prahasana.

Mahendravarman I of the Pallava dynasty was a poet-playwright who authored the Sanskrit farce Mattavilasa Prahasana, also known as The Delight of the Drunkards.

  1. (A)

    Mathematician

  2. (B)

    Poet and author of the farce Mattavilasa Prahasana

  3. (C)

    Astronomer

  4. (D)

    Physician

Explanation

Mahendravarman I, who reigned around 600-630 CE, is remembered not only as a Pallava ruler but also as a literary and artistic figure. The key clue is Mattavilasa Prahasana: Britannica records that Mahendravarman wrote plays, including Mattavilasa-prahasana, a Sanskrit farce dated around 620 CE and translated as The Delight of the Drunkards. The same account places him within the wider Pallava cultural setting, noting Pallava patronage of literature, music, painting, art, and architecture. His religious shift also matters for context: he was initially a Jain and converted to Shaivism under the influence of Appar, while Britannica confirms that, though born a Jain, he later converted to Shaivism.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (A) Mathematician is wrong because Mahendravarman I is identified with Pallava rule, art, architecture, and the Sanskrit farce Mattavilasa Prahasana, not with mathematics.
  • (C) Astronomer is wrong because Mahendravarman I is linked to literature and the authorship of Mattavilasa Prahasana, not to astronomy.
  • (D) Physician is wrong because he was a versatile Pallava ruler and author, with no supported claim that he practised or was known for medicine.

Concept

This tests the cultural history of early medieval South India, especially Pallava patronage and ruler-authors. It recurs in RAS because dynastic history questions often pair political rulers with literature, religion, and art.

Source

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