RAS question
The Rashtrakuta king Amoghavarsha I is known for authoring which Kannada literary work?
Correct answer: (D) Kavirajamarga.
The Rashtrakuta king Amoghavarsha I is known for Kavirajamarga, the earliest extant Kannada work on poetics and grammar.
Explanation
Amoghavarsha I (814-878 CE) is traditionally credited with Kavirajamarga. The NCERT publication supports this identification by describing Kannada literature as more than a thousand years old and naming Kavirajamarga of the Rashtrakuta king Amoghavarsa I as the earliest extant work belonging to the language, dated to the 9th century CE. The key clue is not merely a Rashtrakuta ruler's patronage of learning, but a specific Kannada literary milestone attached to his name. Kavirajamarga concerns Kannada poetics and grammar, so it is the only option that fits both the authorial tradition and the literary-history significance.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Vikramankadevacharita is not associated with Amoghavarsha I or with the earliest extant Kannada literary tradition identified by NCERT.
- (B) Gadyachintamani does not match Kavirajamarga, the work associated with the Rashtrakuta king Amoghavarsha I.
- (C) Pampa Bharata is ruled out because NCERT places Pampa's works after Kavirajamarga, while Amoghavarsha I is credited with Kavirajamarga.
Concept
This tests the literary culture of early medieval India, especially the link between regional-language development and royal courts. RAS repeats such facts because dynasties are often examined through inscriptions, patronage and landmark texts, not only battles and dates.