PYQP – Art & Culture – Indian Literature

NCERT Test History Class VI

“Mahabhasya” a Sanskrit work, written by Patanjali, is a commentary on Panini’s Ashtadhyayi. It is essentially a book on:

(a)          Medicine

(b)          Grammar

(c)          Astronomy

(d)          Mathematics

Ans. (b)

Day 21: Prelims 2024 Culture Music

Consider the following statement.

1.    Bharata’s Natyashastra elaborates the musicology.

2.    Brihaddeshi defined the word ‘raga’.

Which of the above statement/s is/are correct?

(a)          1 only

(b)          2 only

(c)          Both 1 and 2

(d)          Neither 1 nor 2

Ans. (c)

Brihaddeshi 

·                It is a Classical Sanskrit text, dated ca. 6th to 8th century CE, on Indian classical music, attributed to Mataṅga Muni. 

·                It is the first text to speak directly of the raga and to distinguish marga (“classical”) from desi (“folk”) music. 

·                It also introduced sargam solfège (or solfa), the singing of the first syllable of the names of the musical notes, as an aid to learning and performance. 

·                The author based his work on Bharata Muni’s Natya Shastra. 

·                His discussion of musical scales and micro-tonal intervals clarifies Bharata’s work, and also clarifies Bharata’s terse presentation of many issues related to śruti.