Question

Which of the following is a significant reason for the enduring popularity of Sanskrit drama through the centuries?

• A. The use of simple, everyday language that made it accessible to all social classes
• B. The exceptional skill of playwrights in portraying complex characters, settings, and plots
• C. Its exclusive focus on philosophical themes with no connection to popular culture
• D. The restriction of performances to religious settings, making them timeless

Answer 1

Answer:

B. The exceptional skill of playwrights in portraying complex characters, settings, and plots

Sanskrit drama is characterized by the works of dramatists like Sudraka, Bhasa, Bhavbhuti, Harsha, and Kalidasa, among others. These plays have endured for thousands of years due to the playwrights' exceptional skill in portraying characters, settings, and plots in their unique styles. Many of the renowned Sanskrit playwrights thrived with royal patronage or were part of royal courts and households. In more recent times, Sanskrit playwrights such as Manmohan Acharya (author of Arjuna Pratijnaa, Shrita-kamalam, Pada-pallavam, Divya-Jayadevam, Pingalaa, Mrtyuh, Sthitaprajnah, Tantra-mahasaktih, Purva-sakuntalam, Uttara sakuntalam, and Raavanah), Vidyadhar Shastri (known for Purnanandam, Kalidainyam, and Durbala Balam), and Prafulla Kumar Mishra (famous