Top 100 Sanskrit GK Questions and Answers

Top 100 Sanskrit GK Questions for Competitive Exams (with Answer) 

Introduction

Master the most critical Sanskrit general knowledge questions curated specifically for competitive examinations, including UGC-NET (Codes 25 & 73), CTET, DSSSB, State TETs, and TGT/PGT recruitment tests. This comprehensive 100-question repository spans the entire foundational syllabus: Vedic Samhitas, Vedangas, and Upanishads; the epics and Shad Darshana; classical Mahakavyas and plays by Kalidasa, Bhasa, and Bhavabhuti; and core Paninian grammar concepts (Maheshvara Sutras, Karakas, and Samasa). Designed for high-retention revision, each entry provides direct, accurate facts to help you maximize your exam score.

Vedic Literature & Vedangas (Q1–Q20)

1. Which is the oldest among the four Vedas?

Answer: Rigveda (ऋग्वेद).

2. How many Mandalas and Suktas are there in the Rigveda?

Answer: 10 Mandalas and 1,028 Suktas.

3. In which Mandala of the Rigveda is the Gayatri Mantra found, and who composed it?

Answer: 3rd Mandala; composed by Sage Vishvamitra (dedicated to Savitr).

4. What is the supervising priest of the Rigveda called?

Answer:  Hotri (होता).

5. What is the presiding priest of the Yajurveda called?

Answer: Adhvaryu (अध्वर्यु).

6. What is the singer-priest of the Samaveda called?

Answer:  Udgatri (उद्गाता).

7. What is the chief supervising priest of the Atharvaveda called?

Answer:  Brahma (ब्रह्मा).

8. Which Veda is distinctly split into two main recensions: Shukla (White) and Krishna (Black)?

Answer:  Yajurveda.

9. Which Veda is considered the primary foundation of Indian classical music and chanting?

Answer: Samaveda.

10. Which Veda deals with domestic rituals, healing charms, spells, and statecraft?

Answer: Atharvaveda.

11. How many Vedangas (limbs of the Veda) exist?

Answer:  Six — Shiksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chhandas, and Jyotisha.

12. Which Vedanga is represented as the "Nose" (घ्राण) of the Veda Purusha?

Answer: Shiksha (शिक्षा – Phonetics).

13. Which Vedanga is represented as the "Mouth" (मुख) of the Veda Purusha?

Answer: Vyakarana (व्याकरण – Grammar).

14. Which Vedanga is represented as the "Feet" (पादौ) of the Veda Purusha?

Answer:  Chhandas (छन्दः – Metrics).

15. Which Vedanga is represented as the "Eyes" (नेत्र/चक्षु) of the Veda Purusha?

Answer:  Jyotisha (ज्योतिष – Astronomy/Timekeeping).

16. Which Vedanga is represented as the "Ears" (श्रोत्र) of the Veda Purusha?

Answer: Nirukta (निरुक्त – Etymology).

17. Which Vedanga is represented as the "Hands" (हस्तौ) of the Veda Purusha?

Answer:  Kalpa (कल्प – Ritual manual).

18. Who is the author of Nirukta, the earliest systematic treatise on etymology?

Answer:  Sage Yaska (यास्क).

19. From which Upanishad is the Indian national motto "Satyameva Jayate" taken?

Answer:  Mundaka Upanishad (मुण्डकोपनिषद्, 3.1.6).

20. Which is the shortest Principal Upanishad, consisting of only 12 verses?

Answer: Mandukya Upanishad (माण्डूक्योपनिषद्).

Epics, Puranas & Darshana (Q21–Q40)

21. What is the traditional designation of the Valmiki Ramayana?

Answer: Adikavya (आदिकाव्य), composed by Adikavi Valmiki.

22. How many Kandas and Shlokas comprise the Valmiki Ramayana?

Answer:  7 Kandas and ~24,000 Shlokas (Chaturvimshati-sahasri Samhita).

23. How many Parvas and Shlokas comprise the Mahabharata?

Answer:  18 Parvas and ~100,000 Shlokas (Shatasahasri Samhita).

24. In which Parva of the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad Gita situated?

Answer:  Bhishma Parva (Chapters 23–40).

25. How many chapters and verses does the Bhagavad Gita contain?

Answer:  18 chapters and 700 verses.

26. How many Mahapuranas are traditionally recognized in classical Sanskrit?

Answer:  18 Mahapuranas.

27. Which is the longest Mahapurana by verse count?

Answer:  Skanda Purana (~81,000 verses).

28. Who is the founder of the Nyaya school of Indian philosophy?

Answer:  Sage Gautama (Akshapada Gautama).

29. Who formulated the Vaisheshika atomic school of philosophy?

Answer: Sage Kanada (Uluka).

30. Who is the classical propounder of the dualistic Samkhya philosophy?

Answer: Sage Kapila.

31. Who codified the classical Yoga philosophy in aphoristic form?

Answer:  Sage Patanjali (Yoga Sutras).

32. Who founded the Purva Mimamsa school?

Answer:  Sage Jaimini.

33. Who composed the foundational Brahma Sutras of the Vedanta (Uttara Mimamsa) school?

Answer:  Sage Badarayana (Veda Vyasa).

34. Who was the primary exponent of Advaita (Non-dualism) Vedanta?

Answer: Adi Shankaracharya.

35. Who propounded the Vishishtadvaita (Qualified Non-dualism) philosophy?

Answer:  Ramanujacharya.

36. Who propounded the Dvaita (Dualism) school of Vedanta?

Answer:  Madhvacharya.

37. Who propounded the Shuddhadvaita (Pure Non-dualism) school?

Answer:  Vallabhacharya.

38. What is the primary extant text of classical Samkhya philosophy?

Answer:  Samkhyakarika by Ishvarakrishna.

39. How many means of valid knowledge (Pramanas) are accepted by Samkhya?

Answer: Three — Pratyaksha (Perception), Anumana (Inference), and Shabda (Testimony).

40. What is the primary text of the Nyaya philosophical system?

Answer:  Nyaya Sutras by Gautama.

Classical Sanskrit Literature: Mahakavya, Nataka & Katha (Q41–Q70)

41. Which three epic poems constitute the "Brihattrayi" (The Great Trio)?

Answer:  Kiratarjuniyam (Bharavi), Shishupalavadham (Magha), and Naishadhiyacharitam (Sriharsha).

42. Which three works constitute the "Laghuttrayi" (The Lesser Trio)?

Answer:  Raghuvamsham, Kumarasambhavam, and Meghadutam (all by Kalidasa).

43. How many Sargas (cantos) are in Bharavi's Kiratarjuniyam?

Answer:  18 Sargas.

44. Which poetic meter is used uniformly throughout Kalidasa’s Meghadutam?

Answer:  Mandakranta (मन्दाक्रान्ता वृत्तम्).

45. How many Sargas are in Magha's Shishupalavadham?

Answer: 20 Sargas.

46. How many Sargas are in Sriharsha's Naishadhiyacharitam?

Answer:  22 Sargas.

47. How many Sargas are in Kalidasa's Raghuvamsham?

Answer: 19 Sargas.

48. How many Sargas are in Kalidasa's Kumarasambhavam?

Answer:  17 Sargas.

49. Which classical verse praises the unique virtues of Kalidasa, Bharavi, Dandin, and Magha?

Answer: 

"उपमा कालिदासस्य भारवेरर्थगौरवम्।

दण्डिनः पदलालित्यं माघे सन्ति त्रयो गुणाः॥"

50. How many plays did Mahakavi Bhasa author that were rediscovered in Kerala by T. Ganapati Sastri?

Answer:  13 plays (Bhasa-nataka-chakram).

51. Which is considered Bhasa's masterwork drama based on the Udayana legend?

Answer:  Svapnavasavadattam (स्वप्नवासवदत्तम्).

52. How many Acts (Ankas) are in Kalidasa's drama Abhijnanashakuntalam?

Answer:  7 Acts.

53. Which Act of Abhijnanashakuntalam is regarded by critics as the most poignant?

Answer:  The 4th Act (Shakuntala’s departure from Kanva’s hermitage).

54. Who is the author of the Prakrit-rich social play Mrichchhakatikam?

Answer: King Shudraka (शूद्रक).

55. What is the name of the Brahmin Vidushaka in Mrichchhakatikam?

Answer:  Maitreya (मैत्रेय).

56. Which political drama by Vishakhadatta features Chanakya and entirely lacks a Vidushaka?

Answer: Mudrarakshasa (मुद्राराक्षस).

57. Who wrote Uttararamacharitam, and which Rasa predominates the work?

Answer:  Bhavabhuti; Karuna Rasa (Pathos).

58. Which poet declared "एकः रसः करुण एव" (Karuna is the only singular rasa)?

Answer:  Bhavabhuti.

59. Who authored the lyric poem Gitagovinda?

Answer:  Jayadeva (court poet of King Lakshmana Sena of Bengal).

60. Which work is recognized as the earliest historical biography in Sanskrit?

Answer:  Harshacharita by Banabhatta.

61. Who wrote the picaresque prose work Dashakumaracharita (Tales of Ten Princes)?

Answer: Acharya Dandin.

62. Who authored the prose romance Vasavadatta, famous for sustained double entendre (Shlesha)?

Answer:  Subandhu.

63. Who wrote the original fable collection Panchatantra?

Answer:  Pandit Vishnu Sharma.

64. What are the five divisions (Tantras) of the Panchatantra?

Answer: Mitrabheda, Mitraprapti (Mitralabha), Kakolukiyam, Labdhapranasham, and Aparikshitakarakam.

65. Who compiled the popular didactic story collection Hitopadesha?

Answer:  Narayana Pandita.

66. Which lost text composed by Gunadhya in the Paisachi dialect served as the source for major Sanskrit narrative literature?

Answer:  Brihatkatha (बृहत्कथा).

67. Who adapted Gunadhya's narrative into the celebrated Kashmiri Sanskrit text Kathasaritsagara?

Answer:  Somadeva.

68. Who authored the Shatakatraya (Niti, Vairagya, and Shringara Shatakam)?

Answer:  Bhartrihari.

69. Who composed Rajatarangini, the verse chronicle of Kashmiri kings?

Answer:  Kalhana (12th Century CE).

70. Who constitute the revered "Munitraya" (Three Sages) of Sanskrit grammar?

Answer: Panini, Katyayana (Vararuchi), and Patanjali.

Sanskrit Grammar (Vyakarana) & Linguistics (Q71–Q85)

71. What is Panini’s foundational grammatical work?

Answer:  Ashtadhyayi (अष्टाध्यायी).

72. How many chapters and quarters make up the Ashtadhyayi, and how many Sutras does it contain?

Answer:  8 chapters (Adhyayas), 4 quarters (Padas) each (32 total); approximately 3,983 Sutras.

73. What are the foundational sound-catalogs revealed to Panini called, and how many are there?

Answer: Maheshvara Sutras (or Shiva Sutras); 14 aphorisms.

74. Who authored the critical additions and annotations (Varttikas) on Panini's Sutras?

Answer:  Katyayana (Vararuchi).

75. Who authored the comprehensive commentary Mahabhashya?

Answer: Patanjali.

Answer: Bhartrihari.

76. Who wrote Laghusiddhantakaumudi, the introductory grammar text?

Answer:  Varadaraja.

77. Who reorganized Panini's Sutras by topical heads in the Siddhantakaumudi?

Answer:  Bhattoji Dikshita.

78. What is a "Dhatu" in Sanskrit linguistics?

Answer:  A verbal root (the minimal morphological basis conveying an action).

79. Into how many Ganas (conjugational classes) are verbal roots classified in the Dhatupatha?

Answer:  10 Ganas (comprising roughly 2,000 roots).

80. How many Karakas (semantic relation roles) are recognized in Paninian grammar?

Answer:  Six — Karta, Karma, Karana, Sampradana, Apadana, and Adhikarana.

81. Why is Sambandha (Genitive/Possessive) not classified as a Karaka?

Answer: It does not relate directly to the action/verb (Kriyanvayitvam abhavat); it relates one noun to another noun.

82. What are the four primary types of Samasa (compounds) in traditional Paninian grammar?

Answer:  Avyayibhava, Tatpurusha, Bahuvrihi, and Dvandva (Karmadharaya and Dvigu are sub-types of Tatpurusha).

83. What are the very first and very last Sutras of Panini’s Ashtadhyayi?

Answer: 

First Sutra: वृद्धिरादैच् (Vriddhiradaich – 1.1.1)

Last Sutra: अ अ (A a – 8.4.68)

Poetics, Ancient Sciences, Modern Sanskrit & Trivia (Q84–Q100)

84. Who is the author of the foundational dramaturgical text Natyashastra?

Answer: Bharata Muni.

85. How many primary Rasas did Bharata Muni originally enumerate in the Natyashastra?

Answer:  Eight Rasas (Shanta Rasa was established later by Abhinavagupta).

86. What is Bharata Muni's canonical formula for the aesthetic emergence of Rasa (Rasa-sutra)?

Answer:  "विभावानुभावव्यभिचारिसंयोगाद्रसनिष्पत्तिः" (Rasa is produced from the combination of Vibhava, Anubhava, and Vyabhicharibhava).

87. Who founded the Dhvani (Poetic Suggestion) school of aesthetics in Dhvanyaloka?

Answer:  Anandavardhana.

88. Who founded the Riti (Stylistic) school, declaring "रीतिरात्मा काव्यस्य"?

Answer:  Acharya Vamana.

89. Who wrote the encyclopedic treatise on statecraft, economy, and military strategy, Arthashastra?

Answer: Kautilya (Chanakya / Vishnugupta).

90. Who authored the surgical compendium Sushruta Samhita and is recognized as the pioneer of plastic surgery?

Answer: Acharya Sushruta.

91. Who redacted and compiled the primary internal medicine text Charaka Samhita?

Answer: Acharya Charaka (based on Agnivesha's original work).

92. Which ancient astronomer wrote Aryabhatiya, formulating the Earth's axial rotation and calculations for \pi?

Answer:  Aryabhata I (499 CE).

93.Who authored the mathematical masterpieces Lilavati and Bijaganita?

An swer:  Bhaskaracharya (Bhaskara II).

94. Which is India’s oldest continuously published daily Sanskrit print newspaper?

Answer:  Sudharma (सुधर्मा), founded in 1970 by K. N. Varadaraja Iyengar in Mysuru, Karnataka.

95. Which village in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka is known for using Sanskrit as a daily spoken language?

Answer:  Mattur (मत्तूरु).

96. Which institution was originally established in 1970 as Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan (now Central Sanskrit University)?

Answer: Central Sanskrit University, New Delhi.

97. What are the earliest phonetic and phonological manuals associated with each Veda called?

AAnswer:  Pratishakhyas (प्रातिशाख्य).

98. Which ancient Indian text by Pingala is the earliest known treatise on poetic metrics and binary combinatorics?

Answer: Chhandas Shastra (छन्दःशास्त्रम्).

99. Who composed the celebrated prose romance Kadambari?

Answer:  Banabhatta (completed posthumously by his son, Bhushanabhatta/Pulinda).

100. Which classical Sanskrit poet was bestowed the famous epithet "Deepashikha" (दीपशिखा)?

Answer:  Kalidasa