Question

In whose court did the Ashvaghosha, a poet who composed a biography of the Buddha, the Buddhacharita, lived in?

• A. Kanishka
• B. Asoka
• C. Krishnadevaraya
• D. Pushyamithra

Hint:

Associate famous ancient scholars, poets, and artists with their royal patrons. Key pairings include: Ashvaghosha with Kanishka, Kalidasa with Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya), and the Navaratnas (Nine Gems) with Akbar.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Question
This is a history question asking to identify the king who was the patron of the poet Ashvaghosha, the author of the Buddhacharita.
(Note: The question has a grammatical error; it should be "...live?" or "...lived?").

Step 2: Recalling Historical Facts


Ashvaghosha was a prominent Buddhist philosopher, poet, and dramatist from India.

He is most famous for his epic poem "Buddhacharita" (The Acts of the Buddha).

Historical accounts place him as a contemporary and spiritual advisor to the Kushan emperor Kanishka the Great, who reigned in the 2nd century CE.

Kanishka was a great patron of Buddhism and convened the Fourth Buddhist Council, in which Ashvaghosha is believed to have played a significant role.


Step 3: Evaluating the Options


(A) Kanishka: This is historically correct. Ashvaghosha was a key figure in the court of the Kushan king Kanishka.

(B) Asoka: He was a Mauryan emperor who lived several centuries before Kanishka and Ashvaghosha.

(C) Krishnadevaraya: He was the emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 16th century, much later in history.

(D) Pushyamithra: This refers to Pushyamitra Shunga, founder of the Shunga Empire, who lived after the Mauryas but before the Kushans.


Step 4: Final Answer
Historical evidence strongly associates the poet Ashvaghosha with the court of Kanishka. Therefore, option (A) is the correct answer.