Who composed the Prayaga Prashasti?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Harishena
A prashasti is a composition in praise of a king, written by a court poet. The Prayaga Prashasti, also known as the Allahabad Pillar Inscription, was composed in Sanskrit by Harishena, the court poet of Samudragupta, perhaps the most powerful of the Gupta rulers (c. fourth century CE). Historians read such poems with care, because they praise the king rather than report events as they really happened.
Note: A same/similar question was asked in CUET (UG) in the papers below.
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| 13-05 S2* 21-05 S1 | – | – | 09-06 S3* 19-06 S2* | – |
* A similar question.
NCERT (2025-26): “4.2 Divine kings … Histories of the Gupta rulers have been reconstructed from literature, coins and inscriptions, including prashastis, composed in praise of kings in particular, and patrons in general, by poets. While historians often attempt to draw factual information from such compositions, those who composed and read them often treasured them as works of poetry… rather than as accounts that were literally true. The Prayaga Prashasti (also known as the Allahabad Pillar Inscription) composed in Sanskrit by Harishena, the court poet of Samudragupta, arguably the most powerful of the Gupta rulers (c. fourth century CE), is a case in point.…” |