Prelims 1995 · archive
EasyIn Sanskrit plays written during the Gupta period, women and Sudras speak:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) Prakrit
Classical Sanskrit drama assigned languages by character. Women and lower-status characters spoke Prakrit while kings, Brahmanas and the hero spoke Sanskrit.
- ✓ (b) Dramas of the period used Sanskrit and Prakrits side by side, with speech fixed by the character's gender and social class.
- ✗ (a) Sanskrit was reserved for the hero, kings and Brahmana characters.
- ✗ (c) Pali is the language of the Theravada Buddhist canon, not a stage language.
- ✗ (d) Sauraseni is one of the Prakrits, but the question asks for the general stage language of such characters. The generic answer is Prakrit.
Remember · In Sanskrit drama men of rank speak Sanskrit; women and lower-status characters speak Prakrit (Sauraseni, Maharashtri and others).
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 2 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- Britannica, Prakrit languages ↗ · reference work “Dramas often used both Sanskrit and various Prakrits, assigning languages based on characters or social class.”
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 2 “The earliest inscriptions were in Prakrit, a name for languages used by ordinary people.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 1995, General Studies paper. UPSC did not publish an answer key for 1995: the answer shown is the one the sources above support. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 24 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·