The language of the 'Prayag Prashasti' of Harishena, is

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:
The 'Prayag Prashasti' is one of the most important historical sources for understanding the reign and accomplishments of the great Gupta Emperor Samudragupta (c. 335 – 375 CE). This inscription is engraved on the Ashokan Pillar located at Allahabad (Prayag). It was composed by Samudragupta's court poet, Harishena. The language used in this famous eulogy (prashasti) is highly refined, classical Sanskrit, written in the Brahmi script. The text is celebrated for its poetic quality and its detailed description of Samudragupta's military campaigns across India, his administrative policies, and his personal virtues, thus establishing Sanskrit as the court language of the Gupta period and demonstrating the peak of Sanskrit literary culture.

The incorrect option is 1: Prakrit was commonly used in earlier inscriptions, particularly those of the Satavahana dynasty, but the imperial inscriptions of the Gupta period predominantly shifted to classical Sanskrit.

The incorrect option is 2: Pali is strongly associated with the early Buddhist scriptures (Tipitaka) and was often the language of Buddhist literature, but it was not the language of this specific court inscription from the Gupta Empire.

The incorrect option is 3: Tamil belongs to the Dravidian language family and was the language of the Southern regions of India, such as the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas; therefore, it was not the language used for a major imperial inscription in North India like the Prayag Prashasti.