Which amongst the following is not a literary text of Harsha period?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:

**Amarkosh** is the correct answer because it is not a literary text of the Harsha period (c. 606 to 647 CE). The Amarkosh is a celebrated Sanskrit lexicon (dictionary) written by Amarasimha. While the exact date of Amarasimha is debated, he is traditionally placed as one of the nine gems (Navaratnas) in the court of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya, who ruled during the Gupta period (c. 4th-5th centuries CE), significantly preceding the reign of Harsha. Therefore, the work belongs to the Gupta era, not the Harsha period.

The incorrect options are:

The incorrect option is 1: **Harshacharita**. This is a biographical work on Emperor Harsha written by his court poet, Banabhatta, making it a primary literary text of the Harsha period.

The incorrect option is 3: **Kadambari**. This is a classic prose romance in Sanskrit, also written by Banabhatta, the court poet of Harsha. Although left incomplete by Bana and finished by his son, it is considered a seminal work of the Harsha period.

The incorrect option is 4: **Ratnavali**. This is one of the three famous Sanskrit plays (along with *Priyadarshika* and *Nagananda*) traditionally attributed to Emperor Harsha himself. Thus, it is certainly a literary text of the Harsha period.