Question

Arrange the following architectural texts in chronological order-
(A) Mayamata
(B) Mānsāra
(C) Śānkhyāyana Gṛhya Sūtra
(D) Samarāngaņasūtradhāra
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (A), (B), (C), (D)
• B. (B), (D), (C), (A)
• C. (C), (A), (D), (B)
• D. (C), (B), (D), (A)

Hint:

For chronology questions, it's helpful to remember key time periods: Vedic/Sūtra period (pre-Common Era), Gupta/Post-Gupta period (early centuries CE), and the Early Medieval period (c. 1000-1200 CE) where many royal patrons like King Bhoja flourished.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Phase 1: Conceptual Grasp
The objective is to chronologically order Indian texts containing architectural information, from earliest to latest.

Phase 2: Textual Dating
(C) Śānkhyāyana Gṛhya Sūtra: A Gṛhya Sūtra from the late Vedic/Sūtra period (approx. 500-200 BCE), focusing on domestic rituals and construction. This is the oldest text.
(A) Mayamata: A prominent Vāstu Śāstra text, typically dated post-Gupta, between the 8th and 10th centuries CE.
(D) Samarāngaņasūtradhāra: An extensive treatise on architecture and engineering by Paramara king Raja Bhoja (c. 1010-1055 CE), placing it in the 11th century CE.
(B) Mānsāra: Another key Vāstu Śāstra text. Its dating is contested, but it's generally considered a later compilation, possibly after the 11th century CE.

Phase 3: Chronological Ordering
1. Śānkhyāyana Gṛhya Sūtra (C)
2. Mayamata (A)
3. Samarāngaņasūtradhāra (D)
4. Mānsāra (B)
The sequence is C, A, D, B.

Phase 4: Final Determination
The correct chronological order is (C), (A), (D), (B). This matches option (C).