Who of the following is one of the nine gems of Chandragupta II?
- AOption (a)
Vishakhadatta
- BOption (b)
Brahmagupta
- COption (c)
Moggallana
- DOption (d)
Varahamihira
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Correct answer
Varahamihira
Why this answer is correct
The correct answer is Varahamihira.
Key Points
- Chandragupta II (380 – 418 AD)
- He was the son of Samudragupta and Dattadevi was Chandragupta II.
- He was married to Kuberanaga, a Naga princess from central India.
- He was the first ruler of the Gupta empire who had started a silver coin.
- He is credited with keeping in his court nine gems (Navrantnas)
- The nine gems or Navratna were –
- Amarsimha (Sanskrit lexicographer and a poet), Dhanvantri (renowned Physician), Harisena (Poet/Writer), Kalidasa (Renowned poet, Playwright), Kahapanaka (Astrologer), Sanku (Architect), Varahmihira (Astronomer), Vararuchi (Grammarian, Sanskrit scholar), Vetalbhatta (Magician).
- Varahmihir
- He Was an astronomer believed to be one of the nine gems in Chandragupta II’s court. Hence, Option 4 is correct.
- His book ‘Brihatsamhita’ is an encyclopedia of astronomy, botany, physical geography, and natural history.
- His other works are Pancha Siddhantika, Brihat Jataka etc.
Nine Gems of Chandragupta II:
Additional Information
- Vishakhadatta
- He was a great Sanskrit poet and playwright of the Gupta age.
- He points out his father’s name as Maharaja Bhaskaradatta in his great historical drama Mudrarakshasa which is his only surviving literary work.
- Apart from it, Vishakhadatta also wrote ‘Devichandraguptam’ which also exists only in fragments in the Natyadarpan of Ramachandra and Gunachandra.
- It also survived in the form of quotations in the Nataka Lakshana Ratnakosha of Sagarnandi and two works of king Bhoj – the Shringaraprakasha and the Sarasvati Kanthabharana.
- Brahmagupta
- He holds a unique position in the history of Ancient Indian Mathematics.
- He contributed such elegant results to Geometry and Number Theory that today's mathematicians still marvel at their originality.
- His theorems lead to the calculation of the circumradius of a triangle and the lengths of the diagonals of a cyclic quadrilateral, construction of a rational cyclic quadrilateral, and integer solutions to a single second-degree equation are certainly the hallmarks of a genius.
- Moggallana
- He was one of the closest disciples of Buddha according to Theravada tradition and was known as Mahamaudgalyayana or Maudgalyayana.
- Among Shakyamuni Buddha’s disciples such as Sariputra, Subhuti, Mahakasyapa, Moggallana was considered as the second of the Buddha’s most capable and trusted disciples.
- The other most capable and trusted disciple was Sariputra.
- Both Sariputra and Moggallana were considered as the chief assistant of Lord Buddha and Ananda was considered as the personal attendant of Lord Buddha.




