30 Sanskrit Language Quiz Questions and Answers

Sanskrit is an ancient Indo-European language that holds significant historical and cultural importance in the Indian subcontinent. It is considered one of the oldest languages in the world and has had a profound impact on various aspects of Indian civilization, including religion, philosophy, literature, and science. Sanskrit serves as the classical and sacred language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

Key Features of Sanskrit:

Ancient Language: Sanskrit is an ancient language that dates back to around 1500 BCE. It is a member of the Indo-European language family and shares linguistic roots with other ancient languages like Greek and Latin.

Rigvedic Sanskrit: The earliest form of Sanskrit is found in the sacred texts of ancient India, particularly in the Rigveda, one of the oldest extant texts in any Indo-European language. This form of Sanskrit is known as Rigvedic Sanskrit.

Devanagari Script: Sanskrit is traditionally written in the Devanagari script, which is also used for several modern Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, and Nepali.

Paninian Grammar: The grammar of Sanskrit was systematized by the ancient scholar Panini in his work “Ashtadhyayi.” His grammatical rules and structures have greatly influenced linguistic studies worldwide.

Highly Inflected Language: Sanskrit is known for its complex system of noun and verb inflections, which provides a wealth of grammatical information within words.

Three Genders: Sanskrit nouns are classified into three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Each gender has specific endings and declensions.

Article overview

• Part 1: 30 Sanskrit language quiz questions & answers
• Part 2: Download Sanskrit language questions & answers for free
• Part 3: Free online quiz software – OnlineExamMaker

Part 1: 30 Sanskrit language quiz questions & answers

1. Sanskrit is an ancient language that belongs to which language family?
a) Indo-European
b) Afroasiatic
c) Sino-Tibetan
d) Austronesian
Answer: a) Indo-European

2. The earliest form of Sanskrit is found in which ancient Indian text?
a) Ramayana
b) Mahabharata
c) Rigveda
d) Upanishads
Answer: c) Rigveda

3. Which script is traditionally used to write Sanskrit?
a) Latin
b) Devanagari
c) Arabic
d) Cyrillic
Answer: b) Devanagari

4. The grammar of Sanskrit was systematized by which ancient scholar?
a) Adi Shankaracharya
b) Chanakya
c) Panini
d) Valmiki
Answer: c) Panini

5. Sanskrit is known for its complex system of noun and verb ___________.
a) Declensions
b) Inflections
c) Conjugations
d) Suffixes
Answer: b) Inflections

6. How many genders are there in Sanskrit grammar?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
Answer: c) 3

7. Sanskrit has had a profound influence on the languages of which region?
a) Europe
b) Middle East
c) Southeast Asia
d) Sub-Saharan Africa
Answer: c) Southeast Asia

8. Which epic, often referred to as the “Great Epic of India,” is written in Sanskrit?
a) Mahabharata
b) Ramayana
c) Bhagavad Gita
d) Vedas
Answer: a) Mahabharata

9. The Upanishads are philosophical texts that explore the concepts of:
a) Rituals and ceremonies
b) Yoga and meditation
c) Astronomy and mathematics
d) Self-realization and ultimate reality
Answer: d) Self-realization and ultimate reality

10. Which ancient Indian scholar wrote the “Yoga Sutras” in Sanskrit?
a) Adi Shankaracharya
b) Patanjali
c) Chanakya
d) Nagarjuna
Answer: b) Patanjali

11. Sanskrit is considered the sacred language of which major religion?
a) Buddhism
b) Christianity
c) Hinduism
d) Islam
Answer: c) Hinduism

12. The Sanskrit word “Om” is a sacred syllable often used in ___________ practices.
a) Yoga
b) Pilgrimages
c) Fasting
d) Martial arts
Answer: a) Yoga

13. Sanskrit has been used to write the scriptures of which religion?
a) Buddhism
b) Christianity
c) Hinduism
d) Islam
Answer: c) Hinduism

14. What is the meaning of the Sanskrit word “Moksha”?
a) Liberation or enlightenment
b) Love and compassion
c) Wealth and prosperity
d) Knowledge and wisdom
Answer: a) Liberation or enlightenment

15. What is the meaning of the Sanskrit word “Dharma”?
a) Path or duty
b) Energy or life force
c) Bliss or happiness
d) Devotion or worship
Answer: a) Path or duty

Part 2: Download Sanskrit language questions & answers for free

16. Which Sanskrit text provides the earliest known grammar of any language?
a) Ramayana
b) Mahabharata
c) Rigveda
d) Ashtadhyayi
Answer: d) Ashtadhyayi

17. Sanskrit is an inflected language, which means it relies heavily on ___________ to convey meaning.
a) Prefixes and suffixes
b) Tones and pitches
c) Word order
d) Vowel harmony
Answer: a) Prefixes and suffixes

18. The study of Sanskrit linguistics is essential for understanding the structure of other ___________ languages.
a) European
b) African
c) Asian
d) Native American
Answer: a) European

19. Which of the following ancient Indian texts is written in Sanskrit and deals with the principles of statecraft?
a) Mahabharata
b) Ramayana
c) Arthashastra
d) Bhagavad Gita
Answer: c) Arthashastra

20. Sanskrit has a highly developed system of ___________ to represent specific sounds and pronunciation.
a) Tenses
b) Consonants
c) Vowels
d) Verbs
Answer: b) Consonants

21. The ancient Indian system of traditional medicine, ___________, has its origins in Sanskrit texts.
a) Acupuncture
b) Ayurveda
c) Homeopathy
d) Naturopathy
Answer: b) Ayurveda

22. The Rigveda, an ancient collection of hymns, is written in which form of Sanskrit?
a) Vedic Sanskrit
b) Classical Sanskrit
c) Pali
d) Prakrit
Answer: a) Vedic Sanskrit

23. The term “Samsara” in Sanskrit refers to:
a) Liberation or enlightenment
b) The cycle of birth and rebirth
c) The eternal soul
d) The divine power
Answer: b) The cycle of birth and rebirth

24. In which script is Sanskrit traditionally written?
a) Cyrillic
b) Latin
c) Arabic
d) Devanagari
Answer: d) Devanagari

25. Sanskrit is known for its complex system of noun and verb ___________.
a) Declensions
b) Inflections
c) Conjugations
d) Suffixes
Answer: b) Inflections

26. How many genders are there in Sanskrit grammar?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
Answer: c) 3

27. Sanskrit has had a profound influence on the languages of which region?
a) Europe
b) Middle East
c) Southeast Asia
d) Sub-Saharan Africa
Answer: c) Southeast Asia

28. Which epic, often referred to as the “Great Epic of India,” is written in Sanskrit?
a) Mahabharata
b) Ramayana
c) Bhagavad Gita
d) Vedas
Answer: a) Mahabharata

29. The Upanishads are philosophical texts that explore

the concepts of:
a) Rituals and ceremonies
b) Yoga and meditation
c) Astronomy and mathematics
d) Self-realization and ultimate reality
Answer: d) Self-realization and ultimate reality

30. Which ancient Indian scholar wrote the “Yoga Sutras” in Sanskrit?
a) Adi Shankaracharya
b) Patanjali
c) Chanakya
d) Nagarjuna
Answer: b) Patanjali

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