The Sanskrit plays 'Ratnavali', 'Priyadarshika' and 'Nagananda' were written by:

The Sanskrit plays "Ratnavali", "Priyadarshika" and "Nagananda" are attributed to King Harshavardhana of Kannauj.

Harsha as a writer:

• Harsha was not only a powerful king but also a scholar and a patron of literature.
• He is credited with three Sanskrit plays.
• Some scholars have suggested that the plays were written by poets at his court in his name, but tradition credits him as the author.

His plays:

• "Ratnavali": a romantic comedy about King Udayana of Vatsa and Ratnavali (Sagarika), a princess of Sri Lanka, who comes to his palace as a maid of the queen Vasavadatta.
• "Priyadarshika": another romantic play about King Udayana and Princess Priyadarshika.
• "Nagananda" ("Joy of the Serpents"): a Buddhist play about Prince Jimutavahana, who sacrifices himself to save the serpents (nagas) from the bird Garuda; it reflects Buddhist ideals of compassion and self-sacrifice.

Harsha's court:

• His court poet wrote the "Harshacharita", a biography of Harsha in Sanskrit prose, and the romance "Kadambari".
• Other scholars at his court included Mayura (author of "Suryashataka") and Matanga Divakara.
• The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang visited his court and described his generosity and his religious assemblies.
• Two copper plate inscriptions of Harsha have been found: the Banskhera and Madhuban plates; the Banskhera plate has his signature.

Other Sanskrit dramatists:

• "Kalidasa": Abhijnanashakuntalam, Malavikagnimitra, Vikramorvashiyam.
• "Bhavabhuti": Uttararamacharita, Malatimadhava, Mahaviracharita.
• "Shudraka": Mrichchhakatika.
• "Bhasa": Svapnavasavadattam.
• "Vishakhadatta": Mudrarakshasa.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Kalidasa, Bhavabhuti and Shudraka wrote other famous plays.