Who was the author of the book 'Arthashastra'?

Correct answer: (b) Kautilya

Explanation

Kautilya (also called Chanakya or Vishnugupta), the minister of Chandragupta Maurya, wrote the Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft, economy and administration. Banabhatta wrote the Harshacharita and Kadambari, Vishakhadatta wrote the Mudrarakshasa, and Charvaka is the name of a materialist school of philosophy. Therefore, option (b) is correct.