Correct Option (c):
The term 'Apabhramsa' (literally meaning 'corrupted' or 'deviated' language) was used in medieval Sanskrit texts to denote a group of Middle Indo-Aryan dialects. These dialects represented a crucial transitional stage between the earlier Prakrit languages and the emergence of early modern Indo-Aryan languages. Prevalent roughly from the 6th to the 13th centuries CE, Apabhramsa served as a significant literary language, particularly in North India, and is considered a direct precursor to several modern Indian languages, including Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and Bengali.
Incorrect Options:
Option (a) 'outcastes among the Rajputs' is incorrect. Apabhramsa is a linguistic term and has no association with social stratification, caste systems, or specific communities like Rajputs.
Option (b) 'deviations from Vedic rituals' is incorrect. The term pertains to linguistic evolution and not to religious practices, theological concepts, or ritualistic variations from Vedic traditions.
Option (d) 'non-Sanskrit verse metres' is incorrect. Apabhramsa denotes a stage of language development itself, not a system of poetic metres. While Apabhramsa literature employed various metres, the term 'Apabhramsa' specifically identifies the language form, not the metrical structure.