Which river pattern is best understood from the eastward slope of the Deccan Plateau?

Correct answer: Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery flowing toward the Bay of Bengal

The governing concept is drainage direction determined by relief or slope. Much of the Deccan Plateau has a general eastward inclination, so its major east-flowing rivers move across the plateau toward the Bay of Bengal. Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery are prominent examples and form broad drainage systems before entering the bay, often through deltas or estuaries. Therefore option A correctly connects the eastward slope with the observed river pattern. The statement does not mean every peninsular river flows east: Narmada and Tapi are important west-flowing exceptions. Still, options B, C, and D are plainly incorrect because rivers do not generally flow toward the Himalayas, all terminate in lakes, or enter the Aravalli range.