Ancient History of India

61. Who among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscr

Who among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscription ?
“Whosoever praises his religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive devotion to his own sect, with the view of glorifying his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very severely.”

[amp_mcq option1=”Ashoka” option2=”Samudragupta” option3=”Harshavardhana” option4=”Krishnadeva Raya” correct=”option1″]

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The correct answer is A) Ashoka.
The inscription quoted is characteristic of the edicts of Emperor Ashoka (3rd century BCE). Ashoka, after his conversion to Buddhism, promoted the principle of Dhamma, which included tolerance and respect for all religious sects (Samavaya).
The quote explicitly warns against sectarianism – praising one’s own sect excessively and blaming others – stating that such behavior actually harms one’s own sect. This message promoting inter-religious harmony and restraint is a recurring theme in Ashoka’s edicts, particularly Major Rock Edict XII.
Samudragupta (Gupta dynasty) was known for his military conquests and religious tolerance, but this specific ethical instruction about inter-sectarian behaviour is uniquely characteristic of Ashoka’s Dhamma policy expressed through his inscriptions. Harshavardhana (Pushyabhuti dynasty) also patronized multiple religions, and Krishnadeva Raya (Vijayanagara Empire) was known for tolerance, but the phraseology strongly points to Ashoka.

62. With reference to the history of India, the terms “kulyavapa” and “dro

With reference to the history of India, the terms “kulyavapa” and “dronavapa” denote

[amp_mcq option1=”measurement of land” option2=”coins of different monetary value” option3=”classification of urban land” option4=”religious rituals” correct=”option1″]

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The correct answer is A) measurement of land.
The terms “kulyavapa” and “dronavapa” are technical terms found in ancient Indian inscriptions and texts, particularly those related to land grants and administration.
These terms represent units of land measurement, often defined by the amount of seed required to sow a particular area of land. A “kulyavapa” was a smaller unit than a “dronavapa”. These measurements were crucial for revenue assessment and land administration in different historical periods and regions of India.
Other ancient units of land measurement varied across regions and time periods, but units based on seed measure like kulyavapa, dronavapa, and also nivartana (based on area) were common. These terms provide valuable insight into the agricultural and administrative practices of ancient and early medieval India.

63. Which of the following phrases defines the nature of the ‘Hundi’ gener

Which of the following phrases defines the nature of the ‘Hundi’ generally referred to in the sources of the post-Harsha period ?

[amp_mcq option1=”An advisory issued by the king to his subordinates” option2=”A diary to be maintained for daily accounts” option3=”A bill of exchange” option4=”An order from the feudal lord to his subordinates” correct=”option3″]

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‘Hundi’ is a traditional financial instrument widely used in India for trade and credit transactions. It functions as a bill of exchange, a promissory note, or a draft. It allowed merchants to transfer money from one place to another without physically carrying cash, reducing the risk of theft, or to borrow/lend money based on written promises. The term and instrument were prevalent in the post-Harsha period and continued to be important throughout the medieval and colonial eras.
A Hundi is essentially an indigenous form of a bill of exchange used for transferring funds or credit.
There were various types of Hundis, such as Darshani Hundi (payable on sight) and Mudati Hundi (payable after a fixed period). The Hundi system facilitated trade and commerce across long distances in India.

64. Consider the following events in the history of India : Rise of Pra

Consider the following events in the history of India :

  1. Rise of Pratiharas under King Bhoja
  2. Establishment of Pallava power under Mahendravarman – I
  3. Establishment of Chola power by Parantaka – I
  4. Pala dynasty founded by Gopala

What is the correct chronological order of the above events, starting from the earliest time ?

[amp_mcq option1=”2-1-4-3″ option2=”3-1-4-2″ option3=”2-4-1-3″ option4=”3-4-1-2″ correct=”option3″]

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Let’s establish the approximate time periods for each event:
2. Establishment of Pallava power under Mahendravarman I: Mahendravarman I ruled from c. 600 to 630 CE.
4. Pala dynasty founded by Gopala: Gopala founded the Pala dynasty in Bengal around c. 750 CE.
1. Rise of Pratiharas under King Bhoja: Mihira Bhoja I (King Bhoja) was a major ruler of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty, reigning from c. 836 to 885 CE.
3. Establishment of Chola power by Parantaka I: Parantaka I reigned from 907 to 955 CE. The revival of the Chola dynasty was by Vijayalaya in the mid-9th century (c. 848 CE), but Parantaka I represents a significant phase of expansion shortly after Bhoja’s peak. Considering Parantaka I specifically, this event is the latest.
The chronological order is thus: Pallavas under Mahendravarman I (early 7th century) -> Palas under Gopala (mid-8th century) -> Pratiharas under Bhoja (mid-late 9th century) -> Cholas under Parantaka I (early 10th century). This corresponds to the sequence 2 – 4 – 1 – 3.
The correct chronological order of the rulers/dynasties mentioned is Pallavas (Mahendravarman I), Palas (Gopala), Pratiharas (Bhoja), and Cholas (Parantaka I).
This question tests knowledge of major dynasties and rulers of post-Gupta/early medieval South and North India. Understanding the approximate centuries in which these dynasties flourished is crucial.

65. With reference to the religious history of India, consider the followi

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements :

  • Sthaviravadins belong to Mahayana Buddhism.
  • Lokottaravadin sect was an offshoot of Mahasanghika sect of Buddhism.
  • The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghikas fostered the Mahayana Buddhism.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option2″]

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Statement 1 is incorrect. Sthaviravadins are associated with the Theravada school of Buddhism, which is considered one of the earliest schools and part of the Hinayana tradition (though Theravadins reject the term Hinayana). Mahayana Buddhism is a later, distinct tradition. Statement 2 is correct. The Mahasanghika school was one of the two main branches of early Buddhism after the Second Buddhist Council. The Lokottaravada sect, known for its transcendental view of the Buddha, was indeed an important offshoot of the Mahasanghika school. Statement 3 is correct. The Mahasanghikas held more liberal views regarding the nature of the Buddha and arhats compared to the Sthaviravadins. Their inclination to view the Buddha as a supramundane or deified being, emphasizing his transcendental nature (as seen in Lokottaravada), contributed significantly to the philosophical basis and popular appeal that characterized the later development of Mahayana Buddhism, which focuses on the universal potential for Buddhahood and the bodhisattva ideal.
The Mahasanghikas’ views on the Buddha’s nature paved the way for Mahayana Buddhism, and Lokottaravada was a Mahasanghika offshoot.
The split between Sthaviravada and Mahasanghika schools occurred primarily over matters of monastic discipline and interpretation of the Dharma. Mahayana Buddhism, which emerged centuries later, built upon some of the philosophical differences initiated by the Mahasanghikas.

66. With reference to the scholars/litterateurs of ancient India, consider

With reference to the scholars/litterateurs of ancient India, consider the following statements :

  • Panini is associated with Pushyamitra Shunga.
  • Amarasimha is associated with Harshavardhana.
  • Kalidasa is associated with Chandra Gupta – II.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option3″]

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Statement 3 is correct because Kalidasa, the renowned Sanskrit poet and dramatist, is widely believed to have been one of the Navaratnas (nine gems) in the court of the Gupta Emperor Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya), who ruled from approximately 380 to 415 CE. Statement 1 is incorrect as Panini, the grammarian known for ‘Ashtadhyayi’, lived much earlier, around the 4th century BCE, while Pushyamitra Shunga founded the Shunga dynasty in the 2nd century BCE. Statement 2 is incorrect as Amarasimha, the author of the lexicon ‘Amarakosha’, is also traditionally placed in the court of Chandragupta II, not Harshavardhana who ruled in the 7th century CE.
Kalidasa is firmly associated with the Gupta period, particularly the reign of Chandragupta II.
Panini’s ‘Ashtadhyayi’ is a foundational text of Sanskrit grammar. Amarasimha’s ‘Amarakosha’ is a popular Sanskrit thesaurus. Harshavardhana’s court had notable scholars like Banabhatta.

67. With reference to the cultural history of India, which one of the foll

With reference to the cultural history of India, which one of the following is the correct description of the term ‘paramitas’?

[amp_mcq option1=”The earliest Dharmashastra texts written in aphoristic (sutra) style” option2=”Philosophical schools that did not accept the authority of Vedas” option3=”Perfections whose attainment led to the Bodhisattva path” option4=”Powerful merchant guilds of early medieval South India” correct=”option3″]

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In the cultural history of India, particularly within Buddhism, ‘paramitas’ (Sanskrit) or ‘pāramΔ«’ (Pali) refers to “perfections” or “transcendent virtues”. These are qualities that a Bodhisattva cultivates and perfects over many lifetimes on their path towards Buddhahood (enlightenment). The traditional list includes six paramitas: generosity, discipline, patience, effort, meditation, and wisdom. Some traditions add four more.
‘Paramitas’ is a core concept in Mahayana Buddhism, representing the virtues essential for the Bodhisattva path to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Option A refers to ancient legal and social treatises in Hinduism. Option B describes philosophical schools that reject Vedic authority, which applies to Buddhism but ‘paramitas’ is a specific practice, not the name for these schools. Option D refers to influential merchant organizations common in various periods of Indian history, especially medieval South India.

68. With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the followin

With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following pairs :

1.Parivrajaka–Renunciant and Wanderer
2.Shramana–Priest with a high status
3.Upasaka–Lay follower of Buddhism

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”1 and 3 only” option3=”2 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option2″]

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Pairs 1 and 3 are correctly matched. Pair 2 is incorrectly matched.
Parivrajaka refers to wandering ascetics or renunciants who have left their homes and societal ties. Upasaka refers to a lay follower of Buddhism or other Shramana traditions who is not a monk or nun but observes basic precepts. Shramana refers to ascetics and renunciants generally, particularly those who rejected the authority of the Vedas and the Brahmanical system, such as Buddhists, Jains, and Ajivikas. They represent a tradition distinct from the Brahmanical priesthood and are not typically associated with high status within that system.
The Shramana tradition emerged alongside the Brahmanical tradition in ancient India. Both traditions involved spiritual seeking, but differed in their philosophical approaches and practices. The Shramana movement emphasized asceticism, meditation, and personal effort towards liberation.

69. With reference to the period of Gupta dynasty in ancient India, the to

With reference to the period of Gupta dynasty in ancient India, the towns Ghantasala, Kadura and Chaul were well known as

[amp_mcq option1=”ports handling foreign trade” option2=”capitals of powerful kingdoms” option3=”places of exquisite stone art and architecture” option4=”important Buddhist pilgrimage centres” correct=”option1″]

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During the Gupta period in ancient India, the towns Ghantasala, Kadura, and Chaul were well known as important ports handling foreign trade.
The Gupta period (c. 320 to 550 CE) was a time of flourishing trade, both internal and external. Coastal towns like Ghantasala (on the east coast, modern Andhra Pradesh), Kadura (potentially another port on the east or west coast), and Chaul (on the west coast, modern Maharashtra) served as vital links in India’s trade network with the Roman Empire, Southeast Asia, and other regions. These ports facilitated the export of goods like textiles, spices, precious stones, and ivory, and the import of items like gold, silver, horses, and luxury goods.
While some of these locations might have had other significance (e.g., religious sites), their primary renown during this period, especially when mentioned together in the context of trade routes, was due to their function as ports. The Gupta economy benefited significantly from this maritime trade.

70. With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs :

With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs :

1.Bhilsaβ€”Madhya Pradesh
2.Dwarasamudraβ€”Maharashtra
3.Girinagarβ€”Gujarat
4.Sthanesvaraβ€”Uttar Pradesh

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 3 only” option2=”1 and 4 only” option3=”2 and 3 only” option4=”2 and 4 only” correct=”option1″]

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The correctly matched pairs are Bhilsa (Vidisha) with Madhya Pradesh and Girinagar (Junagadh) with Gujarat. Dwarasamudra was in Karnataka, and Sthanesvara was in Haryana.
Pair 1: Bhilsa, historically also known as Vidisha, is located in the present-day state of Madhya Pradesh.
Pair 2: Dwarasamudra was the capital of the Hoysala dynasty, located in present-day Karnataka (modern Halebidu).
Pair 3: Girinagar is the ancient name for Junagadh, a city located in Gujarat.
Pair 4: Sthanesvara, also known as Thanesar, was the capital of the Pushyabhuti dynasty, including Harshavardhana’s kingdom before he moved his capital to Kannauj. Thanesar is located in the present-day state of Haryana.
These ancient place names and their locations are important for understanding the historical geography of India during different periods, including the Gupta era and later. Knowing the locations of major cities, capitals, and cultural centres helps in mapping historical events and administrative divisions.
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