Test: Ancient History - 2 - UPSC MCQ

Tabo monastery and temple complex is in Spiti Valley and Alchi temple complex is in Ladakh. Lhotsava Lhakhang, Nako is in Himachal Pradesh. Zanskar Valley is in Jammu and Kashmir.

1 is correctly matched because Parinirvana of the Buddha in Cave 17 of Ajanta, with numerous celestial musicians above and the sorrowful figures of his followers below, is one of the grandest and yet most delicately expressive scenes ever made in stone. 2 is wrong because huge image of Varaha Avatar of Vishnu, as he rescues Goddess Earth from the deepand chaotic waters, sculpted on rock is found in Mamallapuram. 3 is right because Arjuna's Penance “Descent of Ganga” sculpted on the surface of huge boulders is found in Mamallapuram.

Ajanta Caves have mural paintings in caves 1, 2, 16 and 17. Some of the paintings were commissioned by Harisena of Vakataka dynasty. The theme of the paintings was Jataka tales. Lepakshi Temple is renowned for being one of the best repositories of mural paintings of the Vijaynagar kings. Sanchi Stupa has many beautiful sculptures but not mural paintings.

The pose ‘Tribhanga’ is the favourite posture of Lord Krishna. We have often seen Lord Krishna standing in tribhanga posture before his cow ‘Kamdhenu’ or whenever he is playing his flute. He is often called Tribhana Murari.

The tradesmen had to pay light duties at ferries and barriers. After paying the revenue they could go to and fro to barter their merchandise. The punishment for social offences according to the traveller’s account, were to cut off the nose, or an ear or a hand. Minor offences were dealt with fines. And to determine guilt or innocence, ordeals by fire, water and poison were the instruments which were used.

BADAMI CAVES:

1. Badami is a town in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka.
2. The caves were constructed in the 6th century by the Chalukya Dynasty in their capital Badami, which was earlier known as Vatapi.
3. The caves significantly represent Indian rock-cut architecture, especially Badami Chalukya architecture.
4. The caves house several Hindu and Jain temples. The Hindu temples are mainly dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and their incarnations.
5. The caves are a World Heritage Site of UNESCO.

BARABAR CAVES:

1. The caves are located in the Jehanabad district of Bihar and are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India.
2. The caves were constructed by Emperor Ashoka and the fact is strengthened by the Ashoka inscriptions engraved on the caves during his reign.
3. The caves were used by the Ajivikas, also the Ashoka inscriptions were engraved on the caves. The Ajivika sect was founded by Makkhali Gosala.

ELLORA CAVES:

1. The caves are located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.
2. The caves are complex of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain monuments; and are one of the largest rock-cut monastery-temple cave complexes in the world.
3. More than 100 caves are there at the site and all the monuments were built during the Rashtrakuta dynasty.
4. It was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The surest way of annihilating Karma is to practice penance. Karma is the bane of the soul and must be ended. “Swadhyay Paramam Tap” According to Jain doctrines Penance washes away all the blemishes and purges the soul of all karmic matter.
Also, according to Jainism, Karma is the bane of the soul. Karma not only encompasses the causality of transmigration but it is also conceived as an extremely subtle matter which infiltrates the soul, obscuring its natural, transparent, pure qualities. Karma is thought of as a kind of pollution that taints the soul with various colors. Based on its karma, a soul undergoes transmigration and reincarnation in various states of existence like heavens or hells or as humans or animals.

Indus valley people did not possess great palaces and temples rather the civilization was noted for its cities built of brick, roadside drainage system and multistoried houses.
Indus valley people were peace loving. They were never engaged in any war. However speculations have been rife that some tectonic forces destroyed the civilization. Some historians are of the view that invasion of Aryans, sea level changes, earthquakes might have brought the civilization to its end therefore people employing horse drawn chariots in warfare is not true. Moreover, Indus valley seals show swastika, animals which is suggestive of their religious beliefs. In view of large number of figurines found in Indus valley, some scholars believe they worshipped mother goddess symbolizing fertility. They worshipped a father God who might be a progenitor of the race and was a probably a prototype of Siva as the Lord of the Animals.

The concept of Nirvana was originally explained by Lord Buddha (566-486 BC). The word ‘Nirvana’ comes from the root meaning ‘to blow out’ and refers to the extinguishing of the fires of greed, hatred, and delusion. When these emotional and psychological defilements are destroyed by wisdom, the mind becomes free, radiant, and joyful and he who has realized the Truth (Nirvana) is the happiest being in the world. He is free from all complexes and obsessions. He does not repent the past nor does he brood over the future. He lives fully in present. He appreciates and enjoys things in life in the purest sense without self projections. He is free from the thirst of becoming and the illusion of self. Buddism explain Nivrana as a state of bliss or peace.

Sankhya yoga believes that self –knowledge leads to liberation. Almost all the rest of philosophies of India adopted Sankhya as its main base. Sankhya yoga also believes in rebirth. According to Sankhya darshan each purusha experiences bhoga, apavarga and takes birth repeatedly until kaivalya.(moksa).

Chaityas refer to the halls enclosing the stupas. Chaityas were probably constructed to hold large numbers of devotees for prayer. Viharas on the other hand are constructions built in ancient India in order to provide resting places for the wandering Buddhist monks.

The wages, rules of work, standards and prices were fixed by the guild.
The guild had judicial powers over its own members.

The early Vedic Aryans indulged in Image Worship and Yajnas.

The earth witness Buddha is one of the most common iconic images of Buddhism. It depicts the Buddha sitting in meditation with his left hand, palm upright, in his lap; and his right hand touching the earth. This represents the moment of the Buddha's enlightenment.

Nagara, Dravida and Vesara are three main styles of Indian temple architecture.

Both Buddhism and Jainism denied the authority of the Vedas and the efficacy of Rituals.

1, 3 and 4 only

Explanation:

1. Different kinds of specialized surgical instruments were in common use by 1st century AD: This statement is true. Ancient Indian physician Sushruta, who lived around the 5th century BCE, is known as the "Father of Surgery" and is known to have used various specialized surgical instruments for different procedures.

2. Transplant of internal organs in the human body had begun by the beginning of 3rd century AD: This statement is false. Although ancient Indian texts mention the transplantation of skin and other tissues, there is no evidence of successful organ transplantation in ancient India.

3. The concept of sine of an angle was known in 5th century AD: This statement is true. Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata, who lived around the 5th century AD, introduced the concept of the sine of an angle in his work Aryabhatiya.

4. The concept of cyclic quadrilaterals was known in 7th century AD: This statement is true. Indian mathematician Brahmagupta, who lived in the 7th century AD, is known to have introduced the concept of cyclic quadrilaterals in his work Brahmasphutasiddhanta.

‘Rita’ refers to regulation order by nature and was related to the conduct of the Vedic Gods and Humans, somewhere related to the moral and physical law. Statement 2 is correct. ‘Rita’ was later replaced by ‘Dharma’ and was a more sophisticated form of principles of law. As per Chanakya, ‘Dharma’ was the promotion of one’s own security, happiness as well as the social order.

We have read about the Mehrgarh cotton which is the earliest example of Cotton cultivation in the old world, older than the Peruvians. The cloth was made, and even dyed, so statement 2 is correct. The first statement is also correct and has been “lifted” from a famous history book.

Jainism does not support belief in a creator deity. According to the Jain doctrine, the universe and its constituents (soul, matter, space, time, and motion) have always existed. All the constituents and actions are governed by universal natural laws.