Ancient Indian History - MCQ Test 1 - UPSC MCQ

A Prakrit is any of several MiddleIndo-Aryan language and was used extensively to write the scriptures of Jainism. The earliest extant usage of Prakrit is the corpus of inscriptions of Emperor Aśoka.Besides this, Prakrit appears in literature inthe form of Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhists, Prakrit canon of the Jains, Prakrit grammars and in lyrics, plays and epics of the times.Extant literature of Buddhism as collected in the Pāli such as Canon or Tipiṭaka and Pali is the sacred language of Buddhism.

Manu wrotemanusmriti,which is the most controversial and most studied ancient legal text among the many Dharmasastras of Hinduism. According to the Hindu tradition, Manusmriti is a text which includes Lord Brahma’s wisdom.

After his enlightenment in Bodhgaya, the Buddha went to Sarnath seeking his five former companions. He found them, taught them what he had learned, and they also became enlightened. This event is referred to as "the turning of the wheel of the Dharma" and also marks the founding of the Sangha, or the community of monks.

Buddha's first ever discourse, delivered here at Sarnath, is known in Pali as the Dhammacakkhapavathana Sutta. Other Suttas include the Anattalakhana Sutta and the Saccavibhanga Sutta. The Buddha's central teaching after his enlightenment centered around the Four Noble Truths (concerning the meaning of life) and the Noble Eightfold Path (concerning the right way to live).

The Malavikagnimitra is aSanskrit play by Kālidāsa. It is his first play. The play tells the story of the love of Agnimitra, the Shunga Emperor at Vidisha.

The Rigveda is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns.its a collection of 1,028 hymns and 10,600 verses

The capital of the Assakas wasPotana or Potali, which corresponds to Paudanya of Mahabharata. The Ashmakas are also mentioned by Pāṇini. They are placed in the north-west in the Markendeya Purana and the Brhat Samhita.

Seals of Indus valley civilizationthrough a light on the socio-cultural and economic life of the inhabitants of Indus Valley Civilization. Script of Harrapan people has not been yet deciphered and is written from write to left.

Kanauj was also known as Mahodaya during the time of Mihira Bhoja I. Kannauj is an ancient city, in earlier times the capital of the Empire of Harsha .

Indo-Greek showed aremarkable skill in making the portraits of rulers. Also the Greek kings adopt some of the indigenous methods of minting the coins. Although Indians did not fully learn the fine art of die-cutting, the coins of Indian rulers were influenced by the Greeks. Indian adopted the art of striking coins with two dies, the obverse and the reverse. Secondly, the curious open air theatre that came into being in this period was directly a Greek legacy. The term Yavanika for curtain shows that Indian drama, at least on one point, was influenced by the Greek model, Thridly, the Greek form of sculpture influenced the Gandhara art of the Kushan period. The school began in the Kabul valley where the Greek influence was the maximum. Accordingly tone author, the terracottas of toys and plaques were all influenced by the Greeks.

Pali literature, body of Buddhist texts in the Pali language.

The word pali (literally, a “line”) came to be used in the sense of “text”—in contrast to atthakatha (“saying what it means”), or “commentary”—at some time during the early part of the 1st millennium CE. Modern scholarship usually follows the Pali tradition itself in describing it in terms of texts and exegeses of the Tipitaka (“Three Baskets”): the Vinaya Pitaka (“Basket of Discipline”), Sutta Pitaka (“Basket of Discourse”), and Abhidhamma Pitaka (“Basket of Special [or Further] Doctrine”). 

Shaka era corresponds to theascension of Kanishka I in 78 CE, The Vikram Samvat calendar is 56.7 years ahead of the solar Gregorian calendar(Normal calander) and begins in 57 BCE, Gupta era  begins in 240 CE

These are inscription ofBudhagupta inscription of Saka ruler Sridhar Verma, inscription of Huna ruler Tormanh5, inscription of Samudragupta and Gopraj Sati Pillar inscriptions. The several Sati Pillars have found from Eran. One of the Earliest Sati Pillars of India has been found from Eran.

Fourth buddhist council have been convened by the Kushan emperor Kanishka , perhaps in 78 CE. 1st council by Ajatshatru outside Saptaparni Cave in Rajgir, The Second Council resulted in the first schism in the Sangha and was held at Vaishali by Kal Ashoka, 3rd was held at Patliputra by Ashoka.

The majestic zebu bull, with its heavy dewlap and wide curving horns is perhaps the most impressive motif found on the Indus seals. Generally carved on large seals with relatively short inscriptions, the zebu motif is found almost exclusively at the largest cities of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa.The rarity of zebu seals is curious because the humped bull is a recurring theme in many of the ritual and decorative arts of the Indus region, appearing on painted pottery and as figurines long before the rise of cities and continuing on into later historical times. The zebu bull may symbolize the leader of the herd, whose strength and virility protects the herd and ensures the procreation of the species or it stands for a sacrificial animal. When carved in stone, the zebu bull probably represents the most powerful clan or top officials of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa.

Weapons: The Indus Valley people used copper and bronze weapons. Battle axe, dagger, spear, bow and arrow were their main weapons. It is not yet clear if theyused swords and shields.

Frog hymn as was composed byRishi Vasistha and related to vedic education

Fa-Hien (also Faxian, Fa-hsien) isthe famous Chinese pilgrim who visited India during the rule of Chandra Gupta II. Fa-Hien was a pilgrim and was a devout Buddhist.

Statement 1 is incorrect as most of the inscriptions of the Andhra lkshvaku period record either the construction of the Buddhist viharas or the gifts made to them which shows that the lkshvaku rulers of Southern India were supporters of Buddhism.

Anuvrat is the philosophy ofchange. Its sole purpose is to enable man to introspect, understand his own nature and to make efforts to transform it.

Of the 16 Mahajanapadas, Magadha, Kosala, Vatsa and Avanti were more powerful. They fought amongst themselves for years and ultimately Magadha emerged victorious under Bimbisara (Haranyak dynasty) in 6^th C BC.

Kalsi is the only place in northIndia where the great Mauryan emperor has inscribed the set of the fourteen rock edicts . The language of these edicts is Pali and the script Brahmi

The Persian Art of blue potterycame to Jaipur from Persia and Afghanistan via Mughal Courts.Blue Pottery is made from quartz and not clay. Materials that are used include quartz, raw glaze, sodium sulphate, and multani mitti (fuller's earth)Like pottery it is fired only once. The biggest advantage is that blue pottery does not develop any cracks, and blue pottery is also impervious, hygienic, and suitable for daily use.

The rock paintings havenumerous layers belonging to various epochs of time, ranging from the Upper Palaeolithic, Mesolithic Age to the protohistoric, early historic and medieval periods. The most ancient scenes here believed to be commonly belonging to the Mesolithic Age. Animals such as bison, tiger, rhinoceros, wild boar, elephants, monkeys, antelopes, lizards, peacocks etc. have been abundantly depicted in the rock shelters. Popular religious and ritual symbols also occur frequently. The colours used by the cave dwellers were prepared by combining manganese, hematite, soft red stone and wooden charcoal. Perhaps, animal fat and extracts of leaves were also used in the mixture.

Swami Dayananda apart form the propagation of the Vedas needed to disapprove the claims of any foreign religion along with the different sects and subsets flourishing in the country.
Swami Dayananda did all efforts to revive it. He even involved the King of Kashi in his debate with the learned Pundits of Benaras. But the Kashi King was different from the King of Ujjain. Instead of supporting the truth,the King of Kashi sided with the Benaras Pundits to dampen the voice of Dayananda. But the God believer Dayananda crossed all obstruction and defended one and only one the Truth.

The Arthashastra explains howthe state is to be ruled and offers a list with the seven components of the state: The king, the ministers, the country (population, geography and natural resources), fortification, treasury, army, and allies.

The Hindu system divides human life into four stages, called various Ashrams. A normal person was supposed to pass through all four of them at the appropriate time. These are:

BRAHMACHARYA ASHRAM

This stage lasts upto 16th or even the 24th year of a person. This stage of life is supposed to be a period of celibacy and learning. During the period a student must treat his Guru as his own father and as (visible) god and give him high respect. Absolute and willing obedience to the Guru is a must during this stage.

GRIHASTHA ASHRAM

At the end of the Brahmacharya state the young man may return to his father’s house, get married, and begin a family by raising up children (especially sons) so that his line may continue and there will be someone to perform his funeral rites when he passes away.

VANPRASTHA ASHRAM

Men enter into the stage when about half their expected earthly life is over. After a man is able to see his grand-son/sons it is expected that he would enter this stage. Contrary to what the name implies, he need not necessary go to the forest and spend his remaining time there but he should devote most of his time now in worship, charitable activities, and in extending help to others.

SANYASA ASHRAM

Though this is expected to the last stage of life, anybody can actually enter the life of sanyasa directly. Either from Brahmacharya or Grihasthashrama or from Vanaprastha, he can enter this stage. The meaning of the name Sanyasa is to renounce. Renunciation of the world and then entering a life of meditation and spending time with the Ultimate Reality is the ultimate aim of the stage of life.

Bodhisattva is the Sanskrit termfor anyone who, motivated by great compassion, has generated bodhicitta, which is a spontaneous wish to attain buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.

 Vasumitra and Ashavaghosh together presided over the fourth council. In this council Buddhists were divided into Mahayanists and Hinayanists.

"Satyameva Jayate"  is a mantra from the ancient Indian scripture Mundaka Upanishad. Following the independence of India, it was adopted as the national motto of India in 26 January 1950. It is inscribed in script at the base of the national emblem. The emblem and the words "Satyameva Jayate" are inscribed on one side of all Indian currency. The emblem is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka which was erected around 250 BCE at Sarnath, near Varanasi in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is inscribed on all currency notes and national documents.

Megasthenes was a Greekhistorian who came to India in the fourth century B.C. as a representative or ambassador of Seleucus Nicator. He lived in the court of Chandragupta Maurya for about five years (302-298 B.C.). Magasthenes in his book Indica has given details about Mauryan kings,civil administration and Indian society.