Correct : A
Explanation: Gautama Buddha was raised by his stepmother, Mahaprajapati, after his mother (maya) died seven days after his birth. Mahaprajapati was also the wife of Gautama's father, Suddhodana, a Sakya king.
2. Who among these accepted Jainism ?
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Correct : C
Explanation: Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Mauryan dynasty, became a Jain monk after abdicating the throne and renouncing his kingship. He is said to have adopted Jainism and become an ascetic under the influence of the Jain saint Bhadrabahu. In the last days of his life, he performed the Jain ritual Santhara ( is a religious practice in Jainism where a person voluntarily fasts to death. ).
3. Who among these was not a Saka Ruler ?
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Correct : B
Explanation: Menander I (165/155–130 BC) was a Indo-Greek king who ruled a large territory in the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent. He also known as Milinda. He was converted to Buddhism by Nagsena. Menander and Nagsena's conversation were recorded in the book Milindapanho or the question of Milinda.
4. Which of the following is not a kingdom in ancient India ?
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Correct : C
Explanation: Hampi is located in the present-day Indian state of Karnataka and was built by the rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire. Krishna Deva Raya ruled Hampi from 1509–1529, during which time the city reached its peak.
5. The great Granary of the Indus Valley civilization has been discovered at
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Correct : D
Explanation: The Great Granary of the Indus Valley Civilization was discovered at Mohenjodaro, which is located in present-day Pakistan. The Great Granary is a large structure that was used to store and distribute food grains for the city's population.
6. Tripitakas are the scared books of
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Correct : B
Explanation: The Tripitakas are the sacred books of Buddhism. The Tripitakas are a collection of Buddha's teachings, including commentary and rules for monks and nuns. The three parts of the Tripitakas are:
Vinaya Pitaka: Contains rules of monastic discipline for monks
Sutta Pitaka: Contains the largest collection of Buddha's sermons
Abhidhamma Pitaka: Contains teachings on metaphysics
7. The original home of the Kushanas was in
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Correct : A
Explanation: The Kushans were a nomadic people who lived in the Chinese frontier or Central Asia. They are also known as the Yueh-chi.
8. King Harshavardhana lived in
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Correct : C
Explanation: King Harshavardhana, also known as Harsha, was an Indian emperor who lived from 590–647 CE. He ruled over northern India from 606–647 CE and was the last ruler of the Vardhana Empire.
9. The political and cultural centre of the Pandyas was
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Correct : C
Explanation: The Pandya dynasty was an ancient Tamil dynasty that ruled southern India from the 4th century BCE to the end of the 15th century. The Pandyas were one of four great kingdoms in Tamilakam, along with the Pallavas, the Cholas, and the Cheras. Madurai was the capital of Pandyas.
10. Which of following is a Indus Valley Site ?
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Correct : C
Explanation: Alamgirpur is located in the Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh. It is the easternmost site of the Indus Valley civilization.
11. Which veda deals with the procedure for the performance of sacrifice ?
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Correct : A
Explanation : The Yajur Veda is the third Veda and is the primary source of information about sacrifices and associated rituals during Vedic times. The Yajur Veda is sometimes translated as "Knowledge of the Sacrifice".
12. The southermost Mhajanapada is
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Correct : B
Explanation: Asmaka was the southernmost Mahajanapada in the 6th century BCE. It was located on the banks of the Godavari river. The 16 Mahajanapadas were:
Kashi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Machcha, Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara, Kamboja.
13. Who fought the Kalinga War in 261 B.C. ?
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Correct : D
Explanation: The Kalinga War was fought in 261 BCE between the Maurya Empire and the state of Kalinga. The Maurya Empire was led by Ashoka, the great Mauryan Emperor, and the state of Kalinga was led by Raja Anantha Padmanabha. The war is considered one of the bloodiest battles in world history, with an estimated 100,000 Kalinga soldiers dying in the conflict. After seeing the bloodshed, Ashoka gave up war and violence. The Major Rock Edict XIII, or 13, is a famous rock edict of Ashoka that describes the Kalinga War and its impact on Ashoka.
14. Which was the first Gupta ruler to issue silver coin ?
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Correct : A
Explanation: Chandragupta II was the first Gupta ruler to issue silver coins, which were called Rupaka. Chandragupta II was also known as Chandragupta Vikramaditya, and he was the son of Samudragupta. He also issued copper coins and gold coins called dinara.
15. Which book was written by Harshavardhana ?
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Correct : D
Explanation: Harshavardhana, a North Indian king who ruled from 606–647 CE, is believed to have written three Sanskrit plays: Ratnavali, Priyadarsika, and Nagananda.
16. Which university became famous in the post-Gupta Era was:
Correct : C
Explanation: Nalanda University was founded in the early 5th century by Kumaragupta (Shakraditya) of the Gupta dynasty. Nalanda University is considered by many to be one of the oldest universities in the world. It was a huge university that had 300 lecture halls, and various labs and libraries.
17. Which of the following is the oldest dynasty ?
Correct : A
Explanation: The Maurya Empire was established by Chandragupta Maurya, a Hindu who later became a Jain. Chanakya, Chandragupta's teacher and chief minister, is credited with masterminding the rise of the empire. According to legend, Chanakya convinced Chandragupta to conquer the Nanda Empire after being insulted by its king. The Mauryan Empire had three main rulers: Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara and Ashoka.
18. Who amongst the following also had the name 'Devanam Priyadarsi' ?
Correct : A
Explanation: Ashoka Maurya was known as "Devanampriya Priyadarshi". Ashoka was a Mauryan king who ruled from 268 BCE to 232 BCE. He embraced Buddhism under Upagupta.
19. The Greek ambassador sent to Chandargupta Maurya's Court was :
Correct : C
Explanation: Megasthenes was the Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya in Pataliputra, India. Megasthenes wrote a book called Indika, which contains information about the Mauryan period. In his book, Megasthenes described India.
20. Who is known as 'Second Ashoka' ?
Correct : B
Explanation: Kanishka, also known as Kanishka the Great, is known as the "Second Ashoka" because of his role in spreading Buddhism. Kanishka was the emperor of the Kushan dynasty from 127–150 CE. He is known for his military, political, and spiritual achievements.