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1. Every five years, Harshavardhana used to donate all his possessions at an assembly at which among the following places?
[A] Ujjain
[B] Banaras
[C] Prayag
[D] Kannauj
Correct Answer: C [Prayag]
Notes:
Harsha organized religious assemblies every fifth year of his reign at Prayag (Allahabad). The thing that was left in the state treasury after five years, Harsha used to give it all in charity at that time. He has held six such assemblies during his reign.
2. Vedic mythology refers to an ancient settlement called Pushkalavati after Pushkal, who was the son of King Bharata in the epic Ramayan. What is the modern location of Pushkalavati?
[A] Panipat
[B] Pushkar
[C] Peshawar (in Pakistan)
[D] Punjab
Correct Answer: C [Peshawar (in Pakistan)]
Notes:
Pushkalavati was the capital of the ancient Gandhara Kingdom. Today, its ruins can be found in Charsadda, Pakistan, which is in the Peshawar Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (previously known as NWFP). This city was also where the famous Sanskrit grammarian Panini lived.
3. Which among the following veda has been described as “Braham Veda”?
[A] Rigveda
[B] Samaveda
[C] Yajurveda
[D] Atharavaveda
Correct Answer: D [Atharavaveda]
Notes:
Atharava Veda is known as Brahma Veda because it is recited by the Brahma priest in the Yajna and also because there are deliberations about Brahman, which is the ultimate reality according to Vedanta.
4. Who is the author of Devichandraguptam?
[A] Vishakhadatta
[B] Dandin
[C] Bharavi
[D] Kalidas
Correct Answer: A [Vishakhadatta]
Notes:
Devi-Chandraguptam is a Sanskrit drama by Vishakhadeva (Vishakhadatta). It tells the tale of King Ramagupta of the Gupta dynasty, who plans to give up his queen, Dhruvadevi, to a Shaka invader. However, his younger brother, Chandragupta, sneaks into the enemy camp disguised as the queen and defeats the invader. In the end, Chandragupta takes the throne from Ramagupta and marries Dhruvadevi. Additionally, parts of this story are mentioned in an 11th-century Persian text called Majmal-ut-Tawarikh.
5. Battle of the Hydaspes was fought between Alexander and King Porus in 326 BC. Hydapses means which river________?
[A] Jelum
[B] Indus
[C] Beas
[D] Ravi
Correct Answer: A [Jelum]
Notes:
Alexander invaded India in 326 BC. That year, the Battle of Hydaspes took place between Alexander the Great and King Porus near the Hydaspes River, known today as the Jhelum River, in Punjab. Porus was the ruler of Paurava, which was located between the Hydaspes (modern Jhelum) and Acesines (Chenab) rivers. Although Porus lost the battle, Alexander admired his strength and allowed him to govern his kingdom under Alexander’s authority.
6. During the period of Harshavardhana the fields were watered by the pots which were called Ghati yantra. The writing of which among the following authors records this?
[A] Hiuen-tsang
[B] Subhandhu
[C] Dandin
[D] Banabhatta
Correct Answer: A [Hiuen-tsang]
Notes:
Hiuen-tsang was a Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator. In the seventh century, he journeyed to India and wrote about how Chinese Buddhism connected with Indian Buddhism during the early Tang dynasty. He visited India when Emperor Harsha was in power and noted the Ghati Yantras.
7. Which among the following system in the Vedic Age has provided for a marriage of a childless widow with the brother of blood relation of her deceased husband for the sake of progeny ?
[A] Amaju
[B] Niyoga
[C] Arsa
[D] none of the above
Correct Answer: B [Niyoga]
Notes:
Niyoga practice in the Vedic Age has provided for the marriage of a childless widow with the brother of blood relation of her deceased husband for the sake of progeny.
8. Which among the following sites gives evidence of maritime trade in the Harappan era?
[A] Mohen-jo dero
[B] Lothal
[C] Kalibangan
[D] Harappa
Correct Answer: B [Lothal]
Notes:
Lothal is a small, developed Harappan site located near the Gulf of Khambat in the Dhalka taluk of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It was first dug up in 1957 by S R Rao. Key features of Lothal include a dockyard, a warehouse, a workshop for making stone beads, signs of shell working, rice husk, and a cemetery.
9. Which among the following comprisesthe Code of Laws?
[A] Sutras
[B] Manusmriti
[C] Vedas
[D] Up Vedas
Correct Answer: B [Manusmriti]
Notes:
The Manusmriti, is an ancient legal text among the many Dharmasastras of Hinduism. It was one of the first Sanskrit texts to have been translated into English in 1794, by Sir William Jones.
10. Sarnath is associated with which aspect of Buddha’s life?
[A] Birth
[B] Residence
[C] First sermon
[D] Death
Correct Answer: C [First sermon]
Notes:
Buddha gave his first sermon at the Sarnath which is known as “Dhammachakra Parivartan”.
