Post Maurya Period History UPSC MCQs
Question. One of the main reasons for the rise of heterodox sects was
(a) the introduction of a new agricultural economy based on iron ploughshare
(b) the new teachers gave importance to meditation
(c) the new teachers preached equality of all under the guidance of the kshatriyas
(d) the importance given Brahmanical rituals
Answer
A
Question. The bride-price or arsa-vivaha mentioned in the Arthasastra consisted of
(a) three cows or the equivalent in value
(b) two cows or the equivalent in value
(c) jewelry consisting of gold and silver
(d) none of the above
Answer
B
Question. Who was the founder of the Mauryan Empire?
(a) Ashoka
(b) Kautilya
(c) Chandragupta Maurya
(d) Bindusara
Answer
C
Question. The four ashramas are
(a) brahmachrya, shudra, vanaprastha and sannyasa
(b) brahmachrya, grihasta, vanaprastha and sannyasa
(c) brahmachrya, grihasta, pashu and sannyasa
(d) brahmachrya, grihasta, vanaprastha and stri-dhana
Answer
B
Question. Dhamma is
(a) a principle of righteousness
(b) a religious sect
(c) the universal law of righteousness
(d) social code of conduct
Answer
D
Question. Which of the following is not true about sabha and samiti?
(a) among tribes which had no elected chief, these assemblies exercised the function of governance and authority
(b) they acted as check on the chief’s authority
(c) in later Vedic times they lost importance while royal power increased
(d) women were permitted to sit and preside over the meetings
Answer
D
Question. A major concern of Upanishadic thought is to explore and explain the meaning and relationship between
(a) brahman and samsara
(b) atman and moksha
(c) brahman and atman
(d) samsara and moksha
Answer
C
Question. The core of Buddha’s doctrine is
(a) Four Noble Truth
(b) Eightfold Path
(c) dhamma
(d) three Universal truth
Answer
A
Question. Bimbisara strengthened Magadha’s position
(a) by having an able commander for his army
(b) because he had a strong navy
(c) because he was cruel and people were afraid of him
(d) by making a number of matrimonial alliances with other ruling families
Answer
D
Question. The language that was mostly used to propagate Buddhism was
(a) Sanskrit
(b) Pali
(c) Prakrit
(d) Persian
Answer
C
Question. Fire is listed as the
(a) 1st of the national calamities
(b) 2nd of the national calamities
(c) 3rd of the national calamities
(d) 4th of the national calamities
Answer
A
Question. Rock-cut architecture was first found in
(a) the Mauryan period
(b) the post-Mauryan period
(c) the Sangam period
(d) the Gupta period
Answer
A
Question. Mahavira means
(a) the brave heart
(b) the enlightened one
(c) the wise man
(d) the great hero
Answer
B
Question. For the Jaina monks and nuns, there are
(a) three great vows
(b) five great vows
(c) six great vows
(d) seven great vows
Answer
B
Question. Which of the following was not the common feature of Buddhism and Jainism?
(a) Both denied the authority of the Vedas
(b) Both preached against the practice of sacrifice
(c) Both condemned the varna system
(d) Both recognized that the world is full of sorrow and salvation is possible through the chain of birth and death
Answer
C
Question. The most important leader of the Ajivikas was
(a) Purana Kassapa
(b) Makkhali Gosala
(c) Pakudha Kachchayana
(d) Prasenajit
Answer
B
Question. What are the two Sanskrit epics?
(a) the Mahabharata and Ramayana
(b) the Puranas and Dharmashastra
(c) the Vedas and Smritis
(d) the Aryankas and Upanishads
Answer
A
Question. The Tipitaka/Tripitaka was written in
(a) Pali
(b) Sanskrit
(c) Prakrit
(d) Persian
Answer
A
Question. Alexander invaded India in
(a) 326 BCE
(b) 236 BCE
(c) 426 BCE
(d) 526 BCE
Answer
A
Question. Which statement on the Mauryan art and architecture is incorrect?
(a) The pillars of Ashoka bear a striking resemblance to those of Darius
(b) The polish of the pillars is unique
(c) The wording on pillars, particularly referring to the king, is the same as that of Darius
(d) They testimony of wood-cutter’s art being transformed into that of stone-cutter
Answer
C
Question. Which of the following statement is incorrect about the Mauryan women?
(a) The unchastity of Indian women is commented upon
(b) Wives prostitute themselves unless they are compelled to be chaste
(c) The state collected tax from prostitution
(d) Women remained faithful to their husbands throughout their marriage
Answer
D
Question. One of the results of Alexander’s invasion was
(a) the establishment of the Gandhara school of art
(b) the rise of Muslims in India
(c) the creation of a Seleucid principality along with several Greek settlements
(d) the establishment of Alexander as the new ruler of India
Answer
C
Question. Manu Smriti is a book of
(a) law
(b) poetry
(c) history
(d) science
Answer
A
Question. The heterodox sects were known as
(a) varna
(b) sapinda
(c) shramana
(d) pratiloma
Answer
C
Question. The four stages of man’s life is known as
(a) ashramas
(b) brahmachrya
(c) grihasta
(d) vanaprastha
Answer
A
Question. Which is the first Indian test to define a state?
(a) Rajatarangini
(b) Arthasatra
(c) Manu Smriti
(d) Mahabharata
Answer
B
Question. Who is the author of Arthasastra?
(a) Milanda
(b) Megasthenes
(c) Kalidasa
(d) Kautilya
Answer
D
Question. The Kushanas were
(a) descendance of Yueh-chi who ruled part of Central Asia and norther Indian subcontinent
(b) descendance of Huing-nu who ruled part of Central Asia and norther Indian subcontinent
(c) descendance of Timur who ruled part of Central Asia and norther Indian subcontinent
(d) one of the tribes of India who came to power after the fall of the Mauryas
Answer
A
Question. The Kushana Empire reached its zenith during
(a) Kanishka
(b) Kanishka II
(c) Huvishka
(d) Huvishka II
Answer
A
Question. According to Romila Thapar, the Mauryan State was
(a) highly centralized
(b) decentralized
(c) loose confederation
(d) segmentary
Answer
A
Question. The Mauryas had many firsts to their credits, but did not include
(a) centralized bureaucracy
(b) selection of officials on merit
(c) regulation and control of economy
(d) a large and efficient army
Answer
B
Question. Which of the following statement is not correct about the Buddhist sangha
(a) it was not open to pregnant women
(b) it was open to all mothers
(c) it was not open to mothers of unweaned children
(d) it was open to women who had the permission of their parents or husband
Answer
B
Question. According to the Jain beliefs Mahavira was the
(a) 1st Trithankara
(b) 23rd Trithankara
(c) 24th Trithankara
(d) 25th Trithankara
Answer
C
Question. Chandragupta Maurya ascended the throne in
(a) 524 BCE
(b) 424/421 BCE
(c) 324/321 BCE
(d) 421 BCE
Answer
C
Question. The Ashokan inscriptions were written in
(a) Devanagari script
(b) Brahmi script
(c) Telegu
(d) Pali
Answer
B
Question. Ghandhara school of art flourished during the age of
(a) Mauryas
(b) Kushanas
(c) Guptas
(d) Satavahanas
Answer
B
Question. The Indo-Greek king who was converted to Buddhism after his discussion with Nagasena was
(a) Menander/Milinda
(b) Magesthenes
(c) Porus
(d) Selucus
Answer
A
Question. The Indian king who opposed Alexander was
(a) Bimbisara
(b) Chandragupta Maurya
(c) Ashoka
(d) Porus
Answer
A
Question. Alexander’s movement beyond the Beas was prevented by
(a) Chandragupta Maurya
(b) his soldiers
(c) the joint force of Indian rulers
(d) Porus
Answer
A
Question. Ashoka adopted the title ‘devanampiya’ which means
(a) sovereign
(b) beloved of the gods
(c) father of his subjects
(d) above everyone
Answer
B
Question. An important aspect of Ashoka’s Dhamma is
(a) nirvana
(b) ahimsa
(c) yajna
(d) jana
Answer
B
Question. The form of wealth of the Rig Vedic people was
(a) cattle
(b) gold
(c) land
(d) silver
Answer
A
Question. During the early Vedic period, words like Panchalas or Kurus or Bharat referred to
(a) people or tribe
(b) territories
(c) kingdoms
(d) state
Answer
A
Question. Ashoka’s concept of dhamma-mahamatas found expression for the first time in the
(a) 2nd Rock Edict
(b) 3rd Rock Edict
(c) 4th Rock Edict
(d) 5th Rock Edict
Answer
D
Question. The Silk Route facilitated the first Buddhist missionaries to reach China during the
(a) 1st century BCE
(b) 1st century CE
(c) 2nd century CE
(d) 3rd century CE
Answer
B
Question. The Udayagiri and Khandagiri hills in Puri district, Orissa is the home of the oldest
(a) group of Hindu rock-cut caves
(b) group of Jaina rock-cut caves
(c) group of Buddhist rock-cut caves
(d) none of the above
Answer
B
Question. The Mauryan state brought new land under cultivation with the help of
(a) rich peasants
(b) guilds
(c) shudras
(d) brahmanas
Answer
B
Question. The foreigners who extended into India in the 4th century BCE were the
(a) Romans
(b) Greeks
(c) Persians
(d) Sumerians
Answer
B
Question. The most direct and apparent impact of Persian invasion in India was the introduction of
(a) kharosthi script
(b) brahmi script
(c) Roman script
(d) Latin script
Answer
A
Question. which factor might not have been responsible for the development of trade and commerce in the Mauryan period?
(a) Mauryan contact with Hellenistic kingdoms
(b) Roman demand for spices and other luxuries
(c) Popularity of Buddhism
(d) Mauryas built roads opening the sub-continent for trade
Answer
C
Fill in the blanks
Question. The central idea of Ajivika was that of __________.
Answer
fate
Question. Aramaic was the official script of the ___________ empire.
Answer
Persian
Question. The ancient Indian texts that contain genealogies are called ___________.
Answer
Puranas
Question. Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya was _______________.
Answer
Megasthenes
Question. The author of Mudrarakshasa is ________________.
Answer
Vishakhadatta
Question. The performance of Upanayana ceremony was considered a __________ birth in the Brahmanical religion.
Answer
second
Question. According to Jainism ____________ is the first vow for renunciants as well as the laity
Answer
ahimsa
Question. During the ruled of Shishunagas dynasty, the 2nd Buddhist Council was convened at ______________.
Answer
Vaishali
Question. ___________ sacrifice was the royal consecration ceremony.
Answer
Rajasuya
Question. ____________ sacrifice was connected with the attainment of power and prosperity.
Answer
Vajapeya
Question. The centre of northern province of Mauryan empire was ____________.
Answer
Taxila
Question. The capital of Mauryan empire during Ashoka was _____________.
Answer
Pataliputra
Question. Later Upanishads speaks of Brahman as of a ________.
Answer
God
Question. Magadha’s gradual rise to political supremacy began with ______________.
Answer
Bimbisara
Question. The male god represented on a Harappan seal is referred to as _____________ seal.
Answer
Pashupati
Question. The Harappans carried out foreign trade with _________________ and areas around Persian Gulf.
Answer
Mesopotamia
Question. The _____________________ literally means great realms.
Answer
mahajanapadas
Question. Apart from the export of Indian goods to the Mediterranean, India also played an important role in the trade of ________.
Answer
silk
Question. Indian and _____________ features coalesced in the Gandhara art.
Answer
Hellenistic
Question. Gautam Buddha preached his first sermon at ______________.
Answer
Sarnath
Question. The ultimate goal of Buddha’s teaching was the attainment of ______________.
Answer
nirvana
Question. There are ________ occupations which are approved for the Jainas
Answer
six (6)
Question. The most famous ruler of the Kushanas was ______________.
Answer
Kanishka
Question. The most popular king of the Satavahanas was ____________________.
Answer
Gautamiputra Satakarni
Question. Right belief, Right knowledge and Right conduct formed the ____________________ of Jainism.
Answer
Three jewels