Ancient Indian History - I

1. Which of the following Vedas deals with magic (b) Underground Drainage System
spells and witchcraft? (c) Uniformity of Weights and Measures
(a) Rigveda (d) Large Agricultural Surplus
(b) Samaveda 9. At which of the following Harappan sites has a
(c) Yajurveda supposed dockyard been found?
(d) Atharvaveda (a) Kalibangan
2. The Vedic religion along with its Later (Vedic) (b) Lothal
developments is actually known as: (c) Suktagendor
(a) Hinduism (d) Sotka Koli
(b) Brahmanism 10. According to the most widely accepted view,
(c) Bhagavatism the Aryans originally came from:
(d) Vedic Dharma (a) India
3. The Vedic Aryans first settled in the region of: (b) Central Asia
(a) Central India (c) Central Europe
(b) Gangetic Doab (d) Steppes of Russia
(c) Saptasindhu 11. Which of the following Vedas was compiled
(d) Kashmir and Punjab first?
4. Which of the following contains the famous (a) Rigveda
Gayatri Mantra? (b) Samaveda
(a) Rigveda (c) Yajurveda
(b) Samaveda (d) Atharvaveda
(c) Kathopanishad 12. Two popular Assemblies of the Vedic period
(d) Aitareya Brahmana were:
5. Which Vedic God was 'a breaker of the forts' (a) Sabha and Mahasabha
and also a 'war god'? (b) Mahasabha and Ganasabha
(a) Indra (c) Sabha and Samiti
(b) Yama (d) Ur and Kula
(c) Marut 13. Which of the following does not represent an
(d) Varuna important source material for the Mauryan
6. The first metal to be extensively used by the period?
people in India was: (a) Literary works
(a) Bronze (b) Foreign accounts
(b) Copper (c) Numismatic evidence
(c) Iron (d) Epigraphic sources
(d) Tin 14. The word 'Veda' has been derived from the
7. Of the following scholars, who was the first to root word 'Vid' which means:
discover the traces of the Harappan (a) Divinity
Civilisation? (b) Sacredness
(a) Sir John Marshall (c) Doctrine
(b) R D Bannerji (d) Knowledge
(c) A Cunningham 15. Ashoka has been particularly influenced by
(d) Daya Ram Sahani which Buddhist monk?
8. The Indus or Harappan Civilisation is (a) Ambhi
distinguished from the other contemporary (b) Upagupta
civilisations by its: (c) Asvaghosha
(a) Town Planning (d) Vasubandhu

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16. During Kanishka's reign, the centre of political (c) Coins

activity shifted from Magadha to: (d) Pillar edicts
(a) Delhi 24. The proud title of 'Vikramaditya' had been
(b) Ayodhya assumed by:
(c) Kannauj (a) Harsha
(d) Purushapura (Peshawar) (b) Chandragupta II
17. Who had got the Konark Sun Temple (c) Kanishka
constructed? (d) Samudragupta
(a) Kanishka 25. In which region was the first metallic coin
(b) Ashoka used in India?
(c) Narasimha Deva II (a) Indo-Gangetic plain of Central India
(d) Rajendra Chola (b) Himalayas
18. Who among the following is known for his (c) Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh
work on medicine during the Gupta period? (d) Deccan Plateau
(a) Saumilla 26. The philosophy propounded in the
(b) Sudraka Upanishads is known as:
(c) Shaunaka (a) Advaita
(d) Susrutha (b) Vedanta
19. Who among the following used to hold a (c) Yoga
religious assembly at Prayag every five year? (d) Samkhya
(a) Ashoka 27. Vardhamana Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankar of
(b) Harshvardhana Jainism was born at ____ and died at____.
(c) Kanishka (a) Vaishali and Rajagriha
(d) Chandragupta Vikramaditya (b) Kusinara and Pava
20. Gautam Buddha as a prince was known as: (c) Kundagrama and Pava
(a) Gautam (d) Kashi and Champa
(b) Siddhartha 28. The 'Three Jewels' (Triratnas) of Jainism are:
(c) Rahul (a) Right Faith Or Intentions, Right Knowledge
(d) Suddhodhana and Right Conduct
21. The Jatakas are a collection of stories: (b) Right Action, Right Livelihood and Right
(a) Meant for children Effort
(b) Based on pet Hindu myths (c) Right Thoughts, Non-Violence and Non-
(c) About Jains saints Attachment
(d) Pertaining to several different earlier births (d) Right Speech, Right Thinking and Right
of the Buddha Behaviour
22. Architectural developments in India 29. In Jainism, the aim of life is to attain Nirvana
manifested themselves in their full glory or Moksha for which one has to:
during the period of the: (a) follow three jewels and five vows
(a) Guptas (b) practice, non-violence and non-injury to all
(b) Nandas living beings
(c) Mauryas (c) renounce the world and attain right
(d) Cholas knowledge
23. The deep transforming effect that the Kalinga (d) believe in the Jains and absolute non-
War had on Ashoka has been described in: violence
(a) Archaeological excavations
(b) Rock edicts

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30. Jainism was divided into two sects - (d) Chanakya wanted to restore the ideal of
Swetambaras (White-clad) and Digambaras Kshatriya rule
(Sky- clad or naked) - During the reign of the: 37. Kautilya (also known as Vishnugupta and
(a) Nandas Chanakya) is the author of Arthasastra which
(b) Mauryas has been compared with:
(c) Kusanas (a) Plato's State
(d) Shungas (b) Machiavelli's Prince
31. The name Buddha means: (c) Karl Marx's Das Kapital
(a) Enlightened (d) Hitler's Mein Kampf
(b) Learned 38. Megasthanes, the ambassador of Selucus at
(c) Divine the Mauryan court in Pataliputra, wrote an
(d) Sacred account of the period in his book:
32. Buddhism was divided into Mahayana and (a) Travels of Megasthenes
Hinayana during the reign of: (b) Indica
(a) Asoka (c) Indicoplecusts
(b) Kanishka (d) Both (b) and (c)
(c) Menander 39. Which of the following is the single most
(d) Harsha important source of the history of Ashoka?
33. Outside India, Buddhism was first accepted in: (a) Sri Lankan chronicles Dipavamsa and
(a) China Mahavamsa
(b) Japan (b) Buddhist works Divyavadana and
(c) Sri Lanka Ashokavadana
(d) Tibet (c) Inscriptions of Ashoka
34. Of all the states in Northern India in 6th (d) Archaeological Sources and the Puranas
century BC, which of the following states 40. In his inscriptions, Ashoka called himself:
emerged as the most powerful? (a) Devanampriya Priyadarshi King
(a) Anga (b) Ashoka Priyadarshi
(b) Magadha (c) Dhammasoka (Dharmasoka)
(c) Kashi (d) Daivaputra
(d) Kosala 41. The most important official post with vast
35. When Alexander invaded India, Magadha was responsibilities created by Ashoka was:
being ruled by the: (a) Rajuka
(a) Haryankas (b) Yukta
(b) Sisunagas (c) Dharamamahamatya
(c) Nandas (d) Prativedaka
(d) Mauryas 42. Who usurped power from the Mauryas after
Ans: (c) killing the last Mauryan ruler Brihadratha?
36. Chandragupta Maurya with the help of (a) Pushyamitra Sunga
Chanakya decided to overthrow the Nandas (b) Agnimitra
because: (c) Vasumitra
(a) Chanakya had been humiliated by the (d) Jyesthamitra
Nandas 43. The first great empire to the south of the
(b) the Nandas were low-born Vindhayas was of the:
(c) the Nandas had accumulated a great deal (a) Cholas
of wealth by extortion and oppression of (b) Cheras
the people (c) Pandyas

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(d) Satavahanas (a) No. XIII

44. The family of the Rig Vedic Aryans was: (b) No. X
(a) Patrilineal (c) No. XI
(b) Patriarchal (d) No. XII
(c) Matriarchal 53. Which of the following Vedas is rendered
(d) Matrilineal musically?
45. Gautama Buddha was brought up by: (a) Rig Veda
(a) Mahaprajapati (b) Yajur Veda
(b) Mayadevi (c) Sama Veda
(c) Kundavi (d) Atharva Veda
(d) Sangamitra 54. Bimbisara was succeeded by
46. The Phrsae the 'Light of Asia' is applied to: (a) Ashoka
(a) Alexander (b) Ajatasatru
(b) Chandragupta Maurya (c) Vesudeva
(c) Mahavira (d) Chandragupta Maurya
(d) The Buddha 55. The Upanishads are separated from the
47. The Eight-fold path was enunciated by: Brahmanas by treatises called _______.
(a) The Buddha (a) Vedas
(b) Mahavira (b) Aranyakas
(c) Nehru (c) Epics
(d) Mahatma Gandhi (d) Puranas
48. Megasthenes visited India during the period 56. The religious movements of Buddhism and
of: Jainism were led by:
(a) Chandragupta II (a) Sudras
(b) Ashoka (b) Kshatriya Princes
(c) Chandragupta Maurya (c) Vaisyas
(d) Harsha (d) Brahmins
49. The main occupation of the Aryans was: 57. Whom can we call the first national ruler of
(a) Weaving India?
(b) Agriculture (a) Chandragupta Maurya
(c) Trade (b) Kanishka
(d) Seafaring (c) Harsha
50. The Rig Veda consists of: (d) Ajatasatru
(a) 1000 hymns 58. The salient feature of the Rig Vedic religion
(b) 1028 hymns was worship of:
(c) 500 hymns (a) Nature
(d) 2000 hymns (b) Pasupatbi
51. Which of the following explains the duties of (c) Trimurti
Dharmamahamatras? (d) Mother Goddess
(a) The Minor Rock Edicts 59. Which of the following Gods lost his
(b) The two Kalinga Edicts importance as the first deity during the later
(c) Arthashastra Vedic period?
(d) Indica (a) Varuna
52. Which of the following Minor Rock Edicts of (b) Agni
Ashoka describes the Conquest of Kalinga by (c) Vishnu
Ashoka? (d) Rudra

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60. Mudra Rakshasa was written by: (c) Kautilya

(a) Kalidasa (d) Bana
(b) Visakadatta 69. Who was referred to as Amitraghata or
(c) Bana Amitro Chates by the Greeks?
(d) Bharavi (a) Chandragupta Maurya
61. The language which contributed to the spread (b) Bimbisara
of Buddhism was: (c) Bindusara
(a) Sanskrit (d) Vasudeva
(b) Pali 70. During the pre-Gupta age, the foreign trade
(c) Tamil was most extensive with:
(d) Greek (a) South East Asian Countries
62. Buddha delivered his first sermon at ______. (b) China
(a) Sanchi (c) Central Asia
(b) Sarnath (d) Roman Empire
(c) Kapilvastu 71. Which one of the following was not a
(d) Vaishali characteristic of society in Mauryan times?
63. The Buddha attained nirvana at ______. (a) Slavery
(a) Bodh Gaya (b) Rigidity of Caste
(b) Sarnath (c) Prostitution
(c) Sanchi (d) Widow Remarriage
(d) Kusinagara 72. The ancient Chola kingdom existed in the
64. The Capital of Kanishka Empire was _______. delta of the river:
(a) Pataliputra (a) Tungabhadra
(b) Peshawar (b) Cauvery
(c) Kabul (c) Krishna
(d) Taxila (d) Godavari
65. Alexander was the son of Philip II of ______. 73. Which of the following statements about
(a) Sparta Arthasastra is not true?
(b) Athens (a) It prescribes the duty of a king
(c) Macedonia (b) It describes the then economic life of the
(d) Carthage country
66. Porus was defeated by Alexander at the Battle (c) It lays down the principles of politics
of ______. (d) It highlights the need for financial reforms
(a) Herat 74. The fourth and the last Buddhist Council was
(b) Kabul convened by:
(c) Hydaspes (a) Ashoka
(d) Arbela (b) Menander
67. The Saka Era was founded by: (c) Kanishka
(a) Kadphises I (d) Huvishka
(b) Kanishka 75. The last great ruling dynasty of Magadha was:
(c) Alexander (a) Sunga
(d) Menander (b) Kanva
68. Of the following who is called India's (c) Kusana
Machiavelli? (d) Gupta
(a) Asvaghosha 76. The greatest conqueror among the Gupta
(b) Patanjali rulers was:

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(a) Samudragupta (b) Chandragupta II

(b) Chandragupta II (c) Dharampala
(c) Kumargupta (d) Devapala
(d) Skandagupta 84. Harshacharita the biography of Harsha, was
77. Name the Gupta king who has been called an written by:
Indian Napoleon and he was also an (a) Banabhatta
accomplished poet and musician. (b) Sudraka
(a) Samudragupta (c) Sri Harsha
(b) Kumargupta (d) Gunadhva
(c) Chandragupta II 85. In the early Vedic-period, Varna system was
(d) Skandagupta based on:
78. The famous Mehrauli Iron Pillar inscription (a) Education
describes the conquest of: (b) Birth
(a) Samudragupta (c) Occupation
(b) Chandragupta II (d) Talent
(c) Chandragupta Maurya 86. The Greeks were driven out of India by:
(d) Chandra of Indraprastha (a) Bindusara
79. The Gupta king who is known in the Indian (b) Ashoka
legends as Vikramaditya was: (c) Chandragupta Vikramaditya
(a) Chandragupta I (d) Chandragupta Maurya
(b) Samudragupta 87. The Great Bath of Indus Valley Civilisation is
(c) Chandragupta II found at:
(d) Skandagupta (a) Harappa
80. The Chinese traveller Fa-hien visited India and (b) Mohenjo-Daro
left a detailed account of the reign of: (c) Ropar
(a) Samudragupta (d) Kalibangan
(b) Chandragupta II 88. Who was the court poet of Harshavardhana?
(c) Kumargupta I (a) Bhani
(d) Skandagupta (b) Ravi Kirti
81. The foremost Astronomer and Mathematician (c) Bana
of the Gupta period was: (d) Vishnu Sharma
(a) Aryabhatta 89. 'Prince of Pilgrims' was the name attributed
(b) Varahamihira to:
(c) Brahmagupta (a) Fa-Hien
(d) Vanabhata (b) I-tsing
82. After the decline of the Guptas, which of the (c) Hiuen Tsang
following cities of North India emerged as the (d) Megasthenes
centre of political gravity of North India? 90. Kalinga war took place in which year?
(a) Ajmer (a) 263 BC
(b) Kannauj (b) 240 BC
(c) Dhara (c) 261 BC
(d) Delhi (d) 232 BC
83. The Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang, called the 91. The famous poet Kalidasa lived in the court
Prince of Pilgrims visited India during the reign of:
of: (a) Chandragupta
(a) Harsha (b) Chandragupta-II

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(c) Samudragupta (a) Subtle conquest

(d) Kumaragupta (b) Religious domination
92. Which one of the following vedas contains (c) A Casteless society
sacrificial formulae? (d) Non-violence and peace
(a) Sama Veda 97. Which of the following are essentially books
(b) Yajur Veda of rituals?
(c) Rig Veda (a) The Vedas
(d) Atharva Veda (b) The Upanishads
93. The greatest Kushana ruler whose (c) The Aranyakas
contribution to Buddhism was even greater (d) The Brahmanas
than that of Ashoka was: 98. The Ajanta cave paintings mostly belong to
(a) Kadphises the period of the:
(b) Kanishka I (a) Mughals
(c) Vaishka (b) Mauryas
(d) Huvishka (c) Chalukyas
94. Who, among the following rulers, had ruled (d) Guptas
over the largest part of India? 99. The Vedic deity Indra was the god of:
(a) Kanishka (a) Fire
(b) Chandragupta I (b) Rain and Thunder
(c) Chandragupta Maurya (c) Eternity
(d) Ashoka (d) Wind
95. Which of the following temples has acquired 100. The only Veda to have been rendered
the name of the Black Pagoda? musically is:
(a) Sun Temple (a) Rig Veda
(b) Lingaraj Temple (b) Sama Veda
(c) Bhuvaneshwari Temple (c) Yajur Veda
(d) Jagannathdeva Temple (d) Atharva Veda
96. The aim of Ashoka's Dhamma was:

ANSWER KEY
1. (d) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (a) 5. (a) 6. (b) 7. (d) 8. (b) 9. (b) 10. (b)
11. (a) 12. (c) 13. (c) 14. (d) 15. (b) 16. (d) 17. (c) 18. (d) 19. (b) 20. (b)
21. (d) 22. (a) 23. (b) 24. (b) 25. (a) 26. (b) 27. (c) 28. (a) 29. (a) 30. (b)
31. (a) 32. (b) 33. (c) 34. (b) 35. (c) 36. (c) 37. (b) 38. (b) 39. (c) 40. (a)
41. (c) 42. (a) 43. (d) 44. (b) 45. (a) 46. (d) 47. (a) 48. (c) 49. (b) 50. (b)
51. (a) 52. (a) 53. (c) 54. (b) 55. (b) 56. (b) 57. (a) 58. (a) 59. (a) 60. (b)
61. (b) 62. (b) 63. (d) 64. (b) 65. (c) 66. (c) 67. (b) 68. (c) 69. (c) 70. (d)
71. (d) 72. (b) 73. (d) 74. (c) 75. (d) 76. (a) 77. (a) 78. (b) 79. (c) 80. (b)
81. (a) 82. (b) 83. (a) 84. (a) 85. (c) 86. (d) 87. (b) 88. (c) 89. (c) 90. (c)
91. (b) 92. (b) 93. (b) 94. (c) 95. (a) 96. (d) 97. (d) 98. (d) 99. (b) 100. (b)