Ancient Indian History MCQs

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The Bodhisattva, Vajrapani, holds a thunderbolt like the deity Indra of Hinduism and fights against evil and sin. Avlokitesvara or Padmapani is the lotus bearer; Majushri holds a book describing 10 paramitas ( spiritual perfections); Maitreya is the future Buddha; Ksitigarbha is the bodhisattva of hell-beings and guardian of purgatories; while Amitabha is Buddha of heaven and the Buddha of Immeasurable Life and Light.

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According to Manu, a Brahamana was to be awarded higher punishment than the persons of other varnas for the offence of Theft.

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Charak was the court physician of Kanishka I. He was one of the principal contributors to the ancient art and science of Ayurveda, a system of medicine and lifestyle developed in Ancient India. He is sometimes referred to as the Father of Indian Medicine.

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LATER VEDIC AGE – The Kekaya kingdom was situated on the bank of River Beas, east of Gandhar kingdom. King Aswapati ruled Kekaya when Janak was the king of Videha.

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The Indus Valley civilisation people used copper, bronze, silver, and gold. Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, reflects advanced metallurgy. Silver and gold were utilized for ornaments and trade. Iron was not known or used, which differentiates this civilisation from later Indian societies. Hence, all four metals except iron were known and used by them.

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Kalidasa was one of the gems of the court of Gupta king Chandragupta II (375–415 CE). The poems he wrote were usually of epic proportions and were written in classical Sanskrit. He wrote two epic poems called Kumara sambhava, which means birth of Kumara and the Raghuvamsha, which means dynasty of Raghu. There are also two lyric poems written by Kalidasa known as Meghadutta that stands for cloud messenger and the Ritusamhara that means description of the seasons. Meghadutta is one of the finest works of Kalidasa in terms of world literature. The beauty of the continuity in flawless Sanskrit is unmatched till date. The most famous and beautiful work of Kalidasa is the Shakuntalam. It is the second play of Kalidasa after he wrote Malavikagnimitra. The Shakuntalam tells the story of king Dushyant who falls in love with a beautiful girl Shakuntala, who happens to be the daughter of a saint.

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In Bhabru edict, the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka refers himself as Piyadassi laja Magadhe (Piyadassi, King of Magadha). In this edict he states his faith in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. In the Queen’s Edict, Ashoka states that the Queen Karuvaki should be credited for her gifts. The Dhauli Pillar Inscription discusses about the Kalinga War. The Maski Edict confirms title “Devanampriya” with the King Asoka.

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The cholas had a good navy. The Chola navy played a vital role in the expansion of the Chola Empire, including the conquest of the Ceylon islands and naval raids on Sri Vijaya.

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Abhidharma-mahavibhasa known as Mahavibhaṣa, is a Vaibhashika written treatise on Sarvastivada abhidharma. It translated into Chinese by the scholar–pilgrim Xuanzang and his translation team between 656 and 659 C.E.

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Nagasena was a Sarvastivadan Buddhist sage born in Kashmir and lived around 150 BCE. His answers to questions about Buddhism posed by Menander I, the Indo-Greek king of northwestern India, are recorded in the Milinda Panha and the Sanskrit Nagasenabhiksusutra.