NDA History and Geography - Ancient India
Exam Duration: 45 Mins Total Questions : 30
the early Buddhism incorporated pre-Buddhist elements, as is best demonstrated
- (a)
in the worship of Buddha as icons
- (b)
by the presence of large standing Yakasa and Yaksis
- (c)
in the elaborate narrative scenes from the life of Buddha and from the Jatakas which reveal a strong ethical bias
- (d)
in the incorporation of non-Buddhist deities and mythical concepts
Which of the following were the yajnas that were performed during the Vedic age?
1.Vratyastama yajna
2.Asvamedha yajna
3.Rajasuya yajna
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
- (a)
1 and 2
- (b)
2 and 3
- (c)
1 and 3
- (d)
All of these
The main characteristic of the Indus Valley Civilisation was
- (a)
town planning
- (b)
drainage system
- (c)
well laid out roads
- (d)
pucca houses
The great grammarian Patanjali of ancient India was whose contemporary among the following?
- (a)
Chandragupta Maurya
- (b)
Ashoka
- (c)
Pushyamitra
- (d)
Susarman Kanva
According to the Dharmashashtras, 'Anuloma' is a marriage between a
- (a)
higher caste man and a lower caste woman
- (b)
lower caste man and a higher caste woman
- (c)
man and woman of the same caste
- (d)
man and woman of the same gotra
Which one of the following statements about ancient Indian Mahajanapadas is correct?
- (a)
All Mahajanapadas were oligarchies where power was exercised by a group of people
- (b)
all Mahajanapadas were located in Eastern India
- (c)
No army was maintained by sixteen Mahajanapadas
- (d)
Buddhist and Jaina text list sixteen Mahajanapadas
Consider the following statements
1.The Harappan people did not know the art of writing.
2.The period when man began to use metal is called the Neolithic age
select the correct answer using the codes given below
- (a)
Only 1
- (b)
Only 2
- (c)
Both 1 and 2
- (d)
Neither 1 nor 2
Match the following
List I | List II |
A.Kosala | 1.Sravasti |
B.Avanti | 2.Mahishamati |
C.Vatsa | 3.Kausambi |
D.Lichchhavi | 4.Vaishalli |
- (a)
A B C D 1 2 3 4 - (b)
A B C D 2 3 4 1 - (c)
A B C D 2 3 2 4 - (d)
A B C D 4 3 1 2
Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?
1.Allahabad Prashasti: Samundragupta
2.Aihole Inscription: Pulakesin II
3.Gwalior Prashasti: Devapala
4.Hatigumpha Inscription: Rudradaman
- (a)
1,2, and 4
- (b)
1 and 2
- (c)
3 and 4
- (d)
2,3 and 4
Who among the following gave asylum to Zoroastrians who fled by sea and by the coastal route from Persia to Western India in the early 8th century?
- (a)
Chalukyas
- (b)
Cholas
- (c)
Hoysalas
- (d)
Rashtrakutas
Which of the following pairs is incorrectly matched?
- (a)
First Buddhist Council: Saptaparni Cave (near Rajgriha)
- (b)
Second Buddhist Council: Magadha
- (c)
Third Buddhist council: Patliputra
- (d)
Fourth Buddhist Council: Kashmir
Which one of the following inscriptions mentions Pulakesin II's military success against Harashavardhana?
- (a)
Allahabad Pillar inscription
- (b)
Aihole inscription
- (c)
Damodarpur Copperplate inscription
- (d)
Bilsad inscription
Arrange in chronological order the following foreign invasions.
1.Indo Greek
2.Shakas
3.Parthians
4.Kushans
- (a)
2,1,3,4
- (b)
4,3,2,1
- (c)
3,4,1,2
- (d)
1,2,3,4
Arrange the following events is in chronological order.
1.Reign of Kanishka 2.Visit of Hieun Tsang
3.Alexander's invasion 3.Ashoka's Kalinga war
- (a)
2,1,3,4
- (b)
1,3,4,2
- (c)
3,4,1,2
- (d)
3,4,2,1
Amongst the precious stones, the most extensive foreign trade during the Gupta age was that of
- (a)
diamonds
- (b)
ruby
- (c)
pearl
- (d)
sapphire
In the Gupta age, Varahamihira wrote the famous book, 'Brihat Samhita'.It was a treatise on
- (a)
astronomy
- (b)
statecraft
- (c)
ayurvedic system of medicine
- (d)
economics
Which among the following statements regarding the Gupta dynasty is/are correct?
1.The Kumaramatyas were the most important and they were appointed directly by the king in the home provinces.
2.The village headmen lost importance and of the transaction began to be effected without their consent.
Select the correct answer using codes given below
- (a)
Only 1
- (b)
Only 2
- (c)
Both 1 and 2
- (d)
either 1 nor 2
The earliest Buddhist literature which deal with the stories of the various birth of Buddha are
- (a)
Vinaya pitakas
- (b)
Sutta pitakas
- (c)
Abhidamma pitakas
- (d)
Jatakas
Which one among the following statements about Ashokan edicts is correct?
- (a)
The Pillars edicts were located in all parts of the empire
- (b)
The edicts given details of his personal concerns but are silent on events of the empire
- (c)
The subject of inscribed matter on Rock edicts differe completely with that of the Pillar edicts
- (d)
The Greek or Aramaic edicts are versions or translations of the texts used in other edicts
The Ashtadhyayi of Panini, the Mahabhasya of Patanjali and the Kashika Vritti of Jayaditya deal with
- (a)
Principles of Law
- (b)
Principles of Phonetics
- (c)
Principles of Grammar
- (d)
Principles of Linguistics
Who was the greatest Buddhist commentator of the Buddhist canonical literature?
- (a)
Buddhaghosha
- (b)
Vasumitra
- (c)
Nagarjuna
- (d)
Ashvaghosha
With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following was/were common to the Buddhism and Jainism?
1.Avoidance of extremities of penance and enjoyment
2.Indifference to the authority of the Vedas
3.Denial of efficiency of rituals.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
- (a)
Only 1
- (b)
2 and 3
- (c)
1 and 3
- (d)
All of these
The first monarch of Magadh kingdom in the 6th century BC was
- (a)
Bimbisara
- (b)
Prasenajit
- (c)
Ajatashatru
- (d)
Jarasandha
The name by which Ashoka is generally referred to in his inscriptions is
- (a)
Priyadarshini
- (b)
Dharmadeca
- (c)
Chakravarti
- (d)
Dharmakirti
Saka era was founded by
- (a)
Ashoka
- (b)
Harsha
- (c)
Kanishka
- (d)
Vikramaditya
The king Kanishka held a great Buddhist Council under whose presidentship?
- (a)
Asvaghosha
- (b)
Sanghraksha
- (c)
Nagasena
- (d)
Vasumitra
Zero was invented by
- (a)
Aryabhatta
- (b)
Varahmihira
- (c)
Bhaskar I
- (d)
An unknown Indian
Kalhan's Rajatarangini is the history of
- (a)
Kashmir
- (b)
Harsha's regin
- (c)
Rajasthan
- (d)
Chandragupta's regin
Which one among the following is not the characteristic feature of the Harappan settlement?
- (a)
Doorways and window generally faced the side lanes and rarely opened onto the main streets.
- (b)
Houses generally had separate bathing areas and toilets
- (c)
The citadel was walled but the lower town was not walled
- (d)
Draina and water chutes from the second storey were often built inside the wall
The themes of the murals of the Ajanta Caves are
1.decorative designs which include a variety of animals, tree and flowers
2.portraits of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
3.narrative scenes portrays Jataka stories.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a)
1,2 and 3
- (b)
2 and 3
- (c)
1 and 3
- (d)
1 and 3