Ancient Indian History MCQs

Notes:
The Abhidhamma treatise Kathavatthu was written by Moggaliputta Tissa. He was a Buddhist monk and scholar who lived in the 3rd century BC . Moggaliputta-Tissa was the spiritual teacher of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, and his son Mahinda, who brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka. He also presided over the Third Buddhist Council.

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Kuzul Kadaphises (or Kadphises I) was the founder of kushanas dynasty. Kujula known to have assumed in his coins the epithets Dharma-thida and Sacha-dharma-thita which evidently refer to his adherence to the Buddhist and Saiva faiths.

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The first Jain council was held in Pataliputra in 300 BC, 160 years after the death of Mahavira. Sthulabhadra presided over the council. The council resulted in the compilation of 12 Angas, which replaced the lost 14 Purvas. The council also divided Jainism into two sects, Svetambara and Digambara. The chief patron of the council was Chandragupta Maurya.

Notes:
Earliest evidence of Banking in India is found from the period of Vedic Civilization. During those days, loan deeds called rnapatra or rnalekhya  were prevalent. Interest rates as well as usury was prevalent in Vedic India. The Vedic word Kusidin refers to an usurer.This term is also found in Manusmriti.

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In the Indus Valley Civilization, a beared man in steatite image has been found Mohenjodaro

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The important functionaries of Early Vedic period are Purohita, Senani and Gramini.

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In the Vedic era, the river Ghaggar-Hakra, which flowed through parts of present-day Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab in India, and Cholistan in Pakistan, was known as “Drishdvati” or “Drishadvati.” The Ghaggar-Hakra river system was an important river during the Vedic period and is mentioned in ancient Hindu texts such as the Rig Veda, Mahabharata, and Puranas.
It was one of the major rivers along which the early Vedic people settled and established their civilization. However, the Ghaggar-Hakra river system lost its prominence over time due to a number of factors, including tectonic activity and climate change. The river gradually dried up, leaving behind a dry channel that can still be seen today.

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The ancient city of Pataliputra was founded in the 5th century BC by Ajatashatru, king of Magadha. Patna is a riverside city that extends along the south bank of the Ganges (Ganga) River for about 12 miles.

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The Gopatha Brahmana is a genre of the prose texts describing the Vedic rituals, associated with the Atharvaveda. The text is associated with both the Shaunaka and the Paippalada recension of the Atharvaveda. It is considered that this Brahmana is associated with both Shaunaka and Paippalada Shakha of the Atharvaveda.

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Amaravati, also known as Dhanyakataka/Dharanikota, is famous for its Buddhist Stupa. It was once a major center of Buddhist learning and art. The Stupa is attributed to Emperor Ashoka and is considered one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in the country. Efforts are underway to secure a UNESCO World Heritage Site status for this important archaeological site that represents the earliest examples of sculptural art in India.