Ancient History MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Ancient History - Download Free PDF

The correct statement is 3 only. Key Points

❌ Statement 1: Digambaras followed "Anga" literature. Incorrect.

• The Angas are a part of the Jain Agama literature, believed to have been the earliest canonical texts, derived from the teachings of Mahavira.
• The Svetambara sect recognizes the Anga texts as authentic and forms the core of their canonical literature.
• The Digambaras, on the other hand, do not accept the Angas as authentic because they believe that the original teachings were lost over time, and hence their scriptures are different.
• Instead, the Digambaras rely on texts like:
  • Shatkhandagama
  • Kashayapahuda
• ❌  Hence, this statement is false.

❌ Statement 2: Svetambaras followed "Purva" literature. Incorrect.

• The Purvas were considered to be part of the earliest Jain teachings, forming the original canonical literature before the Angas.
• However, these Purvas are now lost.
• While Svetambaras do refer to the Purvas as ancient sources, they do not follow or possess them in their present canon.
• The existing Svetambara canon consists of 45 Agamas, including:
  • 11 Angas
  • 12 Upangas
• Other texts like Chedasutras, Mulasutras, and Prakirnakas
• ✅ Thus, Svetambaras follow Agamas, not Purvas.
• ❌ This statement is also incorrect.

✅ Statement 3: Jain commentaries are called "Niryuktas." Correct.

• In Jain literature, "Niryukta" is a type of commentary or explanation, typically written in Prakrit, which elaborates upon canonical texts.
• These are among the earliest commentarial works in Jainism and form a part of Jain scholastic tradition.
• They are attributed to Bhadrabahu, the last Shrutakevali (one who knows all the scriptures).
• ✅ Hence, this statement is factually correct.

Correct Answer: It was a major centre of Tantric Buddhism established by Dharmapala of the Pala dynasty. Key Points

❌ Option (a): "It was founded by Harshavardhana and became famous for training Hindu priests."

• This is factually incorrect.
• Harshavardhana (7th century CE) was known for promoting Nalanda University, not Vikramshila.
• Vikramshila was founded much later, in the late 8th or early 9th century, by King Dharmapala of the Pala dynasty.
• Moreover, Vikramshila focused on Tantric Buddhism, not on training Hindu priests.

❌ Option (b): "It was located in present-day Odisha and focused mainly on Ayurvedic studies."

• Incorrect location and academic focus.
• Vikramshila was located in Bhagalpur district, Bihar, on the banks of the Ganges River — not Odisha.
• It was renowned for its specialization in Vajrayana (Tantric) Buddhism, not Ayurveda.
• Its curriculum did include logic, grammar, metaphysics, and tantra, but Ayurveda was not its focus.

✅ Option (c): "It was a major centre of Tantric Buddhism established by Dharmapala of the Pala dynasty."

• This is the correct statement.
• King Dharmapala (reigned late 8th–early 9th century), of the Pala dynasty, established Vikramshila University as a center to promote Tantric or Vajrayana Buddhism.
• It was known for its academic excellence and distinct focus on esoteric Buddhist studies, different from Nalanda, which was more traditional.
• The university attracted students and monks from India and abroad, and was considered an international learning hub of its time.

❌ Option (d): "It was destroyed by the British during the Bengal Renaissance in the 19th century."

• Completely historically inaccurate.
• Vikramshila University was destroyed in 1203 AD during the Turko-Afghan invasion led by Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji, not by the British.
• The Bengal Renaissance occurred in the 19th century, hundreds of years after the university's destruction.

Correct Answer: He took the title Vatapikonda after defeating Pulakesin II and conquering Vatapi.Key Points

❌ Option (a): He was a Chalukya ruler who defeated the Pallavas at the Battle of Manimangalam. Incorrect.

• Pulakesin II, a Chalukya ruler, defeated Mahendravarman I (father of Narasimhavarman I).
• But it was Narasimhavarman I who avenged his father’s defeat by defeating Pulakesin II in the Battle of Manimangalam (642 CE).
• He ultimately invaded Vatapi, the Chalukya capital, leading to Pulakesin II's death.
• Hence, this option reverses the actual historical event and is factually wrong.

✅ Option (b): He took the title Vatapikonda after defeating Pulakesin II and conquering Vatapi. Correct.

• After three major battles, including the one at Manimangalam, Narasimhavarman I defeated Pulakesin II, the powerful Chalukya ruler.
• He captured the capital city Vatapi (present-day Badami in Karnataka).
• Following this victory, he assumed the title "Vatapikonda", meaning "Conqueror of Vatapi".
• This was a major political and military achievement of his reign.

❌ Option (c): He was the founder of Nalanda Mahavihara and promoted only Buddhism in Kanchi. Incorrect.

• Nalanda Mahavihara was established much earlier, during the Gupta period, not by Narasimhavarman I.
• During his reign, Kanchi was a flourishing center of Hinduism, but Buddhism and Jainism also co-existed peacefully.
• Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang noted the religious harmony and intellectual vibrancy of Kanchi during his visit.
• Therefore, this statement is both factually incorrect and misleading.

❌ Option (d): He visited Sri Lanka as a Buddhist monk and built the Pancha Rathas temple there. Incorrect.

• Narasimhavarman I did intervene in Sri Lanka, but as a military ally, not a monk.
• He helped Sinhalese prince Manavarman reclaim his throne.
• The Pancha Rathas (Rock-cut temples) were built during his reign, but they are located in Mamallapuram (Tamil Nadu), not in Sri Lanka.
• Hence, this statement is inaccurate in both context and location.

The correct answer is Rakhigarhi.

Key Points

• Rakhigarhi site of Indus valley civilisation situated at Rakhigarhi village in Hisar district.
• The site is located in the Sarasvati river plain, some 27 km from the seasonal Ghaggar river.
• The Global Heritage Fund declared Rakhigarhi one of the 10 most endangered heritage sites in Asia.
•  A team of Indian and South Korean researchers carried out excavations in Rakhigarhi.
• The team unearthed a fire altar, parts of a city wall, drainage structures as well as a hoard of semi-precious beads.

Additional Information

Important Sites of Harappan Civilization:

The correct answer is Harishen.

Key Points

• Harishena was the court poet of the Gupta Emperor, Samudragupta.
• Allahabad Pillar inscription is also known as Prayag Prashasti consists of 33 lines composed by Harishena. 
• Prayag Prashasti is one of the important epigraphic sources to know about the political history of the Gupta dynasty.
• Samudragupta was a patron of many poets and scholars, one of whom was Harishena.
• Samudragupta was the son and successor of Chandragupta I and was the greatest ruler of the Gupta dynasty.
• He conquered the Kushans and other small kingdoms and greatly expanded the Gupta empire.
• He had been termed as the Nepolean of India by V. A. Smith.
• He annexed the territories after defeating the monarchs of North India but did not annex south India.
• His authority over Java, Sumatra, and Malaya Island prove that he maintained a strong navy.
• He is said to have composed numerous poems.
• Some of his coins present him playing Veena. 
• He also performed Ashvamedha sacrifices.
• According to Chinese sources, Meghaverma, the ruler of Srilanka, sent a missionary to him for permission to build a Buddhist temple at Gaya.
• The Allahabad pillar inscription mentions the title Dharma Prachar Bandhu i.e. he was the upholder of Brahmanical religion.

Additional Information

• Banabhatta was the court poet of King Harsha Vardhana.
• Chand Bardai was the court poet of Prithviraj Chauhan.
• Bhavabhuti was the court poet of the King of Kannauj, Yashovarman.

The correct answer is Lothal.

Key Points

• In Lothal Dockyard was found.
• List of Important sites with their features:

Additional Information

• The Indus Valley Civilization was spread from present-day North-East Afghanistan to Pakistan and North-West India.
• The civilization flourished in the river basins of the Ghaggar-Hakra river and the Indus.
• Indus valley civilization is one of the four oldest civilizations in the world.
• It is also known as Harappan Civilization and is well-known for its organized planning based on the grid system.

Important facts to be remembered.

• Social features:-
  • Indus valley civilization is the first urbanization in India.
  • It has a well-planned drainage system, grid pattern, and town planning.
  • They have possessed equality in society.

• Religious Facts:-
  • Matridevi or Shakti is the Mother goddess.
  • Yoni worship and Nature worship existed.
  • They worshipped trees like Peepal.
  • They also worshipped Fire worship called Havan Kund.
  • Pashupati Mahadeva is known as the lord of Animals.
  • The people of the Indus Valley Civilization worshipped Animal worship like unicorns and ox.
• Economic facts:-
  • Indus valley civilization is based on agriculture.
  • Trade and commerce flourished in this period.
  • A dockyard has been found at Lothal.
  • There were export and import.
  • Production of cotton was there.
  • At Lothal, weights and measures of truth existed in Harappan culture was seen.
  • The weights and were usually cubical in shape and were made of limestone, steatite, etc

The correct answer is Mehrgarh

Key Points:

• Mehrgarh is a neolithic site located near the Bolan pass on the Kacchi Plain of Balochistan, Pakistan, to the west of the Indus River Valley.
• It is the earliest known neolithic site in the Northwest Indian sub-continent, with early evidence of farming (wheat and barley), herding (cattle, sheep, and goats), and metallurgy.
• The oldest known example of the wax-lost techniques comes from a 6000-year-old wheel-shaped copper amulet found at Mehrgarh.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Rig Veda

Key Points

• The Rig-Veda is the oldest of the four collections of hymns and other sacred texts known as the Vedas.
• It contains most of the information about the religious and social life of the early Vedic period.
• These works are considered the "sacred knowledge" of the Aryans.
• The Rig-Veda also contains ideas that served as the basis for India's system of castes(Varna).
• According to Brahminic ideology, Varṇa means hierarchizing society into classes.

Additional Information

• Associated information with different Veda.

The Correct Answer is 1921.
Key Points

• Harappa was an Indus civilization urban centre.
• It lies in Punjab Province, Pakistan, on an old bank/bed of the River Ravi.
• Harappa was the first site of the civilization to be excavated in 1921.
• The excavation team was led by Daya Ram Sahni.

 Important Points

• Mohenjo-Daro was discovered in 1922 by R. D. Banerji.

Rishabhdev was the first Tirthankara of the Jains.

• He was born to King Nabhi Raja and Queen Marudevi at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku clan.
• Mahavira (6th century bce) was the last Tirthankara to appear.

The correct answer is Ropar.

Key Points

Given below is the list of Important Indus Valley civilization sites, year of excavation and River associated-

The correct answer is Buddha, dhamma(dharma), sangha.

Key Points

Triratna in Sanskrit means 'Three Jewels'

• The Buddha
• Dhamma(dharma): his teaching
• Sangha: the community of all those who follow his teachings.

​Buddhism

• It is faith that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama("the Buddha").
• Siddhartha Gautam, the Lord Buddha was born in 563 B.C at Lumbini in Nepal.
• Attained Nirvana under a Pipal tree at Bodh Gaya & henceforth known as Buddha(The enlightened one).
• Delivered his first sermon at Sarnath (Banaras) know called the Dhammacakkappavattana.
• Died at the age of 80 at Kushinagar (U.P).

Noble truth by Buddha

• The world is full of sorrow.
• People suffer on account of desires
• If desires are conqueredNirvana can be achieved i.e., free from the cycle of birth and death can be achieved by following 8 fold path(ashtangika marga)
  • Right Understanding
  • Right Determination
  • Right Speech
  • Right Action
  • Right Livelihood
  • Right Exercise
  • Right Mindfulness
  • Right Medication

Teaching by Buddha

• Buddha was a practical reformer and did not believe in the soul or God or the metaphysical world and concerned himself with worldly problems.
• Suggested that a person should avoid an excess of both luxury & austerity and prescribed a middle path.
• Laid great emphasis on Karma(Varna based on action not on birth) & Ahimsa.
• Opposed the varna system and laid down the principle of social equality.
• Buddhist Text
  • Tripitaka's: All written in Pali Language
  • Sutta-Pitaka
  • Vinaya-Pitaka
  • Abhidhamma-Pitaka
• Buddhist Councils

• John Marshall was the first scholar who used the term 'Indus Civilization' for the Harappa Civilization. 
• The time period of this civilization was 2500 BC - 1750 BC. 
• This civilization was mainly known for its great urban planning and sewage system. 
• Rakhaldas Bandopadhyay was known for discovering the site of Mohenjodaro whereas Dayaram Sahni was known for his discovery of Harappa. 
• RS Bisht discovered the Indus Valley Civilization site Banawali in 1973.