The correct answer is Haryankas.

Key Points

• Haryankas dynasty was the first to rule over Magadha.
• The Haryanka dynasty was founded by Bimbisara.
• He ruled the Magadh empire from 543 B.C to 491 B.C.
• Bimbisara was one of the greatest patrons of Gautam Buddha.
• Capital of Magadh was Rajagriha.
• He is also known as the Shrenika.
• He conquered Anga and entered into a matrimonial alliance with the daughter of the king of Kosala and the sister of Prasenjit.
• He was succeeded by his son Ajatshatru.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Vajji.

Key Points

• Vaishali was the capital of Vajji Mahajanapada. 
• The kingdom was situated in Bihar to the north of the river Ganga.
• It covered the districts of Vaishali and Muzaffarpur in Bihar.

Additional Information

Important Points

• The term "Janapada" literally means the foothold of a people.
• There were 16 Mahajanapadas during 600 B.C. to 325 B.C. in the Indian Sub-continent.
• There were 16 kingdoms or oligarchic republics that existed in Northern ancient India from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE during the second urbanization period.
• The 6th–5th centuries BCE is often regarded as a major turning point in early Indian history; during this period India's first large cities arose after the demise of the Indus Valley Civilization.
• It was also the time of the rise of sramana movements (including Buddhism and Jainism), which challenged the religious orthodoxy of the Vedic Period.

The correct answer is Indo-Greek ruler.

Key Points

• The most famous Indo-Greek ruler to rule over India noted for his justice and popularity with his subjects was Menander.
• Menander was an Indo-Greek king who was converted to Buddhism by the Nagasena.
• Menander was also known as Minadra or Milinda in various Pali texts.

Additional Information

• Rudradaman I was a Saka ruler from the Western Kshatrapas dynasty.
  • He was the grandson of the king Castana.
  • Rudradaman I was instrumental in the decline of the Satavahana Empire.
• Eukratides was a Greco-Bactrian king.
• Demetrius was also a Greco-Bactrian king he was also called Dharmamita.

The correct answer is These Edicts of Asoka deal with Asoka’s Dhamma and also instructions were given to his officials.

Key Points

• Ashoka, the greatest ruler of the Mauryan Empire was the son of Bindusara and he succeeded to the throne after his father. 
• He was the first ruler who took messages to the people through his inscriptions.
• After his accession to the throne, the Kalinga war was the only war that he fought.
• As he was moved by the massacre of the Kalinga war, he gave up the idea of conquest by war and followed conquest by dhamma. 
• The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of more than thirty inscriptions on the pillars, as well as boulders and cave walls
• The inscriptions of Asoka were first deciphered by James Princep in 1837. 
• Only three languages were used in the Ashoka edicts - Prakrit, Aramaic, and Greek. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• Most of the Ashoka inscriptions were in the Prakrit language.
• The Ashoka edicts in the Northwest of the subcontinent were in Greek and Aramaic. 
• Most of the Prakrit inscriptions were in Brahmi script and some of those in the northwest were in Kharosthi script. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
• There are fourteen Major Rock Edicts.
• The two Kalinga Edicts are found in the newly conquered territory.
• The major pillar Edicts were erected in important cities. There are minor Rock Edicts and minor pillar Edicts.
• These Edicts of Asoka deal with Asoka’s Dhamma and also instructions were given to his officials. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The XIII Rock Edict gives details about his war with Kalinga. Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.
• The Pillar Edict VII gives a summary of his efforts to promote the Dhamma within his kingdom.
• Thus the Asokan inscriptions remain valuable sources for the study of Asoka and the Mauryan Empire.

The answer is Ashoka.

• The Great Stupa at Sanchi was originally built in the 3rd century BCE by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka and is believed to house the ashes of the Buddha.
• Sarnath Pillar was also constructed by Ashoka.

Important Points

• Sanchi Stupa:
  • The famous Great Stupa is located at Sanchi in the Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh.
  • It is one of the oldest Buddhist monuments in the country and the largest stupa at the site. 
  • The simple structure was damaged at some point during the 2nd century BCE. It was later repaired and enlarged and elements were added, it reached its final form in the 1st century BCE.
  • The Great Stupa and Sanchi’s other Buddhist monuments were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1989.

Additional Information

• Mauryan Empire (321 BCE - 185 BCE):
  • Chandragupta Maurya (321 BCE - 297 BCE):
    • Founder of the Maurya Dynasty and credited with the setting up of the first (nearly) pan-Indian empire.
    • Known as Sandrakottos to the Greeks and Androkottus by Aerian and Plutark. 
    • William Jones was the 1st scholar who recognized Sandrokottos as Chandragupta Maurya.
    • Kautilya mentoring Chandragupta and prepared him for a takeover of Magadha.
    • Set up a vast centralized empire (details of whose functioning, society, military, and economy are well preserved in Kautilya's Arthashastra).
    • Defeated the invading army of the Eastern part of Alexander's empire Seleucus (305 BCE).​
    • Megasthenese was a Greek ambassador sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya.
    • Chandragupta in his later years accepted Jainism.
      • Accompanied Bhadrabahu to Karnataka and later died by following the ritual of sallekhana, i.e., fasting till death. 
  • Bindusara (297 BCE - 273 BCE):
    • 2^nd Mauryan Emperor of India and he was the son of Chandragupta Maurya.
    • Known as Amitrochates to the Greeks. In Jain texts, he was known as Simhasena.
    • Antiochus sent Deimachus as an ambassador to Bindusara's court.
    • Chanakya also remained the chief advisor of Bindusara.
    • Bindusara was an able monarch who was successful in consolidating the empire established by his father.
    • Bindusara patronized the Ajivikas.
  •  Ashoka the Great (268 BCE - 232 BCE):
    • 3^rd king of the Mauryan Empire.
    • He was known for:
      • Renunciation of war after the Kalinga war.
      • Development of the concept of Dhamma (pious social conduct, welfare of humanity).
      • Promotion of Buddhism. 
      • Effective reign of a nearly pan-Indian political entity.
    • Under Ashoka, the Mauryan Empire stretched from modern-day Iran through almost the entirety of the Indian subcontinent.
    • Ashoka initially rules this vast empire through the political treatise's precepts known as the Arthashastra.
    • In his inscriptions, he was called Devanampriya or Devanapiyadasi.​
    • Most of the inscriptions were written in Prakrit language in Brahmi script except only two which were in Kharoshti script.
    • In 1837, James Prinsep become the 1^st scholar who deciphered Ashoka's inscription.
  • Brihadratha:
    • Last Mauryan ruler.
    • Assassinated by Pushyamitra Sunga and established his own Sunga dynasty.

The correct answer is Head of administration in rural areas.

Key Points

• Satavahanas ruled over parts of western and central India. 
• The founder of the Satavahana dynasty was Simuka. 
• Their rule lasted for about 450 years.
• They were also known as the Andhras.
• Gautamiputra Satakarni was the greatest ruler of the Satavahana dynasty.
• The administration in the rural areas during the reign of Satavahans was placed in the hands of Gaulmikas.
• Gaulmikas were the head of administration in rural areas and were the head of a military regiment consisting of 9 chariots, 9 elephants, 25 horses, and 45-foot soldiers.
• The head of the army platoon was therefore posted in the countryside to maintain peace and order. 
• The Puranas and inscriptions remain important sources for the history of Satavahanas.
• Among the inscriptions, the Nasik and Nanaghad inscriptions throw much light on the reign of Gautamiputra Satakarni. 
• The coins issued by the Satavahanas are also helpful in knowing the economic conditions of that period.
• Satvahana rulers worshipped a large number of Vaishnava gods such as Krishna, Vasudeva, and others.
• They paid liberal sacrificial fees to the Brahmanas.
• The official language of the Satavahanas was Prakrit.
• All inscriptions were composed in this language and written in the Brahmi script, as was the case in Ashokan times.
• In the Satavahana phase, many temples and monasteries were cut out of the solid rock in the north-western Deccan or Maharashtra with great skill and patience.
• The two common structures were the temple which was called chaitya and the monastery which was called the vihara.

The correct answer is Chandragupta II.

Key Points

• Chandragupta ll succeeded Samundragupta as the next ruler of the Gupta dynasty.

Additional Information

• Chandragupta II was also known as Chandragupta Vikramaditya. He was the son of Samudragupta and the grandson of Chandragupta I.
• He was deeply interested in art and culture.
• Mahrauli Inscription/ Garuda Pillar was established by Chandragupta-II of the Gupta dynasty in honour of Lord Vishnu
• He had 9 gems (Navratna) in his court which are described below:

• Allahabad Pillar Inscription (Prayag Prasasti) was issued by Samudragupta and was composed by Harissa.
• It is written in very simple and refined Sanskrit in Champu kavya style. It lists the achievements of Samudragupta.
• It mentions that Samudragupta defeated 9 kings in the North, 12 Kings in the South.
• Another term used by Harisena for him is Kaviraja.
• Samudragupta also assumed the title of Vikramanka.
• Samudragupta is also called Napoleon of India.
• Samudragupta was the fourth king of the Gupta dynasty and the successor to "Chandragupta-I".
• Samudragupta is known as the greatest king of the Gupta dynasty and a valiant warrior and patron of the arts.
• Chandragupta-I became king after his father Ghatotkacha (320 AD).
• The capital of Samudragupta Gupta's empire was "Pataliputra".
• Vishnugupta was the last important ruler of the Gupta dynasty.

The correct answer is Brahmi.

Key Points

• Ashoka's inscription:
  • The most famous Mauryan ruler was Ashoka.
  • He was the first ruler who tried to take his message to the people through inscriptions.
  • Most of Ashoka’s inscriptions were in Prakrit and were written in the Brahmi script.
  • Prakrit inscriptions were written in Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts, which even a commoner could read and understand.
  • The inscriptions found in the area of Pakistan are in the Kharoshthi script.
  • The Edicts of Ashoka are 33 inscriptions engraved on pillars, large stones, and cave walls by Ashoka the Great, the third king of the Mauryan Empire of India.
  • One set, the so-called Major Rock Edicts, are consistent in their message that the people should adhere to the concept of Dhamma, defined as
    • “right behavior”,
    • “good conduct” and
    • “decency toward others”.

Important Points 

• Decipherment of Asokan Brahmi by James Princep in 1838:
  • Some of the most momentous developments in Indian epigraphy took place in the 1830s.
  • This was when James Prinsep, an officer in the mint of the East India Company, deciphered Brahmi and Kharosthi, two scripts used in the earliest inscriptions and coins.
  • He found that most of these mentioned a king referred to as Piyadassi – meaning “pleasant to behold”; there were a few inscriptions that also referred to the king as Asoka, one of the most famous rulers known from Buddhist texts.

Additional Information

• Relevant inscriptions and important edicts:

  Edict/ Inscription	Remarks
  Allahabad – Kosam/Queens Edict/Kausambi or Schism Edict	Ashoka asks the members of the Sangha to refrain from causing division in the ranks. Samudragupta’s inscription is on this edict itself. Jahangir shifted it to the fort at Allahabad.
  Kandahar Inscription	It is a famous bilingual edict in Greek and Aramaic.
  Kalinga Edicts (Bhauli and Jaugada)	Mentions ‘All men are my children.’
  Sannati Inscription (Karnataka)	Site of all 14 major rock edicts as well as two separate Kalinga edicts.
  Rummindei Inscription (Nepal)	It mentions that the village of Lumbini (birthplace of the Buddha) be exempted from Bali and was to pay only one-eighth of the bhaga.
  Girnar Rock Inscription of Rudradaman (Kathiawar)	Mentions the Sudarshan lake constructed by Pushyagupta, a Rashtriya (means provincial governor) of Saurashtra during Chandragupta Maurya’s reign.
  Minor Rock Edict 1	This indicates that Ashoka turned towards Buddhism gradually, after 2.5 years in power.
  Minor Rock Edict 3	Ashoka greets Sangha, professes his deep faith in the Buddha, dhamma, and Sangha, also recommends six Buddhist texts for monks, nuns, and general laity.
  Inscriptions at Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra.	Written in Kharosthi script.

The correct answer is Option 1, i.e Indo-Greeks.

• Mauryas issued punch-marked coins made of silver and copper.
• Indo-greeks used names of rulers on coins, who established control over the north-western part of the subcontinent c. second century BCE.
• The Kushanas, however, issued the largest hoards of gold coins first gold coins c. first century CE.
• Coins were also issued by tribal republics such as that of the Yaudheyas of Punjab and Haryana (c. first century CE).
• Archaeologists have unearthed several thousand copper coins issued by the Yaudheyas, pointing to the latter’s interest and participation in economic exchanges.

The Correct Answer is "Junagarh inscription of Rudradaman".

Important Points

• The inscription consists of twenty lines.
• The first eight lines offer a historical record of the restoration work of a reservoir named "Sudarshana Lake" which was built by the great Mauryan Ruler Chandragupta Maurya in the 4th Century BC.
• The inscription goes on to tell us that during the reign of the Maha Kshtrapa Rudradaman in the Saka year 72, there was a terrible storm.
• The rain that accompanied the storm had converted the earth into one ocean.
• Sudarshana Lake was badly damaged.
• The embarkments were broken and all water flowed out.
• So great was the damage that Rudradaman's ministers thought was beyond repair.
• But Rudradaman ordered the job to be done.
• The lake was repaired and made three times as strong in length and breadth than before, in a very short time without oppressing the inhabitants of the town by taxes and forced labor.
• The inscription tells us that all this was done in order to benefit the cows and Brahmanas for thousands of years and for the sake of Dharma and Kirti.

Key Points

• Rudradaman I, the greatest of the Saka ruler in India is known to us from his coins, but more so from his Junagarh Inscription dated in the Saka year 72 i.e 150 AD.
• It is located on a rock near Girnar hill, in Junagadh, Gujarat.
• This inscription written in Brahmi script, entirely in prose, using Sanskrit language was the earliest record ever written in perfect Sanskrit.
• The Rudradaman inscription is in fact one of the three significant inscriptions found on the same rock, dated to be the second in chronology. The oldest inscription is a version of Ashoka edicts, while the last and third inscription is of the Gupta Emperor Skandagupta.
• The Rudradaman inscription is near the top, above the Ashoka edict.

Additional Information

• Rudradaman I belonged to the Western Kshatrapa dynasty of Kardamkas.
• The Western Satraps or Western Kshatrapas (35–405 AD) were Indo-Scythian (Saka) rulers of the western and central parts of India.
• Rudradaman took up the title of Maha-Kshtrapa ("Great Satrap") after he became the king and then strengthened his kingdom.
• He later married a Hindu woman and converted into Hinduism.
• The genealogy mentioned in the inscription includes his father Jayadaman and his grandfather Chastana.

 Jungadh rock inscription of Rudradaman I