Q. Consider the following pairs of Gana-Sanghas and their ruling clans/locations:
Gana-SanghaAssociated Clan/Feature
I.VajjiConfederacy of eight clans, including the Lichchhavis.
II.MallaLocated at Kusinagara, the place of Mahavira’s Parinirvana.
III.ShakyaThe clan of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha).
In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?
Answer: B
Notes:
Explanation:
- Pair I (Vajji): Correct. The Vajji (or Vrijji) confederacy was one of the most prominent Gana-Sanghas, famously a union of eight or nine clans, with the Lichchhavis of Vaishali being the most powerful.
- Pair II (Malla): Incorrect. The Mallas were another Gana-Sangha with two main branches. One branch had its centre at Kusinagara, which is traditionally the place of Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana (death). Mahavira’s Parinirvana (death) took place at Pava, which was the other main center of the Mallas.
- Pair III (Shakya): Correct. The Shakya clan, based at Kapilavastu, was the clan to which Siddhartha Gautama (Gautama Buddha) belonged. The Shakyas were an independent Gana-Sangha or part of a larger confederacy.
