Q. Which of the following statements with regard to the factors leading to the rise of Heterodox Sects in India is/are correct?
1.Expansion of the iron-based agricultural economy created a demand to protect cattle wealth, contrasting with large-scale Vedic ritual animal sacrifices.
2.The Vaishyas favored Heterodox Sects like Buddhism and Jainism primarily because these sects enforced rigid hereditary caste status for trading communities.
3.Kshatriyas actively extended support to new Shramana movements as a reaction against growing Brahmanical social and religious dominance.
Select the answer using the code given below:
Answer: B
Notes:
Detailed Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: The settled agrarian economy in the Gangetic plain relied heavily on bullocks for plowing. The non-violent (Ahimsa) doctrine of heterodox traditions protected livestock from sacrifice in elaborate Vedic rites.
- Statement 2 is incorrect: The Vaishyas supported Buddhism and Jainism because these sects rejected rigid caste hierarchies, offered higher social respectability, supported trade, and emphasized ethical conduct over ritual hereditary restrictions.
- Statement 3 is correct: Rulers and nobles of the Kshatriya varna resented the religious supremacy of the Brahmins and patronized Shramana thinkers like Gautama Buddha and Mahavira (who were both Kshatriyas).
