Q. Which of the following statements with regard to secular sources of ancient Indian history is/are correct?
1.Ashtadhyayi, provides incidental geographical and economic data on contemporary Janapadas.
2.Greek and Latin accounts written during and after Alexander’s invasion offer contemporary eye-witness records.
Select the answer using the code given below:
Answer: A
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: While primarily a grammatical work, Panini’s Ashtadhyayi serves as a key historical source, mentioning political entities (Janapadas), trade goods, coins, and administrative terms.
- Statement 2 is incorrect: Most surviving classical accounts (such as those by Arrian, Strabo, and Plutarch) were compiled centuries after the actual invasion, relying on lost memoirs of Alexander’s companions (like Nearchus and Onesicritus). They were not contemporaneous eye-witness documents, though they provided valuable external perspectives that helped fix Indian dates (e.g., identifying Chandragupta Maurya with Sandrokottos).
