Question No. 1
With reference to the geographical advantages of Magadha, consider the following statements:
1.Magadha’s early capital, Rajagriha, was inherently secure due to its location, being protected by five large, non-negotiable rivers on all sides.
2.The location of Pataliputra was instrumental in giving Magadha control over the crucial Dakshinapatha (Southern trade route) by commanding riverine traffic on the Ganga and Son.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 2
With reference to the economic base of Magadha, consider the following statements:
1.The availability of iron ore in the region enabled the Magadhan state to maintain the monopoly of advanced weaponry, as the skill of hardening iron was exclusively restricted to the capital.
2.The fertile alluvial soil of the middle Gangetic valley, coupled with high rainfall, ensured a massive agricultural surplus, which was easily converted into state revenue due to the absence of intermediate landlords.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 3
Which one of the following cultural characteristics primarily contributed to the political and military rise of Magadha, distinguishing it from the more orthodox western kingdoms like Kuru-Panchala?
Question No. 4
With reference to the political developments that aided Magadha’s expansion, consider the following statements:
1.Magadha was the first Mahajanapada to maintain a large, centrally paid, and professional standing army, which was a fundamental shift from the reliance on militia forces used by other contemporary states.
2.Magadhan rulers successfully implemented a strategy of expansion through a combination of matrimonial alliances, targeted conquest of its neighbours, and the outright annexation of all Gana-Sanghas by the 6th century BCE itself.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 5
Consider the following pairs of dynasties and their most significant achievement in the context of Magadhan power:
DynastyDefining Achievement
I.Brihidratha DynastyThe first consolidation of the Magadha kingdom with a fixed capital at Rajagriha.
II.Sisunaga DynastyFinal destruction and annexation of the powerful rival kingdom of Avanti.
III.Nanda DynastyThe first empire-builders of India, claiming the title Ekarat (sole sovereign).
In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?
Question No. 6
With reference to the Brihidratha Dynasty, which precedes the historical Haryanka Dynasty in the Magadhan lineage, consider the following statements:
1.This dynasty is primarily known from the Puranas and the epic Mahabharata, which mention its most powerful king, Jarasandha.
2.The dynasty ruled from its capital at Girivraja, which was a strategic city encircled by hills.
3.The dynasty was overthrown by King Bimbisara of the Haryanka Dynasty, who subsequently established his own rule.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 7
With reference to King Pradyota of Avanti, the major rival of Magadha for nearly a century, consider the following statements:
1.Pradyota was a contemporary of King Bimbisara and a significant rivalry existed between them, marked by diplomatic engagements such as Bimbisara sending his personal physician, Jivaka, to treat Pradyota for jaundice.
2.The intense rivalry finally concluded when Pradyota was militarily defeated and killed by Ajatashatru, leading to Avanti’s immediate annexation into the Magadhan Empire.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 8
With reference to the Haryanka Dynasty of Magadha, which consolidated the kingdom’s power, consider the following statements:
1.King Bimbisara pursued an aggressive foreign policy, which included the use of powerful marital alliances with Kosala and Madra, and the strategic conquest of the kingdom of Anga.
2.King Ajatashatru was credited with the construction of the strategically important fort at Pataliputra during his successful war against the powerful Vajji confederacy.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 9
With reference to the Sisunaga Dynasty that succeeded the Haryankas, consider the following statements:
1.The founder, Sisunaga, shifted the capital from Pataliputra back to his ancestral home, Vaishali, to better manage the newly conquered western territories of Avanti.
2.Kalasoka, the son of Sisunaga, is historically significant for convening the Second Buddhist Council at Pataliputra to address disciplinary issues in the Sangha.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 10
With reference to the Nanda Dynasty, the last rulers before the Mauryan Empire, consider the following statements:
1.The founder, Mahapadmananda, claimed the title ‘Ekarat’ (sole sovereign) and is credited with consolidating an empire over a vast territory by annihilating the Kshatriya ruling families.
2.Dhanananda, the last Nanda king, was overthrown by the Mauryan forces led by Chandragupta, primarily because his army was significantly weaker and less professional than that of the Mauryan Empire.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
