Vedic & Mahajanapadas — Set 3
Indian History · वैदिक और महाजनपद · Questions 21–30 of 60
Which Vedic god acted as an intermediary between gods and humans?
Correct Answer: A. Agni
Agni, the fire god, was considered the intermediary between humans and the gods. Offerings made into the sacrificial fire were believed to be carried to the heavens by Agni. He is the second most important deity in the Rigveda.
What was the ancient Rigvedic name of the river Chenab?
Correct Answer: B. Asikni
The ancient name of the river Chenab was Asikni. It is one of the major rivers of the Punjab region mentioned in the Rigveda. The Greeks later referred to this river as the Acesines.
Which city served as the northern capital of the Avanti Mahajanapada?
Correct Answer: A. Ujjain
Ujjain was the capital of the northern part of the Avanti Mahajanapada. The southern capital of Avanti was Mahishmati. Avanti was a powerful kingdom and a major rival to Magadha.
Alexander the Great invaded India during the reign of which dynasty in Magadha?
Correct Answer: A. Nanda
Alexander invaded India when the Nanda dynasty was ruling Magadha. The ruler at that time was Dhana Nanda, who had a massive army. The fear of this army was one reason Alexander's troops refused to march further east.
The word 'Veda' is derived from the root word 'Vid', which means:
Correct Answer: A. Knowledge
The word 'Veda' comes from the Sanskrit root 'Vid', meaning 'to know'. Therefore, Veda signifies 'knowledge' or 'sacred knowledge'. The Vedas are considered the repository of ancient wisdom.
In the Vedic period, Varuna was considered the guardian of:
Correct Answer: C. Cosmic Order (Rita)
Varuna was the upholder of 'Rita', the natural and cosmic order. He was believed to regulate the movements of the sun, moon, and seasons. He was also associated with water and oceans.
How many 'Vedangas' are there, which are auxiliary disciplines for understanding the Vedas?
Correct Answer: B. 6
There are six Vedangas, which are tools to understand the Vedas correctly. These include Shiksha (phonetics), Kalpa (ritual), Vyakaran (grammar), Nirukta (etymology), Chhanda (metrics), and Jyotisha (astronomy). They developed to preserve the purity of Vedic texts.
Shravasti was the capital city of which Mahajanapada?
Correct Answer: C. Kosala
Shravasti was the capital of the Kosala Mahajanapada. It was a major city and a center of trade and religion during the Buddha's time. King Prasenajit was a famous ruler of Kosala.
Which type of Vedic literature contains prose explanations of the sacrificial rituals?
Correct Answer: D. Brahmanas
The Brahmanas are prose commentaries on the Vedas. They explain the details, meanings, and procedures of Vedic rituals and sacrifices. Each Veda has its own attached Brahmanas, such as the Satapatha Brahmana.
Jivaka, the famous royal physician, lived at the court of which king?
Correct Answer: D. Bimbisara
Jivaka was the royal physician at the court of King Bimbisara of Magadha. He was renowned for his medical skills and also treated Gautama Buddha. He was sent to treat the king of Avanti as a gesture of friendship.