Q.35 The northern India of 6th century B.C. consisted of a large number of independent kingdoms, some of which were republics which consisted of only one tribe. Which of the following was NOT one of them?
(a) Sakyas
(b) Licchavis
(c) Mallas
(d) Vakatakas
Solution: (d)
Learning: Some of the republics consisted of only one tribe like the Sakyas, Licchavis and Mallas. In these republics the power of decision vested with the Public Assembly which was composed of the tribal representatives or head of families
All decisions were by a majority vote.
Apart from republics, there were also monarchical forms of government. The Buddhist literature Anguttara Nikaya gives a list of sixteen great kingdoms called ‘Sixteen Mahajanapadas’.
In course of time, the small and weak kingdoms either submitted to the stronger rulers or gradually got eliminated. Finally in the mid 6th century B.C., only four kingdoms – Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala and Magadha survived
Q.36 With reference to ratnahavimshi ceremony in Ancient India, consider the following statements.
1. It was a part of Ashwamedha sacrifice where oblations to certain gods were also offered.
2. It involved the King going on successive days to the homes of certain people called ‘ratnins’.
Which of the above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) None
Solution: (b)
Justification: Statement 1: The ratnahavimshi (ceremony of the jewel offering) was a part of the rajasuya sacrifice. It involved the rajan going on successive days to the homes of certain people—the ratnins (literally, 'jewels')—and offering oblations to certain gods.
There is some variation in the names and order of the list of ratnins in different texts. They included, inter alia, the following:
the Brahmana or purohita (he usually heads the list)
the rajanya (nobles)
mahishi (chief queen)
parvrikti (the discarded queen; it is necessary to visit her to ward off evil)
senani (commander of the army)
suta (charioteer or bard)
gramani (village headman)
Learning: The ceremony indicates the importance of ratnins and the King’s dependence on them. Some ratnins were related to the king through kinship, whereas others were functionaries with whom he had no kinship relations. This illustrates the transitional nature of the later Vedic polity—it was in between a polity in which kinship was still an important factor and one marked by an elaborate military and administrative machinery.
Q.37 Matsya were one of the Indo-Aryan tribes of Vedic India. By the late Vedic period, they ruled a kingdom located south of the Kurus. It roughly corresponds to the former state of
(a) Rajasthan
(b) Madhya Pradesh
(c) Gujarat
(d) Punjab
Solution: (a)
Learning: It was to the west of the Yamuna River which separated it from the kingdom of the Panchalas.
It roughly corresponded to the former state of Jaipur in Rajasthan. The capital of Matsya was at Viratanagari (present-day Bairat).
Alwar has been a part of Matsya region.
Q.38 Which of these developments can be attributed to Later Vedic age, as against the practice in the Vedic age?
1. Women lost their political rights of attending assemblies.
2. Child marriage were banned and the practice of sati was absent.
3. Women were not allowed to wear garments made of cotton.
Select the correct answer using the codes below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 2 only
Solution: (a)
Background: The Rig Vedic society was patriarchal. But, the condition of women was much better in this period that in the Later Vedic age.
Women were given equal opportunities as men for their spiritual and intellectual development. There were women poets like Apala, Viswavara, Ghosa and Lopamudra during the Rig Vedic period.
Women could even attend the popular assemblies. There was no child marriage and the practice of sati was absent.
Justification: Statement 1: In the family, the power of the father increased during the Later Vedic period.
There was no improvement in the status of women. They were still considered inferior and subordinate to men.
Women also lost their political rights of attending assemblies.
Statement 2: Child marriages had become common during the later vedic period.
Statement 3: In both periods, men and women wore upper and lower garments made of cotton and wool. A variety of ornaments were used by both men and women.
(a) Sakyas
(b) Licchavis
(c) Mallas
(d) Vakatakas
Solution: (d)
Learning: Some of the republics consisted of only one tribe like the Sakyas, Licchavis and Mallas. In these republics the power of decision vested with the Public Assembly which was composed of the tribal representatives or head of families
All decisions were by a majority vote.
Apart from republics, there were also monarchical forms of government. The Buddhist literature Anguttara Nikaya gives a list of sixteen great kingdoms called ‘Sixteen Mahajanapadas’.
In course of time, the small and weak kingdoms either submitted to the stronger rulers or gradually got eliminated. Finally in the mid 6th century B.C., only four kingdoms – Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala and Magadha survived
Q.36 With reference to ratnahavimshi ceremony in Ancient India, consider the following statements.
1. It was a part of Ashwamedha sacrifice where oblations to certain gods were also offered.
2. It involved the King going on successive days to the homes of certain people called ‘ratnins’.
Which of the above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) None
Solution: (b)
Justification: Statement 1: The ratnahavimshi (ceremony of the jewel offering) was a part of the rajasuya sacrifice. It involved the rajan going on successive days to the homes of certain people—the ratnins (literally, 'jewels')—and offering oblations to certain gods.
There is some variation in the names and order of the list of ratnins in different texts. They included, inter alia, the following:
the Brahmana or purohita (he usually heads the list)
the rajanya (nobles)
mahishi (chief queen)
parvrikti (the discarded queen; it is necessary to visit her to ward off evil)
senani (commander of the army)
suta (charioteer or bard)
gramani (village headman)
Learning: The ceremony indicates the importance of ratnins and the King’s dependence on them. Some ratnins were related to the king through kinship, whereas others were functionaries with whom he had no kinship relations. This illustrates the transitional nature of the later Vedic polity—it was in between a polity in which kinship was still an important factor and one marked by an elaborate military and administrative machinery.
Q.37 Matsya were one of the Indo-Aryan tribes of Vedic India. By the late Vedic period, they ruled a kingdom located south of the Kurus. It roughly corresponds to the former state of
(a) Rajasthan
(b) Madhya Pradesh
(c) Gujarat
(d) Punjab
Solution: (a)
Learning: It was to the west of the Yamuna River which separated it from the kingdom of the Panchalas.
It roughly corresponded to the former state of Jaipur in Rajasthan. The capital of Matsya was at Viratanagari (present-day Bairat).
Alwar has been a part of Matsya region.
Q.38 Which of these developments can be attributed to Later Vedic age, as against the practice in the Vedic age?
1. Women lost their political rights of attending assemblies.
2. Child marriage were banned and the practice of sati was absent.
3. Women were not allowed to wear garments made of cotton.
Select the correct answer using the codes below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 2 only
Solution: (a)
Background: The Rig Vedic society was patriarchal. But, the condition of women was much better in this period that in the Later Vedic age.
Women were given equal opportunities as men for their spiritual and intellectual development. There were women poets like Apala, Viswavara, Ghosa and Lopamudra during the Rig Vedic period.
Women could even attend the popular assemblies. There was no child marriage and the practice of sati was absent.
Justification: Statement 1: In the family, the power of the father increased during the Later Vedic period.
There was no improvement in the status of women. They were still considered inferior and subordinate to men.
Women also lost their political rights of attending assemblies.
Statement 2: Child marriages had become common during the later vedic period.
Statement 3: In both periods, men and women wore upper and lower garments made of cotton and wool. A variety of ornaments were used by both men and women.
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