History - Ancient India Flashcards
1
Q
The beginning of the second urbanisation in India is also known as ____.
A
Age of the Buddha
2
Q
Founder of Jainism
A
Rishabhnath
- 1st tirthankara
- described as incarnation of Narayana in Vishnu Purana and Bhagvata Purana
3
Q
There were ___ tirthankaras.
Last one was ____.
A
24
Mahavira [means ‘the brave’]
4
Q
The Rig Veda mentions two tirthankaras - _____ & ____
A
Rishab Dev & Arishtanemi
5
Q
_____ was a tirthankara who left his life as a prince and became a hermit.
A
Parsavanath
- prince of Benaras
6
Q
Mahavira was born at ___.
A
Kundalgram, near Vaishali in Bihar
7
Q
Mahavira attained ____ at 42 under a sal tree in ____.
A
Kaivalya [perfect knowledge], Jimbhika Grama
8
Q
Mahavira’s first sermon was at ____. His disciplines were also called ____.
A
Pava, Ganddharas
9
Q
Mahavira became the head of the sect called ____.
A
Jinas
- initially called Nirgranthas
10
Q
Three Ratna’s in Jainism
A
Right faith [samyak vishwas]
Right knowledge [samyak gyaan]
Right conduct [samyak karma]
11
Q
Five cardinal principles in Jainism
A
Non-injury [ahimsa] Non-stealing [asteya] Non-lying [satya] Non-possession [aparigraha] Celibacy [brahmacharya]
12
Q
In Jainism, monks who observe the 5 principles are called ____.
A
Mahavratas
13
Q
In Jainism, lay people who observe the 5 principles are called ____.
A
Anuvratas
14
Q
In Jainism, ____ is the philosophy of ‘may be’ and our thoughts being conditioned with no absolution.
A
Syadavada
15
Q
____ was the doctrine of maybe-ness in reality.
A
Anekantavada
16
Q
In Jainism, perception through the working of the sense organs is called ____.
A
Mati Jnana
17
Q
In Jainism, telepathic knowledge is called ____.
A
Manahparyaya jnana
18
Q
Jain monks migrated from Ganga valley to the deccan during _____ reign.
A
Chandragupta Maurya
- led by Bhadrabahu
19
Q
Two sects of Jainism
A
Digambara - led by Bhadrabahu
Swetambara - led by Sthulabhadra
20
Q
Buddha was born in ____.
A
Lumbini
21
Q
Buddha died at _____ in UP.
A
Kusinagar
22
Q
Buddha’s Great Renunciation at 29 is also called _____.
A
Mahabhinishkrama
23
Q
Symbol for Buddha’s birth
A
Lotus and bull
24
Q
Pratitya Samutpada is also known as ____
A
Law of dependent origination
25
Worshippers of Buddha are also known as ____.
Upasakas
26
_____ sect of Buddhism believe that they can attain salvation through magical powers.
Vijrayana
- their chief divinity is Taras
27
_____ tripitaka contains Buddha's sermons.
Sutta pitaka
28
_____ tripitaka contains the philosophy of Buddha's teachings.
Abhidhamma pitaka
29
Vinayana pitaka contains ____.
Rules for monastic discipline for monks
30
____, emperor of Kushan dynasty, was the patron of Mahayana sect of Buddhism.
Kanishka
31
_____ was the Bodhisatva who holds a thunderbolt.
Vajrapani
32
____ Bodhisatva was considered to be future Buddha.
Maitreya
33
____ Bodhisatva is Buddha of Heaven.
Amitabha / Amitayusha
34
_____ takes credit for being the first to worship human statues.
Buddhism
35
_____ is a style of Buddhist visual art that developed in now NW Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan between the 1st century BCE - 7th century CE.
Gandhara art
36
According to ____, Mauryas were connected to Nandas and were called 'Virshal'.
Mudrarakshasa [play by Vishakhadatta]
37
_____ is the treatise of the state craft and public administration under Mauryas.
Arthashastra of Kautilya
38
____ contain the socio-economic conditions of the Mauryan period.
Jataka
39
___ contains the administrative structure under Mauryas and the caste system in India.
Indica of Megasthenes
40
Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa contain Ashoka's role in ____.
spreading of Buddhism in Sri Lanka
41
There are ___ major rock edicts of the Mauryan period.
14
42
Ashoka's edicts were first deciphered by ____.
James Princep [1837]
43
Ashoka's minor edict No. 3, discovered in ____
Sannati village
44
____ was also known as Sandrocottus by Greek scholars.
Chandragupta Maurya
45
Selecus sent ____ as the Greek ambassador to Chandragupta Maurya.
Megasthenes
46
____ was the first Indian to unite the whole of North India.
Chandragupta Maurya
47
Bindusara was also known as _____ by the Greeks.
Amrito Chates
- aka slayer of foes
48
This Buddhist monk credited Bindusara for conquering the lands between the two seas.
Taranath
49
___ Buddhist text tells the story of Ashoka killing his 99 brothers.
Dipavamsa
50
The misery of ____ war cause Ashoka to leave his life of physical conquests, and shifted to cultural conquests.
Kalinga War
51
Ashoka embraced Buddhism under ____.
Upagupta
52
Last ruler of Mauryan empire
Brihadratha
- assassinated by Pushyamitra Shunga [founder of Shunga dynasty]
53
____ classified Mauryan art into two categories.
Ananda Coomaraswamy
- royal art & folk art
54
____ was the most famous Indo-Greek ruler.
Menander
55
Greek rulers were the first to issue ___.
coins
56
____, the king of Ujjain, defeated the Shakas.
Vikramaditya
57
Most famous Shaka ruler who repaired the Sudarshan river in Kathiawar.
Rudradaman
- Sudharashana lake was constructed by Pushyagupta under Chandragupta Maurya
58
St. Thomas came to India during _____ reign.
Gondophernes [Parthian ruler]
59
____ is also known as second Ashoka.
Kanishka
- started the Saka era
60
____ were first to issue gold coins in India.
Kushana
61
____ ruler controlled the famous silk route in Central Asia.
Kanishka
62
The Nandiswara, an exmaple of Amaravati art is located in ____.
Amareshwara Temple
63
____ is considered to be the prosecutor of Buddhism.
Pushyamitra Shunga
- revival of Hindu culture, Sanskrit language and Bhagvatism
64
Agnimitra was the hero of Kalidas' _____ work of literature.
Malvikagnimitram
65
Manusmirti was compiled in the ____ dynasty.
Shunga
66
____ period is also known as the 'Golden Age of Hinduism'.
Gupta period
- founded by Sri Gupta
67
_____ was the first king of take on the title of 'Maharajadhiraja'.
Chandragupta I
68
____ was also known as the 'Napoleon of India'.
Samudragupta
- by VA Smith
69
The ruler of Sri Lanka, ____, sent a missionary to Samudragupta to build a buddhist temple at Gaya.
Meghavarman
70
The only Gupta ruler to issue copper coins.
Ramagupta
71
____ was the Chinese traveller who visited India during the time of Chandragupta II.
Fa Hein
72
____ inscriptions in Delhi, claims Chandragupta II's authority over NW India and Bengal.
Mehrauli Iron Pillar
73
____ founded the Nalanda University.
Kumaragupta
74
Skandagupta got the title of ____ after repulsing the attacks of the Hunas twice.
Vikramaditya
75
The first sign of Sati came about in the ____ dynasty.
Gupta
76
Bhagavad Gita was written during ___ period.
Gupta
77
Gupta period is also known as the _____ of Ancient India.
Golden Age
78
The Gupta age marked the beginning of the main styles of temple architecture, mainly ____ & ____.
Nagara & Dravida styles with the Garbhagriha
79
These two Hindu epic texts were written during the Gupta period.
Ramayana and Mahabharata
- Manu Smriti was also written in this time
80
____ is a love story written in the Gupta period between Charudatta and Vasantasena.
Mrichchakatikam [by Sudraka]
81
The earliest book on sex that was written in the Gupta period.
Kamasutra [by Vatsyayana]
82
This Indian mathematician placed the value of zero and the first number line.
Aryabhatta
83
This Indian mathematician hinted at the law of gravitation in the Gupta period.
Brahmagupta [in Brahma Siddhanta]
84
_____ was also known as 'Siladitya', made Kannuaj the capital of his kingdom.
Harshavardhana
- also considered as the last great Hindu emperor of India
85
Details about Harshavardhana's reign are written in ____.
Harshacharita
86
Harsha was defeated by ___.
Pulakesin II
87
____ Chinese pilgrim visited India during Harsha's period
Huen Tsang
- spoke about revenue being divided in 4 parts [king, scholar, officers, religion]
88
The Tripartite struggle was between these groups.
Palas, Gurjaras & Rashtrakutas
- for Kannauj
- Palas won [Dharma Pala]
89
Vesara / Deccan style of architecture was created by ___.
Chalukyas
90
____ built the Sun Temple at Konark.
Narshima Deva I
91
____ wrote the first Kannad poem.
Amogvarsha
- Rashtrakuta dynasty
92
The land south of ____ river was divided into Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas
Krishna
93
Earliest known Chola ruler
Ellara
94
Earliest known Chera rulers
Udiyangera
95
Greatest Chera king
Senguttuvan / Red Chera
- founded the Pattini cult
- built Kannagi temple
96
Earliest known Pandya ruler
Mudukudumi
97
____ kingdom was mentioned by Megasthenes for their pearls.
Pandya
98
The Sangam age is also known as ___.
Golden / Augustan Age
99
Father of Tamil literature
Agastya
100
_____ is also known as the Fifth Veda or the Bible of the Tamil Land
Tirrukural / Kural
101
____ is also known as the Iliad of Tamil poetry
Silappadikaram [by Ilango Adigal]
- love story between Kovalan and Madhavi
102
Sequel of Silappadikaram
Manimekalai [by Seetalai Sattannar]
103
This Tamil epic has elements of Jainism in it.
Sevaga Chintamani [by Jaina Tiruttakadeva]
104
Ancient capital of the Cholas
Palayarai
105
____ revived the Chola empire.
Vijayalaya
106
____ took on the title of Maduraikonda and build a Siva temple at Tanjore.
Aditya Chola
107
Three gems of Tamil poetry
Kamban, Kuttana & Pugalendi
108
Dancing figure of Shiva, the 'Nataraja' was made during the ____ period.
Chola
109
___ style of architecture is a feature of Chola dynasty.
Dravida
- vimana dominates whole structure of the shrine
- also has gopurams & garbhagrihas
110
___ purana refers to the 10 incarnations of Vishnu.
Matsya
111
____ upanishad gave the first reference to lord krishna as the some of Devaki
Chandogya
112
____ purana refer to lingam worship.
Matsya purana
- oldest lingam: Gundimallam [Andhra]
113
Oldest Saivite cult
Pasupatal [founded by Lakulisa]
114
4 schools of Saivism
Pasupati, Saiva, Kapalika & Kalmukha
- Kapalika & Kalmukha were a tantric cult
115
Shakti Dharma, worship of female deity, is first mentioned in the ____.
Mahabharata
116
Andrew and Peter, Jesus' first disciples were hanged by ___.
Portius, Roman Governor
117
Founder of Islam
Hazrat Muhammad Saheb
118
Hazrat Muhammad attained enlightenment here.
Hirat Caves near Mecca
119
Beginning of Islam era is also called ___ era.
Hijri
120
Kailash temple in Ellor was built during ___ dynasty.
Rashtrakuta
121
Which ruler ended the designation of 'Khalifa'.
Mashtafa Kamal Pasha
