KINGSHIP, CASTE AND CLASS

Question 1

TERM KULA, JNATI AND VAMSHA MEANS?

Answer 1

SANSKRIT TEXTS USES THE TERM
1 KULA- TO DESIGNATE FAMILIES
2 JNATI- FOR LARGER NETWORK OF KINFOLK
3 VAMSHA- FOR LINEAGE.

Question 2

OUTCOME OF MAHABHARATA?

Answer 2

PANDAVAS EMERGED VICTORIOUS. AFTER THAT, PATRILINEAL SUCCESSION WAS PROCLAIMED.
WHILE PATRILINY HAD EXISTED PRIOR TO THE COMPOSITION OF THE EPIC, THE CENTRAL STORY OF THE MAHABHARATA REINFORCED THE IDEA THAT IT WAS VALUABLE.
UNDER PATRILINY, SONS COULD CLAIM THE RESOURCES (INCLUDING THE THRONE IN THE CASE OF KINGS) OF THEIR FATHERS WHEN THE LATTER DIED.

Question 3

WHAT IS PATRILINIY AND MATRILINY?

Answer 3

PATRILINIY= TRACING DESCENT FROM FATHER TO SON, GRANDSON AND SO ON.
MATRILINY= TRACING DESCENT FROM MOTHER.

Question 4

WAS PATRILINY UNIQUE TO RULING FAMILIES?

Answer 4

THE CONCERN WITH THE PATRILINY WAS NOT UNIQUE TO RULING FAMILIES.
IT IS EVIDENT IN MANTRAS IN RITUAL TEXTS SUCH AS THE RIGVEDA.

Question 5

WHAT IS ADI PARVAN?

Answer 5

THE FIRST SECTION OF THE SANSKRIT MAHABHARATA.

Question 6

ENDOGAMY?

Answer 6

MARRIAGE WITHIN A UNIT- THIS COULD BE A KIN GROUP, CASTE, OR A GROUP LIVING IN THE SAME LOCALITY.

Question 7

EXOGAMY ?

Answer 7

REFERES TO MARRIAGE OUTSIDE THE UNIT.

Question 8

POLYGYNY ?

Answer 8

POLYGYNY IS THE PRACTICE OF A MAN HAVING SEVERAL WIVES.

Question 9

POLYANDRY ?

Answer 9

PRACTICE OF A WOMAN HAVING SEVERAL HUSBANDS.
EXAMPLE DRAUPADI’S MARRIAGE WITH THE PANDAVAS.

Question 10

MARRIAGES RECOGNIZED BY DHARMASUTRAS AND DHARMASHASTRAS ?

Answer 10

DHARMASUTRAS AND DHARMASHASTRAS (MANUSMRITI BEING ONE OF THE IMPORTANT WORKS) RECOGNIZED AS MANY AS 8 FORMS OF MARRIAGE.
FIRST FOUR WERE CONSIDERED AS GOOD WHILE THE REMAINING WERE CONDEMNED-IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THESE WERE PRACTICED BY THOSE WHO DID NOT ACCEPT BRAHMANICAL NORMS.

Question 11

GOTRAS RULES?

Answer 11

1 EACH GOTRA WAS NAMED AFTER A VEDIC SEER.
2 ALL THOSE WHO BELONGED TO THE SAME GOTRA WERE CONSIDERED AS HIS DESCENDANTS.
3 WOMEN WERE EXPECTED TO GIVE UP THEIR FATHER’S GOTRA AND ADOPT THAT OF THEIR HUSBAND ON MARRIAGE (EXCEPTION SATAVAHANA RULERS).
4 MEMBERS OF THE SAME GOTRA COULD NOT MARRY.

Question 12

FIRST MARRIAGE AS PER MANUSMRITI?

Answer 12

GIFT OF A DAUGHTER AFTER DRESSING HER IN COSTLY CLOTHES AND HONOURING HER WITH PRESENTS OF JEWELS, TO A MAN LEARNED IN THE VEDA WHOM THE FATHER HIMSELF INVITES.

Question 13

FOURTH MARRIAGE AS PER MANUSMRITI?

Answer 13

GIFT OF A DAUGHTER BY THE FATHER AFTER HE HAS ADDRESSED THE COUPLE WITH THE TEXT, “MAY BOTH OF YOU PERFORM YOUR DUTIES TOGETHER”, AND HAS SHOWN HONOUR TO THE BRIDEGROOM.

Question 14

FIFTH MARRIAGE AS PER MANUSMRITI?

Answer 14

WHEN THE BRIDEGROOM RECIEVES A MAIDEN, AFTER HAVING GIVEN AS MUCH WEALTH AS HE CAN AFFORD TO THE KINSMEN AND TO THE BRIDE HERSELF, ACCORDING TO HIS OWN WILL.

Question 15

SIXTH MARRIAGE AS PER MANUSMRITI?

Answer 15

THE VOLUNTARY UNION OF A MAIDEN AND HER LOVER WHICH SPRINGS DESIRE.

Question 16

RAJA GOTAMI PUTA?

Answer 16

SIRI SATAKANI.
SIRI YANA SATAKANI.
SIRI VIJAYA SATAKANI.

Question 17

RAJA VASITHI PUTA?

Answer 17

(SAMI) SIRI PULUMAYI.

Question 18

RAJA MADHARI PUTA?

Answer 18

SVAMI SAKASENA.

Question 19

RAJA VASATHI PUTA?

Answer 19

CHATARAPANA SATAKANI

Question 20

RAJA HARITI PUTA?

Answer 20

VINHUKADA CHUTUKULANAMDA SATAKAMNI.

Question 21

METRONYMICS (NAME DERIVED FROM MOTHERS) IN UPANISHADS?

Answer 21

THE BRIHADARANYAKA UPANISHAD, ONE OF THE EARLIEST UPANISHADS CONTAIN A SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, MANY OF WHOM WERE DESIGNATED BY METRONYMICS.

Question 22

EXCEPTION TO MARRIAGE AND GOTRA RULES?

Answer 22

1 SOME OF THE SATAVAHANA RULERS WERE POLYGYNOUS.
2 WOMEN DERIVE GOTRAS FROM THEIR FATHERS RATHER THAN HUSBAND AND SONS DERIVED GOTRAS FROM MOTHERS.
3 THEY PRACTICED ENDOGAMY, SOME OF THE WOMEN BELONGED TO THE SAME GOTRA.

Question 23

SUCCESSION RULES IN SATAVAHANA DYNASTY?

Answer 23

SATAVAHANA RULERS WERE IDENTIFIED THROUGH METRONYMICS (NAME DERIVED FROM THAT OF THE MOTHER).
IN THE CASE OF THE SATAVAHANAS WE KNOW THAT SUCCESSION TO THE THRONE WAS GENERALLY PATRILINEAL.

Question 24

THINGS LAID DOWN IN DHARMASUTRAS AND DHARMASHASTRAS?

Answer 24

1 IDEAL ORDER OF CASTE WAS LAID DOWN IN DHARMASUTRAS AND DHARMASHASTRAS.
2 THEY ALSO CONTAINED THE RULES ABOUT THE IDEAL OCCUPATIONS OF FOUR CATEGORIES OF VARNAS.
● BRAHMANS- STUDY AND TEACH VEDAS, PERFROM SACRIFICES AND GET SACRIFICES PERFORMED, AND GIVE AND RECIEVE GIFTS.
● KSHATRIYAS- ENGAGE IN WARFARE, PROTECT PEOPLE AND ADMINISTER JUSTICE, STUDY THE VEDAS, GET SACRIFICES PERFORMED AND MAKE GIFTS.
● VAISHYAS- AGRICULTURE, PASTORALISM AND TRADE- STUDY THE VEDAS, GET SACRIFICES PERFORMED AND MAKE GIFTS.
● SHUDRAS- SERVE OTHER THREE VARNAS.
3 MARRIAGE RULES.
4 RULES FOR DIVISION OF PATERNAL ESTATE AMONG CHILDREN.
5 BRAHMANICAL VIEW OF SOCIETY WAS CODIFIED IN THE DHARMASUTRAS AND DHARMASHASTRAS.

Question 25

BRAHMANS STRATEGY TO ENFORCE CASTE AND OTHER NORMS?

Answer 25

1 VARNA ORDER WAS OF DIVINE ORIGIN.
2 THEY ADVISED KINGS TO ENSURE THAT THESE NORMS WERE FOLLOWED WITHIN THEIR KINGDOMS.
3 THEY ATTEMPTED TO PERSUADE PEOPLE THAT THEIR STATUS WAS DETERMINED BY BIRTH.
4 TO JUSTIFY THEIR CLAIMS, BRAHMANS OFTEN CITED A VERSE FROM A HYMN IN THE RIGVEDA KNOWN AS THE PURUSHA SUKTA, DESCRIBING THE SACRIFICE OF THE PURUSHA, THE PRIMEVAL MAN.

Question 26

WHAT WAS TERM NISHADA FROM ADI PARVAN OF MAHABHARATA?

Answer 26

NISHADA WAS A HUNTING COMMUNITY.
EKLAVYA WAS A FOREST DWELLING NISHADA.

Question 27

NON KSHATRIYAS KINGS?

Answer 27

1 SHUNGAS AND KANVAS- THE IMMEDIATE SUCCESSORS OF MAURYAS WERE BRAHMANS. IN FACT, POLITICAL POWER WAS EFFECTIVELY OPEN TO ANYONE WHO COULD MUSTER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES, AND RARELY DEPENDED ON BIRTH AS KSHATRIYA.
2 SHAKAS- WERE REGARDED AS MLECHCHHAS, BARBARIANS OR OUTSIDERS. RUDRADAMAN BEST KNOWN SHAKA RULER REBUILT SUDARSHANA LAKE. THIS SUGGESTS THAT POWERFUL MLECHCHHAS WERE FAMILIAR WITH SANSKRITIC TRADITIONS.
3 GOTAMI-PUTA SIRI SATAKANI- BOTH A UNIQUE BRAHMAN (EKA BRAHMANA) AND A DESTROYER OF THE PRIDE OF KSHATRIYAS. HE ALSO CLAIMED TO HAVE ENSURED THAT THERE WAS NO INTERMARRIAGE AMONGST MEMBERS OF THE FOUR VARNAS. AT THE SAME TIME HE ENTERED INTO A MARRIAGE ALLIANCE WITH THE KIN OF RUDRADAMAN.

Question 28

HOW WERE JATIS DIFFERENT FROM VARNAS?

Answer 28

1 JATI LIKE VARNA WAS BASED ON BIRTH.
2 NUMBER OF VARNAS WERE FIXED AT FOUR, THERE WAS NO RESTRICTION ON THE NUMBER OF JATIS.
3 GOLDSMITH OR SUVARNAKARAS, WHICH DID NOT EASILY FIT INTO THE FOURFOLD VARNA SYSTEM, THEY CALSSIFIED THEM AS JATI.
4 JATIS WHICH SHARED A COMMON OCCUPATION OR PROFESSION WERE SOMETIMES ORGANIZED INTO SHRENIS OR GUILDS.

Question 29

STONE INSCRIPTION (c. FIFTH CENTURY CE), FOUND IN MANDASOR (MADHYA PRADESH) RECORDS THE HISTORY OF?

Answer 29

IT RECORDS THE HISTORY OF A GUILD OF SILK WEAVERS WHO ORIGINALLY LIVED IN LATA (GUJARAT), FROM WHERE THEY MIGRATED TO MANDASOR, THEN KNOWN AS DASHAPURA.

Question 30

TERM VANIK MEANS?

Answer 30

MERCHANTS.

Question 31

MRICHCHHAKATIKA IS WRITTEN BY?

Answer 31

SHUDRAKA (c. FOURTH CENTURY CE).
IN THIS THE HERO CHARUDATTA WAS DESCRIBED AS BOTH A BRAHMANA AND A SARTHAVAHA OR MERCHANT.

Question 32

MEANING OF MLECHCHHAS OTHER THAN MERCHANTS?

Answer 32

SOMETIMES THOSE WHO SPOKE NON-SANSKRITIC LANGUAGES WERE LABELLED AS MLECHCHHAS.

Question 33

WHO WERE CHANDALAS?

Answer 33

1 PEOPLE WHO HANDLED CORPSES AND DEAD ANIMALS WERE DESIGNATED AS CHANDALAS.
2 THEY WERE PLACED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HIERARCHY.
3 THEIR TOUCH AND IN SOME CASES EVEN SEEING THEM WAS REGARDED AS POLLUTING.

Question 34

DUTIES OF CHANDALAS AS PER MANUSMRITI?

Answer 34

1 THEY HAD TO LIVE OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE.
2 USE DISCARDED UTENSILS AND WEAR CLOTHES OF THE DEAD AND ORNAMENTS OF IRON.
3 THEY COULD NOT WALK ABOUT IN VILLAGES AND CITIES AT NIGHT.
4 THEY HAD TO DISPOSE THE BODIES OF THOSE WHO HAD NO RELATIVES AND SERVE AS EXECUTIONERS.

Question 35

CHINESE PILGRIMS ABOUT CHANDALAS?

Answer 35

1 FA XIAN (c. FIFTH CENTURY CE) WROTE THAT UNTOUCHABLES HAD TO SOUND A CLAPPER IN THE STREETS SO THAT PEOPLE COULD AVOID SEEING THEM.
2 XUAN ZANG (c. SEVENTH CENTURY), OBSERVED THAT EXECUTIONERS AND SCAVENGERS WERE FORCED TO LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY.

Question 36

BODHISATTA (THE BUDDHA IN A PREVIOUS BIRTH) IS IDENTIFIED AS A CHANDALA IN WHICH JATAKA?

Answer 36

MATANGA JATAKA, A PALI TEXT.

Question 37

DIVISION OF PATERNAL ESTATE AS PER MANUSMRITI?

Answer 37

1 PATERNAL ESTATE WAS TO BE DIVIDED EQUALLY AMONGST SONS AFTER THE DEATH OF THE PARENTS, WITH A SPECIAL SHARE FOR THE ELDEST.
2 WOMEN COULD NOT CLAIM A SHARE OF THESE RESOURCES.
3 WOMEN WERE ALLOWED TO RETAIN THE GIFTS THEY RECIEVED ON THE OCCASION OF THEIR MARRIAGE AS STRIDHANA (LITERALLY, A WOMEN’S WEALTH).
4 STRIDHANA COULD BE INHERITED BY THEIR CHILDREN, WITHOUT THE HUSBAND HAVING ANY CLAIM ON IT.
5 MANUSMRITI WARNED WOMEN AGAINST HOARDING FAMILY PROPERTY, OR EVEN THEIR OWN VALUABLES, WITHOUT THE HUSBAND’S PERMISSION.
NOTE* VAKATAKA QUEEN PRABHAVATI GUPTA WAS AN EXCEPTION.

Question 38

MEANS OF ACQUIRING WEALTH BY MEN AS PER MANUSMRITI?

Answer 38

THERE ARE SEVEN MEANS OF ACQUIRING WEALTH.
IPC WIFA
1 INHERITANCE
2 PURCHASE
3 CONQUEST
4 WORK
5 INVESTMENT
6 FINDING
7 ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS FROM GOOD PEOPLE.

Question 39

MEANS OF ACQUIRING WEALTH BY WOMEN AS PER MANUSMRITI?

Answer 39

THERE ARE 6 MEANS OF ACQUIRING WEALTH.
1 WHAT WAS GIVEN IN FRONT OF THE FIRE (MARRIAGE).
2 BRIDAL PROCESSION.
3 AS A TOKEN OF AFFECTION FROM BROTHER.
4 FROM MOTHER.
5 FROM FATHER.
6 SHE COULD ALSO ACQUIRE WEALTH THROUGH ANY SUBSEQUENT GIFTS AND WHATEVER HER AFFECTIONATE HUSBAND MIGHT GIVE HER.

Question 40

ANOTHER CRITERION (APART FROM GENDER) FOR RELATING ACCESS TO WEALTH WAS?

Answer 40

VARNA.

Question 41

BUDDHISTS ON DIFFERENCES IN SOCIETY?

Answer 41

THE BUDDHISTS RECOGNIZED THAT THERE WERE DIFFERENCES IN SOCIETY, BUT DID NOT REGARD THESE AS NATURAL OR INFLEXIBLE.
THEY ALSO REJECTED THE IDEA OF CLAIMS TO STATUS ON THE BASIS OF BIRTH.

Question 42

DIVISIONS OF SUTTA PITAKA?

Answer 42

IT IS DIVIDED INTO 5 NIKAYAS.
1 DIGHA NIKAYA.
2 MAJJHIMA NIKAYA.
3 SAMUTTA NIKAYA.
4 ANGUTTARA NIKAYA.
5 KHUDDAKA NIKAYA.

Question 43

STORY THE WEALTHY SHUDRA IS FROM WHICH NIKAYA?

Answer 43

THE STORY BASED ON A BUDDHIST TEXT IN PALI KNOWN AS THE MAJJHIMA NIKAYA, IS A PART OF A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A KING NAMED AVANTIPUTTA AND A DISCIPLE OF THE BUDDHA NAMED KACHCHANA.
AVANTIPUTTA CONCEDED THAT THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE AMONGST THE VARNAS.

Question 44

WHAT IS PURANARURU?

Answer 44

ONE OF THE ANTHOLOGIES OF POEMS OF TAMIL SANGAM LITERATURE.

Question 45

AMARAVATI PRESENT DAY LOCATION?

Answer 45

ANDHRA PRADESH.

Question 46

MEANING OF WORD MAHASAMMATA?

Answer 46

THE GREAT ELECT.

Question 47

BUDDHIST UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIAL INEQUALITIES?

Answer 47

BUDDHIST ALSO DEVELOPED AN ALTERNATIVE UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIAL INEQUALITIES AND OF THE INSTITUTIONS REQUIRED TO REGULATE SOCIAL CONFLICT.
IN A MYTH FOUND IN A TEXT KNOWN AS THE SUTTA PITAKA THEY SUGGESTED THAT ORIGINALLY HUMAN BEINGS DID NOT HAVE FULLY EVOLVED BODILY FORMS, NOR WAS THE WORLD OF PLANTS FULLY DEVELOPED.
ALL BEINGS LIVED IN AN IDYLLIC STATE OF PEACE, TAKING FROM NATURE ONLY WHAT THEY NEEDED FOR EACH MEAL.

Question 48

MOST IMPORTANT DIDACTIC SECTION OF THE MAHABHARATA?

Answer 48

BHAGAVAD GITA. IT CONTAINS THE ADVICE OFFERED BY LORD KRISHNA TO ARJUNA.
NOTE* IT IS DIDACTIC NOT NARRATIVE.

Question 49

NAARATIVE AND DIDACTIC MEANING?

Answer 49

SECTIONS THAT CONTAIN STORIES, DESIGNATED AS THE NARRATIVE.
SECTIONS THAT CONTAIN PRESCRIPTIONS ABOUT SOCIAL NORMS, DESIGNATED AS DIDACTIC.

Question 50

MAHABHARATA WAS WRITTEN BY?

Answer 50

LORD GANESHA THE SCRIBE.
VED VYASA DICTATED THE TEXT TO THE DEITY.

Question 51

THE ORIGINAL STORY (MAHABHARATA) WAS COMPOSED BY________ KNOWN AS________ WHO GENERALLY ACCOMPANIED KSHATRIYA WARRIORS TO THE BATTLEFIELD AND COMPOSED POEMS CELEBRATING THEIR VICTORIES AND OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS.

Answer 51

CHARIOTEER BARDS KNOWN AS SUTAS.

Question 52

IN 1951-52 ARCHAEOLOGIST B.B. LAL EXCAVATED AT A VILLAGE NAMED HASTINAPURA IN MEERUT (UP) AND FOUND FIVE OCCUPATIONAL LEVELS. WHAT ARE THEY?

Answer 52

ONLY 2ND AND 3RD ARE OF INTEREST TO US.
1. HOUSES IN 2ND PHASE (c. TWELTH-SEVENTH CENTURIES BCE) :-
● NO DEFINITE PLANS
● WALLS OF MUD AND MUD BRICKS (NO BURNT BRICKS)
● MUD PLASTER WITH PROMINENT REED MARKS SUGGESTED THAT SOME OF THE HOUSES HAD REED WALLS PLASTERED OVER WITH MUD.
2. HOUSES IN 3RD PHASE (c. SIXTH-THIRD CENTURIES BCE):-
● HOUSES OF MUD BRICK AS WELL AS BURNT BRICKS.
● SOAKAGE JARS AND BRICK DRAINS WERE USED FOR DRAINING OUT REFUSE WATER.
● TERRACOTTA RING WELLS MAY HAVE BEEN USED BOTH AS WELLS AND DRAINAGE PITS.

Question 53

KUNTI O NISHADI WAS WRITTEN BY?

Answer 53

MAHASHWETA DEVI.

Question 54

TRIPITAKA IS WRITTEN IN WHICH LANGUAGE?

Answer 54

PALI.