General Studies

Learn about the major sources of ancient Indian history, their importance and how they help in understanding India's past. Useful for competitive exams and general knowledge

1. Which Country is called “ethnological museum ’’?

Ans:- Historian Vincent  Smith  called  India as “ethnological museum “.

2. Which country is called “epitome of the world’’?

Ans : - As per Vincent  Smith  India offers “Unity in diversity “ . That’s why India  is called ‘epitome of the world’.

3. What is Epigraphy ?

Ans:- Study of inscription is called Epigraphy.

4. Who wrote “ Kitabul Masalik Wal Mamalik “?

Ans:- Persian geographer Ibn Khordadbeh wrote the geography text “ Kitabul Masalik Wal Mamalik.

5. Who wrote “ Prabandha Chintamoni “?

Ans:- Merutunga wrote Prabandha Chintamoni.

6. Who wrote  “ Adbhut Sagar “ ?

Ans:- “ Adbhut Sagar “ was written by Ballala sena , a king of the sena dynesty.

7. Who wrote “ Indica “?

Ans :- Megasthenes wrote “ Indica”.

8. Name the earliest book from which we can get information about state theory ?

Ans:- State theory is found in “ Arthasashtra”.

9. “Bhogazkoi” inscription gives us which information ?

Ans:- Information about “ Aryans” found in  “Bhogazkoi”.

10. In which ” inscription first reference of “ sati” is found ?

Ans:- In “ Eran inscription” first reference of “ sati” is found.

11. Who was the greatest king of satavahana dynesty “?

Ans:- Goutamiputra Satakarni .

12. The study of coin is called............

Ans. Numismatics.

13. Atharva veda consists of how many hymns?

Ans:- 711 hymns.

14. How many Upanishads are there?

Ans.- 108  Upanishads.

15. Which ancient book deals with “ black magic”?

Ans:- Atharva Veda.

16. Which ancient vedic text is probably a non-aryan text.?

Ans:- Atharva Veda.

17. Which Buddhist text deals with the history of Ceylon?

Ans:- Dipavansa, Mahavansa.

18. Who wrote “ Milind Panho”?

Ans:- Nagsena.

19. What is the earliest Jain text ?

Ans:- Purva.

20. Who compiled Dwadash Anga ?

Ans:- Vallabhi.

21. Who wrote Jain Parisistha Parran?

Ans:- Hemchandra .

22. Who was Agnimitra?

Ans:- Second Shunga King.

23. Who wrote “ Prithiraj Raso “ ?

Ans:- Chandbardai.

24. Who wrote “ Kamsutra”?

Ans:- Vatsayan.

25. Which book deals with Surgery ?

Ans:- Susrut Samhita.

26. Which is known as the Arthashastra Of Gupta Age “?

Ans:- Nitisara.

27. Who wrote “Allahabad Prasastin “?

Ans:- Harisen .

28. How many hymns are there in “ Yajurveda”?

Ans:- 1549 hymns.

29. Who wrote “ Christian Topography”?

Ans:- Cosmas Indicopleustes.

30. Which book did Al-Masudi write about India?

Ans:- Muruj –ul-zahab.

31. “ Biography Of Eminent Monks” was written by which Chinese scholar ?

Ans:- Huijiao .

32. Who wrote” Chandra Vyakarana “, a Sanskrit grammer ?

Ans:- Candragomin (Chandra), a Buddhist scholar .

33. Name the two plays of Vishakhadatta.

Ans:- “ Mudraraksasa” and” Devichandraguptam”.

34. When did the poet Vishakhadatta flourish?

Ans:- In the Gupta Period under the reign of Chandra gupta-II.

35. “Vikramorvasiyam” was written by which poet?

Ans:- Kalidasa.

36. “Kavyadarsha “ was written by which Sanskrit writer?

Ans:- Dandin.

37. Who is called the father of kannada poetry?

Ans:- 10^th century Jain poet and writer pampa . He is also called Adikavi.

38. How many lines are there in the Allahabad Prasastin ?

Ans:- 33 lines.

39. What is the kural?

Ans:- The Tirukkural, also known as the kural is a classic Tamil text. It is a collection of 1330short  couplets(Kurals).It is divided into three books on virtue, wealth and love.

40. “Kiratarjuniya was written by which poet?

Ans:- Bharavi.

41. What is “Mitakshara”?

Ans:- Mitakshara is a treatise on ancient Hindu law of inheritance.

42. What is “Dayabhaga”?

Ans:- Dayabhaga is a hindu law treatise. As per Dayabhaga the sons do not acquire any interest by birth in ancestral property . Father is the sole ruler of all property, both ancestral and personal.

43. Who wrote Dayabhaga ?

Ans:- Jimutavahana.

44. Aryabhatta flourished in which dynesty ?

Ans:- Gupta dynesty.

45. Who wrote” Brihat Jataka”?

Ans:- Varahamihira wrote ” Brihat Jataka” a test book on vedic astrology.

46. Who wrote”Karpura Manjari”?

Ans:- The Indian poet and dramatist Rajasekhara.

47. Who Invented “Zero”?

Ans:- Aryabhatta introduced zero in 5^th century but Brahmagupta introduced zero in mathematical calculation like addition and subtraction in 7^th century.

48. Who wrote”Malatimadhava”?

Ans:- Bhavabhuti .

49. Who wrote “ Brahma-Sphuta-Siddhanta”?

Ans:- Brahmagupta.

50. Who was the writer of “ Brihat Kathamanjari”?

Ans:- Ksemendra ( Scholar from Kashmir).

51. Who wrote “ Astang-Hridaya”?

Ans:- Acharya Vagbhata.

52. Who wrote ”Navashasanka Charita”?

Ans:- Padmagupta also known as parimala kalidasa( Paramara Court Poet ).

53. Which book is known as “ Satasaharsri Samhita”?

Ans:- The Mahabharata is known as “ Satasaharsri Samhita” ( hundred thousand verses).

54. Which book is known as “ Jai Samhita “ or “Joy”?

Ans:- The Mahabharata.

55. Where is Dasavatar Temple ?

Ans:- Dasavatar temple is situated in Deogarh, Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh in the Betwa river valley.It belongs to the Gupta Period This temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna .

56. Junagarh Inscription belongs to which king ?

Ans:- Mahakhatrapa Rudradamana.

57. Who wrote “ Prasanna Raghavan”?

Ans:- Jayadeva.

58. Which book tells us about the story of Kashmir?

Ans:- Rajtarangiri by kalhana.

59. Khalimpur Copper Plate inscription belongs to which dynasty ?

Ans:- Pala emperor Dharmpala.

60. Who wrote “Abhidharmakosha”?

Ans:- Vasubandhu.

61. Who wrote “ Ratnavali”?

Ans:- Harshvardhana.

62. Who issued Nanaghat Prasastin ?

Ans:- Naganika, the queen of satakarni I. It is the valuable sources of satavahana dynesty.

63. Who deciphered the Ashokan inscription?

Ans:- In 1837, James Prinsep,a Brish Scholar, deciphered the Ashokan  inscription which is written in Brahmi Script.

64. Who wrote” Yoga Darshan”?

Ans:- “Yoga Darshan” also known as “Yoga Sustras” was written by patanjali.

65. Who wrote “Kathasaritasagar’’?

Ans:- Somadeva.

66. In which inscription Ashoka expressed his faith in Buddhiusm?

Ans:- In Bhabra (or Bairat) Minor Rock Edict,Ashoka expressed his trust in Buddha,Dhamma and Sangha.

67. Who wrote “ Mattavilasa Prahasana”?

Ans:- Pallava king Mahendravarman I.

68. Which dynesty is known for its purest gold coins?

Ans:-Kushan Dynesty.

69. The word “soma” is found in which mandala of Rig veda?

Ans:- The ninth mandala of the Rig veda.

70. Who wrote”Vaishesika”?

Ans:- The Hindu sage kanada, also known as kashyapa.

71. What is “Purush Shukta”?

Ans:- The Purush Shukta” is a notable hymn in the Rigveda. It describes the “Cosmic Being” (Purusha) and the universe is created from the parts of the Purusha’s body. Diffrent parts of the body represents different aspects of the cosmos and society. It also mentions four varnas (Brahmin,Kshatriya,Vashaya,Sudra)of indian socity.

72. Who wrote Sankhya Darshan?

Ans:- Kapil.

73. What is Kalpa ?

Ans:- Kalpa is a vast cyclical perod of time. Sometimes it is described as a “day of Brahma” or a complete cosmic cycle from creation to destruction and recreation.

74. Who wrote Nyaya Darshan ?

Ans:- Aksapada Gautama.

75. What is Nirukta?

Ans:- Nirukta is one of the six Vedangas. It means “explanation” or “ etymology”. It is focusing on the linguistic analysis and interpretation of Sanskrit words.

76. Who is the central character of Mrichhakatikam?

Ans:- Charudatta.

77. Who wrote “Gathasaptashati”?

Ans:- Satavahana King Hala.

78. Who wrote the drama “Karnasundari”?

Ans:- 11^th century Kashmiri poet Bilhana.

79. Who is the writer of “ Brihatkatha”?

Ans:- Gunadhya.

80. Who wrote”Brahaman Sarbasya”?

Ans:- Vedic Scholar Halayudha.

81. Who wrote” Natyashastra”?

Ans:- Bharata Muni.

82. In which language “Milind Panho” was written?

Ans:- Nagasena wrote  “Milind Panho” in pali language.

83. Who wrote  “ Pramana-Samuchchaya”?

Ans:- Dignaga.