Ancient History MCQs – 4 (Rig Vedic/Later Vedic Period)

Ans - C(Battle of ten kings).

• Dasarajana was the battle of ten kings. The name of confederate kings involved in this war is actually slightly over ten, but was referred to roughly as 'dasha in the Rigveda. They were Puru, Yadu, Tuivasa, Ann, Druhyu, Alina, Paktha, Bhalanas, Shiva, Vishanin, Simyu, Vaikrna and others.

Ans - B(Agni).

• The Vedic deities Agni is not mentioned in the Boghazkoi inscription. 
• Four Vedic deities, i.e. Indra, Mitra, Varuna and Nasatya were mentioned in the Boghazkoi inscription.

Ans - D(Wheat, barley and milk products ).

• The staple diet of vedic people was wheat, barley, milk and its products like curd and ghee etc.
• On special occasions like a religious feast or the arrival of a guest, an elaborate meal was organized.
• Alcoholic as well as Non-alcoholic drinks were known and common.
• Soma and Sura(intoxicating) were the two popular liquors.

Ans - D(Superior race  ).

The word 'Aryan' denotes a Superior race. However, Aryans were not a separate race but a linguistic group of semi-nomadic pastoral people who spoke a common Indo-Aryan language – ‘Vedic Sanskrit’.

Ans - D(1, 2 and 3 ).

• The Nadistuti sukta(75th hymn of 10th Mandala of the Rigveda) contains the hymns in praise of rivers.
• When the Aryans migrated towards the Indian subcontinent, they initially settled in the region called ‘Sapta Saindhava’ which included Afghanistan, Swat Valley of Punjab and some parts of the Indo-Gangetic plain. ‘Sapta Saindhava’ derives its name from seven rivers flowing through that region( Indus and its five tributaries + Saraswati ).
• Rig-Vedic rivers and their modern names:

Ans - B ( 2 and 3 only).

• Rig Vedic society was patriarchal in nature. The basic unit of society was family or graham. The head of the family was known as ‘Grahapathi’.
• Women could participate in literary activities.There were women poets like Apala, Viswavara, Ghosa and Lopmudra during the Rig Vedic period.
• Women could even attend the popular assemblies. There was no child marriage and the practice of sati was absent. Monogamy was generally practiced while polygamy was prevalent among the royal and noble families.

Ans - C ( Both 1 and 2).

• The Painted Grey Ware culture (PGW) is an Iron Age culture of the Gangetic basin and the Ghaggar-Hakra valley, lasting from roughly 1200 BCE to 600 BCE.
• It was contemporary to, and a successor of the Black and red ware culture.
• These were high quality earthenware with geometric patterns in black.

Ans - A ( Rituals and sacrifices performed by the King to strengthen his position).

• Larger kingdoms were formed during the later Vedic period as many jana or tribes were amalgamated to form janapadas or rashtras in the later Vedic period.                                                                      Hence the royal power had increased along with the increase in the size of the kingdom.                                                                                                                                                                                                  So, the king performed various rituals and sacrifices to strengthen his position. They include Rajasuya (consecration ceremony), Asvamedha (horse sacrifice) and Vajpeya (chariot race). The kings also assumed titles like Rajavisvajanan, Ahilabhuvanapathi, (lord of all earth), Ekrat and Samrat (sole ruler) to showcase his power.
  

Ans - C ( Rigvedic Aryans).

• In the era of the Vedic age, there were many assemblies like Sabha, Samiti, Vidhata and Gana as mentioned in Rig Veda.
• Among these, Sabha and Samiti were the two most important assemblies.
• Even the King and the Chief showed eagerness to win the support of Sabha and Samiti.
• The important administrative division in the Vedic age is: Jana: Aryan tribes were known as Jana, but there was no mention of Janapada. Vis: Jana was divided into a group of villages called vis and headed by Vrajapati. 

  Grama: Vis again divided into grama and headed by Graminis. 

  Kulas: Grama further divided into Kulas i.e family and headed by Kulapa.

Ans - D( Rigveda ).

• Purusha Sukta, 10th mandala of vedas mention the four varnas by name - although the word 'varṇa' itself is not mentioned.
  

Ans - A ( Shiva ).

• Gods mentioned in Rig Vedas are Indra, Agni, Varuna, Soma, Savitri, Aditi, Apsaras, Rudra, Usha and Prithvi and many more.
• However, there was no mention of God Shiva.
• Indra was known as Purandhara (i.e. Destroyer of Forts). 250 Rig Vedic hymns have been dedicated to Indra.
• He was the most important divinity and Agni was second important god after Indra.