Vedic Age MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Vedic Age - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Aryavarta, Madhya desa, and Dakshinapatha
Key Points

•  According to the Later Vedic literature, India was divided into three broad divisions: Aryavarta (Northern India), Madhya desa (Central India), and Dakshinapath (Southern India).
• These divisions indicate the geographical and cultural demarcations of the time.
• The understanding of these divisions provides insights into the socio-political structure of the Vedic Period.

Additional Information

• Aryavarta, Madhya desa, and Dakshinapath were not just geographical divisions but also represented different cultural and societal norms.
• These divisions played a significant role in the political organization of the society during the Later Vedic Period.

The correct answer is Eleven.

Key Points

• There are eleven recognised styles of Vedic recitation (Pathas) in the traditional system of preserving Vedic texts.
• The styles of recitation are designed to maintain the purity and accuracy of the Vedic scriptures.
• Some of the well-known styles include Samhita Patha, Pada Patha, Krama Patha, Jata Patha, and Ghana Patha.
• These recitation techniques have been passed down through oral tradition for thousands of years, ensuring the preservation of the Vedas.
• The system of Vedic recitation has been recognised as a part of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Additional Information

• Vedas and Their Significance:
  • The Vedas are the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, comprising four main collections: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda.
  • They encompass hymns, rituals, and philosophical knowledge, forming the foundation of Vedic traditions.
• Oral Tradition:
  • The Vedic texts were transmitted orally for centuries before being written down.
  • The recitation techniques helped preserve their integrity despite the absence of written scripts.
• Key Recitation Styles:
  • Samhita Patha: Continuous recitation of the text as written.
  • Krama Patha: Reciting words in a sequential overlapping manner, e.g., AB, BC, CD.
  • Ghana Patha: A complex style that repeats words in specific patterns for accuracy.
• UNESCO Recognition:
  • In 2008, the tradition of Vedic chanting was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
  • This recognition highlights its significance as one of the oldest unbroken oral traditions in the world.

The correct answer is Eight.

Key Points

• Mahajanapadas were large territorial states formed during the 6th century BC.
• Mahajanpadas were mostly located north of the Vindhyas.
• There were 16 Mahajanapadas according to the Buddhist texts Anguttara Nikaya and Maha Vastu.
• Out of the 16 Mahajanapadas only 8 were located in Uttar Pradesh.
• The eight Mahajanapadas were Kuru, Panchal, Shurasena, Vatsa, Kosal, Malla, Kashi, and Chedi.​

Additional Information

The prosperity of Mahajanapadas during the Vedic period was largely due to their location in fertile river valleys, such as those of the Ganges and Yamuna. These valleys provided rich alluvial soil, which supported agriculture and enabled large populations to thrive. The agricultural surplus facilitated trade and commerce, contributing to the economic strength of these kingdoms. In contrast, coastal plains and desert regions lacked the same agricultural potential, while mountain ranges posed challenges for settlement and trade. Thus, river valleys were pivotal in the development and prosperity of Mahajanapadas.

The correct answer is '1) Emergence of the caste system'. During the Vedic Age, society was organized into a hierarchical structure known as the caste system, which divided people into four main varnas: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. This division was based on occupational roles and social functions, significantly influencing the social fabric of ancient India. Unlike centralized monarchies or democratic governance, which were not characteristic of this period, the caste system was a defining aspect of Vedic society.

The correct answer is Rig Veda

Key Points

• The Rig-Veda is the oldest of the four collections of hymns and other sacred texts known as the Vedas.
• It contains most of the information about the religious and social life of the early Vedic period.
• These works are considered the "sacred knowledge" of the Aryans.
• The Rig-Veda also contains ideas that served as the basis for India's system of castes(Varna).
• According to Brahminic ideology, Varṇa means hierarchizing society into classes.

Additional Information

• Associated information with different Veda.

The correct answer is Vajji.

Important Points

• Vaishali was the capital of Vajji Mahajanapada.
• The kingdom was situated in Bihar to the north of the river Ganga.
• It covered the districts of Vaishali and Muzaffarpur in Bihar.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Option 1. 

Key Points

• The Rig Veda consists of a total of 1,028 hymns, divided into ten books known as Mandalas.
• Each Mandala is further divided into hymns, which are composed in various poetic meters.
• The hymns are attributed to different seers or rishis, who were the ancient sages or poets believed to have received divine revelations.

Additional Information

•  The Vedas are a collection of ancient Hindu scriptures and are considered the oldest and most authoritative texts in Hinduism.
• There are four main Vedas: the Rig Veda, the Sama Veda, the Yajur Veda, and the Atharva Veda. Each Veda has its own unique characteristics and content.
• Rig Veda: It contains a collection of 1,028 hymns, or sukta, composed in Vedic Sanskrit. 
• Sama Veda: The Sama Veda consists of a collection of melodies or chants derived from the hymns of the Rig Veda.
  • The Sama Veda focuses on the musical aspects of the hymns and is often considered a guidebook for priests involved in chanting and singing during rituals.
• Yajur Veda: The Yajur Veda is primarily a guidebook for priests involved in performing sacrificial rituals.
  • The former contains the prose formulas along with some hymns, while the latter contains the prose formulas embedded within the hymns.
• Atharva Veda: The Atharva Veda is distinct from the other three Vedas as it focuses more on practical aspects of life and includes hymns related to healing, magic, charms, and rituals for protection against evil spirits and diseases. 

The correct answer is option 2, i.e. Gandharva Vivah.

The types of marriages During the Vedic Age are:

The correct answer is 10.
Key Points

• The Rigveda is divided into 10 mandalas (books).
• The first and tenth Mandalas are the youngest and the longest.
• The Gayatri mantra is in Rig Veda is taken ffrom Mandala 3.
• Mandala 9 is completely devoted to Soma.
• The 10th mandala contains the Purusha Sukta which explains the 4 Varnas that were born from the Mouth, arms, thighs, and feet of the Brahma or Purusha.
• Nasadiya Sukta which talks about the origin of the Universe is in the 10th Mandala. 

Additional Information

• Vedas are supposed to be the first religious text of the Hindu religion. 
• Veda means knowledge.
• There are four Vedas namely:
  • Rig Veda - Rig Veda contains hymns about mythology
  • Yajur Veda - Only Veda, which is divided into two parts (i.e. Krishna Yajur Veda and Shukla Yajur Veda), contains the knowledge of all sacrificial formulas and weapons. 
  • Sam Veda - It is the Origin of Indian classical music.
  • Atharva Veda - It contains the knowledge of Ayurveda, also charms and spells hence it is known as black Veda.

The correct answer is Anga.

• The ancient city of Champa is believed to be the capital of Anga Mahajanapada.

Key Points

• Anga was an ancient Indian kingdom that flourished on the eastern Indian subcontinent and was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas.
• Present-day Bhagalpur and Munger districts jointly constituted the Anga Mahajanpada.
• The State of Anga is earliest mentioned in Atharvaveda.
• The capital of Anga was Champa/Champawati was earlier called Malini. 
• The first king of Anga was Bali and the last king was Brahmadatta.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Beas and Sutlej.

Key Points

• In the Rigveda, there is a hymn in the form of a dialogue between Sage Vishvamitra and two rivers Beas and Sutlej were worshipped as goddesses.
• Some of the hymns in the Rigveda are in the form of dialogues.
• This is part of one such hymn, a dialogue between a sage named Vishvamitra, and two rivers, Beas and Sutlej that were worshipped as goddesses.

Additional Information

• The Rigveda is in old or Vedic Sanskrit.
• The Rigveda was recited and heard rather than read. It was written down several centuries after it was first composed and printed less than 200 years ago. 

• The oldest Veda is the Rigveda, composed about 3500 years ago.
• The Rigveda includes more than a thousand hymns, called sukta or “well-said”.
• These hymns are in praise of various gods and goddesses. 

The correct answer is Vaishali.

• Vajji was a republican mahajanapada in modern Bihar. Its capital was Vaishali and it was run by ganas or sanghas (assemblies).
• Vajji or Vrijji was a confederacy of neighboring clans including the Licchavis and one of the principal mahajanapadas of ancient India.
• Kingdoms that rose to fame from the 6th Century BC onward were called Mahajanapdas.
• The Mahajanapadas signify the tribes that came together to form different groups and later gave rise to a permanent area of settlements called ‘states’ or ‘Janapadas.’

Important Points

The correct answer is 20.

Key Points

• The Atharvaveda is a collection of 20 khandas.

• The Atharva Veda is the "knowledge storehouse of atharvaṇas, the procedures for everyday life".
• The text is the fourth Veda but has been a late addition to the Vedic scriptures of Hinduism.
• It is a collection of 730 hymns with about 6,000 mantras, divided into 20 books.
• About a sixth of the Atharvaveda texts adapts verses from the Rigveda, and except for Books 15 and 16, the text is in poem form deploying a diversity of Vedic matters.
• Two different recensions of the text – the Paippalada and the Śaunakiya – have survived into modern times.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Silver.

Punch marked coins

• It is a type of early coinage in India, dating to between about the 6th and 2nd centuries BC.
• The first coins in India may have been minted around the 6th century BC by the Mahajanpadas of the Indo-Gangetic plain.
• The coins of this period were punch-marked coins called Puranas, Karshapanas, or Pana.
• Several of these coins had a similar symbol. For example, Saurashtra had a humped bull Dakshin Panchala had a Swastika, others like Magadha had several symbols.
• Punched Marked coins were made of silver, had a standard weight but were irregular in shape.
• The irregular shape was made by cutting up silver bars and then making the correct weight by cutting the edges of the coin.
• These coins lack any inscriptions written in contemporary languages and were always struck in silver.
• These unique characters make early Indian coins very different from their contemporaries in Greece.
• Many historians believe that the concept of coinage was introduced by the Greeks in India. But unlike Indian punch-marked coins, Greek coins had inscriptions that were round in shape, were stamped on both sides, and were minted using silver, electrum, and gold too.
• Now historians are certain that the concept of coinage was invented in India independent of foreign influence which imparted unique characteristics to these coins.
• These coins are mentioned in Manu, Panini, and Buddhist Jataka stories and lasted three centuries longer in the south than in the north.
• After the fall of the Maurya Empire and the increased influence of the Indo-Greeks,punch-marked coins were replaced by cast die struck coins as visible in the Post-Mauryan period.