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SANKALP 2024
Ancient History - Prelims Questions DPP - 10

1. With reference to the Polity of the Later Vedic Which of the statements given above is/are
Age, consider the following statements: correct?
1. The term ‘Rashtra’ first appeared in this (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
period. (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
2. Early Vedic society, which was primarily
pastoral, had changed to an urban 4. With reference to the religious changes
society. occurred in the Rig Vedic Age and Later
3. The king was usually a kshatriya and the Vedic Age, which of the following statements
office of the monarch was made almost is/are correct?
hereditary. 1. During the Early Vedic Age, the most
4. King’s power increased with performing important Gods were Indra, Agni and
the rituals of Aswamedha Yajna only. Soma.

Which of the statements given above is/are 2. The two most important Rig Vedic Gods
not correct? - Indra and Agni, lost their prominence
and instead of them, Prajapati (the
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only creator) became supreme in the Later
(c) 3 only (d) 2 and 4 only Vedic Age.
Select the correct answer using the codes
2. With reference to the Vedic culture, consider given below:
the following statements about ‘Yajna’:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
1. Rajasuya Yajna involved royal
consecration and conferred supreme (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
power on the king.
5. With reference to the Later Vedic Age,
2. Aswamedha Yajna involved chariot race consider the following statements:
to win against all kinsmen.
1. The Later Vedic culture is also called as
Which of the statements given above is/are Painted Grey Ware–Iron Phase Culture.
correct?
2. The Later Vedic people were acquainted
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only with Painted Grey Ware pottery only.
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?
3. With reference to the Vedic period, consider
the following statements regarding ‘Dvija’: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only

1. Brahmanas and Kshatriyas were the only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
two varnas that were regarded as Dvija,
or twice-born.
2. The life of dvija was divided into four
ashramas.
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6. With reference to Later Vedic Economy, 9. In the context of the ancient history of India,
which of the following statements is/are consider the following pairs:
correct? Term Meaning
1. The discovery and use of iron facilitated 1. Grahpati : The head of the
the expansion of the Aryan culture during household who
the Later Vedic Period. owned the land.
2. Niskha although not as a conventional 2. Rajasuya : Villages donated
currency, but was used as a convenient to a single
unit of value. Brahmin or a
3. The most common form of transportation group of
was a waggon drawn by an oxen. Brahmins.
Select the correct answer using the code given 3. Shresthins : The guilds or
below: organisation of
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only merchants.

(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Which of the pairs given above is/are
correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only
7. The phrase ‘Satyameva Jayate’ has been
borrowed from which of the following? (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1 and 3 only

(a) Kathapanishad
(b) Chandogya Upanishad 10. What is the meaning of the term ‘Upanishad’?

(c) Mundaka Upanishad (a) Recitation (b) Following orders

(d) Puranas (c) Sitting near (d) Knowledge

8. With reference to the position of women

during later Vedic period, consider the
following statements:
1. Women were confined to domestic duties
and had inferior positions in the family.
2. Instances of Sati and Purdah were seen
and child marriages became common.
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
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Answer
1. (d) 6. (d)
2. (a) 7. (c)
3. (b) 8. (c)
4. (c) 9. (d)
5. (a) 10. (c)

Hints and Solutions
1. Option (d) is correct:
Statement 1 is correct: The changes in the
material and social life during the Later Vedic
Period led to changes in the political sphere as
well. The term ‘Rashtra’ first appeared in this
period, which denotes a territory.
Statement 2 is not correct: Early Vedic
society, which was primarily pastoral, had
changed to an agricultural society.
Statement 3 is correct: The king was usually
a kshatriya and the office of the monarch was
made almost hereditary.
Statement 4 is not correct: The king’s
influence was further strengthened with ritual
enactments such as Rajasuya, Vajapeya and
Aswamedha.
Additional Information:
Later Vedic Age:
 The Later Vedic culture is dated to the
period between 1000 BCE and 700/600
BCE.
 The Painted Grey Ware Culture
(PGW) of the Iron Age is associated with
Later Vedic Age.
 This period witnessed political, social,
economic complexity and developments.
 The terms such as rashtra - to denote a
territory, and rajya - meaning sovereign
power, appeared in this age.
 The battles were now fought over
territories rather than cows.
 The chiefs were able to grow at the
expense of the peasantry and handsomely
rewarded the priests who helped them
maintain their power.
 It was slowly turning in its later stages to
an age of the ‘janapadas’ instead of
‘janas’.
 Kings still had no standing army.
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2. Option (a) is correct:
Rajasuya Yajna involved royal consecration
and conferred supreme power on the king.
Aswamedha Yajna was a horse sacrifice
ritual. It was performed by the rulers to have
control over the area in which royal horse
ran uninterrupted.
It was the Vajapeya Yajna, which involved
chariot race to win against all kinsmen.
3. Option (b) is correct.
Statement 1 is not correct: The Dharma of a
person was influenced by a number of factors,
including ashram, varna, marital status, and
gender. The Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and
Vaishyas were three of the four varnas that
were regarded as Dvija, or twice-born.
Whereas the Shudras were burdened with
many civil disabilities.
Statement 2 is correct: The life of dvija was
divided into four ashramas viz. Brahmacharya
(Celibate student hood); Grihastha
(Household caretaker); Vanaprastha (Partial
renunciation); Sanyasa (Complete
renunciation).
4. Option (c) is correct.
Statement 1 is correct: During the Early
Vedic Age, the most important Gods were
Indra (a warrior god), Agni (the god of fire)
and Soma (a plant from which a special drink
was prepared). There was neither temple nor
idol worship in the Early Vedic age. They
generally worshipped in the open air through
yajnas.
Statement 2 is correct: The two most
important Rig Vedic Gods - Indra and Agni,
lost their prominence and instead of them,
Prajapati (the creator) became supreme in
the Later Vedic Age. Some of the other

minor gods who became prominent were -
Vishnu (conceived as the preserver and the
protector of people) and Rudra (the god of
animals).
5. Option (a) is correct:
Diverse arts and crafts were practiced in the
Later Vedic Period. The Later Vedic culture is
also called as Painted Grey Ware–Iron
Phase Culture, as a particular kind of pottery
(painted grey ware) was used during that
phase.
The Later Vedic people were acquainted
with four types of pottery:
1. Painted Grey Ware
2. Black and Red Ware
3. Black-slipped Ware
4. Red Ware
6. Option (d) is correct.
Statement 1 is correct: The earliest Aryans
lived in the land of the Sapta Sindhu. The
discovery and use of iron facilitated the
expansion of the Aryan culture during the
Later Vedic period. Iron was considered as the
main factor of expansion of the Aryan
Culture, which was introduced around 1000
BCE and is mentioned as Krishna
Ayas/Shyama Ayas. Later Vedic people also
knew the metals like Tin, lead, silver, Iron,
gold, bronze, and copper. People had
obtained knowledge of glass manufacturing
too. Shresthins indicate the guilds or
organisation of merchants.
Statement 2 is correct: Exchange was still
conducted through barter, but Niskha was
utilised as a convenient unit of value, although
not as a conventional currency.
Statement 3 is correct: During the Later
Vedic Period, the most common form of
transportation was probably a waggon drawn
by an oxen.
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7. Option (c) is correct:
Upanishads means ‘to sit nearby’.
Upanishads are the texts with philosophical
enquiries that were composed during Later
Vedic Period. They were also referred to as
Vedanta, since they were attached as the last
part of the Vedic texts. They lay stress on the
knowledge and the realization of the self or
Atman and Brahman (the Supreme Being),
meditation, cycle of birth and death. They
convey the ideas of karma, and good conduct,
self-restraint, mercy and generosity as virtues.
In the National Emblem of India, the phrase
“Satyameva Jayate” was taken from
Mundaka Upanishad, meaning ‘Truth Alone
Triumphs’.
8. Option (c) is correct:
During the Later Vedic Period, a
patrimonial system developed, and women
were generally confined to household chores
and subordinate positions. Women were not
allowed to participate in public gatherings
such as Sabhas and Samitis. As compared to
the Rig Vedic age, women lost importance
in the society.
During the Later Vedic period, the instances
of Sati and Purdah were seen, and child
marriages became common.
9. option (d) is correct.
Pair 1 is correctly matched: During the
Vedic period, the head of the household who
owned the land was termed as ‘Grahpati’.
Pair 2 is not correctly matched: Rajasuya
was a type of yajna, which was meant for
royal consecration and conferred supreme
power on the king.
Other type of Yajnas includes:
 Vajapeya Yahna: Chariot race to win
against all kinsmen.
 Aswamedha Yajna: Control over the
area in which royal horse ran
uninterrupted.
 Pair 3 is correctly matched: Shresthins
indicate the guilds or organisation of
merchants.
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10. Option (c) is correct:
Upanishads means ‘to sit nearby’.
Upanishads are texts with philosophical
enquiries, which were composed during the
Later Vedic Period. They were also referred
to as Vedanta, since they were attached as
the last part of the Vedic texts.
They lay stress on knowledge and the
realization of the self or Atman and
Brahman (the Supreme Being), meditation,
cycle of birth and death. They convey the
ideas of karma, and good conduct, self-
restraint, mercy and generosity as virtues.

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