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Practice MCQ Questions on Vedic Age | Top Vedic Era Multiple Choice Questions

MCQ Questions on Vedic Age

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Vedic Age History Multiple Choice Questions and Answers

1. ‘Ayurveda’ has its origin in
A. Rig Veda
B. Sama Veda
C. Yajur Veda
D. Atharva Veda

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The fundamentals on which the Ayurvedic system is based are essentially true for all times and do not change from are to age. These are based on human actors, on intrinsic causes. The origin of Ayurveda is attributed to Atharva Veda where mention is made several diseases with their treatments.


2. Two popular Assemblies of the Vedic period were
A. Sabha and Mahasabha
B. Mahasabha and Ganasabha
C. Sabha and Samiti
D. Ur and Kula

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The term Sabha denotes both the assembly (in early Rig-Vedic) and the assembly hall (Later Rig-Vedic). Women who were called Sabhavati also attended this assembly. It was basically a kin-based assembly and the practice of women attending it was stopped in later-Vedic times. The references to samiti come from the latest books of the Rig-Veda showing that it assumed importance only towards the end of the Rig-Vedic period. Samiti was a folk assembly in which people of the tribe gathered for transacting tribal business. It discussed philosophical issues and was concerned with religious ceremonies and prayers. References suggest that the Rajan was elected and re-elected by the Samiti.


3. The Rigvedic Aryans were governed by a
A. Tribal republic
B. Form of democracy
C. Monarchical government
D. Rule by elders

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Monarchy was the normal form of Government. Kingship was hereditary. But there was a sort of hierarchy in some states, several members of the royal family exercising the power in common. There were references of democratic form of government and their chiefs were elected by the assembled people.


4. In the early Vedic-period, Varna system was based on
A. Education
B. Birth
C. Occupation
D. Talent

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The terms varna (theoretical classification based on occupation). The classical authors scarcely speak of anything other than the varnas. ‘Varna’ defines the hereditary roots of a newborn, it indicates the colour, type, order or class of people.


5. The ritualistic precepts pertaining to the hymns of the Vedas are known as the
A. Samhitas
B. Aranyakas
C. Brahmanas
D. Upanishads

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The Brahmanas are chiefly religious documents, including ritualistic precepts and sacrificial duties.


6. The famous vedic saying “war begins in the minds of men” is contained in the
A. Mundakopanishad
B. Mahabharata
C. Rig Veda
D. Atharva Veda

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The famous vedic saying “war begins in the minds of men” is contained in the Atharva Veda.


7. The crop which was not known to Vedic people is
A. Barley
B. Wheat
C. Rice
D. Tobacco

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : Wheat, Barley and Rice were the major food grains consumed of Vedic people. Tobacco was not known to Vedic people.


8. Which of the following Craftsmanship was not practised by the Aryans?
A. Pottery
B. Jewellery
C. Carpentry
D. Blacksmith

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : Blacksmith craftsmanship was not practised by the Aryans. Iron metal was not known to Aryans who belonged to Vedic age. The people post – Vedic age used Iron.


9. Who was the eldest brother among the Pandavas?
A. Yudhishthira
B. Bhima
C. Sahadeva
D. Nakula

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : Yudhishthira was the eldest brother among the Pandavas (Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva).


10. The Veda which deals with the rituals is known as
A. Rig veda
B. Yajur veda
C. Sama veda
D. Atharva veda

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : “Yajus” means “sacrificial formula” and Yajurveda is the book of sacrificial prayers. It contains the rituals of the Yajnas. It is estimated to have been composed between 1,400 and 1000 BC.


11. The name of the Indian Astronomer (who knew five astronomical systems), who lived in the 6th century was
A. Varahamihira
B. Bhandarkar
C. Pujyapada
D. Prasastapada

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : Vārāhamihira (c. early 6th-century), also called Vārāha or Mihira, was a Hindu polymath who lived in Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh, India). He was born in the Avanti region, roughly corresponding to modern-day Malwa, to Adityadasa, who was himself an astronomer.


12. Who among the following was the pioneer of Yoga?
A. Patanjali
B. Banabhatta
C. Atreya
D. Vrudukanta

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : The compiler of the Yoga sūtras, a text on Yoga theory and practice, and a notable scholar of Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy. There is a fourth Hindu scholar also named Patanjali, who likely lived in 8th-century CE and wrote a commentary on Charaka Samhita and this text is called Carakavarttika.


13. The philosophical essence, The world is but God manifest and God is my own soul may be traced to the
A. Vedas
B. Upanishadas
C. Puranas
D. Manusmriti

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : God is not merely the transcendent numinous other, but is also the universal spirit, which is the basis of human personality and its ever renewing vitalizing power.


14. Which one of the following Vedas contains sacrificial formula?
A. Sama Veda
B. Rig Veda
C. Yajur Veda
D. Atharva Veda

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Yajurveda is a compound Sanskrit word, composed of yajus and veda. Michael Witzel interprets Yajurveda to mean a “knowledge text of prose mantras” used in Vedic rituals. Ralph Griffith interprets the name to mean “knowledge of sacrifice or sacrificial texts and formulas”.


15. Name the temple in Combodia where scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharatha are depicted
A. Borobudur
B. Kailashnath
C. Angkor Wat
D. Brihadeshwara

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia and one of the largest religious monuments in the world, on a site measuring 162.6 hectares (1,626,000 m2; 402 acres). Its gallery bear a series of large-scale scenes mainly depicting episodes from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.


16. The most important craftsman in the Vedic period was the
A. blacksmith
B. goldsmith
C. carpenter
D. barber

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Carpenter was the most celebrated craftsman in the Vedic age.


17. Which of the following contains the famous Gayatrimantra?
A. Rigveda
B. Samaveda
C. Kathopanishad
D. Aitareya Brahmana

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : The Gāyatrī, also known as the Sāvitrī mantra, is a highly revered mantra from the Rig Veda, dedicated to Savitr, the sun deity. Gāyatrī is the name of the Vedic meter in which the verse is composed. Its recitation is traditionally preceded by oṃ and the formula bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, known as the mahāvyāhṛti, or “great (mystical) utterance”. Vishvamitra is said to have created the Gayatri mantra.


18. The Sage who is said to have Aryanised South India, was
A. Yagnavalkya
B. Vashistha
C. Agastya
D. Vishwamitra

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The age of vedic Risi Agastya, who is said to have established brahmanical settlements on the distant Podiyur hill(Tennevelly district), besides those in the Dekkan. The traditional division of Southern India was into three kingdoms- Ceras of Malabar, Pandyas of Madurai and Tinnevelly and the Colas who ruled tract above the Pandyas upto the Penner river. Agastya was the first to write grammar of Tamil language. He spread the Aryan culture and literature in South India.


19. The only Veda to have been rendered musically is
A. The Rig Veda
B. The Sama Veda
C. The Yajur Veda
D. The Atharva Veda

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : Sama Veda, Samveda, or Samaveda (sāmaveda, from sāman “melody” and veda “knowledge”), is the third of the four Vedas, the ancient core Hindu scriptures, along with the Rig Veda, Yajurveda, and Atharva Veda. Its secret is in its musical annotation and rendering.


20. From where the famous ‘Gayatri Mantra’ has been taken?
A. Yajur veda
B. Atharva Veda
C. Rig Veda
D. Sarna Veda

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The Gāyatrī, also known as the Sāvitrī mantra, is a highly revered mantra from the Rig Veda, dedicated to Savitr, the sun deity. Gāyatrī is the name of the Vedic meter in which the verse is composed. Vishvamitra is said to have created the Gayatri mantra.


21. The Upanishads are separated from the Brahmanas by treatises called __________
A. Vedas
B. Aranyakas
C. Epics
D. Puranas

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : It is contained within the Shatapatha Brahmana (Brahmana is a collection of ancient Indian texts with commentaries on the Vedas.), which is itself a part of Shukla Yajur Veda. Brihad means great. Aryanka means pertaining to the forest. Aranyaka in the Upanishadic context refers to a treatise to be read or expounded by anchorites in the quiet of the forest.


22. In which century did the first movement against vedic ritualistic practices start?
A. 19th century BC
B. 14th century BC
C. 5th century AD
D. 600 BC

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The C 600 BC saw the religious and economic reform movement in the Gangetic basin. Numerous religious sects arose in this area in Sixth Century BC. We hear of as many as 62 religious sects. Many of these sects were based on regional customs and rituals practiced by different people.


23. Recognize the medicinal trio of ancient India from the following options
A. Charaka Sushruta and Bharata
B. Charak Sushruta and Patanjali
C. Charak Sushruta and Banabhatta
D. Charak Vatsyayana and Banabhatta

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : The great medical trio of ancient India is Charak, Sushruta, Patanjali. Charaka (3rd century BC) was one of the principal contributors to Ayurveda, a system of medicine and lifestyle developed in Ancient India. He is known for authoring the medical treatise, the Charaka Samhita. The Sushruta Samhita is an ancient Sanskrit text on medicine and surgery, and one of the most important such treatises on this subject to survive from the ancient world.


24. The Vedic deity Indra was the god of
A. Fire
B. Rain and Thunder
C. Eternity
D. Wind

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : In the Vedas, Indra is the king of Svarga (Heaven) and the Devas. He is the god of the heavens, lightning, thunder, storms, rains and river flows.


25. The term ‘Philosophy’ is derived from which of the following?
A. Ancient Greek
B. Ancient Roman
C. Hebrew Language
D. English

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : The original meaning of the word philosophy comes from the ancient Greek roots philo- meaning “love” and -sophos, or “wisdom.”


26. Which one of the following stages of the life of man in Aryan Society, in ascending order of age, is correct?
A. Brahmacharya- Grihashta- Vanaprastha- Sanyasa
B. Grihastha- Brahmacharya- Vanaprashta- Sanyasa
C. Brahmacharya- Vanprastha- Sanyasa- Grihastha
D. Grihastha- Sanyasa- Vanaprastha- Brahmacharya

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : Ashram system of Vedic period were the four stages of life. The four Ashramas are – (i) Brahmacharya (Student life) (ii) Grihastha (familylife) (iii)Vanaprastha (Retired life) (iv)Sanyasa (life of renunciation)


27. The Atharva Veda does not discuss the ideal of
A. Karma
B. Jnana
C. Upasana
D. Moksha

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : Moksha also called vimoksha, vimukti and mukti, is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism which refers to various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriological and eschatological senses, it refers to freedom from saṃsāra, the cycle of death and rebirth. In its epistemological and psychological senses, moksha refers to freedom from ignorance: self-realization, self-actualization and self-knowledge.


28. Which of the following was the God of Animal during the later Vedic period?
A. Indra
B. Rudra
C. Vishnu
D. Prajapati

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : Rudra, in the form of Pashupati is the God of the animals in the vedic period.


29. Which of the following Gods lost his importance as the first deity during the later Vedic period?
A. Varuna
B. Agni
C. Vishnu
D. Rudra

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : God Varuna lost his importance as the first deity during the later vedic period.


30. The Upanishads are a series of books devoted to
A. Yoga
B. Social law
C. Religious rituals
D. Philosophy

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : Upanishads are religious and philosophical treatises, forming part of the early Indian Vedas. The preceding portions are the Mantras, or Hymns to the Vedic gods, and the Brāhmaṇas, or directories on and explanations of the sacrificial ritual.


31. The staple food of the Vedic Aryans was
A. Barley and rice
B. Milk and its products
C. Rice and pulses
D. Vegetables and fruits

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : A staple food, or simply a staple, is a food that is eaten routinely and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet for a given people, supplying a large fraction of energy needs and generally forming a significant proportion of the intake of other nutrients as well. Milk and its products were used by the Vedic Aryan as a staple food.


32. The Vedic religion along with its Later (Vedic) developments is actually known as
A. Hinduism
B. Brahmanism
C. Bhagavatism
D. Vedic Dharma

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : The historical Vedic religion (also known as Vedism, Brahmanism, Vedic Brahmanism, and ancient Hinduism) refers to the religious ideas and practices among Indo-Aryan-speaking peoples of ancient India after about 1500 BCE.


33. The Earliest Settlements of Aryan tribes were at
A. Uttar Pradesh
B. Bengal
C. Sapta Sindhu
D. Delhi

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The Aryans were pastoral Nomads. They settled in villages. The region which the Aryans occupied was known as Sapta Sindhu.


34. Which of the following rivers does not find frequent mention in Rigvedic Hymns?
A. Ganges
B. Sindhu
C. Brahmaputra
D. Saraswati

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Brahmaputra rivers does not find frequent mention in Rigvedic Hymns.


35. In the Rigveda the term Dasas and Dasyus refers to
A. robbers
B. tribals
C. non-Aryans
D. menials

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The Rigveda contains accounts of conflicts between the Aryas and the Dasas and Dasyus. It describes Dasas and Dasyus as people who do not perform sacrifices (akratu) or obey the commandments of gods (avrata). Their speech is described as mridhra which could variously mean soft, uncouth, hostile, scornful or abusive. Other adjectives which describe their physical appearance are subject to many interpretations. However, some modern scholars such as Asko Parpola connect the Dasas and Dasyus to Iranian tribes Dahae and Dahyu and believe that Dasas and Dasyus were early Indo-Aryan immigrants who arrived into the subcontinent before the Vedic Aryans.


36. The Rig-Vedic Aryans were a pastoral people is born out by the fact that
A. There are many references to the cow in the Rig-Veda
B. Most of the wars were fought for the sake of cows
C. Gifts made to priests were usually cows
D. All of the above

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The economy of Rig-vedic Aryan was dependent on pastoralism and agriculture. Cattle was the measure of wealth. The wealthyman was called Gomat. They used the term ‘Aghanya’ for cow which mean not to be killed.


37. Division of the Vedic society into four classes is clearly mentioned in the
A. Yajurveda
B. Purusa-sukta of Rigveda
C. Upanishads
D. Shatapatha Brahmana

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : Division of the Vedic society into four classes is clearly mentioned in the purusa sukta of rig veda. The Purusha sukta visualised the four varnas as hierarchical.


38. Which of the following are essentially books of rituals?
A. The Vedas
B. The Upanishads
C. The Aranyakas
D. The Brahmanas

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : A few ancient Upanishads, especially the ones derived from the Brahmanas, also contain information about them to denote their spiritual significance. Apart from the Vedas, our knowledge of rituals also comes to us from other sources such as the Tantras, Agama Shastras, and several Vaishnava texts.


39. Who compiled the tales of “The Panchatantra”?
A. Valmiki
B. Veda Vyasa
C. Vishnu Sharma
D. Tulsidas

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Vishnu Sharma was an Indian scholar and author who is believed to have written the Panchatantra collection of fables. The exact period of the composition of the Panchatantra is uncertain, and estimates vary from 1200 BCE to 300 CE.


40. The Upanishads are the__________
A. Great Epics
B. Story Books
C. Source of Hindu Philosophy
D. Law Books

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The Upanishads are a collection of texts of religious and philosophical nature, written in India probably between c. 800 BCE and c. 500 BCE, during a time when Indian society started to question the traditional Vedic religious order. Some of their speculations and philosophy were compiled into the Upanishads.


41. Find the odd one
A. Sam veda
B. Yajur veda
C. Vishnu Purana
D. Rig veda

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The ‘Vishnu Purana’ is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of ancient and medieval texts of Hinduism. It is an important Pancharatra text in the Vaishnavism literature corpus. The manuscripts of Vishnu Purana have survived into the modern era in many versions.


42. Who among the following was not a physician?
A. Sushruta
B. Charaka
C. Charvaka
D. Dhanvantari

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Charvaka, originally known as Lokāyata and Bṛhaspatya, is the ancient school of Indian materialism. Charvaka holds direct perception, empiricism, and conditional inference as proper sources of knowledge, embraces philosophical skepticism and rejects Vedas, Vedic ritualism, and supernaturalism.


43. The Vedic Aryans first settled in the region of
A. Central India
B. Gangetic Doab
C. Saptasindhu
D. Kashmir and Punjab

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : In India Aryans first settled in the Land of Seven Rivers then known as Saptasindhva. Saptasindhva is the region of modern Punjab.


44. The first to invade India were the
A. Aryans
B. Greeks
C. Persians
D. Arabs

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : In the later 20th century, ideas were refined along with data accrual, and migration and acculturation were seen as the methods whereby Indo-Aryans and their language and culture spread into northwest India around 1500 BCE. The term “invasion” is only being used nowadays by opponents of the Indo-Aryan Migration theory.


45. The Hindu social sacraments such as marriage etc. are performed on the basis of the rituals described in the
A. Rigveda
B. Yajurveda
C. Grihyasutras
D. Upanishad

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The Grihya Sutras are sacred Hindu texts containing information regarding Vedic domestic rites and rituals meant for the householders. The Grihya Sutras as their name suggests deal with domestic rituals such as conception, birth, initiation (upanayanam), marriage, death etc.


46. Earlier mathematicians (i.e. those who came before medieval Indian mathematicians) had taught that X/O= X; who among the following proved that it was infinity?

A. Aryabhatta
B. Bhaskara
C. Brahmagupta
D. Mahavira

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : The mathematical implications of zero (Shunya) and infinity, never more than vaguely realized by classical authorities, were fully understood in medieval India. Earlier mathematicians had taught that x/o=x, but Bhaskara proved that it was infinity.


47. Which of the following Vedas is rendered musically?
A. Rig Veda
B. Yajur Veda
C. Sama Veda
D. Atharva Veda

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : It consists hymns of the Rigveda put to a musical measure. Hence the text of the Sama Veda is an alternative version of the Rig Veda. Its secret is in its musical annotation and rendering.


48. This Vedic God was ‘a breaker of the forts’ and also a ‘war god’
A. Indra
B. Yama
C. Marut
D. Varuna

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : Indra a war god, breaker of forts (Purandra). Indra was the most important divinity and was lord of war. He destroyed the forts of Dasyus, so also known as Purandhar.


49. Which of the following School challenges the authority of the Vedas as well as the hegemony the Brahman priests?
A. Charvaka Philosophy of Materialism
B. Ajivika School
C. Purva Mimamsa
D. Vedanta

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : The Charvaka school was a philosophical movement in India that rejected the traditional religious order by challenging the authority of the Vedas as well as the hegemony the Brahman priests.


50. The word ‘Veda’ has been derived from the root word ‘Vid’ which means
A. Divinity
B. Sacredness
C. Doctrine
D. Knowledge

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The Sanskrit word véda “knowledge, wisdom” is derived from the root vid.


51. Which of the following Vedas deals with magic spells and witchcraft?
A. Rigveda
B. Samaveda
C. Yajurveda
D. Atharvaveda

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The Atharva Veda is the “knowledge storehouse of atharvāṇas, the procedures for everyday. The Atharvaveda is sometimes called the “Veda of magical formulas”. Atharvaveda Samhita as mere compilation of magical formulas.


52. The famous poet Kalidasa lived in the court of
A. Chandragupta
B. Chandragupta-II
C. Samudragupta
D. Kumaragupta

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : Kalidasa was a court poet of a king named Vikramaditya(Chandragupta-II).


53. The term used to denote a group of families in the vedic society was
A. Vish
B. Jana
C. Grama
D. Gotra

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : In the Vedic Society, the term used to denote a group of families was: Jana.


54. The first one, among the following, to deal with music was
A. Rig Veda
B. Yajur Veda
C. Sama Veda
D. Atharva Veda

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Sama Veda is perhaps the earliest human literature on music. It naturally incorporates music, mantra, chhanda, linguistics, and above all, a reflection of the world view of rishis who communicated in the Arsha language, precursor to the more regimented Girvan (later called Sanskrit).


55. The family of the Rig Vedic Aryans was
A. Patrilineal
B. Patriarchal
C. Matriarchal
D. Matrilineal

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : The family system was based on the patriarchal form of society where the father or the grandfather wielded the supreme authority.


56. The words “Satyameva Jayate” in the State Emblem of India were taken from
A. Upanishads
B. Sama Veda
C. Rig Veda
D. Ramayana

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : “Satyameva Jayate” (Truth alone triumphs) is a mantra from the ancient Indian scripture Mundaka Upanishad.


57. Subject matter which Manu Smriti deals with is related to
A. Economics
B. Politics
C. Law
D. Arts

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The Manusmṛti also spelled as Manusmriti, is an ancient legal text among the many Dharmaśāstras of Hinduism. It was one of the first Sanskrit texts to have been translated into English in 1776, by Sir William Jones, and was used to formulate the Hindu law by the British colonial government.


58. In the Rigvedic period, after the king the next most important functionary of the state was the
A. Senani
B. Revenue collector
C. Magician-doctor
D. Purohita

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : In the Rigvedic period, after the king the next most Important functionary of the State was the Purohita.


59. The origins of Indian music could be traced to
A. Rigvedic Samhita
B. Yajurvedic Samhita
C. Samavedic Samhita
D. Atharvavedic Samhita

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Samaveda samhita is not meant to be read as a text, it is like a musical score sheet that must be heard.


60. After the growth of the Vedic religion the most important development in the history of the so-called Hinduism was the development of
A. Shaivism
B. Saktism
C. Bhagavatism
D. Tantricism

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : After the growth of the Vedic religion the most important development in the history of the so-called Hinduism was the development of bhagavatism.


61. Which of the following is the oldest of the Vedas?
A. Sama Veda
B. Atharva Veda
C. Yajur Veda
D. Rig Veda

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The Rigveda is the oldest work, which Witzel states are probably from the period of 1900 to 1100 BCE. Witzel, also notes that it is the Vedic period itself, where incipient lists divide the Vedic texts into three (trayī) or four branches: Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva.


62. The ramous Vedic river which had long ago become extinct and now supposed to be flowing underground in Rajasthan is
A. Sindhu
B. Sabastu
C. Shatudri
D. Saraswati

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : Scientists say new evidence could unearth the Saraswati. The legend of the mighty Saraswati river has lived on in India since time immemorial. Ancient Hindu scriptures called the Vedas, recorded thousands of years ago, are full of tantalizing hymns about it being the life-stream of the people.


63. The first grammarian of the Sanskrit language was
A. Kalhana
B. Maitreyi
C. Kalidasa
D. Panini

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : Pāṇini (fl. 4th century BCE or “6th to 5th century BCE”) was an ancient Sanskrit philologist, grammarian, and a revered scholar in ancient India.


64. The normal form of government during the Vedic period was
A. democracy
B. republics
C. oligarchy
D. monarchy

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : A monarch, such as a king or queen, rules a kingdom or empire. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch’s power is limited by a constitution. But in an absolute monarchy, the monarch has unlimited power.


65. The philosophy propounded in the Upanishads is known as
A. Advaita
B. Vedanta
C. Yoga
D. Samkhya

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : The Upanishads are commonly referred to as Vedanta. The Upanishads alone are widely known and among the most important literature in the history of Indian religions and culture and their central ideas are at the spiritual core of Hindus. The upanishads are a part of the Vedas and are ancient Sanskrit texts that contain some of the central philosophical concepts and ideas of Hinduism, some of which are shared with Buddhism, and Jainism.


66. A ‘Sabha’ in the Vedic period was a/an
A. Institution of professional men in villages
B. Royal Court
C. Mantri Parishad
D. National Assembly of all Citizens of the State.

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The term Sabha denotes both the assembly (in early Rig-Vedic) and the assembly hall (Later Rig-Vedic). Women who were called Sabhavati also attended this assembly. It was basically a kin-based assembly and the practice of women attending it was stopped in later-Vedic times.


67. The tax which the kings used to collect from the people in the Vedic period was called
A. Bali
B. Vidatha
C. Varman
D. Kara

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : In Vedic age the king used to collect Bali from the people which is an offering made to king or God. It was voluntarily paid in Rig-Vedic Period but later it was made compulsory.


68. The Ramayana narrates events believed to have taken place in the __________ Yuga or age
A. Sat
B. Dwapar
C. Kal
D. Treta

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : Ramayana happened 5114 BC i.e; in Tretayuga. According to Hindu belief a Kalpa is the half day (excluding night) of Brahma, the god of creation. As per various Puranas Lord Rama was born in Treta Yuga.


69. Two highest gods in the Vedic religion were
A. Agni and Savitri
B. Vishnu and Mitra
C. Indra and Varuna
D. Surya and Pushan

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : In early Hinduism, Varuna Sanskrit (meaning “to surround”) was a Vedic solar god who, in Hindu mythology, presided over the celestial ocean surrounding the earth. In ancient India, he enjoyed supremacy over the Vedic pantheon as the god of the universal law/moral order (rta), though he was eventually usurped by Indra, the god of storms.


70. I. This school eventually merged because of their closely related metaphysical theories (although Vaisheshika only accepted perception and inference as sources of valid knowledge). ,II. Mimamsa accept the logical and philosophical teachings of the other schools, they insist that salvation can only be attained by acting in accordance with the prescriptions of the Vedas.,Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct related to the Purva Mimamsa?
A. I only
B. II only
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : The Mimamsa accept the logical and philosophical teachings of the other schools, they insist that salvation can only be attained by acting in accordance with the prescriptions of the Vedas. It says that the essence of the Vedas is dharma. By the execution of dharma one earns merit which leads one to heaven after death. If one does not follow one’s dharma or prescribed duties, then one incurs sin and as a consequence suffers in hell.


71. I. System of Purva Mimamsa was propagated by sage Jaimini, a disciple of Veda Vyasa.,II. The main objective of the Purva Mimamsa School is to interpret and establish the authority of the Vedas.,Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct related to the Purva Mimamsa?
A. I only
B. II only
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The Mimamsa Sutra or the Purva Mimamsa Sutras (300–200 BCE), written by Rishi Jaimini is one of the most important ancient Hindu philosophical texts. It forms the basis of Mimamsa, the earliest of the six orthodox schools (darshanas) of Indian philosophy. According to tradition, sage Jaimini was one of the disciples of sage Veda Vyasa, the author of Mahabharata.


72. I. VishishtAdvaita (“Advaita with uniqueness; qualifications”) is a non-dualistic school of Vedanta philosophy.,II. Ramanuja, the main proponent of Vishishtadvaita philosophy contends that the Prasthana Traya (“The three courses”), namely the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahma Sutras are to be interpreted in a way that shows this unity in diversity. ,Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct related to the Visishtadvaita?
A. I only
B. II only
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : VishishtAdvaita (literally “Advaita with uniqueness; qualifications”) is a non-dualistic school of Vedanta philosophy. It is non-dualism of the qualified whole, in which Brahman alone exists, but is characterized by multiplicity. It can be described as qualified monism or qualified non-dualism or attributive monism.


73. The home of Gargi, Maitrey and Kapila was at
A. Vidisha
B. Ujjain
C. Pataliputra
D. Mithila

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : Gargi,Maitrey and Kapila all were great philosophers of Vedic Age. They all belonged to Mithila (present-Bihar). Mithila is a geographical and cultural region located in the Indian subcontinent, comprising Tirhut, Darbhanga, Kosi, Purnia, Munger, Bhagalpur and Santhal Pargana divisions of India and some adjoining districts of Nepal. The native language is known as Maithili and its speakers are referred to as Maithils.


74. Which metal was first used by the Vedic people?
A. Silver
B. Gold
C. Iron
D. Copper

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : During the Rig Vedic period only copper was used for which the general term – ‘ayas’ has been used. In a later period when iron came into use, copper and iron came to be known as lohit ayas and syam ayas respectively.


75. That the Rig Vedic Aryana were a pastoral people is borne out by the fact that
A. there are many references to the cow in the Rig Veda
B. Most of the wars were fought for the sake of cows
C. Gifts made to priests were usually cows and not land
D. All of the above

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The Vedas were composed and orally transmitted with precision by speakers of an Old Indo-Aryan language who had migrated into the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent early in this period. The associated Vedic culture was tribal and pastoral until c. 1200 or 1100 BCE and centred in the Punjab.


76. What does the Yajur Veda contain?
A. Only hymns
B. Spells and charms
C. Hymns and rituals
D. Commentaries on society

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : “Yajus” means “sacrificial formula” and Yajurveda is the book of sacrificial prayers. It contains the rituals and hymns of the Yajnas.


77. The later Vedic Age means the age of the compilation of
A. Samhitas
B. Brahmanas
C. Aranyakas
D. All the above

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The later Vedic Age means the age of the compilation of Samhitas, Brahmanas and Aranyakas.


78. The origin of Indian music can be traced to which of the following Vedic Samhitas?
A. Rigveda
B. Samaveda
C. Yajurveda
D. Atharvaveda

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : The origin of Indian music can be traced to Samaveda in Vedic Samhita.


79. Who is hailed as the “God of Medicine” by the practitioners of Ayurveda?
A. Susruta
B. Chyavana
C. Dhanwantari
D. Charaka

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Dhanvantari is the Hindu god of medicine and an avatar of Lord Vishnu. He is mentionned in the Puranas as the god of Ayurveda. He is a Yakshas, and during the Samudramanthan arose from the Ocean of Milk with the nectar of immortality. It is common practice in Hinduism for worshipers to pray to Dhanvantari seeking his blessings for sound health for themselves and/or others, especially on Dhanteras or Dhanwantari Trayodashi. The Indian Government has declared that Dhanwantari Trayodashii Kumara every year would be celebrated as “National Ayurveda Day”.


80. The Rig Veda consists of
A. 1000 hymns
B. 1028 hymns
C. 500 hymns
D. 2000 hymns

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : It consists of 1,017 hymns (1,028 including the apocryphal valakhilya hymns 8.49–8.59) composed in Vedic Sanskrit, many of which are intended for various sacrificial rituals.


81. I. The Vedanta, or Uttara Mimamsa, school concentrates on the philosophical teachings of the Upanishads (mystic or spiritual contemplations within the Vedas), rather than the Brahmanas (instructions for ritual and sacrifice).,II. The Vedanta focus on meditation, self-discipline and spiritual connectivity, more than traditional ritualism.,Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct related to the Uttara Mimamsa or Vedanta?
A. I only
B. II only
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Vedanta is one of the six classic schools of Hindu philosophy and is sometimes called Uttara Mimamsa. Vedanta is further divided into six sub-schools. Vedantins don’t typically focus on traditional rituals, choosing instead to concentrate on self-discipline, meditation and connection with Spirit.


82. The Vedic economy was based on
A. trade and commerce
B. crafts and industries
C. agriculture and cattle rearing
D. all the above

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The cattle in general and cow in particular was the main medium of exchange during the Rig Vedic period. The economy was based upon agriculture.


83. The word ‘Veda’ means
A. Knowledge
B. Wisdom
C. Skill
D. Power

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : The term Veda comes from the root ‘Vid’, to know. The word Veda means knowledge. When it is applied to scripture, it signifies a book of knowledge. The Vedas are the foundational scriptures of the Hindus.


84. The Aryans succeeded in their conflicts with the pre-Aryans because
A. They used elephants on a large scale
B. They were taller and stronger
C. They were from an advanced urban culture
D. They used chariots driven by horses

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The Aryans succeeded in their conflicts with the pre-Aryans because they used chariots driven by horses. The success of Aryans over pre-Aryans can be attributed to the fact that the former had more advanced Bronze and Iron tools, ox-carts and horse carts with light spoked wheels.


85. The most important text of vedic mathematics is
A. Satapatha Brahman
B. Atharva Veda
C. Sulva Sutras
D. Chhandogya Upanishad

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The Shulva Sutras are sutra texts belonging to the Śrauta ritual and containing geometry related to fire-altar construction. The Science of the Sulva. A study in early Hindu geometry. Sulva-sutras represent the ‘traditional’ material along with further related elaboration of Vedic mathematics.


86. The god whose worship had not gained ground in the Rigvedic period was
A. Marut
B. Lord Shiva
C. Agni
D. Indra

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : The god whose worship had not gained ground in the Rlgvedic period was lord shiva. Indra, a heroic god, slayer of Vritra and destroyer of the Vala, liberator of the cows and the rivers; Agni the sacrificial fire and messenger of the gods; and Soma, the ritual drink dedicated to Indra, are the most prominent deities.


87. The term ‘Upanishad’ Literally implies
A. Knowledge
B. Wisdom
C. Sitting near
D. Recitation

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : The literal meaning of upanishad, “sitting near devotedly,” brings picturesquely to mind an earnest disciple learning from his teacher. The word also means “secret teaching”—secret, no doubt, because a teaching vouchsafed only to those who are spiritually ready to receive and profit by it.


88. The chief impact of vedic culture on Indian history has been
A. The growth of Sanskrit
B. The rise of an other-worldly outlook
C. The progress of philosophy
D. The consolidation of the caste system

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The chief impact of vedic culture on Indian history has been caste system. In the beginning, the class system was not rigid. But in the later Vedic period it became rigid when the Brahmins and the kshatriyas became powerful and the vaishyas were made to pay tributes. The sudras became miserable and began to be treated as untouchables. The caste system, in those days had some advantages.


89. The institution of varna appeared in the
A. Rigvedic period
B. Later vedic period
C. Period of the Manava Dharm Shastra
D. Period of consolidation of text of the Mahabharata

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : The word appears in the Rigveda, where it means “colour, outward appearance, exterior, form, figure or shape”. The word means “color, tint, dye or pigment” in the Mahabharata. Varna contextually means “colour, race, tribe, species, kind, sort, nature, character, quality, property” of an object or people in some Vedic and medieval texts. Varna refers to four social classes in the Manusmriti.


90. Aryabhatta and Varahamihira lived during the
A. Maurya Period
B. Gupta Period
C. Nanda Period
D. Sunga Period

Answer

Answer: Option B
Explanation : The Gupta period witnessed a brilliant activity in the sphere of mathematics, astronomy, astrology and medicine. Aryabhatta was a great mathematician and astronomer. He wrote the book Aryabhatiya in 499 A.D. Varahamihira was born in 499 A.D. into a family of Brahmins settled at Kapittha, a village near Ujjain. His father, Adityadasa was a worshipper of the Sun god and it was he who taught Varahamihira astrology. On a visit to Kusumapura (Patna) young Varahamihira met the great astronomer and mathematician, Aryabhata. The meeting inspired him so much the he decided to take up astrology and astronomy as a lifetime pursuit. At that time, Ujjain was the centre of learning, where many schools of arts, science and culture were flourishing in the prosperity of the Gupta reign. Varahamihira, therefore, shifted to this city, where scholars from distant lands were gathering. In due course, his astrological skills came to the notice of Vikramaditya Chandragupta ii, who made him one of the Nine Gems of his court.


91. Which sage or scholar had recast the original single Veda into four distinct Vedas?
A. Patanjali
B. Kapila
C. Vyasa
D. Shankaracharya

Answer

Answer: Option C
Explanation : Vyasa is the compiler of the Vedas, who arranged the four kinds of mantras into four Samhitas.


92. Two most important acts and rituals associated with the Vedic marriage system was/were
A. Pani-Grahana
B. Sapta-Padi
C. Marriage Vows
D. Both A and B above

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : Panigrahan is when the groom clasps in his hand the hand of the bride, with her fingers and her palm facing downwards. The saptapadi are steps taken to be liberated from the Saptaloks (Seven higher regions) and saptakoshas (Seven subtle sheaths) as a couple. A Hindu marriage gets legalized only after completion of the saptapadi.


93. The salient feature of the Rig Vedic religion was worship of
A. Nature
B. Pasupati
C. Trimurti
D. Mother Goddess

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : The salient feature of the Rig Vedic religion was worship of nature.


94. Which of the following Vedas was compiled first?
A. Rigveda
B. Samaveda
C. Yajurveda
D. Atharvaveda

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : The Rig Veda is a collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns counted among the four Hindu religious texts known as the Vedas. The Rig Veda was likely composed between roughly 1700–1100 BCE, making it one of the oldest texts of any Indo-Iranian language, one of the world’s oldest religious texts.


95. The caste system of India was created for
A. Immobility of labour
B. Recognization of the dignity of labour
C. Economic uplift
D. Occupational division of labour

Answer

Answer: Option D
Explanation : The cast system in vedic period was occupational division of labour but in post vedicon the behalf of the birth.


96. Which of the following Vedas provides information about the civilization of the Early Vedic Age?
A. Rig-veda
B. Yajur-veda
C. Atharva-veda
D. Sarna-veda

Answer

Answer: Option A
Explanation : The Rig Veda is a collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns counted among the four Hindu religious texts known as the Vedas. The Rig Veda was likely composed between roughly 1700–1100 BCE, making it one of the oldest texts of any Indo-Iranian language, one of the world’s oldest religious texts.


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