Top Ancient History Questions & Mock Test for SSC Exam 2025
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Here are the most important and frequently asked Ancient Indian History MCQs from previous SSC exams. These questions are highly useful for SSC CGL, CHSL, GD, MTS, and other competitive government exams.
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Ancient History Useful MCQs
- Q1: As per ancient Indian philosophy, the Purusharthas or the four aims of life does NOT include :
- a) Dharma (righteousness)
- b) Artha (material prosperity)
- c) Moksha (liberation)
- d) Kama (pleasure)
- Explanation: The four traditional Purusharthas are Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. All of them are considered aims of life. The question asks what is NOT included, but all options provided are indeed part of the Purusharthas. If the question implies one that is not an aim, it’s incorrect. Assuming it implies one that is not one of the first three or something similar, Moksha is often seen as the ultimate goal, sometimes distinct from the initial three worldly pursuits. However, to directly answer the question, all listed are Purusharthas. If this is a trick question or there’s a misunderstanding of the options, please clarify. Given the standard definition, all are included.
- Q2: The Vedic view of an individual and his relation to society is determined by four objectives of life. Which of the following is NOT one of these objectives?
- a) Dharma
- b) Artha
- c) Kama
- d) Ahimsa
- Explanation: The four objectives of life (Purusharthas) in Vedic philosophy are Dharma (righteousness), Artha (material prosperity), Kama (pleasure), and Moksha (liberation). Ahimsa (non-violence) is a principle or value, but not one of the four main objectives of life.
- Q3: The Vedic literature was composed between:
- a) 3000-2500 BCE
- b) 2500-1500 BCE
- c) 1500-500 BCE
- d) 500-100 BCE
- Explanation: The Vedic period in India is generally estimated to have lasted from roughly 1500 BCE to 500 BCE, during which the Vedic literature (Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads) was composed.
- Q4: The veda which deals with the rituals is known as………….
- a) Rigveda
- b) Samaveda
- c) Yajurveda
- d) Atharvaveda
- Explanation: The Yajurveda primarily deals with the procedures for performing rituals (yajnas) and sacrificial formulas.
- Q5: Which of the following rivers was known as Parushni in the Vedic period ?
- a) Jhelum
- b) Chenab
- c) Ravi
- d) Sutlej
- Explanation: The ancient Vedic name for the Ravi River is Parushni.
- Q6: What is the Rigvedic name of the river Ravi ?
- a) Vitasta
- b) Parushni
- c) Askini
- d) Shutudri
- Explanation: The Rigvedic name for the river Ravi is Parushni.
- Q7: The river Indus was called ______ by the Iranians and the Greeks about 2500 years ago.
- a) Sindhu
- b) Hindos/Indos
- c) Saraswati
- d) Sapta-Sindhu
- Explanation: The Iranians called the river “Hindu” (from Sindhu), and the Greeks, who came into contact with them, adapted it to “Indos,” from which the name “India” is derived.
- Q8: Who among the following scholars is associated with the Tibet-home theory of the Aryans?
- a) Max Muller
- b) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
- c) Dayananda Saraswati
- d) A.C. Das
- Explanation: Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the founder of the Arya Samaj, proposed the theory that the original home of the Aryans was Tibet.
- Q9: The Sankhya Darshan sect was founded by _
- a) Patanjali
- b) Kapila
- c) Gautama
- d) Kanada
- Explanation: The Sankhya school of Hindu philosophy is traditionally attributed to the sage Kapila.
- Q10: Which of the following sages of ancient India wrote the ‘Mimamsa-sutras’?
- a) Patanjali
- b) Jaimini
- c) Vyasa
- d) Kapila
- Explanation: The Mimamsa school of Hindu philosophy, which focuses on the interpretation of the Vedas and ritualistic duties, has its foundational text, the Mimamsa Sutras, attributed to Jaimini.
- Q11: Who among the following wrote the basic text of Vaisheshika philosophy?
- a) Patanjali
- b) Gautama
- c) Jaimini
- d) Kanada
- Explanation: The Vaisheshika school of Hindu philosophy, which deals with the atomic theory of the universe, was founded by the sage Kanada, who authored the Vaisheshika Sutras.
- Q12: Who among the following belonged to the Vaisheshika Darshan School of Philosophy?
- a) Patanjali
- b) Gautama
- c) Jaimini
- d) Kanada
- Explanation: Kanada is the founder and primary figure associated with the Vaisheshika Darshan School of Philosophy.
- Q13: With reference to the Vedangas, which of the following terms denotes ‘Ritual’?
- a) Shiksha
- b) Kalpa
- c) Nirukta
- d) Chhanda
- Explanation: Kalpa is one of the six Vedangas and deals with rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices, providing rules for their performance.
- Q14: Which of the following is not a Vedanga?
- a) Shiksha
- b) Kalpa
- c) Nirukta
- d) Ayur Veda
- Explanation: Ayur Veda is a system of traditional medicine, not one of the six Vedangas (ancillary disciplines of the Vedas), which are Shiksha (phonetics), Kalpa (rituals), Vyakarana (grammar), Nirukta (etymology), Chhanda (meter), and Jyotisha (astronomy).
- Q15: How many Vedangas are there in total ?
- a) 4
- b) 5
- c) 6
- d) 7
- Explanation: There are six Vedangas: Shiksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chhanda, and Jyotisha.
- Q16: At one stage in the Vedic Age, the king was called ‘gopati’ which meant ‘––––––’.
- a) Lord of the land
- b) Protector of the people
- c) Lord of cattle
- d) Commander of the army
- Explanation: ‘Gopati’ literally means ‘lord of cows’ or ‘protector of cows’. In the early Vedic period, cattle were a primary form of wealth, and therefore, the king, as the protector and owner of many cattle, was called ‘gopati’.
- Q17: The Vedic Civilization in India flourished along the river –––––.
- a) Ganga
- b) Yamuna
- c) Saraswati
- d) Narmada
- Explanation: The Vedic Civilization is believed to have flourished primarily in the Sapta Sindhu region, with the Saraswati River considered a highly sacred and significant river mentioned prominently in the Rigveda.
- Q18: The Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and Dharmasutras are all written in which language?
- a) Pali
- b) Prakrit
- c) Sanskrit
- d) Ardhamagadhi
- Explanation: All these ancient Indian texts are composed in Sanskrit, the classical language of India.
- Q19: Which is the oldest Veda among the four Vedas?
- a) Samaveda
- b) Yajurveda
- c) Atharvaveda
- d) Rigveda
- Explanation: The Rigveda is the oldest and most important of the four Vedas, composed between approximately 1500 and 1200 BCE.
- Q20: More than one thousand eulogies have been included in the Rigveda, what are they called?
- a) Upnishads
- b) Brahmanas
- c) Suktas
- d) Aranyakas
- Explanation: The Rigveda consists of over a thousand hymns, which are called ‘Suktas’ (literally “well-said” or “eulogies”).
- Q21: In how many Varna people were divided in Ancient India?
- a) 2
- b) 3
- c) 4
- d) 5
- Explanation: Ancient Indian society, as per the Vedic texts, was divided into four varnas: Brahmanas (priests and teachers), Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers), Vaishyas (farmers, merchants, artisans), and Shudras (laborers and servants).
- Q22: The Rigveda is divided into………..books or mandals.
- a) 8
- b) 9
- c) 10
- d) 12
- Explanation: The Rigveda is divided into 10 books, known as Mandalas.
- Q23: The collection of vedic hymns or mantras is called–
- a) Aranyakas
- b) Brahmanas
- c) Samhitas
- d) Upanishads
- Explanation: The main collections of Vedic hymns or mantras within each Veda are called Samhitas.
- Q24: All of the following are the principal deities of the Vedic pantheon, except …………..
- a) Indra
- b) Agni
- c) Varuna
- d) Shiva
- Explanation: Indra, Agni, and Varuna were prominent deities in the early Vedic pantheon. While Shiva (Rudra) is mentioned in the Vedas, his prominence as a principal deity in the form we know him today (one of the Trimurti) significantly increased in later Puranic Hinduism, not the early Vedic period.
- Q25: The word ‘Satyamev Jayate’ have been derived from which Upanishad?
- a) Chhandogya Upanishad
- b) Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
- c) Mundaka Upanishad
- d) Katha Upanishad
- Explanation: The motto ‘Satyameva Jayate’ (Truth alone triumphs) is a mantra from the ancient Indian scripture Mundaka Upanishad.
- Q26: The word ‘Satyameva Jayate’ on the national emblem of India has been taken from which Upanishad?
- a) Isha Upanishad
- b) Kena Upanishad
- c) Mundaka Upanishad
- d) Katha Upanishad
- Explanation: The national motto of India, ‘Satyameva Jayate’, is taken from the Mundaka Upanishad.
- Q27: Which of the Rig Veda’s Mandala is completely dedicated to Soma?
- a) 7th Mandala
- b) 8th Mandala
- c) 9th Mandala
- d) 10th Mandala
- Explanation: The 9th Mandala of the Rigveda is entirely dedicated to Soma, a divine intoxicating drink and a deity associated with it.
- Q28: ‘Purusha Sukta’ is a hymn from which Veda?
- a) Samaveda
- b) Yajurveda
- c) Atharvaveda
- d) Rigveda
- Explanation: The ‘Purusha Sukta’ is a famous hymn found in the 10th Mandala of the Rigveda, which describes the cosmic man (Purusha) and the origin of the four varnas.
- Q29: Magadha Mahajanapada was surrounded by the ……. Rivers.
- a) Ganga, Yamuna, and Son
- b) Ganga, Son, and Champa
- c) Ghaghara, Gandak, and Kosi
- d) Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej
- Explanation: Magadha, particularly its early capitals like Rajagriha and Pataliputra, was strategically located and protected by the rivers Ganga, Son, and the branch of the Champa river.
- Q30: ………..was the capital of Vajji Mahajanapada.
- a) Rajagriha
- b) Champa
- c) Sravasti
- d) Vaishali
- Explanation: Vaishali was the capital of the Vajji confederacy, which was a republican (gana-sangha) Mahajanapada.
- Q31: Rajagriha was the first capital of which Mahajanapada ?
- a) Anga
- b) Koshala
- c) Avanti
- d) Magadha
- Explanation: Rajagriha (present-day Rajgir) was the initial capital of the powerful Magadha Mahajanapada before Pataliputra.
- Q32: The ancient city of Champa is considered to be the Capital of ……… Mahajanapada.
- a) Magadha
- b) Anga
- c) Vajji
- d) Kashi
- Explanation: Champa was the capital city of the Anga Mahajanapada.
- Q33: How many great powers (Mahajanpadas) existed in the 7th and early 6th centuries BC, during the life time of Lord Gautam Buddha?
- a) 12
- b) 14
- c) 16
- d) 18
- Explanation: Buddhist and Jaina texts mention the existence of 16 great kingdoms or republics, known as Mahajanapadas, during the 6th century BCE.
- Q34: Rulers of Mahajanapadas in ancient India collected a tax called ‘Bhaga’ from the _____ in their region.
- a) Artisans
- b) Farmers
- c) Traders
- d) Herders
- Explanation: ‘Bhaga’ literally means “share” and was typically a share of the produce, collected from farmers, usually one-sixth of their produce.
- Q35: Which of the following is NOT one of the monarchical states that existed in the 7th and 6th centuries?
- a) Magadha
- b) Koshala
- c) Avanti
- d) Vajji
- Explanation: Magadha, Koshala, and Avanti were prominent monarchical states (kingdoms) among the Mahajanapadas, whereas Vajji was a republican (gana-sangha) state.
- Q36: Taxila was capital of which among the 16 Mahajanapadas?
- a) Kosala
- b) Magadha
- c) Gandhara
- d) Kuru
- Explanation: Taxila was the capital city of the Gandhara Mahajanapada, known as a center of learning.
- Q37: Which Buddhist scripture describes about 16 Mahajanapadas?
- a) Jataka Tales
- b) Dhammapada
- c) Anguttara Nikaya
- d) Sutta Pitaka
- Explanation: The Anguttara Nikaya, a Buddhist text, is one of the primary sources that lists and describes the 16 Mahajanapadas.
- Q38: Initially, Rajagriha, the Prakit name for present day Rajgir in _____, was the capital of Magadha.
- a) Uttar Pradesh
- b) Madhya Pradesh
- c) Bihar
- d) West Bengal
- Explanation: Rajgir, the ancient Rajagriha, is located in the modern Indian state of Bihar.
- Q39: King Ajatashatru was a ruler of the__ dynasty.
- a) Nanda
- b) Maurya
- c) Haryanka
- d) Shishunaga
- Explanation: Ajatashatru was a powerful king of the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha.
- Q40: Bimbisara was the king of which dynasty?
- a) Nanda
- b) Maurya
- c) Haryanka
- d) Shishunaga
- Explanation: Bimbisara was the founder and first important king of the Haryanka dynasty, which ruled Magadha.
- Q41: The first ruler of Magadha from the Haryanka dynasty was –––––.
- a) Ajatashatru
- b) Bimbisara
- c) Udayin
- d) Shishunaga
- Explanation: Bimbisara is considered the founder of the Haryanka dynasty and the first significant ruler of Magadha.
- Q42: Ajatashatru was the son of
- a) Mahapadma Nanda
- b) Bimbisara
- c) Shishunaga
- d) Udayin
- Explanation: Ajatashatru was the son of King Bimbisara of the Haryanka dynasty.
- Q43: Ajatashatru, a ruler of the Haryanka Dynasty, was the son of ––––––.
- a) Mahapadma Nanda
- b) Bimbisara
- c) Shishunaga
- d) Udayin
- Explanation: Ajatashatru was the son of King Bimbisara, the founder of the Haryanka dynasty.
- Q44: The famous physician Jeevaka was appointed in the court of:
- a) Ajatashatru
- b) Bimbisara
- c) Prasenajit
- d) Udayin
- Explanation: Jeevaka was a renowned physician in ancient India who served as the personal physician to King Bimbisara of Magadha.
- Q45: Who was called “Agrammes” or “Xandrames” by the Greek writers?
- a) Shishunaga
- b) Kalashoka
- c) Dhana Nanda
- d) Mahapadma Nanda
- Explanation: Greek historians like Diodorus Siculus and Quintus Curtius Rufus referred to the last Nanda king, Dhana Nanda, as “Agrammes” or “Xandrames.” (It is worth noting that some sources attribute “Agrammes” to Mahapadma Nanda as well, as the father, but Dhana Nanda is most commonly associated with these names in the context of Alexander’s invasion.)
- Q46: Who was the founder of Nanda Dynasty?
- a) Dhana Nanda
- b) Mahapadma Nanda
- c) Shishunaga
- d) Kalashoka
- Explanation: Mahapadma Nanda is traditionally regarded as the founder of the Nanda Dynasty.
- Q47: Who among the following was the last ruler of the Nanda dynasty?
- a) Mahapadma Nanda
- b) Dhana Nanda
- c) Ugrasena Nanda
- d) Panduka Nanda
- Explanation: Dhana Nanda was the last ruler of the Nanda dynasty, who was overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya.
- Q48: Which among the following dynasties did not rule the Magadha Empire?
- a) Haryanka
- b) Shishunaga
- c) Nanda
- d) Gupta
- Explanation: The Haryanka, Shishunaga, and Nanda dynasties all ruled the Magadha Empire. The Gupta dynasty emerged much later and established a powerful empire, but it is typically discussed as a separate imperial period following the Mauryan and post-Mauryan eras, not directly as one of the initial Magadhan dynasties that preceded the Mauryas.
- Q49: Which of the following Kings does not belong to the Magadha empire?
- a) Bimbisara
- b) Ajatashatru
- c) Prasenajit
- d) Mahapadma Nanda
- Explanation: Bimbisara, Ajatashatru, and Mahapadma Nanda were all significant rulers of the Magadha Empire (Haryanka and Nanda dynasties). Prasenajit was the king of Kosala, a rival Mahajanapada.
- Q50: While Magadha was a powerful Mahajanapada, Vajji, with its capital at Vaishali (Bihar), was under a different form of government known as:
- a) Monarchy
- b) Gana-sangha (Republic)
- c) Oligarchy
- d) Empire
- Explanation: Vajji was a confederacy of several clans, including the Lichchhavis, and was known for its republican form of government, referred to as a Gana-sangha, contrasting with the monarchical rule of Magadha.
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