DAY – 32 : Insta 75 Days Revision Plan-2026 : ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL INDIA

Answer:   (d)

Explanation:

• (d) is Correct: Anekantavada (literally the doctrine of manifoldness) is the fundamental Jain ontological theory. It asserts that reality is complex and possesses infinite aspects (ananta-dharmatmakam vastu). Because human perception is limited, we can only grasp partial truths.
• (a) is Incorrect: While closely related, Syadvada is the linguistic expression of Anekantavada. It is the method of relative predicates (using the prefix Syat or perhaps/in some ways) to ensure a statement acknowledges its own partiality. Anekantavada is the concept of reality; Syadvada is the logic used to describe it.
• (b) is Incorrect: This describes the Dualism of Jain metaphysics (Jiva and Ajiva). While central to Jainism, it is not the definition of Anekantavada.
• (c) is Incorrect: This describes Ahimsa (non-violence), the most famous ethical vow of Jainism.

Answer:   (d)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is Correct: Mahavira was born in the 6th century BCE into the Jnatrika (Kshatriya) clan at Kundagrama, located near the city of Vaishali (modern-day Bihar). His father, Siddhartha, was the head of the clan, and his mother, Trishala, was a Lichchhavi princess.
• Statement 2 is Correct: Before Mahavira, the 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanatha, had established four vows (Chaturyama Dharma): Non-violence (Ahimsa), Truth (Satya), Non-stealing (Asteya), and Non-possession (Aparigraha). Mahavira added the fifth vow, Brahmacharya (Celibacy), completing the Pancha Mahavrata (Five Great Vows).
• Statement 3 is Correct: After 12 years of intense penance and meditation, Mahavira attained Kaivalya (omniscience or supreme knowledge) at the age of 42. This event took place outside the town of Jrimbhikagrama, under a Sal tree on the banks of the River Rijupalika.

Answer:   (b)

Explanation:

• First Council: Correctly Matched. Held in Rajgir (Sattapani Cave) shortly after the Buddha’s death. It was presided over by Mahakasyapa and patronized by King Ajatashatru. This council saw the compilation of the Sutta Pitaka and Vinaya Pitaka.
• Second Council: Incorrectly Matched. This council was held in Vaishali (approx. 100 years after the Buddha) to resolve disputes over monastic discipline. It was presided over by Sabbakami.
• Third Council: Incorrectly Matched. Held in Pataliputra during the reign of Emperor Ashoka. It was presided over by Moggaliputta Tissa. This council resulted in the compilation of the Abhidhamma Pitaka.
• Fourth Council: Correctly Matched. Held in Kashmir (at Kundalvana) during the reign of King Kanishka. It was presided over by Vasumitra (with Ashvaghosha as vice-president). This council marked the formal split between Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism.

Answer:   (c)

Explanation:

• (c) Madhyamaka: Founded by Nagarjuna, this school is also known as the Middle Way (Madhyamika). Its central tenet is Shunyata (Emptiness). Nagarjuna argued that all phenomena are empty of svabhava (intrinsic nature or independent existence) because everything arises dependently.
• (d) Yogacara: Founded by the brothers Asanga and Vasubandhu (approx. 4th century CE), this is the Mind-Only school (Vijnanavada). It suggests that the external world is a projection of consciousness. While it is a Mahayana school, it differs significantly from Nagarjuna’s emphasis on universal emptiness.
• (b) Theravada: This is the School of the Elders, the most prominent surviving branch of the early Buddhist schools (Hinayana). It focuses on the Pali Canon and the historical teachings of the Buddha, generally rejecting the later metaphysical developments of Mahayana like Shunyata.
• (a) Vibhajyavada: This was an early group (the Distinctionists) from which the Theravada tradition descended. It focused on an analytical approach to the Abhidhamma rather than the Mahayana concept of the Void.

Answer: (d)

Explanation:

The Golden Age of the Pallavas

The Pallava dynasty (6th–9th centuries AD) played a foundational role in the cultural and architectural history of South India, bridging the gap between the ancient Sangam traditions and the later imperial Chola era.

• Evolution of Architecture: The Pallavas were the pioneers of the Dravida style. Their architecture evolved in four distinct stages:
  • Mahendra Group: Rock-cut pillared halls (Mandapas).
  • Mamalla Group: Monolithic chariots (Rathas) and open-air bas-reliefs (e.g., Mahabalipuram).
  • Rajasimha Group: Transition to structural temples (e.g., the Shore Temple and Kailasanathar Temple).
  • Nandivarman Group: Smaller structural temples (e.g., Vaikunta Perumal Temple).

Hence, statement 1 is correct.

• Kanchi (modern-day Kanchipuram) was one of the most celebrated seats of learning in ancient India. The Ghatikas were advanced centers of Vedic and Brahminical learning, attracting scholars from far and wide. Even the founder of the Kadamba dynasty, Mayurasharman, went to the Kanchi Ghatika to study.
  • Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Mahendravarman I (600–630 AD) was a polymath, known by titles like Vichitrachitta (Curious-minded). He was a patron of music, painting, and literature. He wrote the Mattavilasa Prahasana (The Delight of the Drunkards), a satirical Sanskrit play that pokes fun at the hypocrisy of contemporary religious sects like the Kapalikas and Buddhist monks.
  • Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Answer:   (b)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur (also known as the Rajarajeshwaram temple) was built by Rajaraja Chola I around 1010 CE. It is a masterpiece of Dravidian architecture and is famous for its massive Vimana (temple tower). Rajendra Chola I, his son, built a similar but slightly smaller temple at his new capital, Gangaikondacholapuram.
• Statement 2 is Correct: The Chola period is the Golden Age of Indian bronzes. These statues, most notably the Nataraja (Dancing Shiva), were created using the Cire Perdue (lost-wax) technique. In this process, a wax model is covered in clay; once the clay dries, the wax is melted out and replaced with molten metal.
• Statement 3 is Correct: Chola temples were the center of the community. They were large landowners, employers of hundreds of people (priests, dancers, musicians, accounts, and smiths), and acted as banks by providing loans to villagers and merchant guilds. They were essentially the economic engines of the Chola state.

Answer:   (a)

Explanation:

• Pair 1: Cholas — Tiger (Correct): The Cholas, who ruled the fertile Kaveri Delta (Cholamandalam), used the Tiger as their royal emblem. Their capital was Uraiyur, and their chief port was Puhar (Kaveripattinam).
• Pair 2: Cheras — Fish (Incorrect): The Fish was actually the emblem of the Pandyas. The Cheras, who ruled over the Kerala coast (Malabar), used the Bow and Arrow as their royal symbol.
• Pair 3: Pandyas — Bow and Arrow (Incorrect): As mentioned above, the Bow and Arrow belonged to the Cheras. The Pandyas, ruling from Madurai, were represented by the Fish, symbolizing their dominance over the southern coasts and their famous pearl fisheries.

Answer:   (b)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is Correct: Following the death of Shashanka (the ruler of Gauda), Bengal fell into a century of chaos, civil war, and foreign invasions. This period is famously described as ‘Matsyanyaya’ (the law of the fishes), where the strong prey upon the weak. To end this, the leading men or regional chieftains of the area elected Gopala as their king around 750 CE.
• Statement 2 is Incorrect: Unlike many other contemporary dynasties (like the Gurjara-Pratiharas), the Palas did not initially claim a high-born Suryavanshi or Chandravanshi lineage. Contemporary records and rival inscriptions often referred to them as being of humble or Sudra origin. It was only much later in the dynasty’s history that claims of Kshatriya status began to appear.
• Statement 3 is Correct: The Khalimpur Copper Plate inscription of Dharmapala (Gopala’s son) is the most significant historical evidence for this election. It explicitly mentions that the people (Prakriti) chose Gopala to put an end to the anarchy of Matsyanyaya.

Answer:   (a)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is Correct: Dantidurga (also known as Dantivarman) was the chief who established the Rashtrakuta Empire in the mid-8th century (c. 753 CE). He achieved this by defeating the last ruler of the Chalukyas of Badami, Kirtivarman II. To celebrate his victory and formalize his status, he famously performed the Hiranyagarbha (Golden Womb) ritual at Ujjain.
• Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Rashtrakutas did not serve under the Pallavas of Kanchi. Instead, they were originally the feudatories (subordinate chieftains) of the Chalukyas of Badami. They were primarily based in the Latur district of modern-day Maharashtra before rising to imperial status.

Answer:   (c)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is Correct: The inscription was authored by Ravikirti, the court poet of Pulakeshin II. In the final verse, Ravikirti boldly claims that through his poetic skill in this prashasti (eulogy), he has attained the fame of literary giants like Kalidasa and Bhasa.
• Statement 2 is Correct: The language of the inscription is Sanskrit, the prestige language of the courts at the time. However, the script used is the Old Kannada script (also referred to as the Telugu-Kannada script or the Proto-Kannada script), which was prevalent in the Deccan during the 7th century.
• Statement 3 is Correct: This inscription is historically famous for its precise dating. It mentions that it was written in the Shaka Year 556 and also provides a calculation based on the Kaliyuga Era (stating that 3735 years had passed since the Bharata War). This dual dating has helped historians synchronize various Indian calendars.

Answer: (a)

Solution:

• A number divisible by 6 must be divisible by 2 and 3.
• Digits are strictly increasing → choose digits a < b < c from 1–9.
• Last digit must be even → possible last digits: 2, 4, 6, 8.
• Sum of digits must be divisible by 3.

Valid combinations satisfying all conditions:
(1,2,3), (1,3,4), (1,4,5), (1,5,6), (1,6,7),
(2,3,4), (2,4,6), (2,5,7), (3,4,5), (4,6,8)

Total = 10

Answer: (c)

Solution:

• Letters: B(1), A(3), N(2)
• Arrange B, A, A, A → 4!/3! = 4 ways
• This creates 5 gaps
• Place 2 N’s in different gaps → 5C2 = 10
• Total arrangements = 4 × 10 = 40

Answer: (a)

Solution:

• Total balls = 12
• First ball is not red → removed from blue/green
• Remaining balls = 11
• Red balls still = 5

Required probability = 5/11

Answer: (a)

Solution:

• Total circular arrangements = (7 − 1)! = 720
• A and B together:
  • Treat as one unit → 6 units
  • Circular arrangements = (6 − 1)! = 120
  • Internal arrangements of A and B = 2
    → Total = 120 × 2 = 240
• Required arrangements = 720 − 240 = 480

Answer: (c)

Solution:

The passage argues that while military alignment used to define autonomy, it now depends on internal capacity (economic and technological strength). It explicitly states that complete isolation is neither feasible nor desirable and that modern autonomy is a dynamic balance between engaging with others and maintaining self-reliance.

• Option (a) is incorrect because the passage says isolation is not feasible.
• Option (b) is incorrect because the passage says it is no longer defined merely by military non-alignment.
• Option (d) is incorrect because the passage suggests engagement is necessary, just not dependency.

Correct Answer: c) Balance between internal strength and external engagement.