Post Maurya

PYQs

Who founded the Shunga dynasty?
a) Agnimitra
b) Pushyamitra
c) Vasudeva
d) Kanishka
✅ Answer: b) Pushyamitra
👉 He assassinated the last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha, in 185 BCE and took over the throne.
Which dynasty succeeded the Shungas?
a) Satavahanas
b) Kanvas
c) Guptas
d) Kushanas
✅ Answer: b) Kanvas
👉 Kanva dynasty ruled after the Shungas until ~28 BCE, then fell to the Satavahanas.
Which Indo-Greek ruler embraced Buddhism?
a) Demetrius
b) Menander
c) Apollodotus
d) Antialcidas
✅ Answer: b) Menander
👉 Menander (Milinda) is famous for his dialogue with Nagasena recorded in Milinda Panha.
The Milinda Panha is a dialogue between:
a) Ashoka and Buddha
b) Menander and Nagasena
c) Kanishka and Vasumitra
d) Agnimitra and Patanjali
✅ Answer: b) Menander and Nagasena
👉 It provides evidence of Menander’s interest in Buddhist philosophy.
The most famous ruler of the Kushana dynasty was:
a) Huvishka
b) Vasudeva I
c) Kanishka
d) Kadphises II
✅ Answer: c) Kanishka
👉 Kanishka was a great patron of Mahayana Buddhism and art, and convened the 4th Buddhist Council.
Kanishka started which calendar era?
a) Vikram Samvat
b) Gupta Era
c) Saka Era
d) Kanishka Era
✅ Answer: c) Saka Era
👉 Started in 78 CE, it is still used by the Indian government.
Satavahanas ruled primarily in:
a) North India
b) Central and Deccan India
c) Western India
d) Bengal
✅ Answer: b) Central and Deccan India
👉 Their capital was Pratishthana (modern Paithan in Maharashtra).
Who defeated Nahapana of the Western Kshatrapas?
a) Kanishka
b) Gautamiputra Satakarni
c) Simuka
d) Agnimitra
✅ Answer: b) Gautamiputra Satakarni
👉 A powerful Satavahana king who defeated the Sakas and restored Satavahana dominance.
Who issued the first gold coins in India?
a) Mauryas
b) Indo-Greeks
c) Satavahanas
d) Kushanas
✅ Answer: b) Indo-Greeks
👉 Their coins had Greek and Indian symbols, bilingual inscriptions.
Who composed the Mahabhashya on Panini's grammar?
a) Panini
b) Patanjali
c) Kalidasa
d) Katyayana
✅ Answer: b) Patanjali
👉 Written during the Shunga period, it is a major Sanskrit grammar work.
Which dynasty was known for lead coinage?
a) Kushanas
b) Satavahanas
c) Shungas
d) Kanvas
✅ Answer: b) Satavahanas
👉 They issued coins in lead, copper, and potin — especially in the Deccan region.
Gandhara School of Art was developed under:
a) Guptas
b) Satavahanas
c) Kushanas
d) Indo-Greeks
✅ Answer: c) Kushanas
👉 Gandhara style combined Greco-Roman techniques with Indian themes.
Which Satavahana ruler issued coins with ships?
a) Simuka
b) Pulumavi
c) Hala
d) Gautamiputra
✅ Answer: b) Pulumavi
👉 Indicates maritime trade and commerce by Satavahanas.
Founder of Satavahana dynasty:
a) Hala
b) Simuka
c) Vasishthiputra
d) Gautamiputra
✅ Answer: b) Simuka
👉 Considered the first ruler, he laid the foundation of Satavahana power.
Which Saka king issued the Junagarh inscription?
a) Nahapana
b) Rudradaman I
c) Menander
d) Demetrius
✅ Answer: b) Rudradaman I
👉 Written in polished Sanskrit prose; mentions repairs to Sudarshana Lake.
Kanishka’s capital was located at:
a) Mathura
b) Ujjain
c) Purushapura (Peshawar)
d) Taxila
✅ Answer: c) Purushapura (Peshawar)
👉 Major administrative center of Kushanas in the northwest.
Satavahanas followed which religion?
a) Jainism
b) Shaivism
c) Buddhism
d) Zoroastrianism
✅ Answer: c) Buddhism
👉 Patronized both Hinayana and Mahayana schools.
Indo-Greek rulers introduced:
a) Persian script
b) Coin portraits
c) Tamil literature
d) Temple architecture
✅ Answer: b) Coin portraits
👉 First to depict their own images on Indian coins.
Who ruled after the Kanvas?
a) Shungas
b) Satavahanas
c) Guptas
d) Vakatakas
✅ Answer: b) Satavahanas
👉 They filled the power vacuum in Central India post-Kanva decline.
Which dynasty first used Sanskrit in inscriptions?
a) Shungas
b) Kanvas
c) Sakas
d) Guptas
✅ Answer: c) Sakas
👉 Rudradaman I’s Junagarh inscription was the first extensive Sanskrit record.

NCERT-Based & Predicted MCQs (21–50)

The 4th Buddhist Council was held under:
a) Ashoka
b) Kanishka
c) Harsha
d) Menander
✅ Answer: b) Kanishka
👉 Convened in Kashmir and marked the rise of Mahayana Buddhism.
Yavanas in ancient texts refer to:
a) Iranians
b) Greeks
c) Romans
d) Egyptians
✅ Answer: b) Greeks
👉 The term was used in Indian texts for Indo-Greek rulers.
Satavahana rulers used matronymic titles like:
a) Gautamiputra
b) Simukaputra
c) Patanjaliputra
d) Rudradamaniputra
✅ Answer: a) Gautamiputra
👉 Mother's name was used as part of royal title.
Who composed Gatha Saptashati?
a) Simuka
b) Hala
c) Gautamiputra
d) Kanishka
✅ Answer: b) Hala
👉 A Satavahana ruler known for his literary contribution in Prakrit.
Which dynasty came from Central Asia into India?
a) Shungas
b) Kushanas
c) Guptas
d) Satavahanas
✅ Answer: b) Kushanas
👉 Originated from the Yuezhi tribes of Central Asia.
Rudradaman repaired which Mauryan-era structure?
a) Great Bath
b) Sudarshana Lake
c) Ashokan pillar
d) Pataliputra palace
✅ Answer: b) Sudarshana Lake
👉 Located in Gujarat; mentioned in his Junagarh inscription.
Indo-Greek ruler known from Buddhist sources:
a) Menander
b) Antialcidas
c) Demetrius
d) Agathocles
✅ Answer: a) Menander
👉 Revered in Buddhist tradition and literature.
Which foreign group ruled Taxila post-Maurya?
a) Romans
b) Greeks
c) Sakas
d) Parthians
✅ Answer: d) Parthians
👉 Parthians (Pahlavas) ruled Northwest India briefly.
Which school of art is associated with Mathura?
a) Gandhara
b) Amaravati
c) Sarnath
d) Mathura
✅ Answer: d) Mathura
👉 Indigenous school using red sandstone, flourished under Kushanas.
Kanishka supported which type of Buddhism?
a) Hinayana
b) Theravada
c) Mahayana
d) Vajrayana
✅ Answer: c) Mahayana
👉 He promoted worship of Buddha in human form.
Amaravati Stupa was expanded by:
a) Mauryas
b) Shungas
c) Satavahanas
d) Sakas
✅ Answer: c) Satavahanas
👉 Major center of Southern Buddhist art.
Who ended Indo-Greek rule in India?
a) Kanishka
b) Pushyamitra
c) Rudradaman
d) Sakas
✅ Answer: d) Sakas
👉 Sakas replaced Indo-Greeks in western India.
Which art style showed Hellenistic features?
a) Gandhara
b) Amaravati
c) Mathura
d) Sarnath
✅ Answer: a) Gandhara
👉 Buddhist art influenced by Greek and Roman traditions.
Kanishka issued coins in which language?
a) Sanskrit
b) Greek script
c) Tamil
d) Pali
✅ Answer: b) Greek script
👉 Even though he ruled over Indian territory.
Which dynasty used Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts?
a) Guptas
b) Kushanas
c) Satavahanas
d) Mauryas
✅ Answer: b) Kushanas
👉 Kanishka’s coins bear legends in both.
Who were the Parthians in India?
a) Roman traders
b) Iranian invaders
c) Buddhist missionaries
d) Gupta rulers
✅ Answer: b) Iranian invaders
👉 Ruled Punjab briefly before Kushanas.
The Indo-Greek capital in India was:
a) Taxila
b) Pataliputra
c) Mathura
d) Purushapura
✅ Answer: a) Taxila
👉 Major center of Indo-Greek rule and culture.
Which dynasty ruled longest post-Maurya?
a) Satavahanas
b) Kanvas
c) Indo-Greeks
d) Sakas
✅ Answer: a) Satavahanas
👉 Ruled Deccan for nearly 300 years.
Amatyas in Satavahana rule were:
a) Soldiers
b) Ministers
c) Priests
d) Traders
✅ Answer: b) Ministers
👉 Key administrative officials.
Ptolemy was a:
a) Roman ambassador
b) Greek geographer
c) Buddhist monk
d) Saka king
✅ Answer: b) Greek geographer
👉 Mentioned many Indian trade ports.
Maharathis were:
a) Tax collectors
b) Local chieftains
c) Buddhist monks
d) Temple guards
✅ Answer: b) Local chieftains
👉 Feudal lords under Satavahana authority.
Kharavela was a ruler of:
a) Andhra
b) Kalinga
c) Avanti
d) Gandhara
✅ Answer: b) Kalinga
👉 Known from Hathigumpha inscription.
Hathigumpha inscription is in:
a) Sanskrit
b) Brahmi
c) Pali
d) Tamil
✅ Answer: b) Brahmi
👉 Found in Udayagiri hills, Odisha.
Gautamiputra defeated which Saka ruler?
a) Nahapana
b) Menander
c) Huvishka
d) Vasudeva
✅ Answer: a) Nahapana
Yajna Sri Satakarni was a:
a) Gupta
b) Satavahana
c) Indo-Greek
d) Saka
✅ Answer: b) Satavahana
👉 Last powerful Satavahana king.
Kushana territory included:
a) China
b) Iran
c) North India
d) All of these
✅ Answer: d) All of these
Gandhara art flourished in:
a) Bengal
b) Kashmir & NWFP
c) Tamil Nadu
d) Gujarat
✅ Answer: b) Kashmir & NWFP
👉 Now part of Afghanistan-Pakistan.
Which ruler called himself Devaputra?
a) Ashoka
b) Menander
c) Kanishka
d) Chandragupta
✅ Answer: c) Kanishka
👉 Title means "Son of God".
Which school used Buddha’s image first?
a) Mathura
b) Gandhara
c) Amravati
d) Ajanta
✅ Answer: b) Gandhara
Which dynasty ended the Indo-Greek rule?
a) Shungas
b) Satavahanas
c) Sakas
d) Guptas
✅ Answer: c) Sakas

Sources:

NCERT Class 6 & 12
Lucent GK, Drishti Bihar Special
Spectrum History
BPSC PYQs (63rd–70th)