Gupta & Post-Gupta — UPSC Prelims Ancient & Medieval previous year questions

Faxian was a Chinese Buddhist monk. He travelled in India from about 399 to 412 CE.
That period matches the reign of Chandragupta II of the Gupta dynasty, who ruled from about 380 to 415 CE.
Faxian noted the peaceful rule, mild punishments and free hospitals in the Gupta realm.
Samudragupta ruled before him. Kumaragupta I and Skandagupta ruled after him. None of them was on the throne during the visit.
Remember: Faxian's travel account is called 'A Record of Buddhist Kingdoms'.

Source: NCERT Class XI Themes in Indian History; R. S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past

The later Guptas of Magadha, the Pushyabhutis of Thanesar, the Maukharis of Kanauj and the Maitrakas of Valabhi held power in the 6th century.
The Paramaras of Malwa rose in the 9th-10th centuries.
The Yadavas of Devagiri rose in the 12th century.
So 1, 3, 4 and 6 are correct.
Remember: Harsha came from the Pushyabhuti house of Thanesar.

Source: Romila Thapar, A History of India Vol. 1; NCERT Class XI, Themes in Indian History Part I

Statement 1 is incorrect. Both schools are schools of Hindu law and apply to all Hindus, not to separate castes.
Statement 2 is correct. In Mitakshara a son gets a right by birth in ancestral property. In Dayabhaga the right arises only after the father's death.
Statement 3 is incorrect. Mitakshara also recognises some female heirs, and the two schools differ on this only in detail.
Remember: Dayabhaga is followed mainly in Bengal and Assam.

Source: Hindu law schools; NCERT Class XII, Themes in Indian History Part I

Mahendravarman I ruled the Pallavas from about 600 CE.
Gopala founded the Pala dynasty around 750 CE.
Bhoja raised the Pratiharas in the mid-9th century.
Parantaka I established Chola power in the early 10th century.
So the order is 2, 4, 1, 3.
Remember: Pallava, Pala, Pratihara, Chola.

Source: Romila Thapar, A History of India Vol. 1

Pair 1 is correct. Bhilsa (Vidisha) is in Madhya Pradesh.
Pair 2 is incorrect. Dwarasamudra (Halebid) is in Karnataka.
Pair 3 is correct. Girinagar is the old name of Junagadh in Gujarat.
Pair 4 is incorrect. Sthanesvara (Thanesar) is in Haryana.
Remember: Dwarasamudra was the Hoysala capital.

Source: Romila Thapar, A History of India Vol. 1; ASI records

Ports is correct. Ghantasala and Kadura were on the east coast. Chaul was on the west coast.
They handled overseas trade in the Gupta period.
They were not capitals or religious centres.
Remember: Gupta-period ports include Tamralipti, Bharuch and Chaul.

Source: Romila Thapar, A History of India Vol. 1; R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past

Measurement of land is correct. Kulyavapa and dronavapa were land units named after the seed needed to sow them.
A dronavapa was the area needing one drona of seed. A kulyavapa was a larger unit.
Gupta-age land grants use these terms.
They are not coins or rituals.
Remember: Adhavapa and Pataka were other land units.

Source: R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past

Statement 1 is incorrect. Panini lived centuries before Pushyamitra. It was Patanjali who was linked with Pushyamitra.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Amarasimha is traditionally one of the Navaratnas of Chandra Gupta II, not Harsha.
Statement 3 is correct. Kalidasa is traditionally placed in the court of Chandra Gupta II.
Remember: Panini wrote the Ashtadhyayi, a Sanskrit grammar.

Source: R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past

Vishti was unpaid forced labour. The state counted it as a source of income, like a tax.
Option b is wrong. It was found in Madhya Pradesh and Kathiawar too.
Option c is wrong. Labourers did not receive wages.
Option d is wrong. No such rule existed.
Remember: Vishti was a labour tax.

Source: R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past

Statement 1 is incorrect. Hiuen Tsang himself was robbed on his journey.
Statement 2 is correct. He describes ordeals by fire, water and poison to test guilt.
Statement 3 is correct. Traders paid tolls at ferries and barrier posts.
So 2 and 3 only is correct.
Remember: Hiuen Tsang visited India in Harsha's reign.

Source: Hiuen Tsang, Si-Yu-Ki; Romila Thapar, A History of India Vol. 1

Tamralipti was the main port on the Bay of Bengal coast. It lay at the mouth of the Ganga system. North Indian goods moved down the Ganga to this port and then went overseas.
Broach (Bharuch), Kalyan and Cambay were ports on the western coast. They served western India and the Arabian Sea trade.
Remember: Tamralipti is modern Tamluk in West Bengal.

Source: Standard Ancient India texts (Gupta-period trade); R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past

Pair 1 is correct. Mrichchhakatikam is by Shudraka.
Pair 2 is incorrect. Buddhacharita is by Ashvaghosha, not Vasubandhu.
Pair 3 is correct. Mudrarakshasa is by Vishakhadatta.
Pair 4 is correct. Harshacharita is by Banabhatta.
Remember: Vasubandhu was a Buddhist philosopher.

Source: R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past

Varahamihira wrote the Brihat Samhita, so A matches 3.
Vishakhadatta wrote Devi Chandraguptam, so B matches 4.
Sudraka wrote Mrichchhakatikam, so C matches 2.
Bilhana wrote Vikramankadevacharita, so D matches 5.
The code is 3 4 2 5.
Remember: Prabandha Chintamani is by Merutunga.

Source: R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past

The Gupta silver coins were called Rupaka. Chandragupta II issued them in large numbers after defeating the Shakas.
Dinara was the name of the Gupta gold coin. Karshapana was an older punch-marked silver coin of the pre-Gupta period. Nishka was an early gold ornament or coin.
Remember: Gupta gold = Dinara; Gupta silver = Rupaka.

Source: Standard Ancient India texts (Gupta coinage); R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past

Statement (a) is correct. The Guptas issued many gold coins called Dinaras.
Statement (b) is correct. Silver coins were issued by Chandragupta II and later kings.
Statement (c) is correct. The king's image is on the front and a deity on the back.
Statement (d) is incorrect. The Guptas are best known for their gold coins, and these formed the largest and most notable part of their coinage.
Remember: Gupta gold coins show kings as archer, lyrist and lion-slayer.

Source: NCERT Class XI, An Introduction to Indian Art / standard works on Gupta numismatics

Gupta coins usually show the king's portrait on the front (obverse). He may be shown as an archer, lyrist or horseman.
The back (reverse) shows a deity, such as Lakshmi, or a motif.
Options (a) and (b) are wrong because the two sides did not carry the same type of image.
Option (d) is wrong because dates did not always appear on the reverse.
Remember: Gupta gold coins were called Dinaras.

Source: NCERT Class XI, An Introduction to Indian Art; standard works on Gupta numismatics

Sarvavarman was a Maukhari ruler. He is known from the Asirgarh seal, not from the Gaya copper plate. The Gaya plate is linked with the Gupta emperor Samudragupta.
Ishwarvarman is known from the Jaunpur stone inscription. Ishanavarman is known from the Haraha stone inscription of 554 CE. Jivitagupta II is known from the Deva-Baranark inscription.
Remember: The Maukhari kings were Harivarman, Ishwarvarman, Ishanavarman and Sarvavarman.

Source: Standard Ancient India texts (Later Gupta and Maukhari inscriptions)

These kings are named in the Allahabad Pillar inscription of Samudragupta. They were rulers whom he defeated in his southern campaign and then released.
Dhananjaya ruled Kusthalpura. Nilaraja ruled Avamukta. Ugrasena ruled Palakka. Vishnugopa ruled Kanchi.
So the correct code is 3 1 4 2.
Remember: Samudragupta followed 'grahana-moksha-anugraha' towards southern kings.

Source: Allahabad Pillar (Prayag Prashasti) of Samudragupta; Standard Ancient India texts

The brick-built temple is at Bhitargaon near Kanpur.
The Dashavatara temple is at Deogarh in Lalitpur district.
The Shiva temple of the Gupta age is at Bhumara in Madhya Pradesh.
The Vishnu temple is at Eran, also in Madhya Pradesh.
So the code is A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1.
Remember: Bhitargaon is the oldest surviving brick temple with a shikhara.

Source: NCERT Class XI, An Introduction to Indian Art; R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past

Amir Khusro was a court poet of Alauddin Khalji. Kalidasa is linked with Chandragupta II. Harisena wrote the Allahabad Pillar eulogy for Samudragupta. Banabhatta was the court poet of Harshavardhana.
So the correct code is 4 1 2 3.
Remember: Banabhatta wrote the Harshacharita and the Kadambari. Read the options carefully and match each name with its known period.

Source: Standard Ancient and Medieval India texts