Vedic Period — UPSC Prelims Ancient & Medieval previous year questions

The statements say that well irrigation spread agriculture, and that animal power was used to lift water.
Information 1 supports both. The Rigveda mentions the ashma chakra (stone pulley wheel) and ahava (strapped wooden pails) to draw water.
Information 3 supports the second statement. Oxen were used for ploughing and pulling carts even before the Rigveda, so animal power was known.
Information 2 is not relevant. An axe (parashu) and a sickle (datra) are tools, but they do not show well irrigation or animal power.
So 1 and 3 only.
Remember: Rigvedic references to wells use the words avata and kupa.

Source: Rigveda (references to ahava and ashma chakra); NCERT Class XI Themes in Indian History Part I

Pair 1 is wrong. Vitasta is the Jhelum, not the Chenab.
Pair 2 is wrong. Asikni is the Chenab, not the Jhelum.
Pair 3 is correct. Parushni is the Ravi.
Pair 4 is wrong. The Beas is Vipasa. Yavyavati is not the Beas.
So only pair 3 is correct.
Remember: Sutudri = Sutlej, Vipasa = Beas, Shutudri and Parushni are in the Nadi-Sukta.

Source: Rigveda, Nadi-Sukta (X.75); Ancient river names in standard Indian history texts

The term kshetra-patni means 'mistress of the field'. It appears in the Atharvaveda.
The Atharvaveda holds spells and hymns on daily life, farming and women's roles.
Option (a) is wrong. The Rigveda has the male term kshetrasya pati, 'lord of the field', but not this word.
Option (c) is wrong. The Ashtadhyayi is Panini's grammar book.
Option (d) is wrong. The Arthashastra is a text on statecraft.
Remember: the Atharvaveda is also called the Veda of spells and has the oldest Indian medical ideas.

Source: Atharvaveda; Romila Thapar, Early India

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Upanishads contain parables and dialogues. One example is Uddalaka Aruni teaching his son Svetaketu.
Statement 2 is correct. The Upanishads were composed from about 800 BCE onwards, at the end of the Vedic age. The Puranas took their present form much later, in the Gupta and post-Gupta period.
So only statement 2 is correct.
Remember: the Upanishads are also called Vedanta, 'the end of the Veda'.

Source: R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past (Later Vedic age)

Statement 1 is correct. The Rigveda mentions varman (armour) and sipra (helmet); the Harappan sites give no such finds.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The Harappans used gold, silver, copper and bronze, and did not know iron.
Statement 3 is correct as per the official key. The Rigveda speaks often of the horse; Harappan sites give no sure evidence of the domesticated horse.
Some scholars cite horse-like bones at Surkotada, but the evidence is disputed.
Remember: Iron appears in India only after about 1000 BCE.

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

Early Vedic people worshipped natural forces. These included Indra, Agni, Varuna, Surya and Ushas.
They offered yajnas (sacrifices) to please the gods and gain cattle, sons and victory.
Image worship and Bhakti developed much later. They are not features of the Rigvedic period.
Remember: Indra was the most important Rigvedic god.

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

Statement 1 is correct. Dharma means duty and right conduct towards oneself, family and society.
Statement 2 is correct. Rita (Rta) is the cosmic order in the Rigveda, which keeps nature and moral life in order.
Gods such as Varuna are seen as guardians of Rita.
In later texts, Dharma took over many ideas of Rita.
Remember: Rita means order; Dharma means duty.

Source: NCERT Class XI, Ancient India; Rigveda

'Satyameva Jayate' means 'Truth alone triumphs'.
It appears in the Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.6).
India adopted it as the national motto and wrote it in Devanagari script below the State Emblem.
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya had popularised the phrase.
The Manusmriti, the Gita and the Rig Veda do not contain this line.
Remember: The Mundaka Upanishad belongs to the Atharvaveda.

Source: Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.6; Government of India, State Emblem of India

The Kathopanishad contains the dialogue between the boy Nachiketa and Yama, the god of death.
It deals with the nature of the soul and life after death.
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has the Yajnavalkya dialogues. The Chandogya has Uddalaka and Shvetaketu. The Kena Upanishad discusses the power behind the senses.
Remember: the Kathopanishad belongs to the Krishna Yajurveda.

Source: Kathopanishad

Brahmavadinis were women scholars who knew the Veda and composed hymns.
Lopamudra, wife of the sage Agastya, composed a hymn in the Rigveda (1.179).
Gargi was a philosopher of the Upanishadic age, who debated with Yajnavalkya, but is not credited with Vedic hymns.
Leelavati was a medieval mathematician, daughter of Bhaskaracharya.
Savitri is a legendary figure from the Mahabharata.
Remember: Other Vedic women seers include Ghosha, Apala and Vishvavara.

Source: Rigveda; NCERT Class XI, Ancient India

Vrihi means rice (2).
Mudga means mung bean or green gram (3).
Yava means barley, here shown as the cereal grain option (4).
Ikshu means sugarcane (1).
So the order is 2, 3, 4, 1.
Remember: Yava (barley) is the most common crop in the early Vedic texts.

Source: Vedic texts (Yajurveda and Atharvaveda) crop terms; NCERT Class XI

The Panis appear in the Rigveda as rich people who kept cattle and wealth. They did not make offerings to the gods.
Scholars read them as traders or merchants who were hostile to the Vedic priests and chiefs.
They were not priests. Priests are called Brahmanas or rishis in the text.
There is no Rigvedic evidence that the Panis were ironsmiths or goldsmiths.
Remember: Indra and the dog Sarama are linked with the story of the Panis' stolen cattle.

Source: Rigveda 10.108; R. S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past

The Yajurveda has two branches, Shukla (white) and Krishna (black).
The Shukla Yajurveda has the Vajasaneyi Samhita, in its Madhyandina and Kanva recensions.
The Krishna Yajurveda has the Taittiriya, Maitrayani, Kathaka and Kapishthala Samhitas.
So only Vajasaneyi belongs to the Shukla branch.
Remember: Shukla gives mantras separate from explanations; Krishna mixes them.

Source: Yajurveda recensions; Max Muller / Winternitz, History of Indian Literature

Surya Sukta (Rigveda 10.85) is correct. It describes the wedding of Surya, the sun-maiden, with Soma.
Its verses were later used in Hindu marriage rites.
Purusha Sukta (10.90) describes the cosmic man and the origin of the four varnas.
Dana Stutis praise donors for gifts.
Remember: Surya Sukta = marriage hymn; Purusha Sukta = varna origin.

Source: Rigveda, Mandala 10

A sarthavaha was the leader of a trading caravan. Merchants who carried goods over long distances held this title.
Trade was the work of the Vaishya varna. Jataka stories often mention sarthavahas as rich caravan traders.
Brahmanas taught and performed rituals. Kshatriyas ruled and fought. Shudras served the other varnas.
Remember: Sarthavaha means caravan leader, a Vaishya trader.

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

Statement 1 is correct. Indra wielded the thunderbolt (vajra) and is called the god of thunder.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Punishing sinners is not his role in the Rig Veda. Yama is linked with punishment after death.
Statement 3 is incorrect. Varuna is the guardian of rita, the cosmic and moral order.
Statement 4 is correct. Indra released the rains by slaying the demon Vritra.
Remember: Indra is the most frequently invoked god of the Rig Veda, with about 250 hymns.

Source: Rig Veda; NCERT Class XI, An Introduction to Indian Art / Themes in World History; standard Vedic religion texts

Statement I is true. Early Vedic society was pastoral and tribal. It had no fixed territory, taxation or bureaucracy.
Statement II is true. The Rajan was a tribal chief and war leader. His authority was over people, not over a defined territory.
Statement II explains Statement I. Without territorial rule, the tribal polity cannot be called a state.
Remember: Early Vedic polity was tribal; territorial states came later.

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

Aitareya Brahmana belongs to the Rigveda (A-3).
Panchavimsha (Tandya) Brahmana belongs to the Samaveda (B-4).
Gopatha Brahmana belongs to the Atharvaveda (C-1).
Shatapatha Brahmana belongs to the Yajurveda (D-2).
So the order is 3, 4, 1, 2.
Remember: Shatapatha is the largest Brahmana.

Source: Brahmana literature; NCERT Class XI

The Rig Veda is a collection of hymns and prayers, so A matches 4.
The Yajurveda gives the formulas for sacrificial rituals, so B matches 2.
The Samaveda sets Rig Vedic verses to music, so C matches 1.
The Atharvaveda contains charms, spells and magic, so D matches 3.
The code is therefore 4 2 1 3.
Remember: Sama means melody; Indian music traces its roots to the Samaveda.

Source: NCERT Class VI, Our Pasts I; Vedic literature

Atharvaveda contains charms and healing spells, so it matches with medicine (3).
Rigveda is a collection of hymns praising the gods (1).
Yajurveda gives the formulas for sacrifices (2).
Samaveda sets Rigvedic verses to melody (4).
So the order is 3, 1, 2, 4.
Remember: Sama Veda is the origin of Indian music.

Source: NCERT Class XI, Themes in Indian History Part I