Ancient and Medieval Indian Rulers

Pulakesin II (r. 610-642 CE), the most powerful Chalukya ruler, held the titles 'Sri Prithvi-Vallabha' (Lord of the Earth) and 'Parameswara' (Supreme Lord). He defeated Harsha and expanded the Chalukya empire. Pulakesin I was the founder, Kirtivarman was his father, and Mangalesa was his uncle.

India's first currency notes were issued during the reign of Samudra Gupta (c. 4th century CE) of the Gupta dynasty, often called India's 'Golden Age.' These were likely gold or silver coins. Vikramaditya was a later legendary king, Akbar was Mughal (16th century), and Ashoka was Mauryan (3rd century BCE - different currency system).

Ashoka (r. 268-232 BCE) belonged to the Maurya dynasty, founded by Chandragupta Maurya. After the Kalinga War, Ashoka embraced Buddhism and became a great ruler known for his edicts and dhamma. The Nanda dynasty preceded the Mauryas, Kushana came later, and the Gupta dynasty was several centuries after Ashoka.

Emperor Ashoka was born in Pataliputra, which is modern-day Patna in Bihar. He was the third Mauryan emperor and ruled from 268 to 232 BCE.

In the Mahabharata, Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna and Subhadra (Krishna's sister). While Arjuna had other wives including Chitrangada and Ulupi, and Draupadi was shared among the Pandavas, Subhadra alone was Abhimanyu's mother.

In the movie 'Chandramukhi' (2005), the character Raja's full name is revealed as Raja Venkatapathi Raj, which is why he is referred to as the 'Raja of Venkatapuram'. Venkatapathi directly connects to the place name Venkatapuram. Chandrapathi, Chalapathi, and Bhogapathi are similar-sounding names but not the correct answer.

Chitrangada was the daughter of King Chitravahana of Manipur and married Arjuna during his exile. She became the mother of Arjuna's son Babruvahana. Draupadi was Arjuna's principal wife but was the daughter of King Drupada of Panchala, not Manipur. Ulupi was a Naga princess, and Subhadra was Krishna's sister.

Parikshit was indeed the grandson of Arjuna (son of Abhimanyu and Uttara) and the only surviving heir of the Kuru dynasty after the Mahabharata war. He was born posthumously after Abhimanyu's death and was saved in Uttara's womb by Krishna. Parikshit later became the king and father of Janamejaya.

Babruvahana was the son of Arjuna and Chitrangada (princess of Manipur). In the Mahabharata, after the Kurukshetra war, Babruvahana engaged in battle with his father Arjuna and killed him, though Arjuna was later revived. This occurred during Arjuna's campaign to collect tribute for Yudhishthira's Ashwamedha yagna. Iravana was another son of Arjuna but was sacrificed before the war.

Kanishka (Kushan dynasty, 1st-2nd century CE) was the first ancient Indian ruler to introduce gold coins on a large scale. His coins featured Buddhist and Hindu deities and followed Greek standards. Chandragupta Maurya and later rulers used silver and copper coins. Aurangzeb (Mughal era) came much later.

King Bimbisara of Magadha (c. 5th century BCE) was deeply impressed by the young Siddhartha Gautama (who would become the Buddha) and reportedly offered him a position as prince or heir. Bimbisara became a patron of Buddhism after the Buddha's enlightenment. Ajatsatru was his son who later imprisoned him.

Chanakya is referred to as the 'Indian Machiavelli' because he wrote the Arthashastra, which like Machiavelli's 'The Prince', discusses statecraft, governance, and political strategy. Chanakya was the advisor to Chandragupta Maurya.

The Sunga dynasty (c. 185-73 BCE) ended the Mauryan Empire when Pushyamitra Sunga, the commander-in-chief, assassinated the last Mauryan king Brihadrata. Rashtrakutas (A) ruled much later (8th-10th century CE). Palas (B) ruled in Bengal (8th-12th century CE). Chalukyas (D) were a Deccan dynasty (6th-12th century CE).

Kanishka (c. 127-150 CE) was the greatest Kushan ruler, famous for his military conquests, patronage of Buddhism (hosting the Fourth Buddhist Council), and role in developing Mahayana Buddhism. Vikramaditya (B) is legendary, often associated with the Gupta era. Harshavardhana (C) ruled much later (7th century CE). Krishna (D) is a deity, not a Kushan king.