Ancient and Medieval Indian Rulers

Harihara II (1377-1404 CE), one of Vijayanagara's early powerful rulers, captured Goa from the Bahmani Sultanate around 1380 CE. This conquest established Vijayanagara control over this strategic west-coast port, which was crucial for trade access to the Arabian Sea and served as an important commercial hub.

Bimbisara acquried Anga and placed it under the viceroyalty of Ajatashatru at Champa.

Correct Answer: Rajuka "Rajukas" were the provincial officials during the Mauryan Administration. Rajuka was the officer for rural areas and Nagara vyavaharika for urban areas. These officials were engaged in clerical and accounting works.

Greek historians and writers referred to Chandragupta Maurya as Sandrocottos in their accounts. This name appears in the writings of Megasthenes, the Greek ambassador to the Mauryan court, and other Greek sources. The other options are either incorrect names or refer to different historical figures - Seleucus Nikator was a Greek ruler who Chandragupta later defeated.

All three statements (A, B, and C) about Chandragupta Maurya are historically accurate. He did embrace Jainism in his later years, abdicated the throne in favor of his son Bindusara, and accompanied the Jain saint Bhadrabahu to South India where he attained Kaivalya through Sallekhana (starvation unto death) at Chandragiri hill, Shravanabelagola.

Correct Answer: Ajatasatru

Ashoka's Rock Edict XIII (RE XIII) specifically mentions his cordial diplomatic relations with five Hellenistic kings - Antiochus II of Syria, Ptolemy II of Egypt, Antigonus Gonatas of Macedonia, Magas of Cyrene, and Alexander of Epirus. This edict is famous for describing the aftermath of the Kalinga war and also documents Ashoka's missionary efforts abroad.

The Satavahana dynasty is known to have minted lead coins, which were quite common in their monetary system. Archaeological evidence confirms the use of lead coinage by the Satavahanas, while the other dynasties mentioned primarily used copper, silver, or gold coins for their currency.

The title 'Devanampriya' meaning 'Beloved of the Gods' was used by both Ashoka and his successor Dasaratha in their inscriptions. Kunala is not historically associated with this title. This epithet appears in several Ashokan edicts and was continued by at least one of his successors.

Mihirakula, the cruel Huna leader who persecuted Buddhists, was defeated by Yashodharman, the ruler of Malwa. Yashodarman's victory over the Hunas is recorded in the Mandasor pillar inscription and is considered a significant event in pushing back the Huna invasion of India.

It was built in the 8^th century by Krishna I.

Ashoka expressed deep remorse over the massive bloodshed and suffering caused by his conquest of Kalinga in Rock Edict XIII. This edict is particularly significant as it describes his transformation after witnessing the horrors of war and his subsequent adoption of Buddhism and policy of Dhamma (Dharma).

Bindusara fits this description perfectly as he was both the father of Ashoka (son) and the son of Chandragupta Maurya (father). This riddle-like description emphasizes his position in the Mauryan dynastic lineage, bridging the gap between the founder Chandragupta and the great emperor Ashoka.

James Prinsep deciphered the Ashokan Brahmi script in 1837, which was a major breakthrough in understanding ancient Indian history. He successfully read the inscriptions at Allahabad (Prayag) and identified the name 'Devanampriya Priyadarsin' as Ashoka, unlocking a wealth of historical information about the Mauryan period.

Pushyamitra Sunga was the founder of the Sunga dynasty, which came to power after he assassinated the last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha, around 185 BCE. He was initially a Mauryan military commander who then established his own rule.