General Awareness · Civics Polity

Indian Philosophy and Aesthetics

2,971 Questions

Indian philosophy spans diverse concepts from Buddhist teachings and practices to ancient aesthetics. This collection covers meditation rules, spiritual enlightenment, and cultural expressions like Odissi. These topics are vital for general awareness in civil services and state exams.

Buddhist philosophy practicesAesthetics treatisesTantra categoriesMoksha conceptsClassical dance movements

Indian Philosophy and Aesthetics Questions

Multiple choice

Mitakshara is a commentary by

  1. Jimutavahana

  2. Vijnaneshwara

  3. Raghunandan

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Mitākṣarā is a legal commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smriti, best known for its theory of "inheritance by birth". It was written by Vijñāneśvara, a scholar in the Western Chalukya court, in the late eleventh and early twelfth century.

Multiple choice

Mitakshara is a commentary on

  1. Manu

  2. Yajnyavalkya

  3. Narada

  4. Kautilya
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Mitākṣarā is a legal commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smriti, best known for its theory of "inheritance by birth".

Multiple choice

Which one of the following works states definitely that marriage as a sacrament accompanied by rituals was established in the Tamil country by the Aryans?

  1. Naladiyar

  2. Sirupanarruppadai

  3. Tolkappiyam

  4. Palamoli
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Tolkappiyam is the oldest extant Tamil grammar text. It provides significant insights into the social and cultural life of the Sangam period, including the introduction of Aryan-influenced marriage rituals.

Multiple choice

Assertion A: The territorial radiation of the regional gods of the bhakti cults was similar to the territorial sway of the early medieval Indian kings. Reason R: In both cases, their power was most concentrated at the centre and diminished towards the periphery.

  1. Only A is true.

  2. Only R is true.

  3. Both A and R are true and R explains A.

  4. Both A and R are true, but R does not explain A.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Both statements are historically accurate. The bhakti cults often mirrored the political structure of the time, where influence was strongest near the center of the deity's cult and faded as distance increased, similar to the tributary systems of medieval kings.

Multiple choice

What is the ascending order of the following units of administration during the Chola period?

i. Valanadus ii. Nadus iii. Mandalams iv. Kurrams

Choose the answer from the codes given below.

  1. iii, ii, i, iv

  2. i, ii, iii, iv

  3. iv, i, ii, iii

  4. iv, ii, i, iii
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The administrative hierarchy of the Chola Empire from smallest to largest was: Kurram (village unit), Nadu (group of villages), Valanadu (group of Nadus), and Mandalam (province).

Multiple choice

What is 'Pavarana' in Buddhism?

(a) The initiation ceremony for admission into the Sangha (b) The ceremony for expelling members of the Sangha on disciplinary grounds (c) The get-together of monks to confess their offences, if any, committed during their stay at a fixed abode in the rainy season (d) The daily ceremony performed by the monks for affirming their faith in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha

  1. (a)

  2. (b)

  3. (c)

  4. (d)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Pavarana is a Buddhist ceremony held at the end of the Vassa (rainy season retreat), where monks gather to invite their peers to point out any offenses they may have committed during the retreat.

Multiple choice

The central point in Ashoka's Dharma was

  1. loyalty to kings

  2. peace and non-violence

  3. respect to elders

  4. religious tolerence
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Ashoka's Dhamma was a set of edicts that emphasized moral conduct, social responsibility, and religious tolerance. It was not a specific religion but a code of conduct for his empire.