Answer all questions carefully. Questions are UPSC-level involving statement analysis, chronology, and cause-effect reasoning.
hard•10 questions•~15 min
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Question 01
hard
Consider the following statements about the Later Vedic period:
1. The vidatha completely disappeared in the later Vedic period.
2. The sabha and samiti continued but came to be dominated by princes and rich nobles; women were no longer permitted to sit on the sabha.
3. The term 'rashtra' (indicating territory) first appears in the Rig Veda.
4. The Atharva Veda contains charms and spells and throws light on the beliefs and practices of non-Aryans.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question 02
medium
With reference to the PGW (Painted Grey Ware)-Iron Phase culture, which of the following statements is INCORRECT?
Question 03
medium
In the context of Later Vedic political organisation, which of the following correctly describes the three royal rituals used to strengthen kingly power?
Question 04
hard
Consider the following statements about the four-varna system in the later Vedic period:
1. The vaisyas appear to be the only tribute-payers in later Vedic times; the kshatriyas are represented as living on the tributes collected from the vaisyas.
2. All four varnas - brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas, and sudras - were entitled to the upanayana (sacred thread ceremony).
3. A vaisya is called 'tribute-paying, meant for being beaten, and to be oppressed at will' in later Vedic texts.
4. Even in later Vedic times, the rathakara (chariot-maker) enjoyed a high status and was entitled to the sacred thread ceremony.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question 05
medium
Which of the following correctly describes the changes in the religious pantheon between the Rig Vedic and the Later Vedic periods?
Question 06
hard
The Upanishads, compiled around 600 BC in the land of the Panchalas and Videha, are historically significant because:
1. They criticised rituals and laid stress on the value of right belief and knowledge.
2. They emphasised that knowledge of the self (atma) and its relation with Brahma should be acquired.
3. They promoted the cause of stability and integration by emphasising the changelessness and immortality of atma.
4. They advocated complete rejection of the Vedic social order and the varna system.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question 07
medium
Consider the following statements about the institution of gotra in later Vedic times:
1. Gotra literally means the cow-pen or place where cattle belonging to the whole clan are kept.
2. In course of time, gotra came to signify descent from a common ancestor.
3. People began to practise gotra exogamy - no marriage could take place between persons belonging to the same gotra.
4. The gotra system first appears in the Rig Veda as a means of organising cattle-rearing communities.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question 08
medium
Which of the following statements about the asrama system in the later Vedic period is correct?
Question 09
hard
RS Sharma's account of why a full state system could not be set up in the later Vedic period points to which of the following as the primary reason?
Question 10
hard
Consider the following pairs matching Later Vedic texts/concepts with their correct description:
1. Yajur Veda Samhita - Contains not only hymns but also rituals which have to accompany their recitation; reflects the social and political milieu in which they arose.
2. Satapatha Brahmana - Speaks at length about ploughing rituals.
3. Aitareya Brahmana - Describes the brahmana in relation to the prince as a seeker of livelihood and an acceptor of gifts but removable at will.
4. Atharva Veda - Contains the philosophical texts criticising rituals, known as the Upanishads.
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?