Short Question and Answers

In the fourth century BC the empire of Magadh was greatly expanded under which powerful dynasty?
Ans: Nandas
Through which accounts we come to know that Nandas conquered all rival monarchs and became all powerful rulers of North India?
Ans: Puranas
Hathigumpha inscription is associated with which monarch?
Ans: Kharavela
Kharavela ruled over Kalinga in which century?
Ans: IInd century BC
Where Emperor Chandragupta is said to have lived for many years as a Jain ascetic?
Ans: Sravana Belgola
A period of 12 years of dire famine the whole of Jain sangha migrated from the north to south under whose leadership?
Ans: Bhadrabahu

Which literary source gives some information of value about the trade between the north and the south in the age of the early Maurayan Empire?
Ans: Arthasashtra
Who has given the account of the rule of the Pandyan kingdom by Pandala a daughter of Herakles ?
Ans: Megasthenes
In which rock edicts of Ashoka the kingdom of south India together with Ceylon are mentioned?
Ans: Second Rock edicts and thirteenth rock edicts.
Which rock-edicts include the names of Chola, Pandya, Satiyaputra, Keralaputa and Tambapanni?
Ans: IInd Rock edict
When Kalinga did was conquered by Ashoka?
Ans: 260 BC
Which edicts of Ashoka prove the inclusion within the Mauryan Empire of the north-west as well as the north-east of the Deccan?
Ans: Sopara
Which source mentions that the mission had been send after the third Buddhist council at Pataliputra for the propagation of the Dhamma in different countries?
Ans: Mahavamsa
From which places in farther south Ashokan inscription have been found?
Ans: Raichur,Chitaldurg and Kurnool
Which of the following ancient place is now known as Kanakgiri?
Ans: Suvarnagiri.
Antamahamatras were incharge of what work?
Ans: Defence and missionary work among people.
Which inscription mentions a league of Tamil states that was 113 years old at the date of the inscription and had been for some time a source of danger to the Kalinga kingdom?
Ans: Hathigumpha
Which poet mentions that the Kosar started operations against their foes and gained success against many of them?
Ans: Mamulanar.
The most important records which have a dedication to Jain ascetics by a Chera prince come from which place?
Ans: Arnattarmalai
Which language is employed in the script of Damili records?
Ans: Tamil
The language employed in the script of Damili records was Tamil but at which place it is in Prakrit?
Ans: Arikkamedu
A Pallava inscription of the 9th century AD mentions which earliest ruler of Kanchipuram ?
Ans: Ashokavarman
Which dynasty is identical with the Andhras of Andhrabhrityas in the Puranic lists of the Kings?
Ans: Kushan dynasty
Who mentions that the Andhra territory in the eastern Deccan as including thirty walled towns, besides numerous villages and as maintaining an army of 100,000 infantry,2000 cavalry and 1000 elephants?
Ans: Pliny
How many kings have been mentioned in the dynasty of Satvahanas according to Puranas?
Ans: 30
The names of the earliest kings in the Puranic list figure also on inscriptions and on coins are found at which places in Deccan?
Nasik,Karle and Naneghat
About which Satvahana king Kharavela of Kalinga states clearly that the territory of that Satvahana king lay to the west of his kingdom?
Ans: Satakarni
Who was the first king of Satvahanas?
Ans: Simuk
Nasik inscription was associated with which Satvahana king?
Ans: Kanha
Which accounts states that Simuka grew wicked and dethroned and killed?
Ans: Jaina
Whose figure was sculptured in rilievo at Naneghat along with the figures of his father Simuka,Queen Naganika a maharathi and three princess?
Ans: Sri Satakarni I
Which source mentions victory of the Sungas over the Andhras?
Ans: Malavikagnimitra
Who is described in the inscription of his queen as the lord of Dakshinapatha?
Ans: Satakarni I
Which king of Satvahana enjoyed the longest reign 56 years and wrested Malwa from the Sungas?
Ans: Satakarni III
Who was the famous Satvahana king whom Kharavela of Kalinga defied in the second year of his reign by sending a large army of horse, elephant, foot soldiers and chariots to the west?
Ans: Satakarni II
Which king has compiled the famous literature Sattasai?
Ans: Hala
In which language the Saptasati has been written?
Ans: Prakrit
Which Gupta ruler destroyed the Saka power in the west?
Ans: Chandragupta II
Bhumaka and Nahapana were famous rulers of which satrap?
Ans: Western satrap
Which was the capital of Natrapana?
Ans: Minnagara
Which Satvahana ruler described as the destroyer of the Shakas Pahlavas and Yavasas?
Ans: Gautamiputra Satakarni
Which ruler of Satvahanas overthrew Nahapana and minted his silver coins again?
Ans: Gautamiputra Satkarni
Coins of Pulumayi II are found in which districts?
Ans: Godavari,Guntur and Cuddalore
Which Shaka king defeated the Satvahana ruler twice and took Aparanta and Anupa from him?
Ans: Rudradaman
Which Satvahana ruler coin bears the figure of a ship stating that his power was not confined to the land?
Ans: Yajnasri
Which writer names several ports in Maisolia the regions between the deltas of Godavari and Krishna? Ans: Ptolemy.
In western Deccan which one was the most important port?
Ans: Barygaza
What was the religion of most of the Satvahana rulers?
Ans: Brahmanism
Hala’s saptasati opens with invocation of which god?
Ans: Shiva
Which Satvahana ruler was a great supporter of the Brahmins and tried to emulate the epic heroes Rama,Krishna and Arjuna?
Ans: Gautamiputra Satakarni
In which text temples to Gauri and also the vrata of fire and water are mentioned?
Ans: Saptasati
Who founded the Abhiras dynasty?
Ans: Isvarasena
When Kalachuri or Chedi era started?
Ans: 248-49 AD
Which Indo-Greek king offered an elephant scalp to Nandivarman II on the occasion of his being chosen for the throne?
Ans: Demetrius
Which dynasty declared its devotion to Kadamba tree?
Ans: Kadamba
Which Pallava king belonged to Bharadvaja gotra and also performed the agnistoma,vajpeya and asvamedha sacrifices and bore the title of Supreme king of kings devoted to dharma?
Ans: Skandavarman