Maurya Empire MCQs – PYQs Explained
[Q:1] The founder of the Mauryan Dynasty was –
[A] Chandragupta Maurya
[B] Ashoka
[C] Bindusara
[D] Kumargutpa
[Q:2] When did the Mauryan Period start?
[A] 322 BC
[B] 332 BC
[C] 342 BC
[D] 312 BC
[Q:3] Who wrote “Arthasastra”?
[A] Visakha Datta
[B] Kautilya
[C] Megasthenes
[D] Harisena
[Q:4] Who was the author of “Indica”?
[A] Kautilya
[B] Seleucus
[C] Megasthenese
[D] Fahien
[Q:5] Who was the author of ‘Mudra Rakshasa’?
[A] Visakha Datta
[B] Kautilya
[C] Ibn Batuta
[D] Chanakya
[Q:6] ‘Liberator’ title was earned by –
[A] Bindusara
[B] Ashoka
[C] Skandhagupta
[D] Chandragupta Maurya
[Q:7] Who humiliated Kautilya?
[A] Nanda
[B] Mauryan
[C] Buddhist
[D] Kushans
[Q:8] Who is the prime minister of Chandragupta Maurya?
[A] Selecus
[B] Chanakkya
[C] Visakha Datta
[D] Kumargupta
[Q:9] Who helped Chandragupta Maurya to defeat the Nandas?
[A] Aswaghosa
[B] Ashoka
[C] Selecus
[D] Kautilya
[Q:10] The founder of the Sunga Dynasty was-
[A] Ashoka
[B] Bindusara
[C] Pushyamitra
[D] Rana Sanga
[Q:11] Ashoka invaded Kalinga in –
[A] 251 BC
[B] 260 BC
[C] 271 BC
[D] 281 BBC
[Q:12] When did Ashoka die?
[A] 261 BC
[B] 232 BC
[C] 273 BC
[D] 240 BC
[Q:13] Which last Nanda ruler killed by Chandragupta Maurya?
[A] Mahapadma Nanda
[B] Dhana Nanda
[C] Shisunaga Nanda
[D] Other
[Q:14] Who was defeated by Chandragupta Maurya on the banks of the Sindhu?
[A] Alexander
[B] Seleucus Nekator
[C] Birbhadra
[D] Dhana Nanda
[Q:15] Who married the daughter of Seleucus (Helena)?
[A] Ashoka
[B] Srigupta
[C] Chandragupta Maurya
[D] Bindusara
[Q:16] Who earned the title ‘Aritraghata’?
[A] Bindusara
[B] Ashoka
[C] Chandragupta Maurya
[D] Srigupta
[Q:17] The ambassador of Seleucus in the court of Chandragupta Maurya was –
[A] Alexander
[B] Kautilya
[C] Megasthenese
[D] Fahien
[Q:18] ‘Indica’ was written in which language?
[A] Greek
[B] Sanskrit
[C] Pali
[D] Persian
[Q:19] The division of Mauryan society into seven classes was particularly mentioned in –
[A] Kautilya’s Arthasastra
[B] Ashokan Edicts
[C] The Puranas
[D] The Indica of Megasthenese
[Q:20] The central or main point of Ashoka’s Dhamma was –
[A] Loyalty to the king
[B] Peace and nonviolence
[C] Respect for elders
[D] Religious toleration
[Q:21] The effects of the Kalinga on King Ashoka are found in –
[A] Pillar edicts
[B] Rock Edicts
[C] Excavations
[D] Other
[Q:22] Megasthenes visited India during the reign of
[A] Chandragupta Maurya
[B] Chandragupta II
[C] Ashoka
[D] Bindusara
[Q:23] Which is the oldest dynasty in ancient India?
[A] Gupta
[B] Mauryan
[C] Kashan
[D] Mughal
[Q:24] Who deciphered the Ashokan Inscriptions?
[A] James Princep
[B] S. R. Rao
[C] M. Wheeler
[D] Other
[Q:25] The Ashoka pillar at Allahabad provides information about the reign of which king?
[A] Chandragupta Maurya
[B] Chandragupta
[C] Chandragupta II
[D] Samudragupta
[Q:26] Kalinga is now known as –
[A] Bihar
[B] West Bengal
[C] Orissa
[D] Uttar Pradesh
[Q:27] The third council of Buddhism held in –
[A] 240 BC
[B] 250 BC
[C] 260 BC
[D] 270 BC
[Q:28] Which king is known as ‘Constantine of Buddhism’?
[A] Chandragupta Maurya
[B] Bindusara
[C] Vishnu Gupta
[D] Asoka
[Q:29] Which was the famous education center of the Mauryan period?
[A] Varanasi
[B] Takshasila
[C] Patliputra
[D] Nalanda
[Q:30] Who was the administrator of Justice in the Ashoka period?
[A] Rajuka
[B] Vishnu Gupta
[C] Kharbel
[D] Upagupta
[Q:31] In which century did Ashoka reign?
[A] Third Century B.C
[B] Third Century A.D
[C] Second century B.C
[D] Second Century A.D
[Q:32] Ashoka won the Kalinga war in
[A] 261 B.C
[B] 262 B.C
[C] 263 BC
[D] 264 BC
[Q:33] Who overthrew the Nanda dynasty?
[A] Bimbisara
[B] Ajatashatru
[C] Chandragupta Maurya
[D] Pushyamitra Shunga
[Q:34] With whose departure from India did the foreign rule over the frontier regions come to an end?
[A] Euthydemus
[B] Seleucus
[C] Scylax
[D] Xerxes
[Q:35] During whose reign was Sudarshana Lake excavated?
[A] Bimbisara
[B] Chandragupta Maurya
[C] Mahapadma Nanda
[D] Ashoka
[Q:36] Information about Sudarshana Lake is found in which inscription?
[A] Hathigumpha inscription
[B] Junagadh inscription
[C] Nanaghat inscription
[D] Eran inscription
[Q:37] Head of a village in Mauryan administration was called—
[A] Sthanika
[B] Grāmika
[C] Baladhyaksha
[D] Gopa
[Q:38] The Sthanika was the head of which division?
[A] Province
[B] District
[C] Janapada
[D] Village
[Q:39] Policy of “friendship through treaty” was called—
[A] Sama
[B] Dana
[C] Bheda
[D] Danda
[Q:40] Friendship through assistance in Mauryan foreign policy was—
[A] Dana
[B] Danda
[C] Sama
[D] Bheda
[Q:41] Pilgrimage to places associated with Buddha was called—
[A] Vihara-yatra
[B] Bheri-ghosha
[C] Dharma-yatra
[D] Punya-yatra
[Q:42] Evidence of Chandragupta Maurya’s conquest of western India is found in—
[A] Girnar inscription
[B] Topra inscription
[C] Junagadh inscription
[D] None of the above
[Q:43] Which was NOT part of Ashoka’s empire?
[A] Afghanistan
[B] Bihar
[C] Sri Lanka
[D] Kalinga
[Q:44] Ashoka’s Dhamma was based on—
[A] Brahmanical religion
[B] Jain religion
[C] Buddhist religion
[D] Welfare-oriented ideals common to all religions
[Q:45] Who said slavery did not exist in Mauryan period?
[A] Megasthenes
[B] Chanakya
[C] Ashvaghosha
[D] None of the above
[Q:46] The Mauryan Empire was contemporary with—
[A] Death of Mahavira
[B] Mahaparinirvana of Gautama Buddha
[C] Alexander’s invasion of India
[D] Coronation of Chandragupta Maurya
[Q:47] Which inscription mentions that Saurashtra province was part of the Maurya Empire?
[A] Girnar inscription
[B] Ashoka’s inscription
[C] Mandasor inscription
[D] Hathigumpha inscription
[Q:48] In the Arthashastra, Sitadhyaksha was the head of __________ department?
[A] Agriculture
[B] Women welfare
[C] Military department
[D] Navy
[Q:49] What does the Ashoka Chakra at Sarnath indicate?
[A] Spread of Dharma
[B] Revolution
[C] Injustice
[D] Law
[Q:50] The Kharosthi script was developed from _________ script?
[A] Pictographic script
[B] Aramaic script
[C] Cuneiform script
[D] Brahmi script
[Q:51] Which tribal group was conquered by Ashoka?
[A] Mon
[B] Gandhar
[C] Satyaputra
[D] Bhoja
[Q:52] In his inscriptions, how did Ashoka describe himself?
[A] Priyadarshi
[B] Son of God (Devaputra)
[C] Dharmashoka
[D] Devanampriya Priyadarshi
[Q:53] Who was known by the title ‘Amitraghata’ (destroyer of enemies)?
[A] Bindusara
[B] Ashoka
[C] Bimbisara
[D] Kalashoka
[Q:54] From where was the Lion Capital seen on Indian currency discovered?
[A] Bharhut
[B] Sanchi
[C] Bodh Gaya
[D] Sarnath
[Q:55] In which Sanskrit play is the fall of the Nanda dynasty by Kautilya and Chandragupta Maurya clearly described? (WBCS Prelims 2016) A. B. C. D.
[A] Mrichchhakatikam
[B] Devichandraguptam
[C] Mattavilasa
[D] Mudrarakshasa
[Q:56] Ashoka donated the Lomasha Rishi Cave (near Gaya) to ________.
[A] Ajivika monks
[B] Jain monks
[C] Brahmins
[D] Buddhist monks of Sri Lanka
[Q:57] Which of the following was NOT a provincial capital of the Maurya Empire?
[A] Ujjayini
[B] Taxila
[C] Tosali
[D] Tamraparni
[Q:58] According to Rajatarangini, which deity was worshipped by Ashoka?
[A] Shiva
[B] Vishnu
[C] Vasudeva
[D] Buddha
[Q:59] Which of the following statements is NOT correct?
[A] Kautilya was the guide and mentor of Chandragupta
[B] Bindusara ruled after Chandragupta
[C] Chandragupta was known as Amitraghata to the Greeks
[D] Chandragupta died by fasting in South India
[Q:60] In which source are the Mauryas described as belonging to the Shudra varna?
[A] Puranas
[B] Jataka tales
[C] European classical writers
[D] Purvas
[Q:61] Which source mentions that Ashoka founded the city of Srinagar?
[A] Kalhana’s Rajatarangini
[B] Divyavadana
[C] Taranatha’s History of Tibet
[D] Mahavamsa
[Q:62] Which ruler started his life as a military commander (senapati)?
[A] Chandragupta Maurya
[B] Bindusara
[C] Bimbisara
[D] Ashoka
[Q:63] Which of the following persons was NOT a Greek ambassador to the Maurya court?
[A] Megasthenes
[B] Diodorus
[C] Deimachus
[D] Dionysius
[Q:64] In the Maurya period, ‘Kantakashodhana’ was—
[A] Royal treasury
[B] City court
[C] Criminal court / police office
[D] None
[Q:65] Which historian rejected the theory of a marriage alliance between Chandragupta Maurya and Seleucus?
[A] Vincent Smith
[B] H. C. Raychaudhuri
[C] H. P. Shastri
[D] B. N. Mukherjee and Romila Thapar
[Q:66] Ashoka’s Rummindei pillar inscription is related to which event of the Buddha’s life?
[A] Birth
[B] First sermon
[C] Enlightenment
[D] Death
[Q:67] In Indian history, the first international treaty is associated with which ruler?
[A] Mahapadma Nanda
[B] Chandragupta Maurya
[C] Bindusara
[D] Ashoka