Ancient Indian History

Gargi is famous as a learned woman in Upanishadic debates. For exams, remember examples of women scholars in ancient India.

Maitreyi is associated with Yajnavalkya's discussion on self and immortality. For exams, remember characters in Upanishadic dialogues.

Taxila was famous as the capital of Gandhara and a centre of learning. For exams, study north-western Mahajanapadas separately.

Kamboja was a Mahajanapada linked with the north-western region. For exams, remember the geography of frontier Mahajanapadas.

Chedi was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas. For exams, remember even the less prominent Mahajanapadas in the list.

The Shishunaga dynasty carried Magadhan power forward after the Haryankas. For exams, remember the sequence of Magadhan dynasties.

Kalashoka is associated with the Second Buddhist Council. For exams, remember councils and their patrons in order.

Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa are Sri Lankan Buddhist historical texts. For exams, remember them as sources for Ashoka and Buddhist spread.

Mahendra and Sanghamitra are linked with Ashoka and the spread of Buddhism to Sri Lanka. For exams, study missions and sources together.

Ashoka emphasized moral conduct and compassion for living beings. For exams, understand Dhamma as an administrative moral policy.

Matsyanyaya shows domination of the strong in anarchy. For exams, connect it with the need for the state.

Kosha represents the financial base of the state. For exams, treat treasury as an essential element in the Saptanga theory.

Punch-marked coins are evidence of ancient exchange and monetary system. For exams, identify coins as economic sources.

The Sohgaura copper plate is linked with famine and storage arrangements. For exams, study early administrative evidence carefully.

Malavikagnimitram contains a story related to Agnimitra. For exams, draw political clues from literary texts.

Option A, the Shunga dynasty, is correct. The Kanva dynasty succeeded the Shungas in Magadha around the first century BCE. The transition occurred after the last Shunga ruler was overthrown by Vasudeva Kanva, who established Kanva authority. This sequence is important for understanding the political succession in post-Mauryan northern India. The Guptas ruled several centuries later and established a major imperial power in the classical period. The Cholas were a prominent southern dynasty with a different regional and chronological setting, while the Palas rose much later in eastern India during the early medieval period. A useful broad sequence for this part of ancient history is Maurya, Shunga, Kanva and then Satavahana-related developments, although regional political histories overlapped.

Devabhuti is considered the last ruler of the Shunga dynasty. For exams, remember the transition from Shunga to Kanva power.

The Garuda standard at Besnagar is evidence linked with Vasudeva Vishnu devotion. For exams, understand religious development through symbols.

Milindapanha is considered a question-answer text of the Pali tradition. For exams, remember the dialogue of Milinda and Nagasena.

Menander or Milinda is famous for the dialogue with Nagasena. For exams, study Indo-Greek and Buddhist contacts together.