Mauryan Empire MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Mauryan Empire - Download Free PDF

The answer is Ashoka.

• The Great Stupa at Sanchi was originally built in the 3rd century BCE by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka and is believed to house the ashes of the Buddha.
• Sarnath Pillar was also constructed by Ashoka.

Important PointsSanchi Stupa:

• The famous Great Stupa is located at Sanchi in the Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh.
• It is one of the oldest Buddhist monuments in the country and the largest stupa at the site. 
• The simple structure was damaged at some point during the 2nd century BCE. It was later repaired and enlarged and elements were added, it reached its final form in the 1st century BCE.
• The Great Stupa and Sanchi’s other Buddhist monuments were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1989.

Additional InformationMauryan Empire (321 BCE - 185 BCE):

Chandragupta Maurya (321 BCE - 297 BCE):

• Founder of the Maurya Dynasty and is credited with the setting up of the first (nearly) pan-Indian empire.
• Known as Sandrakottos to the Greeks and Androkottus by Aerian and Plutark. 
• William Jones was the 1st scholar who recognized Sandrokottos as Chandragupta Maurya.
• Kautilya mentored Chandragupta and prepared him for a takeover of Magadha.
• Set up a vast centralized empire (details of whose functioning, society, military, and economy are well preserved in Kautilya's Arthashastra).
• Defeated the invading army of the Eastern part of Alexander's empire Seleucus (305 BCE).​
• Megasthenese was a Greek ambassador sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya.
• Chandragupta in his later years accepted Jainism.
  • Accompanied Bhadrabahu to Karnataka and later died by following the ritual of sallekhana, i.e., fasting till death. 

Bindusara (297 BCE - 273 BCE):

• 2^nd Mauryan Emperor of India and he was the son of Chandragupta Maurya.
• Known as Amitrochates to the Greeks. In Jain texts, he was known as Simhasena.
• Antiochus sent Deimachus as an ambassador to Bindusara's court.
• Chanakya also remained the chief advisor of Bindusara.
• Bindusara was an able monarch who was successful in consolidating the empire established by his father.
• Bindusara patronized the Ajivikas.

 Ashoka the Great (268 BCE - 232 BCE):

• 3^rd king of the Mauryan Empire.
• He was known for:
  • Renunciation of war after the Kalinga war.
  • Development of the concept of Dhamma (pious social conduct, welfare of humanity).
  • Promotion of Buddhism. 
  • Effective reign of a nearly pan-Indian political entity.
• Under Ashoka, the Mauryan Empire stretched from modern-day Iran through almost the entirety of the Indian subcontinent.
• Ashoka initially rules this vast empire through the political treatise's precepts known as the Arthashastra.
• In his inscriptions, he was called Devanampriya or Devanapiyadasi.​
• Most of the inscriptions were written in the Prakrit language in the Brahmi script except only two which were in the Kharoshti script.
• In 1837, James Prinsep become the 1^st scholar who deciphered Ashoka's inscription.

Brihadratha:

• Last Mauryan ruler.
• Assassinated by Pushyamitra Sunga and established his own Sunga dynasty.

The correct answer is brihadratha.

Key Points

• He was the last ruler of the Maurya Empire which ruled from 187 to 180 BCE. 
• Brihadratha was assassinated by his own general, Pushyamitra Sunga, who founded the Sunga Empire.
• Brihadratha was the successor of Shatadhanavan, who ruled between 195 and 187 BC. 

Important Points

• The Maurya dynasty was founded by Chandragupta Maurya and dominated the Indian subcontinent between 322 and 185 BC.
• The Maurya Empire spanned over five million square kilometres, making it the largest political entity existing in the Indian subcontinent.

Additional Information

• Singh, the national emblem of the modern Republic of India, was also taken from Sarnath, the capital of Ashoka.

The correct answer is Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.Key Points

• Mauryan Emperor Ashoka is the person whose name was also 'Devanampiya Piyadassi'.
  • "Devanampiya" means "Beloved of the Gods". It is often used by Ashoka in conjunction with the title Priyadasi, which means "He who regards others with kindness".
• Ashoka was the last major emperor of the Mauryan dynasty of India.
  • He ruled the Mauryan dynasty from 268 BC to 232 BC.
  • Following his successful conquest of the Kalinga country on the east coast, Ashoka renounced armed conquest.
  • He adopted a policy that he called “conquest by dharma” (i.e., by principles of right life).
  • His nature was full of sincerity. Ashoka conquered the Kalinga country (modern Orissa state) in the eighth year of his reign. It was at this time that he came in touch with Buddhism and adopted it.
  • He built a number of stupas and monasteries and erected pillars on which he ordered inscribed his understanding of religious doctrines.

Additional Information

• Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta
  • ​He was the founder of the Maurya Dynasty.
  • In 305 BC, he marched against Seleucus Nikator (Alexander's general controlling NW India) and defeated him.
  • Chandragupta embraced Jainism towards the end of his life & stepped down from the throne in favour of his son Bindusara.
• Gautam Buddha 
  • ​He was born as Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini, Nepal, in 563 BCE.
  • ​​At the age of 29, Gautama left home and rejected his life of riches and embraced a lifestyle of asceticism or extreme self-discipline.
  • After 49 consecutive days of meditation, Gautam attained Bodhi (enlightenment) under a pipal tree at Bodhgaya, Bihar.​
  • Buddhist teachings that are the foundation of the Theravada Buddhist philosophy.
• Lord Mahavir
  • ​He was the 24th and last Tirthankara of Jainism.
  • He was born in 540 BC near Vaishali in Kundagrama (Bihar).
  • He propagated the religion after which Jainism came into prominence in the 6th century B.C.  

The correct answer is Most Ashokan inscriptions are in the Brahmi script.

Key Points

• Taxila was on the north-western border of the empire, hence was considered as the gateway to the north-west, including Central Asia. 
• Ujjain was considered the gateway from the south to the north. Hence, Statement a is incorrect.
• The Mauryan empire was the biggest in history. It was founded by Chandragupta in 322 BC.
• Chanakya or Kautilya was made the prime minister under the rule of Chandragupta.
• Chanakya or Kautilya was the advisor or guru of Chandragupta Maurya.
• Chanakya wrote all his ideas and philosophies in the book called, Arthashastra. Hence, Statement b is incorrect.
• Kalinga is the ancient name of coastal Orissa. Ashoka fought a war to overcome Kalinga. Hence, Statement c is incorrect.
• The modern name of the Kalinga state conquered by Ashoka is Odisha.
• The name Bengal or Bangla is derived from the ancient kingdom of Vanga or Banga.
• Kalinga refers to the coastal region between Godavari and Mahanadi rivers. Bengal doesn’t lie in Kalinga.
• The most famous Mauryan ruler was Ashoka. He was the first ruler who tried to take his message to the people through inscriptions. 
• Most of Ashoka's inscriptions were in Prakrit language and were written in the Brahmi script. Some of the inscriptions were also written in the Kharosthi script. Hence, Statement d is correct.
• Brahmi Script is the parent language of Hindi and many other north Indian languages. Ashokan inscriptions were written in Brahmi script. It was the most commonly used language.

The correct answer is ​Pillars.

Key Points

• The pillars established by Ashoka in the Mauryan period are considered the best paradigm.
• Ashoka had established many columns during his reign from 268 BC to 232 BC.
• A variety of artefacts were depicted above the pillars.
• One of these pillars is the Singh pillar of Sarnath, which is the official symbol of India.
• The Indian Constituent Assembly accepted it on January 26, 1950.

Additional Information

• Ashoka’s 7 pillar edicts:
  • These were found at Topra (Delhi), Meerut, Kausambhi, Rampurva, Champaran, Mehrauli.
  • Pillar Edict I: Asoka’s principle of protection to people.
  • Pillar Edict II: Defines Dhamma as the minimum of sins, many virtues, compassion, liberality, truthfulness, and purity.
  • Pillar Edict III: Abolishes sins of harshness, cruelty, anger, pride, etc.
  • Pillar Edict IV: Deals with duties of Rajukas.
  • Pillar Edict V: List of animals and birds which should not be killed on some days and another list of animals which have not to be killed at all.
  • Pillar Edict VI: Dhamma policy
  • Pillar Edict VII: Works done by Ashoka for Dhamma policy. 

The correct answer is Brihadratha.

Key Points

• The last Mauryan ruler Brihadratha was assassinated in 185 BC by his commander in chief Pushyamitra Shunga.
• Pushyamitra Shunga set up a kingdom in the north.
• Pushyamitra Shunga established his own Sunga dynasty.

​Important Points

• The Mauryan dynasty lasted 137 years.
• Chandragupta dethroned the last Nanda ruler Dhana Nanda and occupied the Patliputra in 322 BC.
• Three important rulers of the Maurya dynasty were
  • Chandragupta.
  • Bindusara.
  • Ashoka.

• Chandragupta Maurya was succeeded by his son Bindusara.
  • Bindusara was known as Amitrochates or Amitraghata.
• Dasharatha was a grandson of Ashoka.
• Devvarman was the successor of Shalishuka Maurya and reigned for a short period of seven years.

The correct answer is Dhamma-mahamatta.

• Dhamma-mahamatta was a group of officers instituted to implement and publicize the various aspects of Dhamma.
  • Ashoka made them responsible for carrying his message to various sections of society.
  • Later they became very powerful and started interfering with state politics.

Additional Information

• Ashoka also is known as "Devanampiya".
• Piyadasi was the son of Mauryan Emperor Bindusara and was born in 304 BC.
  • His reign lasted from 268 BC to 232 BC.
  • Once he became King, he started expanding his empires by conquest, in the 8th year of his reign he waged a war with Kalinga (present-day Odisha).
• Ashoka's 13th Rock edicts describe the Kalinga war.
• Source of Information about Ashoka:
  • There are two main source - 
    • Buddhist sources
    • Ashoka's edicts
• Ashoka's inscription can be classified into three - 
  • Pillar edicts
  • Major rock edicts
  • Minor rock edicts
• Ashoka uses his name only in four of these places namely 
  • Maski
  • Brahma Giri (Karnataka)
  • Gujjara (MP)
  • Nettur (AP)

The correct answer is Ashoka Maurya.

• Ashoka Maurya was known as 'Devanampriya Priyadarshi'.
• Asoka himself assumed the title "Devanampiya Priyadarshi".

Important Points

• "Devanampriya" refers to the 'beloved to the gods' and "Priyadarshi" refers to the one who regards everyone amiably.

Additional Information

• The Maurya Empire was founded by Chandragupta Maurya.
• Chandragupta Maurya overthrew the Nanda Empire.
• Bindusara was the son of Chandragupta Maurya.
• Bindusara was succeeded by Ashoka.

The correct answer is the Battle of Kalinga.

Key Points

• The last battle of Ashoka was the Battle of Kalinga.
• The Kalinga War (ended c. 261 BCE) was fought in ancient India between the Maurya Empire under Ashoka and the state of Kalinga, an independent feudal kingdom located on the east coast, in the present-day state of Odisha and north parts of Andhra Pradesh.
• He decided to give up fighting wars after the victory over Kalinga because he was horrified by the violence and bloodshed in that.
• He is the only king in the history of the world who gave up conquest after winning a war. 
• Rock Edict No. 13 in Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra noted that Ashoka had witnessed the slaughter on the battlefield of Kalinga, he considered the victory over Dharma the best victory.

Important Points

• Ashoka:
  • He is remembered as a model ruler, controlling a vast and diverse Mauryan empire through peace and respect, with dharma at the center of his ideology.
  • Ashoka's fame is largely due to his pillar and rock edicts, which allowed him to reach a wide audience and left a lasting historical record.
  • Ashoka killed his brothers to ascend the throne of Magadha.
  • Ashoka fought a war to conquer Kalinga.
  • Ashoka was also known as ‘Chanda ashoka’.

The correct answer is Option 3.

Key Points

• The pillar at Sanchi also has a similar but damaged four-lion capital.
• There are two pillars at Rampurva, one with a bull and the other with a lion as crowning animals.
• Sankissa has only a damaged Elephant capital, which is mainly unpolished, though the abacus is at least partly so. No pillar shaft has been found, and perhaps this was never erected at the site. Hence, Option 3 is not correctly matched.
• The column at Lauriya-Nandangarh, 23 km from Bettiah in West Champaran district, Bihar has single lion capital.

Additional Information The table below is correctly matched:

The correct answer is brihadratha.

Key Points

• He was the last ruler of the Maurya Empire which ruled from 187 to 180 BCE. 
• Brihadratha was assassinated by his own general, Pushyamitra Sunga, who founded the Sunga Empire.
• Brihadratha was the successor of Shatadhanavan, who ruled between 195 and 187 BC. 

Important Points

• The Maurya dynasty was founded by Chandragupta Maurya and dominated the Indian subcontinent between 322 and 185 BC.
• The Maurya Empire spanned over five million square kilometres, making it the largest political entity existing in the Indian subcontinent.

Additional Information

• Singh, the national emblem of the modern Republic of India, was also taken from Sarnath, the capital of Ashoka.

The correct answer is 261 BC.

• Kalinga war took place in the year 261 BC.

Key Points

• Ashoka fought the Kalinga War in 261 BC in the 8th year of his coronation.
• The king was moved by the massacre in this war and therefore, abandoned the policy of physical occupation in favour of the policy of cultural conquest.
  • In other words, Bherighosa was replaced by Dhammaghosa.
• The XIII rock edict of Ashoka elaborates the Kalinga war.

Additional Information

• Ashoka (273 BC-232 BC):
  • He was the greatest Mauryan ruler. He was the governor of Taxila and Ujjain previously. His rule extended to the whole of the sub-continent except the extreme south. It also included Afghanistan, Baluchistan, Kashmir, and the valleys of Nepal.
  • According to Buddhist tradition, Ashoka usurped the throne after killing his 99 brothers and spared Tissa, the youngest one.
  • Ashoka had himself formally crowned in 269 BC.
  • Under Ashoka, the Mauryan Empire reached its climax. For the first time, the whole of the sub-continent, leaving out the extreme south, was under imperial control.
  • He embraced Buddhism under Upagupta.
  • He sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra to Ceylon as Buddhist missionaries with a sapling of original peepal tree.
  • He inaugurated Dhamma Yatras from the 11th year of his reign by visiting Bodh Gaya; also appointed Dhamma Mahamatras.

The correct answer is Eight.

Key Points

• Ashoka edicts
  • In Ashoka edicts, the emperor (Ashoka) refers to himself as Devnampiya Piyadasi which means beloved of Gods.
  • Ashoka was the first king to make a direct connection to the people via his inscriptions.
  • Ashoka edicts are the 33 inscriptions engraved on the rocks and pillars by the Mauryan Empire.
  • They were the proclamation by the emperor to the public at large which carried the message about the idea and practice of dharma.
  • Ashoka inscriptions were scattered throughout Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
  • There are four types of Ashoka edicts:
    1. Major rock edicts
    2. Minor rock edicts
    3. Major pillar edicts
    4. Minor pillar edicts
• Kalinga War
  • The major rock edict XIII describes the victory of Ashoka in the Kalinga war.
  • It explains the conquest through dhamma instead of war.
  • Ashoka fought the Kalinga war, which was completed in the 8th year of Ashoka’s reign in 261 BC.

The correct answer is Pataliputra.

Important Points

• Mauryan empire lasted from about 321 to 185 BCE.
  • Pataliputra was the capital of the Mauryan empire.
  • The area around Pataliputra was under the direct control of the emperor.
  • There were five major political centres in the Mauryan empire including the capital Pataliputra and the provincial centres of Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali, and Suvarnagiri.

Key Points

• The third Buddist council was held at Pataliputra.
• Kautilya's Artha-shastra was the most important literary source for the Maurya's.
• Chandragupta Maurya is the founder of the Mauryan dynasty.
• Ashoka was the most famous Mauryan ruler and he was the first ruler who tried to take his message to the people through inscriptions.
• Mauryan empire started declining due to the invasions, defections by southern princes after the death of Ashoka.

Additional Information

• Vaishali was the capital of Vrijji mahajanapada.
• Indraprastha was the capital of the Pandavas.
• Kushinagar was the capital of the Malla Republic.

Indica is written by Megasthenes.

• Megasthenes stayed in the Mauryan Capital Pataliputra for five years.
• Whatever he saw during that time in India is given in detail in this book. 
• From this book, we came to know about Chandragupta Maurya's Palace, capital, military organization, town planning, and Indian society.

Additional Information

• Fa-Hein was the first traveler who visited India from China.
  • He studied the Sanskrit language for about three years in the city of Patliputra.
  • He has written about the culture of Buddhism in India and the Gupta Empire in his book ‘Record of the Buddhistic Kingdoms'.
  • Fa-Hien wrote about India in his book Fo-kwo-ki (Travels of Fa-hien).
• During the reign of Harshvardhana who was a member of the Vardhana dynasty, the famous Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang came to India.
  • He was a Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, translator, and traveler who came to India in the seventh century.
  • The “Great Tang Records on the Western Regions” is a book written by him which describes his travels that took place between the years 626 and 645.
  • During his journey, he visited many sacred Buddhist sites of Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.