4 questions with answers and explanations. Practice these interactively
Which one of the following inscriptions refers to a confederacy of Tamil States?
Answer: (b)
Explanation
The Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela mentions "Tramira desa yojanasataka samghatam," referring to the confederacy (sangha) of Tamil states that he broke up, showing his military campaigns extended into the Tamil region.
Who among the following Vedic deities was considered the guardian of compacts and marriages?
Answer: (c)
Explanation
Aryaman is a Vedic Aditya (solar deity) associated with contracts, hospitality, and marriage. He is invoked in marriage hymns as the guardian who oversees compacts between families and safeguards the marital bond, unlike Varuna (cosmic order/law) or Agni (sacrificial fire).
In which one of the following Vedas does the term 'Gotra' appear for the first time as representing a clan?
Answer: (b)
Explanation
While 'Gotra' in the Rigveda originally meant a cow-pen/cattle enclosure, it first appears in the Atharvaveda with the sense of a clan or lineage group.
'The Descent of the Ganga' is a
Answer: (a)
Explanation
"Descent of the Ganga" (also called Arjuna's Penance) is a massive open-air rock relief carved at Mamallapuram under the Pallavas, depicting the mythological descent of the river Ganga to earth.