Political Thoughts and Life in Ancient India Second Set

Political Thoughts and Life in Ancient India:
Chapter II:
Try to answer the following questions:
Style: Book Based

Reference: Continuation of the post Political Thoughts and Life in Ancient India First Set

The Duties of the State in Ancient India:

Is there any clear cut elaboration on the actual reach of the state in the ancient literature of India?(The answer to this question should be nicely understood, as number of times it has been asked in form of multiple choice question to check the understanding of the examinee on the political philosophy and culture of ancient India.)
Where do we find a historic attempt to extend the role of the state, as a welfare body for the overall development of the subjects, in ancient India?
Which are the seven limbs of the sovereignty as per the ancient literature of India?
How many elements of the sovereignty of an ancient Indian state are there, as per Arthashastra?
What was the relation of state to the society as per the Indian political philosophy?
What was the main and the only function of the state and the king?
What was the actual nature of the existence of state?
What was more important in ancient India- State or Society?
What were the main priorities of the protection function of the king in ancient India?
What were the social functions of the king under his protection function?
List the main protection function with in his empire of king in the ancient India? On the other hand, what were the main internal duties and policies of a king in ancient India?
What was the religious policy of an ancient Indian king as per the sacred laws?
How was the religious policy of an ancient Indian king was secular in nature?
Did the protection duties of an ancient Indian king limit the sphere of duties towards the public and if it is not so, then, what was he expected to do?
What were the positive functions of an ancient Indian king under his traditional role of a protection security for an Indian in ancient period?
What were the main features of an ideal king as per the Arthashastra?
Which historic king could be honoured to have touched the qualification of an ideal king of the ancient India?
What features of the Ashok’s personality can qualify him for the title of an ideal king of the ancient India?
Where are the features of the ideal king given in Arthashastra?
The Schedule of a day of an Ancient King as per Arthashastra
Question: Write the schedule of Sandrocotous as suggested in Indica.
What is the schedule of a king for a day as per Arthashastra?
How many hours had been allocated for sleep for a king in Arthashastra?
How many hours had been allocated for recreation for a king in Arthashastra?
Give the historic examples, wherein, the ancient Indian kings are shown practicing a very tight schedule for the administrative duties?
What are the main suggestions to the king, about the performance of duties, in Arthashastra?
What was the most important administrative instrument of the ancient Indian kings to reach the common people?
What could have been the obstructions for an ancient Indian king to act as an ideal king?
What had impressed the foreign traveler about the ancient Indian kings?
Name the ancient officer who looked about the luxuries of the palace of an ancient Indian king.
Name the officer who looked after the spiritual life of an ancient Indian king and his court.
Name the various professionals of the ancient India, who enjoyed the patronage of an ancient Indian king?
Discuss the development in importance of the post of Suta in ancient Indian literature in chronological order.
Which post of ancient Indian court is only mentioned in Sanskrit drama where it is shown as performing very significant role in the life of ancient courts?
What was the actual feature of a day of a life of an ancient Indian king?
What were the main functions performed by an ancient Indian king while on a tour?
What was the actual nature of the tours of an ancient Indian king?
What were the main features of the tours of Ashoka for which we have historic records also?
What cultural activities were expected of an ancient Indian king?
What were the main involvement of an ancient Indian king in his leisure time?
What was the usual bent of mind of an ancient Indian king towards the artistic activities?
Which other class joined the king in their interest towards the promotion of the artistic activities in ancient Indian period?
Were the ancient kings themselves good artists? Give examples from ancient Indian period.
What were the injunctions of the statecraft on the question of hunting by Kings?
What had helped discourage the hunting in the ancient times?
Why was the ancient king expected to avoid the pursuit of hunting?
Which of the kingly amusements were highly criticized by Arthashastra?
What was the name of harem in ancient India?
Who was the chief warden of Antahpura?
What were the main qualifications of Kanchukin?
Which was the most dominating post in Antahpura?
What was the caste of the royal family?
Was the rule of the kashtriya based royal families adhered strongly?
List the dynasties, which are not considered the kashtriya dynasties of ancient India.
Give an example of Sanskritization in case of the royal families in ancient India?
Give an example where the greater traditions were adopted to rise in caste structure by the royal dynasties?
What was mainly the gender of the ancient kings?
Which royal family of ancient India regularly transferred their throne to female successor?
Name the famous female sovereign of Kashmir.
Name the famous Kakaityian female ruler.
Name the famous Vaktak female regent.
Name the famous female Mukhari regent.
Name the famous female governor of Chalukya dynasty.
Name the famous female regent of Chola dynasty?
What was the general pattern adopted in Peninsular India concerning the involvement of royal women in the administration of the kingdom?
How were ancient queens influenced the administration of the ancient kingdoms in India?
Who was the women potentate of Kashmir?
Give a brief sketch of Didda of Kashmir. ( Questions on Rani Didda (Verman dynasty) and Zainuddin, the Akbar of Kashmir have appeared regularly in Civil services and NET)
Name the royal female warrior of Chalukya dynasty.
Name the royal female warrior of Hoysala dynasty.
Name the brother of Akkadevi of Chalukya dynasty.
Name the husband of queen Umadevi of Hoysala dynasty.
List the examples where in the women had acted as rulers of the region in ancient Indian period.
What was the general rule of succession in ancient India as per the sacred law?
What were the disqualifications for the succession in ancient India as per the sacred laws?
What was the view on a wicked son as a probable successor to throne in Arthashastra?
In which section of Arthashastra is the rule on succession elaborated?
Could the king overlook the rule of primogeniture for succession in ancient period of Indian history? Give examples.
Which rule of succession was main cause of the weakness of the empire in ancient period of Indian history?
What training was imparted to the nominated successor to the throne in ancient times in India?
What was the title of the designated king in ancient India?
Which section of rulers had adopted the rule of strict training to the Yuvaraja?
Which Indian dynasty had permitted the Yuvarajas to exercise administrative rights?
What administrative rights could a Chola Yuvaraja exercise?
How did the Saka and Pahlavas (Parthian) legalize the status of their Yuvaraja?
What feature of the Saka coins had demonstrated the importance of Yuvaraja in administration?
Could a Yuvaraja remove the king?
What was the warning to the aging king against his relatives and Yuvarajas?
What cautions were suggested to the reigning king against the Yuvaraja?
Give examples where in the Yuvaraja had removed the kings to acquire the throne?
Where in the Arthashastra were the suggestions concerning the Yuvarajas given to the reigning king?
What traditions were prevalent in ancient India to avoid the troubles from the Yuvaraja?
When did the reigning king practice the ritual suicide in ancient India?
Discuss the various examples of ritual suicides adopted by the ancient kings.
What type of ritual suicide adopted by the Chalukya kings?
What type of ritual suicide was adopted the king of Kerala.
What type of ritual did Chandragupta Maurya adopt to committing suicide?
Discuss the other tradition of succession to the throne in ancient India apart from the principle of primogeniture.
What tradition of succession was adopted by the Saka strapas in Ujjayini?
Where was the tradition of brother to brother adopted in ancient Indian history?
In which other non-Indian dynasties of other countries were the tradition of brother to brother succession adopted as a rule?
When did the tradition of matrilineal transfer of throne was adopted in the Chera dynasty of Kerala?
Was ever the tradition of succession through males was adopted in Chera dynasty?
What was the actual tradition of matrilineal transfer of throne practiced in the Chera dynasty?
What is the tradition of Marumakkattayan, which was practiced in Kerala?
What is the overall implication of Marumakkattayan in Chera society?
Which regions of Kerala had adopted the principle of Marumakkattayan?
When was the Marumakkattayan principle discontinued for some time in Kerala?
Under what influence did principle of Marumakkattayan discontinue for some time, as the principle of inheritance in Kerala?
In what other form was the matrilineal principle adopted by the royal families apart from adopting it as the principle of inheritance in case of property and the royal succession?
Was the principle of the Marumakkattayan adopted for succession in other part of India?
Who had run the administration in ancient India when the king dies without any legal heir?
How was Harsha elected to the post of the king over the Mukhari dynasty?
How was the Gopala elected as the king of Bengal?
Which dynasty did Gopala started on being elected as the king of Bengal?
Who has chosen Gopala as the king of Bengal and Bihar?
Who had chosen Harsha as the ruler of Kanauj?
Who had elected Nandivarman as the Pallav king 735 AD?
List the historic examples where in the kings in ancient India were elected?

Oligarchies and Republics
A section which has been contributing to General Studies also. Two questions had appeared in 2004

Give a definition of Feudalism based on contracts between the king and his lower ranks, which could be applicable to ancient Indian facts?
Give a definition of Feudalism based on a situation, where the power is wielded by the potentates and applicable to ancient Indian facts?
What is the non-Marxist version on the existence of feudalism in India?
When did the setup similar to the European type of Feudalism emerge in India?
What term should be used for describing the King-subordinate relation concerning the division and sharing of powers in administration in ancient Indian period?
Which was the earliest period when the lesser tributary chiefs started emerging on the political scene of ancient Indian?
Which terms, that were prevalent even in the Vedic period, do suggest the king-vassal relation in ancient Indian period?
What was the actual nature of the Maghdhan Empire on the question of state province relation?
Were there tributary kings in Mauryan reign? If so, then what was the actual nature of the Mauryan rule concerning the center-state relation in that period?
What was the general structure of the large empire in ancient India after the fall of Mauryan Empire?
What was the political importance of the status of the title of raja?
Describe in brief the possible quasi-feudal setup in ancient India?
By what time, had a setup similar to European feudal system emerged in India?
What was the usual method of emerging as a vassal in ancient India?
How was an ancient Indian vassal different from European vassal?
What was the suggestion in Arthashastra to a weak king of ancient Indian period?
What was the stand of the Epics and Samrities on the status of a defeated king?
How did the stand in Epics and Samrities lead to rise of feudal structure in India polity?
What were the implications of the principle of Dharmavijaya?
What is the meaning of Dharmavijaya?
How had Samudra Gupta of Guptan dynasty gone against the principle of Dharmavijaya?
How complete was the control of an overlord over his vassal in ancient India?
What were the obligations of a vassal towards his overlord?
What was the status of Mahasamanta in ancient India?
What is the term for a vassal in ancient India?
Describe the relation between Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas as an example of the working of relations between powerful vassal and their overlord.
Who were the vassals of Chalukyas that had emerged as independent rulers during the phase of ancient Indian history?
How long has Chalukyas remained dormant before their vassal Rashtrakutas?
Name the three dynasties, which had emerged as independent rulers after 12th century before remaining the vassals of Chalukyas?
What was the actual position of the overlord in relation to the strong vassals and vassal on the fringes of the empire?
What was the actual relation of Samudra Gupta with Shri Meghavarna of Ceylon in terms of overlord-vassal equation in ancient India?
What is the evidence that Shri Meghavarna of Ceylon in a capacity of a vassal approached Samudra Gupta?
How far were the lesser vassals powerful before the overlord?
What is the importance of the Dhudhpani inscription of South Bihar in explaining the feudalism in ancient India?
What is the time of writing of the inscription of Dhudhpani of South Bihar?
What is the story of the inscription of Dhudhpani of South Bihar?
When did the revenue grants to vassal become a practice in ancient Indian history?
What were the real implications of the revenue grants to the vassals in ancient Indian history?
Heading: Oligarchies and Republics
What form of government dominated the political scene in ancient India?
What is the meaning of Republics in context of ancient Indian history?
What is the Sanskrit word for the English word tribe?
Will it be fair to call Indian ganas as republics?
Where do we find the first reference to republic ganas?
What was the location of the ganas mentioned in the Buddhist literature?
What was the actual political status of the ganas, which were mentioned in the Buddhist literature?
What was the territorial location of the Shakya tribe?
What was the relation of Buddha with the Shakya tribe of Vaisali?
What is the term used in Pali language for the meeting place of the householders of a tribe to discuss its administrative activities and problems?
What was the actual status of Shuddhodhana, the father of Buddha?
Which was the most powerful non-monarchical state in ancient India?
Which was the leading family of Vrrijjian (Vaishali) confederacy?
What is the historic importance in political arena and Licchavi family and Vaishali confederacy in contemporary political struggles in ancient India?
How many rajas were there in Licchavi confederacy as per the Buddhist literature?
How many heads of Licchavi confederacy had been mentioned in the Jain literature?
Which other tribe had been mentioned along with Licchavi tribe that fought against Ajatshatru?
What was the model on which the constitution of the Buddhist monastic organization was based?
Who had established the Buddhist monastic organization?
What were the main features of the Buddhist monastic organization?
What factors were going against the existence of the republics during the days of Buddha?
What had happened to the existence of the Shakyas and Vrrijjis tribe after the death of Buddha?
What was the suggestion of Buddha to the ganas to save their political traditions of republic form of government?
In which region did the republican form of governments survive for a longer time?
In which region did the imperialistic monarchies develop earlier than any other region?
What is the best source to learn about the ganas of the western region of India?
What is the suggestion of Arthashastra to the ambitious rulers to reduce the ganas to the level of vassalage?
What is the method suggested by Arthashastra to reduce the ganas to the stage of vassalage?
Who was the person who had practiced the suggestion, which was given in Arthashastra which was written after his period?
What was the name of the minister of Ajatshatru who created dissension with in Vrrijji republic?
Who was Varshkara?
What was the weakness of the republican form of tribes that became the cause of the decline of the tribes?
What was the attitude of the Arthashastra, on the imprudent role of the rajas of the tribes?
What is the content of the eleventh chapter of Arthashastra?
What information is given in Mahabharta on the republican tribes?
How had republican form of tribe continued as per the Mahabharta?
What are the evidences, which corroborate the information on tribes in Mahabharta?
Which was the leading tribe of the Western India?
What was the region of influence of Yaudheya tribe?
What are the archeological evidences on the existence of Yaudheya tribe?
What messages is given on the coins of Yaudheya tribe?
What was the title of the chief of the Yaudheya tribe?
Which tribe dominated Punjab as per the records of Alexander?
What is the another name of Malava tribe, which dominated Punjab area when Alexander attacked there?
What was the direction of Malava tribe with the passage of time?
What was the name of the region occupied by the Malava tribe after migration to the Ujjain region?
What is the archeological evidence available to ascertain the movement of the Malava tribe to the Rajeshtan?
Which was the south most border of the spread of Malava tribe?
What is the content of the Nandsa inscription of Rajesthan?
Which king is mentioned in the Nandsa inscription of Rajesthan?
Who were the real owners of the Vikram calendar?
What is said about the property right of Vikram calendar?
What was the position of the western tribes during the reign of Samudra Gupta?
What could have the cause of total obliteration of the western tribes?
What could have the possible political organization of the western tribes?
heading: The Government and Semi-Government Officers
What is the advice of Arthashastra to the king on the question of availing the assistance to run the administration of the empire?
In which chapter of Arthashastra is the advice to the king to appoint councilors for assistance to run the administration of empire, given?
Which was the most important council of the advisors selected by the king for his assistance in running the administration of the kingdom?
Who were usually the members of the mantriparishad?
What was the usual number of the member of the mantriparishad?
What was the actual status of mantriparishad?
What advice had been given to the king on the method of using the services of mantriparishad?
What the administration authority was vested in Mantriparishad?
How far was mantriparishad effective in influencing the activity of the king?
What was the actual reach of the mantriparishad, on the administrative powers of the empire, in actual practice?
From which inscription do we learn about the effectiveness of mantriparishad as a decision making body?
From which inscription do we learn that the mantriparishad could overrule the decision of a king and king could be forced to act on his own only at his own expenses?
From which source do we learn that mantriparishad could dispose off a king and refuse the nomination of a successor even by a reigning king?
What was the modus-oprendi of conducting a meeting by a mantriparishad?
Whom did the mantriparishad fear the most concerning the leakage of the decisions of their meetings?
What qualification for the appointment of the members of civil service was recommended to the king in Arthashastra?
How was the appointment made to civil services by the king in the later years of ancient Indian history?
The inscription of which dynasty does suggest that the appointment to the civil services was made on the bases of hereditary?
Could the mantriparishad overtake the running of the administration even when the king was alive? Give example.
Name the head of the mantriparishad who took over the reign from Sadashiva of Vijyanagar Empire?
What was the usual title of the chief councilor of the mantriparishad?
What was the title of the chief councilor of an orthodox king?
Which Vedic literature had recommended to the ancient king to consult their purohits in privacy before implementing any important decision?
Which were the two important posts next to mahamantrin, suggested by Arthashastra?
Which post had become equally important with mahamantrin during Gupta period?
What were the main functions of the post of Sandhivigrahika?
What was the job of the post of pradvivaka?
What was the job of the post Senapati?
What was the job of the post of mahakshapatalika?
What were the traditional legislative powers of the king and his council?
What was the type of the legislative power the king really had?
What was the basic motive of the commands of the king?
What were the actual laws which an ancient king was expected to implement?
Which is the best example of the new laws issued by the king?
What was the backbone of the administration of ancient administration in India?
What was the designation of the officials of the administrative division in ancient Indian administration?
What was the method of execution of the orders of the king in the reign of the Cholas?
What was the status of the royal scribes in the courts of ancient Indian kings?
What was the title of the councilors and senior officials in the administrative setup of the ancient Indian kings?
What was the title of the high officials in the Guptan era?
What was the English translation of the Kumaramtyas?
Were there any special experts for special posts among the councilors of the ancient Indian kings?
What were the military obligations of the councilors? Were the Brahman ministers exempted from the military duties?
What were the main categories of the ministers during the ancient times?
Who were matisachiva?
Who were dhisachiva?
Who were Karmasachiva?
What was the status of a Karmasachiva?
What was the perception of Magasthenes of Mauryan society?
Which two of the seven classes of the Mauryan society, as identified by Magasthenes, was identified as government official?
What definition did Magasthenes give to the post of councilors?
Who were the overseers as per Magasthenes in ancient Indian administration?
Which post mentioned in Arthashastra can be compared to the overseers of Magasthenes?
List the different adhyakshas mentioned in Arthashastra?
List the posts, mentioned in Arthashastra, concerning the military administration.
What was the actual status of the officers looking after the military affairs during the ancient Indian period?
Name the officials concerned with the amusements in the ancient Indian period.
What were the duties of the post of dharam-mahamatras, which was created by Ashoka?
Were there posts similar to dharam-mahamatras in the latter period of the ancient Indian, and what were their functions?
What was the feature of the Mauryan administration, which resembles the welfare government of the modern times?
What was the ideal of the most of the ancient Indian administration in post Mauryan period?
Did any other ancient Indian administration resemble the Mauryan administration in its reach over the lives of the subject of the state in ancient India period?
What was the economic role of the government of ancient Indian period, in the life of their subjects?
What were the economic resources of the administration during the ancient period of India?
How did the ancient administration in India manage their economic resources under their direct control?
List the main economic property of the state in the ancient period of India.
Was there free trade situation during the period of big empires in ancient India?
What were the precautions recommended by Arthashastra in running the administration based on the adhyakshas in the ancient Indian period?
What was the main drawback in the adhyakshas based administration in ancient India?
What were the methods of checking the peculation in the ancient administration, which had been suggested by Arthashastra?
What is the recommendation of Arthashastra on the question of making payments of the salaries to the employees?
Where the recommendations for the running the administration is given in the Arthashastra?
What is the difficulty in understanding the recommendations of the Arthashastra on the question of the salaries?
What was the currency of the ancient period in which the salary to the employees was given?
What type of the level of life could the officials of the ancient Indian period lead with the type of salary paid to them?
Who were given 48000 panas as salary during the Mauryan period?
What was the lowest amount of salary during the Mauryan period?
What was the salary of the laborers during the Mauryan period?
What was the metal of the panas?
In which chapter is the schedule of the salary given in Arthashastra?