Early Vedic period MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Early Vedic period - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Rig Veda.

Key Points

• Gayatri Mantra:
  • ​Gayatri Mantra was first recorded in the Rig Veda and was written in Sanskrit around 2500 to 3500 years back.
  • The Gayatri Mantra comprises twenty-four syllables organized inside a triplet of eight syllables.
  • Reciting the Gayatri Mantra not only decontaminates the chanter but the listener as well.
  • Gayatri Mantra comes from the third Mandala of the Rigveda.
  • This Mandala has 62 hymns, mainly to Agni and Indra.
  • It is one of the “family books” (mandalas 2-7), the oldest core of the Rigveda.
  • This Mandala also mentions Kikats, a non-Aryan tribe, which most scholars agree was resident of somewhere near Magadha in modern Bihar.

Important Points

• Why is Gayatri Mantra Chanted?
  • It is believed that by chanting Gayatri Mantra, you achieve success and happiness in your life.
  • With regular chanting of the Gayatri Mantra, one can firmly establish and stabilize the mind.
  • The mantra is a declaration of appreciation, to both the nurturing sun and the Divine.

The correct answer is the Kuru Kingdom.

Key Points

• Kuru kingdom arose in the Middle Vedic era as a Vedic Indo-Aryan tribal union in northern Iron Age India.
• It comprises the modern-day states of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and some areas of western Uttar Pradesh.
• Pandavas and Kauravas both were a part of the Kuru kingdom.
• Hastinapur, a city in the Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh is described as the capital of the Kuru Kingdom.
• Hastinapur is located on the right bank of the river Ganga.

Additional Information

• Qutb ud-Din Aibak was the founder of the Mamluk dynasty.
  • Mamluk dynasty ruled in Northern India from 1206-1290.
• The Lodi dynasty was founded by Bahlul Lodi.
  • Lodi dynasty ruled over Delhi Sultanate from 1451 to 1526.
• The Khalji dynasty was a Turko-Afghan dynasty that ruled on the Delhi sultanate, from 1290-1320.
  • The Khilji dynasty was founded by Jalal ud din Khalji. 

The correct answer is Rigveda.

Key Points

• The Purusha Sukta is a hymn dedicated to the cosmic being Purusha and is found in the Rigveda.
• It is located in the 10th Mandala (Book 10), Hymn 90 of the Rigveda.
• The hymn describes the mythical creation of the universe from the body of the cosmic being, Purusha.
• The Purusha Sukta is significant for its philosophical and theological insights, particularly in the context of the Vedic ritual and the social order it describes.
• It mentions the four varnas (social classes) of Vedic society emerging from Purusha's body.

Additional Information

• Rigveda
  • It is one of the oldest known scriptures in the world, composed around 1500-1200 BCE.
  • The Rigveda consists of 1,028 hymns (suktas) in about 10,600 verses, organized into 10 books (mandalas).
  • It is primarily a collection of hymns dedicated to various deities like Agni, Indra, and Soma.
  • The Rigveda is written in Vedic Sanskrit and forms the foundation of the Vedic tradition.
• Yajurveda
  • It is primarily a compilation of ritual offering formulas that were said by a priest while performing rituals.
  • The Yajurveda is divided into two main parts: the Shukla (White) Yajurveda and the Krishna (Black) Yajurveda.
  • It contains the liturgy needed to perform the sacrifices of the Vedas.
• Samaveda
  • The Samaveda is known as the Veda of melodies and chants.
  • It consists of 1,875 verses, most of which are derived from the Rigveda.
  • Its primary purpose is to serve as a musical guide for the chanting of hymns during Vedic rituals.
• Atharvaveda
  • The Atharvaveda is considered the fourth Veda and is distinct from the other three Vedas.
  • It contains hymns, spells, and incantations meant for healing and magic.
  • The Atharvaveda includes material on medicine, astronomy, and the daily life of the Vedic people.

The Correct answer is Vedic Sanskrit.

Key Points

• Rigveda is the oldest of the four Vedas, considered sacred texts in Hinduism.
• It is written in Vedic Sanskrit, which is an ancient form of Sanskrit used during the Vedic period.
• Vedic Sanskrit is distinct from Classical Sanskrit and is characterized by its unique grammatical structure and vocabulary.
• The Rigveda consists of 1,028 hymns, organized into ten books (Mandalas), and is primarily devoted to the praise of various deities such as Agni, Indra, and Soma.
• It is believed to have been composed between 1500 BCE and 1200 BCE, making it one of the oldest texts in the world.
• The language and structure of the Rigveda reflect the early Indo-European culture and traditions.
• It serves as a crucial resource for understanding the religion, society, and philosophy of ancient India.
• The preservation and transmission of the Rigveda were achieved through oral traditions using the Padapatha and Krama methods.

 Additional Information

• Vedic Pali
  • The term Pali refers to the language in which Buddhist scriptures, particularly the Tripitaka, were written.
  • Pali is closely related to Sanskrit but is not the language of the Vedas. It is primarily associated with Buddhism.
• Devanagari
  • Devanagari is a script used for writing Sanskrit, Hindi, and several other Indian languages.
  • While the Rigveda is often transcribed in the Devanagari script for modern readers, the original text was composed in Vedic Sanskrit, not Devanagari.
• Hindi
  • Hindi is a modern Indo-Aryan language derived from Sanskrit but did not exist during the Vedic period.
  • The Rigveda was composed long before the development of Hindi.

The correct answer is Option 4.

Key Points

• The Ganga River has been mentioned only once in the Rigveda, specifically in Mandala 10, Hymn 75, verse 5.
• In the Rigveda, rivers like the Saraswati and Sindhu are more prominently referred to compared to the Ganga.
• The mention of the Ganga in the Rigveda is brief, indicating its lesser significance during the early Vedic period compared to later Indian texts.
• The Rigveda primarily focuses on the geography of northwest India, which was central to the early Vedic civilization.
• Later Vedic texts and epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana emphasize the spiritual and cultural importance of the Ganga River.

Additional Information

• Rigveda: The oldest of the four Vedas, composed around 1500 BCE, it is a collection of hymns dedicated to various deities and natural elements.
• Saraswati River: Extensively mentioned in the Rigveda, it is described as a mighty and sacred river, often associated with divinity and prosperity.
• Indus River (Sindhu): The Rigveda highlights the Sindhu River as a major geographical and cultural landmark of the early Vedic civilization.
• Later Vedic Period: The Ganga gains prominence in later Vedic texts, marking a shift in the geographical focus of Vedic civilization towards eastern India.
• Cultural Significance: The Ganga River is revered in Hinduism as a sacred entity and is personified as Goddess Ganga in Indian mythology.

The correct answer is Rig Veda.

Key Points

• Gayatri Mantra:
  • ​Gayatri Mantra was first recorded in the Rig Veda and was written in Sanskrit around 2500 to 3500 years back.
  • The Gayatri Mantra comprises twenty-four syllables organized inside a triplet of eight syllables.
  • Reciting the Gayatri Mantra not only decontaminates the chanter but the listener as well.
  • Gayatri Mantra comes from the third Mandala of the Rigveda.
  • This Mandala has 62 hymns, mainly to Agni and Indra.
  • It is one of the “family books” (mandalas 2-7), the oldest core of the Rigveda.
  • This Mandala also mentions Kikats, a non-Aryan tribe, which most scholars agree was resident of somewhere near Magadha in modern Bihar.

Important Points

• Why is Gayatri Mantra Chanted?
  • It is believed that by chanting Gayatri Mantra, you achieve success and happiness in your life.
  • With regular chanting of the Gayatri Mantra, one can firmly establish and stabilize the mind.
  • The mantra is a declaration of appreciation, to both the nurturing sun and the Divine.

The correct answer is Rigveda.

Key Points

• ‘Purusha Sukta’ is a hymn from Rigveda.
• In the 10th Mandala of the Rigveda, Purusha Sukta reflects upon the marriage ceremonies.

Additional Information

• About Rig Veda:
  • Rig Veda was said to be composed between 1500-1200 B.C, also known as the first testament of mankind.
  • It is a collection of 10,600 verses and 1,028 hymns.
  • It consists of 10 books also known as mandalas, each Mandal consists of Suktas.
  • It consists of various secrets about the origin of the universe, the origin of Lord Shiva, the origin of Lord Varuna, etc.

The correct answer is Samhita.

• The main collections of Vedic hymns are called Samhita.

Key Points

• The Rigveda Samhita is the oldest extant Indic text.
  • It is a collection of 1,028 Vedic Sanskrit hymns and 10,600 verses in all, organized into ten books (Sanskrit: mandalas).
  • The hymns are dedicated to Rigvedic deities. 
• Samhitas are ritualistic texts, and they explain the social and religious importance of rituals.
  • Each Samhita has added texts called Brahmanas, which have commentaries on the hymns and rituals.
  • Each brahmana has an Aranyaka (forest text) and an Upanishad.
  • The Aranyakas contain mystical ritual instructions to be undertaken in secret by the sages who live in the forests.
  • Upanishads deal with philosophical inquiries.

Important Points

• Sutra:
  • ​Sutra in Indian literary traditions refers to an aphorism or a collection of aphorisms in the form of a manual or, more broadly, a condensed manual or text.
  • Sutras are a genre of ancient and medieval Indian texts found in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. 
• Pad:
  • Pad refers to a word or foot in the context of Vedic texts. In particular, each verse (Rik) of a hymn can be broken down into multiple padas (feet).
• ​Mukh:
  • Mukh means face or mouth in Sanskrit.

The correct answer is music and art.

• 'Samaveda’ is considered to be one of the primary sources of Indian music and art.

Key Points

Sama Veda

• Sama Veda derives its roots from 'saman' which means melodies. It is a collection of melodies.
• The Sama Veda (book of chants) had 1549 hymns.
• All hymns (excluding 75) were taken from the Rig Veda.
• The hymns of the Sama Veda were recited by Udgatri at the Soma sacrifice.
• This Veda is important for Indian music.
• It contains Dhrupad Raga.

Additional Information

•  Vedic literature comprises four literary productions.
• They are The Samhitas or Vedas, The Brahamans, The Aranyakas, and The Upanishads.
• The most important of Vedic Literature is Vedas.
• The word Veda comes from the word Vid, which means to know or knowledge.
• Vedic texts are divided between Sruti (based on hearing) and Smriti (based on memory).
• There are four vedas - Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda.
• The first three are jointly called Vedatrayi (a trio of Vedas)

Rig Veda

• The oldest Veda is the Rigveda (collection of hymns) and one of the oldest religious texts in the world.
  • This is also known as 'the first testament of mankind'.
• It has 1028 hymns called ‘Suktas’ and is a collection of 10 books called ‘Mandalas.’
• The six mandalas (from 2^nd to 7^th Mandalas) are the oldest and shortest Mandalas are called Gotra/ Vamsha Mandalas (Kula Granth) and also called family books
• Each of which is ascribed to a particular family of Rishi Gritsamad, Visvamitra Vamadeva, Atri, Bharadwaj, Vashisth.
• 8^th Mandala is ascribed to Kanvas and Angiras.
• 9^th Mandala is the compilation of Soma hymns.
• The 3^rd Mandala contains the Gayatri Mantra, which was compiled in the praise of Sun God Savitri
• Saraswathi is the deity river in the Rig Veda.
• The first and tenth Mandalas are said to have been added later.

Yajur Veda

• The Yajur Veda (book of sacrificial prayers) is a ritual Veda.
• The two texts of Yajur Veda are Shukla (white or bright) and Krishna (black or dark).
• Shukla Yajurveda has arranged and clear verses.
• Krishna Yajurveda has an un-arranged, unclear, motley collection of verses.

​Atharva Veda

• Atharva Veda is a book of magical formulae.
• It contains charms and spells to ward off evils and diseases.

The correct answer is Cattle.

Key Points

• The period between 1500 B.C and 600 B.C may be divided into the
  • Early Vedic Period or Rig Vedic Period (1500 B.C -1000 B.C) and
  • Later Vedic Period (1000B.C - 600 B.C).
• During the Rig Vedic period, the Aryans were mostly confined to the Indus region.
• The Rig Veda refers to Saptasindhu or the land of seven rivers. This includes the five rivers of Punjab, namely Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej along with the Indus and Saraswathi.
• The political, social, and cultural life of the Rig Vedic people can be traced from the hymns of the Rig Veda.
• The word ‘Veda’ is derived from the root ‘vid’, which means to know. In other words, the term ‘Veda’ signifies ‘superior knowledge’.
• The Rig Vedic Aryans were pastoral people and their main occupation was cattle rearing.
• Their wealth was estimated in terms of their cattle.
• When they permanently settled in North India they began to practice agriculture.
• With the knowledge and use of iron, they were able to clean forests and bring more lands under cultivation.

The correct answer is Cows.

Key Points

• "Aghanya" refers to Cows in Rig Veda.
• Rig Veda is one of the 4 Vedas. 
• It consists of Sanskrit hymns.
• It is the oldest of the four sacred Vedas.

Additional Information

The other Vedic literature is as follows

• Samaveda - It is a book of music.
  • It is a book of melodies and chants.
  • It is divided into 6 chapters and contains around 1875 mantras. 
• Yajurveda - It is a book of sacrificial rituals.
  • These rituals were said by the priests before doing Yajnas/Yagyas.
• Atharvaveda - It contains information about everyday life.
  • It has 20 chapters and 5977 mantras.

Epics of India

• Ramayan - It was written by Valmiki and has 24000 verses.
  • It is about the life of Rama, Vishnu's avatar. 
• Mahabharat - It was written by Ved Vyas and is the longest epic in the world.

The correct answer is Saraswati.

• Most of the Rigveda Civilizations were situated near Saraswati.
• Rivers Kabul, Swat, Khurram, Gumal, Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej are also mentioned in Rigveda.
• Praise in Nadistuti sukta of Rig Veda is called hymn of praise of rivers.
• Older names of the rivers:

The correct answer is Vitasta.Key Points

• Vitasta:-
  • Vitasta or Jhelum River is one of the five rivers that flow through the Punjab region and is the westernmost of the five rivers.
  • It originates from the Verinag spring in the Himalayas and flows through the Kashmir valley before entering Pakistan and joining the Chenab River.

Additional Information

• Askini:-
  • It​ is the ancient name of the Chenab River.
  • Chenab River is one of the five major rivers of the Punjab region, flowing through India and Pakistan.
  • It is formed by the confluence of two headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, 
• Vipash:-
  • It is the ancient name of the Beas river.
  • The Beas rises in the Himalayas in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and flows for some 470 kilometers (290 mi) to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab.
• Parushni:-
  • It is the ancient name of the Ravi river. 
  • The Ravi is one of the five rivers of the Punjab region, along with the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, and Beas.
  • It rises in the Himalayas in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and flows for some 720 kilometers (450 mi) to the Chenab River in Pakistan.

The correct answer is Parushni.

Key Points

• In the battle of ten kings, the priest of Bharatas was Vashishta.
• The battle is also called Dasarajna and is one of the most important historical events.
• The battle that was fought between Bharatas on one hand and the host of ten chiefs on the other was known as the Battle of Ten Kings (Dasraja).
• This battle was fought on the river Parushni, and it gave victory to Sudas, king of Bharatas and established their rule in the upper Gangetic basin where they played an important role in later Vedic times.
• The battle broke out because of a dispute between Vashishta and Vishwamitra.
• Vishwamitra supported the group of ten tribes of which five were Aryans and another five were non-Aryans.
• The battle was fought between Bharatas on one hand and the group of ten tribes on the other.
• It gave victory to Bharatas and established their supremacy over the region.

The correct answer is Samiti and Sabha.

Key Points

• Vedic Period:
  • The Vedic Age was between 1500 BC and 600 BC. This is the next major civilization that occurred in ancient India after the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization by 1400 BC.​
  • Monarchical form of government with a king known as Rajan.
  • Patriarchal families. Jana was the largest social unit in Rig Vedic times.
  • Social grouping: kula (family) – grama – visu – jana.
  • Tribal assemblies were called Sabhas and Samitis. Examples of tribal kingdoms: Bharatas, Matsyas, Yadus and Purus.
  • Sabha denotes both the assembly early Rig-Vedic period.
  • Women also attend this assembly and were called Sabhavati 
  • Rig Veda speaks about the Sabha as a dancing and gambling assembly, along with judicial and administrative functions.
  • While Samiti was a folk assembly in which tribe people gathered for tribal business.
  • Here philosophical issues are discussed and issues related to religious ceremonies and prayers.