VEDAS
1. Which is the oldest Veda?
A. Samaveda
B. Yajurveda
C. Atharvaveda
D. Rigveda
Answer: D. Rigveda
2. The Rigveda mainly contains:
A. Medical science
B. Hymns in praise of gods
C. Laws
D. Philosophy
Answer: B. Hymns in praise of gods
3. Which Veda is known as the Book of Chants?
A. Rigveda
B. Samaveda
C. Atharvaveda
D. Yajurveda
Answer: B. Samaveda
4. Which Veda deals mainly with sacrificial rituals?
A. Rigveda
B. Samaveda
C. Yajurveda
D. Atharvaveda
Answer: C. Yajurveda
5. Which Veda contains charms, spells and medicine?
A. Rigveda
B. Samaveda
C. Yajurveda
D. Atharvaveda
Answer: D. Atharvaveda
UPANISHADS
6. The Upanishads are mainly concerned with:
A. Rituals
B. Philosophy and spiritual knowledge
C. Medicine
D. Politics
Answer: B. Philosophy and spiritual knowledge
7. The Upanishads are also known as:
A. Vedangas
B. Vedanta (End of the Vedas)
C. Smritis
D. Puranas
Answer: B. Vedanta
8. Which text explains Vedic philosophy?
A. Brahmanas
B. Upanishads
C. Puranas
D. Sutras
Answer: B. Upanishads
RAMAYANA
9. Who composed the Ramayana?
A. Ved Vyasa
B. Valmiki
C. Kalidasa
D. Panini
Answer: B. Valmiki
10. The Ramayana consists of:
A. 7 Kandas
B. 10 Kandas
C. 12 Kandas
D. 18 Parvas
Answer: A. 7 Kandas
11. Which language was the original Ramayana written in?
A. Pali
B. Prakrit
C. Sanskrit
D. Tamil
Answer: C. Sanskrit
MAHABHARATA
12. Who composed the Mahabharata?
A. Valmiki
B. Kalidasa
C. Ved Vyasa
D. Banabhatta
Answer: C. Ved Vyasa
13. The Bhagavad Gita is a part of:
A. Ramayana
B. Mahabharata
C. Rigveda
D. Upanishads
Answer: B. Mahabharata
14. The Mahabharata consists of:
A. 7 Kandas
B. 10 Books
C. 18 Parvas
D. 24 Chapters
Answer: C. 18 Parvas
15. Which is the longest epic in the world?
A. Iliad
B. Ramayana
C. Mahabharata
D. Odyssey
Answer: C. Mahabharata
PURANAS
16. The total number of Mahapuranas is:
A. 12
B. 16
C. 18
D. 24
Answer: C. 18
17. The Puranas mainly deal with:
A. Trade
B. Genealogies, legends and religious traditions
C. Astronomy only
D. Medicine
Answer: B. Genealogies, legends and religious traditions
18. Which Purana is dedicated mainly to Lord Vishnu?
A. Vishnu Purana
B. Markandeya Purana
C. Brahma Purana
D. Agni Purana
Answer: A. Vishnu Purana
TRIPITAKA
19. Tripitaka is the sacred literature of:
A. Hinduism
B. Buddhism
C. Jainism
D. Sikhism
Answer: B. Buddhism
20. Tripitaka was originally written in:
A. Sanskrit
B. Tamil
C. Pali
D. Persian
Answer: C. Pali
21. Which Pitaka contains the monastic rules?
A. Sutta Pitaka
B. Vinaya Pitaka
C. Abhidhamma Pitaka
D. Jataka Pitaka
Answer: B. Vinaya Pitaka
22. Which Pitaka contains the teachings of Buddha?
A. Vinaya Pitaka
B. Sutta Pitaka
C. Abhidhamma Pitaka
D. None
Answer: B. Sutta Pitaka
JATAKA TALES
23. Jataka Tales are associated with:
A. Jainism
B. Buddhism
C. Hinduism
D. Sikhism
Answer: B. Buddhism
24. Jataka Tales describe:
A. Life of Ashoka
B. Previous births of Buddha
C. Ramayana stories
D. Stories of Mahavira
Answer: B. Previous births of Buddha
ARTHASHASTRA
25. Who wrote the Arthashastra?
A. Kalidasa
B. Chanakya (Kautilya)
C. Panini
D. Banabhatta
Answer: B. Chanakya (Kautilya)
26. Arthashastra deals mainly with:
A. Religion
B. Statecraft, administration and economics
C. Medicine
D. Poetry
Answer: B. Statecraft, administration and economics
27. Arthashastra is associated with which empire?
A. Gupta
B. Maurya
C. Mughal
D. Chola
Answer: B. Maurya
INDICA
28. Who wrote Indica?
A. Fa-Hien
B. Megasthenes
C. Xuanzang
D. Al-Biruni
Answer: B. Megasthenes
29. Indica provides information about:
A. Gupta Empire
B. Mauryan administration
C. Mughal India
D. Delhi Sultanate
Answer: B. Mauryan administration
30. Megasthenes visited India during the reign of:
A. Ashoka
B. Chandragupta Maurya
C. Harsha
D. Chandragupta II
Answer: B. Chandragupta Maurya
RAJATARANGINI
31. Rajatarangini was written by:
A. Kalhana
B. Kalidasa
C. Banabhatta
D. Bilhana
Answer: A. Kalhana
32. Rajatarangini is a history of:
A. Magadha
B. Kashmir
C. Gupta Empire
D. Cholas
Answer: B. Kashmir
MIXED QUESTIONS
33. Match the following correctly:
- Ramayana – Valmiki
- Mahabharata – Ved Vyasa
- Arthashastra – Kautilya
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3
34. Which pair is correctly matched?
A. Indica – Megasthenes
B. Rajatarangini – Kalhana
C. Arthashastra – Kautilya
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
35. Which text is known as the “Fifth Veda” in many traditions?
A. Arthashastra
B. Mahabharata
C. Tripitaka
D. Jataka
Answer: B. Mahabharata
36. Which of the following texts belongs to Buddhist literature?
- Tripitaka
- Jataka Tales
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither
Answer: C. Both 1 and 2
37. Which text provides the earliest systematic account of statecraft?
A. Arthashastra
B. Manusmriti
C. Mahabharata
D. Ramayana
Answer: A. Arthashastra
38. Which text gives a foreign account of Mauryan India?
A. Arthashastra
B. Indica
C. Rajatarangini
D. Vishnu Purana
Answer: B. Indica
39. Which text is regarded as the earliest historical chronicle of Kashmir?
A. Harshacharita
B. Rajatarangini
C. Indica
D. Raghuvamsha
Answer: B. Rajatarangini
40. Which language was primarily used for Buddhist canonical literature?
A. Sanskrit
B. Tamil
C. Pali
D. Persian
Answer: C. Pali
41. Which is correctly matched?
A. Ramayana – Valmiki
B. Mahabharata – Ved Vyasa
C. Rajatarangini – Kalhana
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
42. Consider the following statements:
- Rigveda is the oldest Veda.
- Upanishads are philosophical texts.
- Arthashastra was written by Kautilya.
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3
43. Consider the following statements:
- Tripitaka is the sacred text of Buddhism.
- Jataka Tales narrate the previous births of Buddha.
- Indica was written by Megasthenes.
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3
44. Arrange the following works chronologically:
- Vedas
- Upanishads
- Ramayana
- Mahabharata
A. 1 → 2 → 3 → 4
B. 2 → 1 → 3 → 4
C. 1 → 3 → 2 → 4
D. 3 → 1 → 2 → 4
Answer: A. 1 → 2 → 3 → 4
45. Which one of the following is NOT a Buddhist text?
A. Tripitaka
B. Jataka Tales
C. Dhammapada
D. Arthashastra
Answer: D. Arthashastra
46. Which one is NOT correctly matched?
A. Indica — Megasthenes
B. Rajatarangini — Kalhana
C. Arthashastra — Panini
D. Ramayana — Valmiki
Answer: C. Arthashastra — Panini
47. Which text is the principal source of Mauryan administration?
A. Arthashastra
B. Indica
C. Both A and B
D. Rajatarangini
Answer: C. Both A and B
48. Which literary work provides a continuous historical account of Kashmir’s rulers?
A. Vishnu Purana
B. Rajatarangini
C. Mahabharata
D. Indica
Answer: B. Rajatarangini
49. Which of the following combinations is correct?
A. Kautilya — Arthashastra
B. Megasthenes — Indica
C. Kalhana — Rajatarangini
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
50. Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Valmiki composed the Ramayana.
- Ved Vyasa composed the Mahabharata.
- Kalhana wrote the Rajatarangini.
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3