Question 2 from UPSC CSE 2025 - Ancient History

Question

With reference to ancient India (600â322 BC), consider the following pairs:
I. Asmaka - Godavari
II. Kamboja - Vipas
III. Avanti - Mahanadi
IV. Kosala - Sarayu
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. Only two

Strategy: Consider the core geography of each ancient Mahajanapada and the course of the rivers mentioned. Asmaka is linked with south Indian territory near Godavari, which is accurate. Kamboja is more to the northwest, beyond the Beas (Vipas), so that pair is mismatched. Avanti is in Malwa, far from the Mahanadi's eastern course. Kosala is correctly associated with the Sarayu, which flows near Ayodhya. By mapping the regions and rivers, only Asmaka-Godavari and Kosala-Sarayu are correct, giving two correctly matched pairs.

Key Info: Asmaka (Assaka) was a prominent Mahajanapada situated in the southern region, on the banks of the Godavari river—unique as the only Mahajanapada existing outside northern India. Kamboja was located in the far northwest, encompassing parts of ancient Gandhara (present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan's northwest, and Kashmir), far from the Vipas (Beas) river, which runs through the Punjab plains. Avanti, another Mahajanapada, was centered in present-day western Madhya Pradesh (Malwa region), with its major city Ujjain; it has no direct association with the Mahanadi, which is an eastern river flowing through Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Kosala, based in the Awadh region (modern eastern Uttar Pradesh), had major capitals at Ayodhya and Sravasti, through which the Sarayu river flows—establishing a strong geographical and cultural link. The Sixteen Mahajanapadas, detailed in ancient Buddhist and Jain texts (e.g., Anguttara Nikaya), illustrate the geopolitical landscape of Iron Age India, with most centered along fertile river valleys.

Answer

Option A: Only one

Answer

Option C: Only three

Answer

Option D: All four

With reference to ancient India (600â322 BC), consider the following pairs: I. Asmaka - Godavari II. Kamboja - Vipas III. Avanti - Mahanadi IV. Kosala - Sarayu How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

With reference to ancient India (600â322 BC), consider the following pairs:
I. Asmaka - Godavari
II. Kamboja - Vipas
III. Avanti - Mahanadi
IV. Kosala - Sarayu
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?