CAPF 2020

Ancient Political Geography

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Which one of the following is NOT listed as one of the sixteen mahajanapadas in the pre-Mauryan period?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: D

Concept The traditional list of 16 states (Solasa Mahajanapada) represents the political geography of North India and parts of the Deccan around 600 BCE.

Explanation The Buddhist Anguttara Nikaya lists: Anga, Magadha, Kasi, Kosala, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara, and Kamboja. Kalinga is not on this canonical list.

Logical Breakup

Kalinga (D): Though a powerful state later (Ashoka's time), it wasn't part of the core 16 mentioned in early Buddhist/Jaina literature.

Kuru, Vatsa, Gandhara: All are standard members of the 16 Mahajanapadas.

Active Recall

Question

Which Mahajanapada was located in the southernmost part of the list?

Answer

Assaka (or Ashmaka) was the southernmost Mahajanapada, located on the banks of the Godavari river.

Core Insight

The 'Sixteen Mahajanapadas' is a literary convention that focuses primarily on the Aryan-occupied heartland of Northern India.

Which one of the following is NOT listed as one of the sixteen mahajanapadas in the pre-Mauryan period?

Solution & Analysis

Active Recall

Core Insight

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