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Chhattisgarh P.C.S. Prelims 2015

Ancient Architecture and Philology

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Where the word 'Stupa' has been used for the first time?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept While the Stupa is primarily associated with Buddhist funerary architecture, the linguistic root of the word is found in the earliest Sanskrit literature.

Explanation According to the Rigveda, the word 'Stupa' originally referred to a 'knot of hair' or the 'rising flames of fire'. It later evolved in the Shukla Yajurveda and Brahmanas to signify a mound built over a grave or sacred spot.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: The Rigveda is the oldest literary source in India, thus providing the first usage of the term, albeit with a different metaphorical meaning (fire/hair).
Logic 2: It was only during the Mauryan period under Ashoka that the Stupa became a monumentalized brick and stone structure dedicated to the relics of the Buddha.

Active Recall

Question

How did the function of a Stupa change from the Vedic to the Buddhist period?

Answer

In the Vedic context, it was a simple earth mound for tombs; in Buddhism, it became a symbol of the Parinirvana and a site of veneration containing sacred relics.

Core Insight

The transition of the term 'Stupa' from 'flames of fire' to 'relic mound' illustrates the cultural absorption of pre-Buddhist burial customs into the formal Buddhist architectural tradition.

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