Vedic Age MCQs for UPSC Prelims

43 practice questions on Vedic Age from the Ancient & Medieval History section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 43 come with a written explanation and 3 are actual previous year questions. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

9 Easy 23 Medium 11 Hard 3 from past papers

Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question easy

The religion of early Vedic Aryans was primarily of

  1. A Bhakti
  2. B image worship and Yajnas
  3. C worship of nature and Yajnas
  4. D worship of nature and Bhakti
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - worship of nature and Yajnas

Early Vedic (Rig Vedic) religion centred on the worship of personified natural forces such as Indra, Agni, Varuna and Surya, with sacrifices (yajnas) as the main mode of worship, so option (c) is correct. Bhakti as a devotional movement developed much later, and image worship and temple-based idol worship were not features of the early Vedic age, so (a), (b) and (d) are wrong.

Q2
Previous year question hard

With reference to the difference between the culture of Rigvedic Aryans and Indus Valley people, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Rigvedic Aryans used the coat of mail and helmet in warfare whereas the people of Indus Valley Civilization did not leave any evidence of using them. 2. Rigvedic Aryans knew gold, silver and copper whereas Indus Valley people knew only copper and iron. 3. Rigvedic Aryans had domesticated the horse whereas there is no evidence of Indus Valley people having been aware of this animal. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 and 3 only
  3. C 1 and 3 only
  4. D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - 1 and 3 only

Statement 2 is wrong because the Indus Valley people did not know iron; iron came into use only in the later Vedic period, so the claim that they knew 'copper and iron' is false. Statement 1 is accepted as correct, as the Rigvedic Aryans used armour like coat of mail and helmet while the Harappans left no such evidence. Statement 3 is correct: the horse was central to Aryan life but there is no firm evidence the Harappans knew it. Hence only 1 and 3 are correct.

Q3
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements: 1. There are no parables in Upanishads. 2. Upanishads were composed earlier than the Puranas. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 only
  3. C Both 1 and 2
  4. D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - 2 only

Statement 1 is incorrect because the Upanishads make extensive use of parables and dialogues to convey philosophical ideas, such as the stories of Satyakama Jabala in the Chhandogya Upanishad and Nachiketa in the Katha Upanishad. Statement 2 is correct since the principal Upanishads were composed roughly between 800 and 500 BCE, in the later Vedic period, whereas the Puranas were compiled much later, largely in the early centuries CE around the Gupta period. Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Q4
medium

Consider the following pairs of Vedic texts and their broad subject matter: 1. Rigveda : Hymns of praise 2. Samaveda : Melodies and chants 3. Yajurveda : Sacrificial formulae and rituals How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

  1. A Only one
  2. B Only two
  3. C All three
  4. D None
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - All three

All three pairs are correctly matched. The Rigveda is a collection of hymns (suktas) in praise of deities. The Samaveda consists largely of verses set to melody for chanting and is regarded as the root of Indian music. The Yajurveda contains the sacrificial formulae and prose ritual instructions used by the priest performing the yajna. The fourth, Atharvaveda, deals with charms and spells, but it is not part of this set.

Q5
hard

Consider the following pairs of Vedic texts and their content: 1. Brahmanas : prose explanations of sacrificial rituals 2. Aranyakas : 'forest books' dealing with mysticism and symbolism 3. Samhitas : philosophical speculation on the self and ultimate reality How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

  1. A Only one
  2. B Only two
  3. C All three
  4. D None
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - Only two

Pairs 1 and 2 are correct: the Brahmanas are prose texts explaining the rituals and significance of sacrifices; the Aranyakas, the 'forest books', deal with mysticism and the symbolic meaning of rituals. Pair 3 is wrong: the Samhitas are the collections of hymns/mantras (e.g., the Rigveda Samhita); the philosophical speculation on self (atman) and ultimate reality (brahman) belongs to the Upanishads, not the Samhitas. Hence only two pairs are correctly matched.

Q6
hard

With reference to political and administrative terms in the Later Vedic period, consider the following statements: 1. The sabha and samiti were popular assemblies that functioned in Vedic society. 2. The term 'bali' in the Later Vedic period came to denote a regular tax or tribute paid to the king. 3. The 'rajasuya' was a royal consecration sacrifice associated with kingship. How many of the above statements are correct?

  1. A Only one
  2. B Only two
  3. C All three
  4. D None
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - All three

All three are correct. The sabha and samiti are repeatedly mentioned as assemblies in the Vedic texts, though their influence declined as monarchy grew stronger. 'Bali', initially a voluntary offering or gift to the chief, evolved into a more regular tribute or tax in the Later Vedic age. The 'rajasuya' was a major royal consecration sacrifice that legitimised and elevated the king, alongside rituals like the ashvamedha and vajapeya. Hence the count is three.

Q7
medium

In the context of the Later Vedic period, the terms 'Sabha' and 'Samiti' refer to:

  1. A Two kinds of popular assemblies that advised and checked the king
  2. B Two categories of land grants to Brahmanas
  3. C Two divisions of the Vedic army
  4. D Two classes of sacrificial priests
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Two kinds of popular assemblies that advised and checked the king

The Sabha and Samiti were tribal assemblies of the Vedic polity. The Samiti was a larger gathering of the people, while the Sabha was a smaller, more select body of elders/nobles. The Atharvaveda calls them the 'two daughters of Prajapati', and they exercised a degree of restraint on royal authority, though their power waned in the Later Vedic age.

Q8
medium

In the later Vedic period, the term 'Sabha' and 'Samiti' referred to assemblies. The Atharvaveda metaphorically describes them as the 'two daughters' of which deity?

  1. A Indra
  2. B Prajapati
  3. C Varuna
  4. D Agni
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - Prajapati

A well-known passage in the Atharvaveda calls the Sabha and Samiti the two daughters of Prajapati, underscoring the prestige these assemblies enjoyed in Vedic political life. The Sabha was a smaller, more select body while the Samiti was a larger general assembly. This specific genealogical metaphor is attributed to Prajapati, the creator.

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More Ancient & Medieval History topics

Post-Gupta & Regional Kingdoms 67 Jainism & Buddhism 66 Delhi Sultanate 59 Vijayanagara & Bahmani 57 Mughal Empire 55 Gupta Empire 48 Mauryan Empire 47 Bhakti & Sufi Movements 44 Sangam Age 43 Indus Valley Civilization 41 Post-Mauryan Period 40 Prehistory & Stone Age 37 Maratha Empire 37 Mahajanapadas 32 Regional & Provincial Kingdoms 28