True/False – GK Questions

Mathura school created some of the earliest anthropomorphic representations of Jain Tirthankaras in spotted red sandstone. These images, characterized by serene expressions and minimal ornamentation, influenced later Jain iconography.

Mitakshara by Vijnaneshwara (Chalukya court) is a seminal commentary on inheritance, property, and family law. Adopted by British colonial courts, it shaped Hindu personal law across most of India except Bengal.

Indus Valley cities exhibited advanced urban planning: orthogonal street grids, uniform burnt bricks (4:2:1 ratio), covered drains, and public baths. These features indicate centralized administration and engineering expertise.

Yoga Vasistha (c. 10th-14th century) presents Advaita philosophy through dialogues between Vasistha and Rama. Written in Sanskrit, it explores consciousness, illusion, and liberation, influencing Hindu spiritual thought.

Bharhut Stupa railings and gateways (Madhya Pradesh, c. 150 BCE) display some of the earliest Buddhist narrative art. Reliefs illustrate Jataka tales with Prakrit inscriptions, providing insights into early Buddhist iconography and literacy.

Brihat Jataka by Varahamihira systematized Hindu astrology, covering planetary influences, birth charts, and predictive techniques. Written in Sanskrit verse, it remains influential in traditional astrological practice across India.

Chandraketugarh (West Bengal, c. 3rd century BCE-3rd century CE) yielded exquisite terracotta plaques showing court life, deities, animals, and floral motifs. These artifacts reflect the artistic sophistication of early Bengal.

Ashtadhyayi by Panini is a generative grammar of Sanskrit using concise sutras and meta-rules. Its algorithmic approach influenced modern linguistics and computer science, demonstrating ancient India's analytical sophistication.

Kaushambi (Uttar Pradesh, c. 6th century BCE-6th century CE) was capital of Vatsa kingdom and a Buddhist pilgrimage site. Excavations uncovered city walls, stupas, monasteries, and artifacts, illustrating urbanization and religious patronage.

Kularnava Tantra (c. 11th-14th century) is a foundational Shakta text detailing rituals, mantras, chakras, and ethical conduct. Written in Sanskrit, it shaped Tantric practices across India and Southeast Asia.

Harappan steatite seals (c. 2600-1900 BCE) feature animals (unicorn, bull, elephant), ritual scenes, and brief inscriptions. Used for trade, administration, or religious purposes, they remain key to understanding Indus civilization.

Subhashita Ratna Kosha (10th century) by Kashmiri king Vallabhadeva collects over 2,000 Sanskrit epigrams (subhashitas) on morality, politics, and life. It reflects the sophisticated literary culture of medieval Kashmir.

Adichanallur (Tamil Nadu, c. 1000-500 BCE) is a major Iron Age burial site with urns containing skeletal remains, iron tools, and pottery with graffiti symbols. These findings illuminate early Tamil society and proto-writing systems.

Charaka Samhita (c. 2nd century CE) systematized Ayurvedic medicine in Sanskrit. Translated into Arabic as 'Kitab-i-Susrad' during Abbasid Caliphate, it influenced medieval Islamic and European medical knowledge.

Udayagiri-Khandagiri caves (2nd century BCE, Odisha) were excavated under Kalinga king Kharavela for Jain monks. Inscriptions and sculptures depict Jain Tirthankaras, ascetics, and court life, reflecting early Jain patronage.

Surya Siddhanta (c. 4th-5th century CE) is a foundational Sanskrit text on astronomy, detailing planetary orbits, eclipses, trigonometry, and cosmology. It influenced later Indian and Islamic astronomical traditions.

Harappan weights (c. 2600-1900 BCE) followed a precise binary system up to 16, then decimal multiples. Made of chert, they facilitated trade across the Indus region, reflecting sophisticated metrology and administrative control.

Bhashya (commentary) tradition includes seminal works like Shankara's Brahmasutra Bhashya and Patanjali's Mahabhashya. These commentaries interpret, elaborate, and contextualize root texts, forming layered knowledge systems.

Black-and-Red Ware pottery, with distinctive color contrast from differential firing, is ubiquitous in South Indian megalithic sites (1000 BCE-300 CE). It indicates advanced ceramic technology and cultural continuity in burial practices.

Lilavati (12th century) by Bhaskaracharya covers arithmetic, algebra, and geometry in Sanskrit verse. Translated into Persian under Mughals and later into regional languages, it disseminated mathematical knowledge across cultures.