Question

Read the passage and answer the question:

Janapada literally means the land where the jana set its foot, and settled down. They performed Ashvamedha sacrifice to expand their territory. Some janapadas became more important than others, and were known as Mahajanapadas. Magadha became the most important Mahajanapada about 2500 years back. Magadha had two very powerful rulers, Bimbisara and Ajatasattu, who used all possible means to conquer other janapadas. MahapadmaNanda was another important ruler who extended his control up to the north-west. Rajagriha (present-day Rajgir) in Bihar was the capital of Magadha for several years. Later the capital was shifted to Pataliputra (present-day Patna).

While Magadha became a powerful kingdom, Vajji, with its capital at Vaishali (Bihar), had a government, known as gana or sangha. In a gana or a sangha there were not one,
but many rulers. Sometimes, even when thousands of men ruled together, each one was known as a raja. They also met in assemblies, and decided what had to be done and how, through discussion and debate. Both the Buddha and Mahavira belonged to ganas or sanghas.


















Answer the MCQ


The term “Mahajanapadas” relates to which one of the following? 1

a) Small Kingdom

b) Powerful Kingdom and Powerful ruler

c) Small Kingdom and a weak ruler

d) Powerful Kingdom

Answer 1

Answer:

powerful kingdom and rulers

Answer 2

Answer:

b) Powerful Kingdom and Powerful Ruler