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Ancient Literature & Textual Sources

Under theme: Art & Culture

32 PYQs. Learn elimination tricks first, then attempt the questions below.

Questions32
Active years12
Tricks15

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Elimination tricks

15 from PYQs

Common distractors and how to eliminate wrong options in this subtopic.

  • 1

    Associate specific authors, such as Hemachandra, with their respective religious traditions (Jainism).

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    Avoid assuming ideal conditions; historical accounts often reveal imperfections like robbery.

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  • 1

    Be aware that less common or tantric traditions like Kapalika are not part of the mainstream six systems of I…

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    Be cautious of 'all or nothing' statements; ancient texts often contain complex and conditional social rules.

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    Be cautious with absolute statements like 'no parables'; such strong negatives are frequently incorrect in UP…

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    Carefully evaluate each statement for specific factual accuracy, as partial truths or common misconceptions c…

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    Cross-reference known works and authors to identify incorrect pairings, even if unsure about all options.

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    Distinguish between different categories of ancient Indian texts like Upanishads, Puranas, Vedas, and Smritis.

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    Distinguish between professions related to historical narration (Maagadha) and religious asceticism (Shramana…

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    Distinguish between the Chaitra 1 conversion for a normal year (March 22) and a leap year (March 21).

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    Distinguish between the criteria for classical status and the actual list of languages that have received it.

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    Distinguish between the literary traditions of Jainism and Buddhism to avoid common confusions.

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    Distinguish orthodox schools from heterodox (Nastika) philosophies like Lokayata/Charvaka, Buddhism, and Jain…

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    Do not assume ancient legal systems were strictly caste-based; verify their actual applicability and scope.

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    Do not assume ancient legal systems were uniformly harsh; look for nuances like conditional freedom or specif…

PYQs in this subtopic

2013
2
2014
6
2015
1
2016
3
2017
1
2019
1
2020
2
2021
4
2022
5
2023
3
2024
3
2025
1
UPSC Prelims 2013 medium Ancient History Open full page

The Chinese traveller Yuan Chwang (Hiuen Tsang) who visited India recorded the general conditions and culture of India at that time. In this context, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. The roads and river-routes were completely immune from the robbery.
2. As regards punishment for offences, ordeals by fire, water and poison were the instruments for determining the innocence or guilt of a person.
3. The tradesmen had to pay duties at ferries and barrier stations.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

UPSC Prelims 2013 hard Art & Culture Open full page

With reference to the history of philosophical thought in India, consider the following statements regarding Sankhya school:
1. Sankhya does not accept the theory of rebirth or transmigration of the soul.
2. Sankhya holds that it is the self-knowledge that leads to liberation and not any exterior influence or agent.

Which of the statements given above is /are correct?

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