Satavahana Dynasty MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Satavahana Dynasty - Download Free PDF

Key Points

• Prakrit was the predominant language used during the Satavahana dynasty.
• It was widely used in inscriptions and literary works during the period.
• Many of the Satavahana inscriptions, especially the ones found in caves and stupas, were written in Prakrit.
• Prakrit is considered the language of the common people, and its usage reflects the inclusive nature of the Satavahana administration.

Key Points

• Kuntala Satakarni was a prominent ruler of the Satavahana dynasty.
• During his reign, Sanskrit replaced Prakrit as the royal language.
• The Satavahana dynasty ruled parts of central and southern India from around the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE.
• The use of Sanskrit as the royal language marked a significant cultural shift, reflecting the increasing influence of Brahmanical culture.

Additional Information

• Satavahana Dynasty
  • The Satavahanas were an ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region.
  • The dynasty is known for its significant contribution to Indian culture, trade, and the spread of Buddhism.
  • The Satavahana rulers were known for their patronage of art, architecture, and literature.
  • The dynasty played a crucial role in the development of the Deccan region and its culture.
• Prakrit Language
  • Prakrit refers to a group of Middle Indo-Aryan languages used in ancient and medieval India.
  • It was widely used in literature, inscriptions, and as a spoken language by the common people.
  • The Jain and Buddhist texts were often composed in Prakrit.
  • Prakrit languages eventually gave way to Sanskrit as the dominant literary and administrative language.

The correct answer is - Matsya Purana

Key Points

• Matsya Purana
  • The Matsya Purana is one of the oldest Puranas, a genre of ancient Indian literature encompassing mythological stories, traditions, and legends.
  • This Purana provides a comprehensive list of 30 Satavahana rulers, detailing their reigns and the total chronological order spanning 460 years.
  • The Satavahana dynasty ruled a significant portion of central and southern India after the decline of the Maurya Empire.
  • The detailed accounts in the Matsya Purana are valuable for historians studying the lineage and chronology of the Satavahana rulers.

Additional Information

• Vayu Purana
  • The Vayu Purana is another ancient text that primarily deals with cosmology, astronomy, and mythology.
  • It includes genealogies of gods, sages, and kings but does not provide the specific detailed list of Satavahana rulers as the Matsya Purana does.
• Skanda Purana
  • The Skanda Purana is the largest of the Puranas and is dedicated to Lord Kartikeya (Skanda), the son of Lord Shiva.
  • While it contains a wealth of information on various subjects, including geography, temples, and pilgrimages, it does not focus on the Satavahana dynasty.
• Vishnu Purana
  • The Vishnu Purana is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and includes mythological stories, cosmology, and genealogies of various dynasties.
  • Although it provides valuable historical data, it does not list the Satavahana rulers in detail as the Matsya Purana does.

The correct answer is: 'Military system'.

Key Points

• The terms 'Gaulmika', 'Katak' and 'Skandvar' were related to the military system in ancient India.
  • The term 'Gaulmika' referred to the commander of a small military unit.
  • 'Katak' was used to describe a military camp or fortress.
  • 'Skandvar' denoted a battalion or a group of soldiers.

Incorrect Options

• Revenue system:
  • This involves the administration and collection of taxes and revenues in an economy.
  • It includes systems like the Ryotwari and Zamindari systems used in India.
• Land system:
  • This pertains to the distribution, ownership, and regulation of land.
  • Historical land systems include the Ryotwari, Zamindari, and Mahalwari systems.
• Water system:
  • This involves the management and distribution of water resources.
  • It includes irrigation systems, dams, and canals for agricultural and domestic use.

Hence, the correct answer is related to the military system, and the other options are not applicable.

Additional Information

• Ancient Indian Military Structure:
  • Ancient Indian kingdoms had well-organized military systems with structured hierarchies.
  • Commanders like 'Senapati' and 'Gaulmika' played crucial roles in leading troops and maintaining discipline.
  • Military camps ('Katak') and battalions ('Skandvar') were integral to the defense and expansion strategies of kingdoms.
• Significance of Military Terms:
  • Understanding these terms is essential for studying ancient warfare and administration.
  • They provide insights into the organizational capabilities and strategic planning of historical armies.

The correct answer is GautamiputraKey Points

•  The Satavahana king who restored the Satavahana realm to its earlier greatness around 125 CE was Gautamiputra Satakarni.
• He is widely regarded for his military prowess and efforts to restore the strength and territorial integrity of the Satavahana Empire, which had weakened due to internal strife and external invasions.
• Gautamiputra Satakarni is known for his successful campaigns against the Kshatrapas (Western Kshatrapas) and other invaders, which allowed the Satavahanas to regain control over large parts of western and central India.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Satavahana.

Key Points

• Gautami's son Shri Satakarni was the king of the Satavahana dynasty. 
• Gautamiputra Satakarni was the 23rd ruler of the Satavahana dynasty.
  • His achievements have been mentioned in the Nasik Inscription, by his mother Gautami.
  • He defeated the Saka King Nahapana and revived the Satavahana power.

Additional Information

• Satavahana Rule
  • Simuka was the founder of the Satavahana dynasty.
  • Gautamiputra Satakarni (first century AD) is considered to be the greatest of the Satavahana rulers.
  • The Satavahanas had their capital at Pratishthana (modern Paithan) near Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
  • They were also known as the Andhras.
  • The Puranas and inscriptions remain important sources for the history of Satavahanas.
  • Among the inscriptions, the Nasik and Nanaghad inscriptions throw much light on the reign of Gautamiputra Satakarni.
  • The Satavahana kingdom was wiped out in the first quarter of the third century AD.
  • The Satavahanas kings were succeeded by the Kings of Ikshvaku dynasty.

The correct answer is A and B only.

Key Points

• Satavahanas were feudatories of the Mauryas and the first dynasty to become powerful in south.
• Satvahana ruled from 238 BC to 225AD with the capital Paithan.
• Founder: Simuka
• Simuka was attracted by Buddhism and built the cave temple near Nasik.
• Important rulers- Hala, Krishna, Gautamiputra Satakarni, Pulamayee etc.
• The Satavahanas followed Vedic religion and performed yajnas and sacrifices.
• They encouraged Buddhism by making grants and by constructing viharas and chaityas.
• They built cave temples at Nasik, Karle, Kanheri and other places.
• Hala was the 17th ruler and writer himself. He wrote "Gatha Saptasathi" in Prakrit language which has 700 poem.
• Hala's work starts with a prayer to Shiva.
• Hence during satavahanas Hinduism and Buddhism were prominent.

The correct answer is Pratishthana.Key Points

• Pratishthana
  • ​There were two capitals of Satavahana.
  • One of its capital is situated on the banks of Krishna River, in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.
  • The other capital is located on the banks of the Godavari river, in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra.
    • Amaravati
      • Amaravati served as the capital for the first Andhra kingdom of the Satavahanas.
      • It was also known as Dhanyakatakam or Dharanikota.
      • It was founded by Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu.
    • Pratishthana
      • Pratishthana was the capital of the first Satavahana king, Simuka.
      • From there, it rose into a kingdom covering half of India.
      • It is one of the few inland towns quoted in the famous first-century Greek book.
      • Pratishthana was built by King Ila.

Additional Information

• Manyakheda 
  • Rashtrakutas meaning ‘the chief of a Rashtra’, are considered the feudatory of the Chalukyas.
  • Their capital city was  Manyakheta or Malkhed near Solapur which is in present-day Maharashtra. 
  • Amoghavarsha I (815- 880 A.D.) ruled for a long period of 64 years.
  • He also built the Rashtrakuta capital, the city of Malkhed or Manyakheda.
• Patilputra
  • The ancient city of Pataliputra was founded in the 5th century BCE by Ajatashatru, king of Magadha (South Bihar).
    • Udayin was the Indian ruler of the Haryanaka dynasty who ruled over Magadha from 460 BCE to 440 BCE.
    • He was the son of Ajatashatru and grandson of king Bimbisara. 
    • He shifted his capital from Rajgriha to Patliputra because of the latter's central location in the Magadha empire. 
• Rajagriha 
  • Rajgir or Rajgriha was the capital of Magadha before the 4th century BCE.
  • In Sanskrit ‘Rajagriha’ and in Pali ‘Rajagaha’ was the capital of the Magadha kingdom around 600 BCE. 
  • This city was surrounded by rings of mountains and was, therefore, difficult to lay siege to. 
  • In Ramayana, it is mentioned that this capital was founded by King Vasu and thus was known as Vasumati. 
  • Rajagriha was the capital of Magadh king Bimbisara around Buddha’s time and was famous for its wealth and grandeur.
  • When the capital of the Magadha kingdom was shifted to Pataliputra the present Patna, the political importance of Rajgir declined. 
  • It is said that Mahavira spent 14 rainy seasons in Rajgir and Nalanda around 527 – 497 BCE.

Key Points

• Prakrit was the predominant language used during the Satavahana dynasty.
• It was widely used in inscriptions and literary works during the period.
• Many of the Satavahana inscriptions, especially the ones found in caves and stupas, were written in Prakrit.
• Prakrit is considered the language of the common people, and its usage reflects the inclusive nature of the Satavahana administration.

Key Points

• Kuntala Satakarni was a prominent ruler of the Satavahana dynasty.
• During his reign, Sanskrit replaced Prakrit as the royal language.
• The Satavahana dynasty ruled parts of central and southern India from around the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE.
• The use of Sanskrit as the royal language marked a significant cultural shift, reflecting the increasing influence of Brahmanical culture.

Additional Information

• Satavahana Dynasty
  • The Satavahanas were an ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region.
  • The dynasty is known for its significant contribution to Indian culture, trade, and the spread of Buddhism.
  • The Satavahana rulers were known for their patronage of art, architecture, and literature.
  • The dynasty played a crucial role in the development of the Deccan region and its culture.
• Prakrit Language
  • Prakrit refers to a group of Middle Indo-Aryan languages used in ancient and medieval India.
  • It was widely used in literature, inscriptions, and as a spoken language by the common people.
  • The Jain and Buddhist texts were often composed in Prakrit.
  • Prakrit languages eventually gave way to Sanskrit as the dominant literary and administrative language.

The correct code for this arrangement is: (iv), (iii), (ii), (i)

Key Points

• Simukha:
  • Simukha was the founder of the Satavahana dynasty and ruled around 230 BCE.
  • He is credited with establishing the Satavahana kingdom in the Deccan region of India.
• Sri Satakarni:
  • Sri Satakarni ruled around 180-170 BCE and was one of the most powerful Satavahana kings.
  • He is known for his military campaigns and is credited with expanding the Satavahana kingdom.
• Gautamiputra Satakarni:
  • Gautamiputra Satakarni ruled around 106-130 CE and was one of the most famous Satavahana kings.
  • He is known for his military campaigns against the Shaka, Yaudheya, and Kalinga kingdoms.
• Sri Yajna Satakarni:
  • Sri Yajna Satakarni ruled around 170-199 CE and was the last great Satavahana king.

  • He is known for his patronage of the arts and his military campaigns against the Western Kshatrapas.

Therefore the correct chronological order is:

The correct answer is 1, 2, and 3.

Key Points

Satakarni I

• He was the third Satavahana lord. 
• He was the principal Satavahana ruler to grow his realm through military victories.
• He vanquished Kalinga after the passing of Kharavela. Hence, Pair 1 is correctly matched.
• He likewise pushed back the Sungas in Pataliputra.
• He likewise managed over Madhya Pradesh.
• After adding the Godavari Valley, he expected the title of 'Master of Dakshinapatha'.
• His sovereign was Nayanika who composed the Naneghat engraving which depicts the lord as Dakshinapathapati.
• He performed Ashvamedha and resuscitated Vedic Brahmanism in the Deccan.

Hala

• He arranged the Gatha Saptashati. Hence, Pair 2 is correctly matched.
• It is known as Gaha Sattasai in Prakrit, it is an assortment of sonnets with generally love as the subject.
• Around forty of the sonnets are ascribed to Hala himself.
• Hala's pastor Gunadhya formed Brihatkatha.

Gautamiputra Satakarni 

• He is viewed as the best lord of the Satavahana tradition. Hence, Pair 3 is correctly matched.
• He vanquished the Greeks, Pahlavas (Indo-Parthians), and the Sakas.
• His realm ran from Krishna in the south to Malwa and Saurashtra in the north and from Berar in the east to the Konkan in the west.
• He vanquished Nahapana, a significant lord of the Western Satraps.
• He is likewise called Ekabrahmana.
• His mother was Gautami Balasri and subsequently, his name was Gautamiputra (child of Gautami).
• He was prevailing by his child Vasisthiputra Sri Pulamavi or Pulamavi II.

The correct answer is 1, 2, and 3.

Key Points

Satakarni I

• He was the third Satavahana lord. 
• He was the principal Satavahana ruler to grow his realm through military victories.
• He vanquished Kalinga after the passing of Kharavela. Hence, Pair 1 is correctly matched.
• He likewise pushed back the Sungas in Pataliputra.
• He likewise managed over Madhya Pradesh.
• After adding the Godavari Valley, he expected the title of 'Master of Dakshinapatha'.
• His sovereign was Nayanika who composed the Naneghat engraving which depicts the lord as Dakshinapathapati.
• He performed Ashvamedha and resuscitated Vedic Brahmanism in the Deccan.

Hala

• He arranged the Gatha Saptashati. Hence, Pair 2 is correctly matched.
• It is known as Gaha Sattasai in Prakrit, it is an assortment of sonnets with generally love as the subject.
• Around forty of the sonnets are ascribed to Hala himself.
• Hala's pastor Gunadhya formed Brihatkatha.

Gautamiputra Satakarni 

• He is viewed as the best lord of the Satavahana tradition. Hence, Pair 3 is correctly matched.
• He vanquished the Greeks, Pahlavas (Indo-Parthians), and the Sakas.
• His realm ran from Krishna in the south to Malwa and Saurashtra in the north and from Berar in the east to the Konkan in the west.
• He vanquished Nahapana, a significant lord of the Western Satraps.
• He is likewise called Ekabrahmana.
• His mother was Gautami Balasri and subsequently, his name was Gautamiputra (child of Gautami).
• He was prevailing by his child Vasisthiputra Sri Pulamavi or Pulamavi II.

The correct answer is Yajnasri Satakarni.

Key Points

Yajnasri Satakarni:

• He was the 27th ruler of the Satavahana kingdom.
• Acharya Nagarjuna was a Buddhist monk contemporary to Yajnasri Satakarni.
• He issued coins made up of Potin (an alloy) with an image of a ship depicting the marine trade of his time.
• He built the Mahachaithyavihara in Nagarjunakonda which later became a Mahayana University.

Acharya Nagarjuna:

• He propagated two new philosophies in Mahayana Buddism known as Madhyamikavada and Sunyavada.
• He wrote many Sanskrit literary works Madhyamika Karika, Suhrulleka, Sunyasaptati, etc.
• He is also called the Second Tathagatha and Indian Einstein.

Additional Information

Gauthamiputra Satakarni:

• Nashik inscription calls Gauthamiputra Satakarni as “Kshatriyaraja darpamana damana”.
• It also calls the family of Satavahanas as “Eka Bahamana”.
• Nashik Inscription was composed by Gauthami Balashri, the mother of Gauthamiputra Satakarni.
• He had other titles such as Trisamudratoyapitavahana, Shaka Yavana Pahalava nisudana, Kshaharatavamsha Nirvasheshakara, Rajaraja, and Dwijakulavardhana.

Vasistiputra Pulomavi:

• He shifted the capital from Paitana or Prathishtana to Dhanyakataka.
• He is the son of Gauthamiputra Satakarni.
• Greek Philosopher Ptolemy visited the empire during the time of Pulamavi and refers to him as Siriptolemaios.
• Ptolemy also states that Paitana is the capital of Pulamavi but he shifted his capital in later days.

• • He performed Ashwamedha and Rajasuya Yaga.
• • He had the titles of Dakshinapadapati and Aprathihatachakra.
• • Nanaghat Inscription is issued by Naganika, the wife of Satakarni 1 and it records his victories and achievements.

Correct answer is Gautamiputra Satakarni.

Key Points

• Gautamiputra Satakarni had ruled between 106 A.D. to 130 A.D.
• The Nasik inscription shows about his achievements.
• The Nanaghad inscription also described about his conquests and achievements.
• His name came after her mother's name of Gautami Balasri.
• The son of Gautamiputra Satakarni was Vashishtaputra Pulyami.

Important Points

• Simuka is very impotant because he founded the Satavahana dynasty.
• After Simuka, Krishna ruled the dynasty and extended his kingdom almost up to Nasik.
• Sri Satakarni came after Krishna and extended the dynasty up to Malwa and Berar.