Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism after witnessing the devastation of the Kalinga War (261 BCE), which killed over 100,000 people. This led him to adopt a policy of Dhamma (righteousness).
The Indus Valley Civilization thrived on agriculture (wheat and barley cultivation), animal husbandry, and extensive trade networks evidenced by seals and standardized weights.
The Rigveda, the oldest Vedic text (1500-1200 BCE), mentions the Varna system in the Purusha Sukta hymn, describing the four varnas: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra.
After Alexander's death, Chandragupta Maurya initially sought help from Seleucus I Nicator and later defeated him, establishing Mauryan control over northwestern India.
The concept of Chakravartin is extensively discussed in the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Puranas, describing a ruler who conquers all directions and rules the entire world.
Harappan cities featured grid patterns, excellent drainage, and standardized bricks, but notably lacked prominent temple structures, suggesting a different religious or social organization.
Ashoka's edicts were inscribed on stone pillars (Ashoka Pillars) and rock surfaces across the Mauryan empire, serving as public announcements of his policies and Buddhist principles.
Sabhas and Samitis were assemblies of nobles and commoners respectively, involved in political decisions, disputes resolution, and governance during the Vedic and early post-Vedic periods.
The Mauryan empire was divided into Chakras (provincial divisions), each governed by a viceroy or Chakravarti, reporting directly to the central authority in Pataliputra.
The Arthashastra is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft and economics authored by Kautilya (Chanakya), the chief advisor to the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
The Arthashastra is a Sanskrit text composed during the Mauryan Empire that serves as a comprehensive guide on administration, governance, economics, and military strategy for rulers.
Chandragupta Maurya (ruled 322-298 BCE) established the Mauryan Empire, and his chief minister Kautilya (also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta) compiled the Arthashastra as a practical administrative text to guide imperial governance and state policies.
The correct answer is (B) Chandragupta Maurya, as the Arthashastra was compiled during his reign by his advisor Kautilya to serve as the administrative framework for the Mauryan Empire.
