Maharashtra Board Class 11 History Solution Chapter 6 – Second Urbanisation in India
Balbharati Maharashtra Board Class 11 History Solution Chapter 6: Second Urbanisation in India. Marathi or English Medium Students of Class 11 get here Second Urbanisation in India full Exercise Solution.
Std |
Maharashtra Class 11 |
Subject |
History |
Chapter |
6 |
Chapter Name |
Second Urbanisation in India |
Q.1 (A) Choose the correct alternative and write the complete sentences.
(1) Ashmaka is the name in ……………………. language
(a) Pali (b) Sanskrit
(c) Ardhamagadhi (d) Prakrit
Answer – Ashmaka is the name in (b) Sanskrit language
(2) The capital of Kashi mahajanapada was …………..
(a) Gorakhpur (b) Chandanagar
(c) Rajagriha (d) Varanasi
Answer – The capital of Kashi mahajanapada was (d) Varanasi
(3) Gautama Buddha was born in ……….
(a) Kushinagara (b) Sarnath
(c) Lumbini (d) Pataliputra
Answer – Gautama Buddha was born in (c) Lumbini
(4) The river ………………….was the natural boundary between Uttara Panchala and Dakshina Panchala.
(a) Yamuna (b) Bhagirathi
(c) Ganga (d) Niranjana
Answer – The river (b) Bhagirathi was the natural boundary between Uttara Panchala and Dakshina Panchala.
(B) Find the incorrect pair from set B and write the correct ones.
Set ‘A’ Set ‘B’
(1) Kosala Shravasti
(2) Anga Champa
(3) Matsya Mathura
(4) Gandhara Taxila
Answer – The Incorrect pair is (3) Matsya – Mathura
The correct answer should be
(3) Matsya Viratnagar
Q.2 Choose the correct reason and complete the sentence.
Gautama Buddha travelled continuously for 45 years….
(a) in the search of a Guru
(b) to practice austerities
(c) to preach dhamma
(d) to attain enlightenment
Answer – Gautama Buddha travelled continuously for 45 years (c) to preach dhamma
Q.3 Complete the concept map given below.
Answer –
Q.4 Explain the statements with reasons.
(1) Rise of mahajanapadas came into being.
Answer – The ambition of territorial expansion led to a conflict among the janapadas. Some janapadas proved more powerful than the others in this conflict. The stronger janapadas began to annex the conquered territories to their own and thus, they successfully expanded their boundaries. By 600 B.C.E. sixteen mahajanapadas were established in India, from the northwest region to Magadha. Conquering other janapadas and annexing their territory permanently to one’s own, became a regular practice in the times of mahajanapadas. Ultimately, this conflict resulted into the creation of the large empire like Magadha. Ancient India once again witnessed the rise of cities. This process is known as the ‘Second Urbanisation’. The names of sixteen mahajanapadas are found in the Jaina and Buddhist literature and also in the Purana texts. Buddhist texts were written in a period, which was closer to the period of the mahajanapadas. Hence the names occurring in the Buddhist texts are accepted as more reliable.
(2) The process of Second urbanisation began in ancient India.
Answer – The ambition of territorial expansion led to a conflict among the janapadas. Some janapadas proved more powerful than the others in this conflict. The stronger janapadas began to annex the conquered territories to their own and thus, they successfully expanded their boundaries. By 600 B.C.E. sixteen mahajanapadas were established in India, from the northwest region to Magadha. Conquering other janapadas and annexing their territory permanently to one’s own, became a regular practice in the times of mahajanapadas. Ultimately, this conflict resulted into the creation of the large empire like Magadha. Ancient India once again witnessed the rise of cities. This process is known as the ‘Second Urbanisation’.
(3) Vardhamana Mahavira and Gautama Buddha attracted a large number of followers.
Answer – Among the various streams of thoughts, a large number of people were attracted to the teachings of Vardhamana Mahavira and Gautama Buddha. Their teachings showed the way to overcome the disparity in the society resulted from the varna and caste system. Both, the Jaina and the Budhhist schools of thought are considered as the ‘nastik’ schools. Both refuse to accept the authority of the Vedas and the Vedic rituals. Both the schools had followers in large numbers from all strata of the society. Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th and the last ‘tirthankara’ (saviour and the spiritual teacher). Parshvanath was the 23rd tirthankara. He gave four vows of nonviolence (Ahimsa), truth (Satya), nonstealing (Asteya) and non-possesion (Aprigrah) to his followers. Vardhamana Mahavira added the fifth vow of celibacy (Brahmacharya) to it. These five vows are known as ‘Panchmahavratas’. Siddhartha, the father of Vardhamana Mahavira, was the chief of the ‘Dnyatruka’ clan. His mother, Trishaladevi was from the Lichchhavi clan. Vardhamana Mahavira was born in 599 B.C.E., in Kundgram near Vaishali. His wife’s name was Yashoda. Vardhamana Mahavira left home at the age of 30, in search of the truth. At the age of 42 he attained absolute knowledge (Keval Dnyana). Thereafter, people started addressing him as ‘Kevali’, ‘Jina’ and ‘Mahavira’. His followers came to be known as ‘Jaina’. Vardhamana Mahavira travelled and preached continuously for 30 years after the attainment of absolute knowledge.
Vardhamana Mahavira addressed people in Ardhamagadhi, the language of common people. He preached about good behaviour and life of devotion, devotion to the five vows). He put absolute emphasis on the three principles of ‘Samyak Darshana’, ‘Samyak Dnyana’ and ‘Samyak Charitra’. These three principles are known as the ‘Triratna’ of the Jaina religion. They are the primary guiding principles for a person aspiring for the attainment of absolute knowledge. Vardhamana Mahavira preached that all beings, animate and inanimate, possess consciousness, to a varying degree. If hurt, each of them experiences pain.
The core principle of Vardhamana Mahavira’s philosophy is ‘pluralism’ (Anekantavada) or ‘many sidedness’ of the truth. According to it the truth has multiple facets. Mahavira founded the Jaina Sangha. Emperor Chandragupata Maurya was a contemporary of Bhadrabahu, the sixth principal Acharya of the Jaina Sangha. According to the Jaina tradition Chandragupta Maurya had embraced Jaina religion.
Gautama Buddha and Vardhamana Mahavira were contemporaries. Gautama Buddha was born in 563 B.C.E., in Lumbini (Rummindei) in Nepal. His father’s name was Shuddhodana. He was a member of the Shakya clan. Gautama Buddha’s mother’s name was Mayadevi. She was from the Koliya clan. Gautama Budhha’s wife was Yashodhara. Gautama Buddha left home at the age of 29, in search of the truth. This event is known in the Buddhist tradition as ‘Mahabhinishkramana’. Thereafter, Gautama Buddha tried to attain the ultimate knowledge through various means, such as seeking guidance from various gurus and extreme austerities. After realising that nothing of it was useful, he sat down meditating at Gaya, under a pippal (ficus religiosa) tree, on the banks of the river Niranjana (Lilajana). Here he attained enlightenment at the age of 35. After that he was known as ‘Buddha’, ‘Tathagata’ and also as ‘Shakyamuni’. After the enlightenment he delivered his first sermon in the deer-park at Ishipattana, near Saranath. This event is known as ‘Dhammachakkapabattan’. For the next 45 years Gautama Buddha travelled continuously to preach dhamma to people. He taught in Pali, a language of common people.
Q.5 Explain the following cocepts.
(1) Nastik Darshan
Answer – The religious teachings in both Jainism and Buddhism showed a new way that came to be known as Nastik Darshan, to the people at those times and attracted a large number of followers, as well. Among the various streams of thoughts, a large number of people were attracted to the teachings of Vardhamana Mahavira and Gautama Buddha. Their teachings showed the way to overcome the disparity in the society resulted from the varna and caste system. Both, the Jaina and the Budhhist schools of thought are considered as the ‘nastik’ schools. Both refuse to accept the authority of the Vedas and the Vedic rituals. Both the schools had followers in large numbers from all strata of the society.
(2) The eightfold path preached by Gautama Buddha
Answer – Gautama Buddha left home at the age of 29, in search of the truth. This event is known in the Buddhist tradition as ‘Mahabhinishkramana’. Thereafter, Gautama Buddha tried to attain the ultimate knowledge through various means, such as seeking guidance from various gurus and extreme austerities. After realising that nothing of it was useful, he sat down meditating at Gaya, under a pippal (ficus religiosa) tree, on the banks of the river Niranjana (Lilajana). Here he attained enlightenment at the age of 35. After that he was known as ‘Buddha’, ‘Tathagata’ and also as ‘Shakyamuni’. After the enlightenment he delivered his first sermon in the deer-park at Ishipattana, near Saranath. This event is known as ‘Dhammachakkapabattan’. For the next 45 years Gautama Buddha travelled continuously to preach dhamma to people. He taught in Pali, a language of common people.
(1) There is Sorrow (Dukkha) everywhere in the world.
(2) The root cause of sorrow is Greed (Trishna).
(3) To conquer this greed is the way to cut the sorrow at its very root (Dukkhanirodha).
(4) The way to stop sorrow from emerging, is the eightfold path (Ashtangika Marga).
Gautama Buddha explained the eightfold path by including:
(1) Samyak Drishti (To understand and accept that nothing happens against the
rules of the nature)
(2) Samyak Sankalp (Right determination)
(3) Samyak Vacha (Right speech)
(4) Samyak Karmanta (Right behaviour)
(5) Samyak Aajiva (Livelihood by right means)
(6) Samyak Vyayam (Conscious avoidance of offensive things)
(7) Samyak Smriti (Watchfulness and memory of right things)
(8) Samyak Samadhi (Establishing the mind firmly in equanimity; a state beyond pleasure and sorrow)
The eightfold path is also known as ‘Madhyama Pratipada’. Gautama Buddha founded the ‘Bhikkhu Sangha’. The concept of ‘Surrendering to Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha is very important. This concept is known as ‘Trisaran’. The three vows, namely, ‘Buddham saranam gachchhami’, ‘Dhammam saranam gachchhami’ and ‘Sangham saranam gachchhami’ are essential in the Buddhist religion.
Q.6 Describe the administrative system of the mahajanapadas with the help of
following points.
(a) Terms showing types of states
Answer –
- Kasi : This mahajanapada was a powerful one in the beginning of the mahajanapada period. Varanasi was its capital. The kings of Kasi were ambitious. According to the jataka stories they aspired for the highest position among all contemporary kings (Sabbarajunam aggaraja). The Buddhist text, ‘Mahavagga’ mentions that the king of Kasi had defeated Kosala and annexed it to his own kingdom. Later, Ajatashatru, the king of Magadha conquered and annexed Kasi mahajanapada to Magadha.
- Kosala : Ancient Kosala encompassed the regions of Uttar Pradesh in India and Lumbini in Nepal. Shravasti was its capital city. King Prasenjit (Pasenadi*) was a disciple of Gautama Buddha. Kosala was destroyed and annexed permanently to Magadha by King Ajatashatru.
- Anga : The city of Champa was the capital of Anga. It was a centre of the marine trade. It was permanently annexed to Magadha by King Bimbisara.
- Magadha : Magadha had its first capital at the city of Girivraja, also known as Rajgriha. Girivraja was surrounded by five hills making it formidable for the enemies. King Bimbisara was a contemporary of Gautama Buddha. The policy of territorial annexation of other kingdoms was started during the reign of King Bimbisara. Later Pataliputra became the capital of Magadha.
- Vrujji / Vajji : This was a confederation of eight clans, known as ‘Maha Aththkula’. It included clans like Videha, Lichchhavi, Vajji, Shakya, Dnyatruk, etc. The ‘Ekapanna Jataka’ mentions that Vaishali, the capital of this mahajanapada was fortified with three surrounding walls. It had three entrance gates and bastions. King Ajatashatru was the one who annexed the territory of the Vrujji/Vajji’s land to Magadha.
- Malla : The city of Kushinara or Kushinagara (Kasia) in the Gorakhapur district was the capital of this mahajanapada. Gautama Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana at this city. A copper plate inscription (5th century C.E.) was found at the ‘Parinirvana Stupa’ in this city. It read, “Parinirvana chaitye tamrapatta iti”. In the later vedic period Malla mahajanapada was a monarchy. Later it turned into a republic.There were two more cities in the mahajanapada, namely, ‘Pava’ and ‘Bhaoganagara’. According to the Jaina texts, eighteen republics from the regions of Mallas, Lichchhavis and Kashi-Kosala, had formed a confederation to fight Ajatashatru. By the 3rd century B.C.E. the Malla mahajanapada was merged into the Maurya empire.
- Chedi : This mahajanapada had occupied Bundelkhand and the region around it. The city of Shuktimati or Sotthivati was its capital. It is supposed to have been situated near ‘Banda’ in Uttar Pradesh.
- Vamsha or Vatsa : Kaushambi was the capital (Kosam near Allahabad) of this mahajanapada. According to the tradition of Purana texts Hastinapur was destroyed by a flood of Ganga and King Nichakshu, a descendant of the Pandavas had to shift his capital to Kaushambi. The protagonist of the play ‘Swapnavasavadatta’ written by Bhasa is King Udayan. He was the king of the Vatsa mahajanapada and the contemporary of Gautama Buddha.
- Kuru : The capital of this mahajanapad was located at Indrapat near Delhi, Its name was Indraprastha or Indrapattana. According to the Jataka literature, the kings of Indraprastha belonged to ‘Yudhitthil’ gotra.
- Panchala : The mahajanapada of Panchala was divided into, Uttara (north) Panchala and Dakshina (south) Panchala. The river Bhagirathi was the natural boundary that divided the mahajanapada. Ahichchhatra, the capital of Uttara Panchala was located near the village of Ramanagar, district Bareilley, Uttar Pradesh. Kampilya, present-day Kampil in the Farukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh, was the capital of Dakshina Panchala. The mahajanpadas of Kuru and Panchala often fought for supremacy. Both the divisions of Panchala mahajanapada were monarchies in the beginning. At a later date, they turned into a sangharajya.
- Matsya : The capital of this mahajanapada was Viratnagar, which was located at Bairat in the Jaipur district of Rajasthan. Matsya was merged into the empire of Magadha at a later date. Bairat is one of the places where Ashokan edicts have been found.
- Shoorsena : This mahajanapada was located on the banks of the river Yamuna. Its capital was the city of Mathura. Greek historians have mentioned the name of the mahajanapada as ‘Shursenoi’ andMathura as ‘Methora’. Later, the mahajanapada of Shoorsena was merged into the Maurya empire.
- Ashmak/Assak : We have seen earlier that Potali was the capital of Ashmak mahajanapada and probably it was a feudatory state of Kashi mahajanapada.
- Avanti : This mahajanapada encompassed the region of Malwa, Nimad and its neighbouring regions in Madhya Pradesh. Avanti mahjanapada was divided into Uttara Avanti and Dakshina Avanti. Ujjayini (Ujjain) was the capital of Uttar Avanti, while Mahishmati (Mandhata, District Khandwa) was the capital of Dakshina Avanti. King Pradyot was a contemporary of Gautama Buddha. In the 4th century B.C.E. Avanti mahajanpada became an integral part of the Maurya empire.
- Gandhara : This mahajanpada had spread into Kashmir and Afghanistan. Taxila was its capital. Pukkusati or Pushkasarin was the king of Gandhara, who was a contemporary of King Bimbisara. He had established diplomatic relations with King Bimbisara. By the 6th century B.C. the Iranian emperor, Daryush I conquered Gandhara mahajanapada. The Behistun inscription in Iran (516 B.C.E.) mentions Gandhara as one of the satrapies of the Iranian empire.
- Kamboja : This mahajanapada is mentioned in the ancient literature along with Gandhara. Rajapura (Rajauri) was its capital. Kamboja was well-known for its excellent horses and its horsemen warriors for their skills of warfare. Kamboja people had resisted Sinkandara’s advent. The Aspasioi (Ashvayana) was part of the Kamboja mahajanapada. The mahajanapada is mentioned in Ashoka’s edicts as ‘araj’, meaning ‘those who do not have a king’. In turn, it means that those who were a republic.
(b) King’s installation
Answer – The janapadas with definite geographic borders and administrative system were established roughly around 1000 B.C.E. The ambition to expand geographic boundaries and the political conflict caused by it left some janapadas more powerful than others. It resulted into the creation of sixteen mahajanapadas from Afghanistan in the northeast to Bengal in the east, stretching to the banks of the Godavari in the south. The capital cities of the mahajanapadas and some other cities, which flourished because of prospering trade once again brought the age of urbanisation in India. It is known as the ‘Second Urbanisation’.
The ‘Mahaparinibbansutta’ mentions names of six cities, which were of great importance. They are, Champa, Rajagriha, Shravasti, Saketa, Kushambi and Varanasi. By the 6th century B.C.E. these and a few other cities had become very prosperous. Characteristic pottery of janapadas and mahajanapadas has been recovered from various archaeological sites. Also, many sites have yielded iron implements and punch marked coins of silver and copper. The punch marked coins have been mentioned in the ancient Indian literature as ‘Karshapana’ or ‘Pana’.
The following things are perceived as markers of urbanisation : Development of the cities as administrative centres, network of surrounding villages to cater to the needs of urban centres (hinterland), interlinking of the village administration with the central administration, well defined rules of taxation, internal and distant trade, well-established network of land routes and waterways (both rivers and oceans), purchase and sales of goods by increasingly using monetary exchange along with the barter system, a stable legal system and judiciary. All these characteristics of urbanisation were present in the times of mahajanapadas. The magnificent statue of Bahubali stands at Shrvanbelgola, in the Hassan district of Karnataka. Bahubali had attained Keval Gyan (Omniscience).
(c) Authority of the king
Answer – The terms ‘Shatapatha Brahmana’ and ‘Katyayana Shrautsutra’ explain the fact Rajya and Saamrajya in the conext of sacrificial system. According to it, the king who performs ‘Rajasooya’ sacrifice is designated as ‘Raja’.The kingdom ruled by him is designated as ‘Rajya’. When a ‘Raja’ performs ‘Vajapeya’ sacrifice, he is entitled to the epithet of ‘Saamraj’ and the ‘Rajya’ under his rule is entitled as ‘Saamrajya’. A ‘Raja’ is always desirous of the superior entitlement of ‘Saamraj’. The epithet ‘Raja’ always indicates a lower cadre. A ‘Raja’ was expected to be a ‘Kshatriya’ and according to the existing norms a Brahmin was expected to refrain from accepting the position of a ‘Raja’. However, there are a number of exceptions to this norm as seen in the Vedic literature and Buddhist jatakas. The position of Raja was generally bequeathed on the son of the ruling king after him. However, at times, a king was elected by people. The first wife of the king was given the epithet of ‘Rajmahishi’. She was the one who was formally crowned along with the king. A powerful sovereign performed ‘Ashvamedha’ sacrifice to establish his supremacy. The coronation of a king, principally gave him absolute authority over his subjects. He was the one to decide the amount of taxes to be collected from them. He was the ultimate lord of all the land in his kingdom and so he could donate any portion of that land according to his wish. Nevertheless, his power was not totally unrestricted. The king made his decisions by seeking advice from his officials such as ‘Purohita’, ‘Senani’, ‘Amatya’, Gramani’, etc. Besides, there was an assembly of people of all classes. When it assembled, everybody present there could participate in the decision making process. There were instances when people’s assemblies made a king step down from the throne.
(d) Decision-making
Answer – The king made his decisions by seeking advice from his officials such as ‘Purohita’, ‘Senani’, ‘Amatya’, ‘Gramani’, etc. Besides, there was an assembly of people of all classes. When it assembled, everybody present there could participate in the decision making process. There were instances when people’s assemblies made a king step down from the throne.
Guilds (Shrenis) : Along with agriculture and animal husbandry, trade and systematic management and organisation of the trade are also essential factors for the prosperity of a state. The guilds of the merchants and the artisans played a great role in the growth of the mahajanpadas into wealthy states. These guilds had their own way of organisation and functioning. Among the important characteristics of the guilds were, local organisation of various occupations, transferring the skills to the young members in the family with hands-on training, leadership naturally invested in the senior and experienced members of the guild and other members following them voluntarily. Guilds had their own, strict rules. Hence, they had a stringent structure. This stringent structure is perceived as one of the main reasons of the rise of the caste system. The paid outsiders who worked in the guilds were known as ‘Karmakara’ and unpaid workers as ‘Dasa’.The guilds had acquired an important place in the political, social and financial matters by the Maurya period. According to Kautilya, the king’s control on the transactions of guilds was very important. Structurally the shrenis had a great potential of channelling the central power. The Ashokan edicts show that the roads and the transport system was maintained with great care. It had made transport of goods and travelling convenient. Obviously, this state of affairs was favourable for the growth of trade and development of shrenis.The functioning of the guilds was controlled by the state. Detailed records were kept of the production by the guilds, their financial operations and above all the traditions of guilds. Every guild had an independent space in the city, allotted to it.There were independent traditions with respect to the interrelationship between the guild members and the karmakaras, various stages of production and fixing the prices of produced goods. Each guild had its own rules based on its traditions. The state administration did not interfere in these aspects of the functioning of the guilds. It kept the internal independence of the guilds intact. If a decision has to be reached about the matters of a guild, then the king sought advice from a guild representative. The chief of a guild of artisans was known as ‘Jyeshthaka’ or ‘Jyetthaka’. The chief of a guild of merchants was known as ‘Shreshthi’ or ‘Setthi’. The guilds used their funds for the operations involved in production and trade, as well as for the social cause. It was in the way of giving donations and giving loans with interest at modest rates.’
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