10 Topics.
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What to Study: Why is the rise of the Mauryan Empire treated as a turning point in Indian history? Understand the two reasons linked to political unity and to the writing of history. Also be clear about the three kinds of source available for this period.
Asked in UPSC PrelimsUPSC 2022
What to Study: Remember who wrote the Arthasastra, the other names of its author, the label "Indian Machiavelli", and who discovered the manuscript and about when (around 1905). Also remember the number of books, chapters and topics, and the three parts of its content. Why is it so valuable for studying the Mauryas?
Asked in UPSC PrelimsUPSC 2002
What to Study: What kind of work is the Mudrarakshasa, and in which language? It was written in a later age than the one it describes, so be clear about which period each refers to. Know the story it tells about the Nandas and what it shows of society.
Asked in UPSC PrelimsUPSC 1999
What to Study: Who was Megasthenes, and at whose court did he serve? Know what survives of Indica and what it describes (the capital's administration, the army and social life). Why do historians treat some of his information with caution?
What to Study: Learn what the Puranas and the Jatakas add to our knowledge of the Mauryas. Which Ceylonese chronicles are used, and what do they tell about Asoka and Buddhism in Sri Lanka? Their account of how Asoka came to the throne is covered under his early career.