Important Questions For Class 12 History Chapter 2 Source Based Questions

Important Questions for Class 12 History Chapter 2
Source Based Questions
Question 1
In praise of Samudragupta:
He was without an antagonist on Earth; he, hy the overflowing of the multitude
of (his) many good qualities adorned by hundreds of good actions, he wiped
off the fame of other kings with the soles of (his) feet (he is) Purusha (the
Supreme Being), being the cause of the prosperity of the good and the
destruction of the bad (he is) incomprehensible; (he is) one whose tender
heart can be captured only by devotion and humility; (he is) possessed of
compassion; (he is) the giver of many hundred thousands of cows; (his) mind
has received ceremonial initiation for the uplift of the miserable, the poor, the
forlorn and the suffering; (he is) resplendent and embodied kindness to
mankind; (he is) equal to (the Gods) Kubera (the God of wealth), Varuna (the
God of the ocean), Indra (the God of rains) and Yama (the God of death).
1. Who wrote the above Prashasti? State the importance of Prashasti?

2. Mention any three qualities of the ruler described in the excerpt.
3. How far are these values shown by the rulers, relevant in the
contemporary society? Explain. (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
1. The Prayaga Prashasti also known as the Allahabad pillar inscription was
composed in Sanskrit by Harisena. This Prashasti said that Samudragupta was
without an antagonist on Earth and was adorned by hundreds of good actions.
2. The qualities of the ruler described in the excerpt are:
• The ruler should be powerful with plethora of good qualities.

• He should bring prosperity.
• The ruler should have compassion and should try for the upliftment of
the miserable, the poor and the forlorn.
3. The values shown in the above mentioned passage are relevant in the
contemporary society to a great extent. The rulers ought to have positive
attitude for the welfare of his countrymen. He should try incessantly to bring
prosperity and equality in all walks of life.
Question 2.
The Sudarshana (beautiful) Lake in Gujarat:
The Sudarshana lake was an artificial reservoir. We know about it from a rock
inscription (2nd century CE) in Sanskrit, composed to record the
achievements of the Shaka ruler Rudradaman.
The inscription mentions that the lake, with embankments and water channels,
was built by a local governor during the rule of the Maury as. However, a
terrible storm broke the embankments and water gushed out of the lake.
Rudradaman, who was then ruling in the area, claimed to have got the lake
repaired using his own resources, without imposing any tax on his subjects.
Another inscription on the same rock (c 5th century) mentions how one of the
rulers of the Gupta dynasty got the lake repaired once again.
1. How do we get to know about the Sudarshana lake?

2. Why this lake required the repair?
3. Explain why did rulers make arrangements for irrigation? (All India 2014)
Answer:
1. We get to know about the Sudarshana lake from a rock inscription (2nd
century CE) in Sanskrit, composed to record the achievements of the Shaka
ruler Rudradaman.
2. The Sudarshana lake required repair because a terrible storm broke the
embankments of the lake and water gushed out of the lake.
3. The rulers made arrangements for irrigation that included the repair of lakes,
etc because the irrigation was crucial for the advancement of agriculture and
eventual food security. The irrigation was adopted to increase the agriculture
production through lakes, wells, tanks and canals.
Question 3
The Importance of Boundaries:
The Manusmriti is one of the best-known legal texts of early India, written in
Sanskrit and complied between 2nd century BCE and 2nd century CE. This is
what the text advises the king to do.
Seeing that in the world controversies constantly arise due to the ignorance of
boundaries, he should… have concealed boundary markers buried—stones,
bones, cow’s hair, chaff, ashes, potsherds, dried cow dung, bricks, coal,
pebbles and sand.
He should also have other similar substances that would not decay in the soil
buried as hidden markers at the intersection of boundaries.
1. Why did the controversies of boundaries arise? Explain.

2. Suggest the ways to solve the boundary problems.
3. Explain with example any such problem being faced by India today.
(Delhi 2011)
Answer:
1. The ignorance of king to conceal the boundaries led to the controversies.
2. By concealing the boundaries by markers such as stones, bones, cow’s

hair, chaff, ashes, potsherds, dried cow dung, bricks, coal, pebbles and sand.
These substances do not decay in the soil and will act as markers at the
intersection of boundaries.
3. India faces such problems in the villages where the land records are poorly
maintained and various stakeholders try to claim their ownership of the
disputed land.
Question 4
The Anguish of the King
When the King Devanampiya Piyadassi had been ruling for eight years, the
(country of the) Kalingas (present-day coastal Odisha) was conquered by him.
One hundred and fifty thousand men were deported, a hundred thousand were
killed and many more died.
After that, now that (the country of) the Kalingas has been taken, Devanampiya
(is devoted), to an intense study of Dhamma, to the love of Dhamma and to
instructing (the people) in Dhamma. This is the repentance of Devanampiya on
account of his conquest of the (country of the) Kalingas. For this considered
very painful and deplorable by Devanampiya that, while one is conquering an
unconquered (country) slaughter, death and deportation of people (take place)
there.
1. Who was called ‘Devanampiya Piyadassi’? Give his brief description.

2. Mention the importance and limitations of inscriptions.
3. Explain the effects of war of Kalinga on Asoka.
4. Why did the king repent after the war of Kalinga? (All India 2011)
Answer:
1. Emperor Asoka was called ‘Devanampiya Piyadassi’. Asoka was the most
important ruler of Mauryan dynasty. He captured Kalinga and later repented on
it and established the notion of ‘Dhamma’.
2. Importance of Inscriptions Inscriptions provide valuable information about

those who commission it. They tell us about social and political conditions of
that time when they were inscribed.
Limitations Inscriptions are source of limited information. They do not project
the opinion of common people.
3. After the war of Kalinga, Asoka devoted hirnself to intense study of Dhamma
and started instructing the people about the message of Dhamma.
4. The king repented after the war of Kalinga because it was very painful for
him as the war led to slaughter, death and deportation of thousands of people.

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Important Questions for Class 12 History Chapter 2

Source Based Questions

1. Who wrote the above Prashasti? State the importance of Prashasti?

2. The qualities of the ruler described in the excerpt are:

• The ruler should be powerful with plethora of good qualities.

1. How do we get to know about the Sudarshana lake?

1. Why did the controversies of boundaries arise? Explain.

2. By concealing the boundaries by markers such as stones, bones, cow’s

1. Who was called ‘Devanampiya Piyadassi’? Give his brief description.

2. Importance of Inscriptions Inscriptions provide valuable information about

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