Correct Answer: (C) Shravasti
Notes: Shravasti was the capital of Kosala, a major Mahajanapada located in present-day Uttar Pradesh. Kosala was ruled by King Prasenajit (Pasenadi), a contemporary of Buddha. The kingdom frequently competed with Magadha for supremacy in northern India. Shravasti is also important in Buddhist history because Buddha spent many rainy seasons there.

Correct Answer: (B) Vaishali
Notes: Vaishali was the capital of the Vajji Confederacy, which included the famous Licchavi clan. It is regarded as one of the world’s earliest republics. Vaishali was also associated with both Mahavira, who was born nearby, and Buddha, who visited the city several times.

Correct Answer: (B) Indraprastha
Notes: Indraprastha, identified with the Delhi region, was the capital of the Kuru Mahajanapada. The Kurus are also prominently mentioned in the Mahabharata. Although Kuru was politically less powerful than Magadha during the 6th century BCE, it remained an important cultural and Vedic center.

Correct Answer: (A) Panchala
Notes: Panchala was divided into Northern and Southern Panchala, with Ahichchhatra serving as the capital of the northern part. The region was a major center of Vedic learning and Brahmanical culture. Panchala is frequently mentioned in the Mahabharata and later Vedic literature.

Correct Answer: (A) Matsya
Notes: The Matsya Mahajanapada had its capital at Viratanagara (modern Bairat in Rajasthan). According to the Mahabharata, the Pandavas spent their final year of exile in the kingdom of King Virata. The region occupied parts of present-day Rajasthan.

Correct Answer: (B) Chedi
Notes: Chedi was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas and had Shuktimati as its capital. It was situated in present-day Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The Chedi kingdom is also mentioned in ancient epics and Puranic literature.

Correct Answer: (C) Magadha
Notes: Magadha became the strongest Mahajanapada because of its fertile soil, rich iron ore deposits, strategic location on the Ganga, and capable rulers such as Bimbisara, Ajatashatru, and Mahapadma Nanda. It later became the core region of both the Nanda and Mauryan Empires.

Correct Answer: (B) Bimbisara
Notes: Bimbisara is considered the founder of Magadha’s greatness under the Haryanka Dynasty. He expanded his kingdom through warfare and diplomatic marriages. His conquest of Anga significantly increased Magadha’s power and wealth, preparing the ground for future expansion.

Correct Answer: (C) Vajji
Notes: Unlike monarchies such as Magadha and Kosala, the Vajji Confederacy followed a republican form of government. Decisions were taken through assemblies of clan representatives. Ancient Buddhist texts praise the Vajji system for its collective decision-making and strong political organization.

Correct Answer: (B) Gandhara
Notes: Taxila, the capital of Gandhara, was one of the world’s earliest universities. Students from different regions came here to study subjects such as medicine, military science, politics, and philosophy. Famous personalities like Chanakya are traditionally associated with Taxila, making Gandhara an important intellectual center of ancient India.