Which mahajanapada became the most powerful between the sixth and the fourth-centuries BCE?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Magadha
Of the sixteen mahajanapadas, Magadha (in present-day Bihar) became the most powerful between the sixth and the fourth centuries BCE. Historians explain its rise by its resources: productive agriculture, iron mines in present-day Jharkhand for tools and weapons, elephants in its forests for the army, and the Ganga and its tributaries for cheap and easy communication. Early Buddhist and Jaina writers, on the other hand, gave the credit to ambitious kings such as Bimbisara, Ajatasattu and Mahapadma Nanda.
Note: A same/similar question was asked in CUET (UG) in the papers below.
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| 13-05 S2 | 02-06 S1* | – | – | – |
* A similar question.
NCERT (2025-26): “2.2 First amongst the sixteen: Magadha … Between the sixth and the fourth centuries BCE, Magadha (in present-day Bihar) became the most powerful mahajanapada. Modern historians explain this development in a variety of ways: Magadha was a region where agriculture was especially productive. Besides, iron mines (in present-day Jharkhand) were accessible and provided resources for tools and weapons. Elephants, an important component of the army, were found in forests in the region. Also, the Ganga and its tributaries provided a means of cheap and convenient communication.…” |