Which of the following was NOT a cause for the growth of Magadha power?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Use of horses for military use.
Option (1) Agriculture was productive. — Correct statement. Magadha was a region where agriculture was especially productive.
Option (2) Iron mines were accessible. — Correct statement. Iron mines (in present-day Jharkhand) were accessible and provided resources for tools and weapons.
Option (3) Elephants were an important component of the army. — Correct statement. Elephants, an important component of the army, were found in the forests of the region.
Option (4) Use of horses for military use. — Incorrect statement. Horses are not among the reasons historians give for Magadha’s rise. The remaining reason is that the Ganga and its tributaries provided a means of cheap and convenient communication; early Buddhist and Jaina writers credited ruthlessly ambitious kings and their ministers.
NCERT (2026-27): “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. However, early Buddhist and Jaina writers who wrote about Magadha attributed its power to the policies of individuals: ruthlessly ambitious kings of whom Bimbisara, Ajatasattu and Mahapadma Nanda are the best known, and their ministers, who helped implement their policies.…” |