Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

History

Chapter

Ancient India: Kings, Farmers and Towns

Question:

Assertion: Some states recruited militia often from the peasantry during the 6th Century BCE.

Reason: From the 6th Century BCE, Brahmanas began composing Sanskrit texts known as the Dharmasutras.

Options:

Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct but the Reason is not the correct explanation of the Assertion.

The Assertion is incorrect but the Reason is correct.

The Assertion is correct but the Reason is incorrect.

Correct Answer:

Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct but the Reason is not the correct explanation of the Assertion.

Explanation:

From the 6th Century BCE, Brahmanas began composing Sanskrit texts known as the Dharmasutras. These laid down norms for rulers (as well as for other social categories), who were ideally expected to be Kshatriyas. Rulers were advised to collect taxes and tribute from cultivators, traders, and artisans. Were resources also procured from pastoralists and forest peoples? We do not really know. What we do know is that raids on neighboring states were recognized as a legitimate means of acquiring wealth.
Gradually, some states acquired standing armies and maintained regular bureaucracies. Others continued to depend on the militia, recruited, more often than not, from the peasantry.