Match List - I with List - II:

Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

(A)-(II), (B)-(III), (C)-(I), (D)-(IV)

The correct answer is Option (1) → (A)-(II), (B)-(III), (C)-(I), (D)-(IV)

(A) Piyadassi is another name for Ashoka, the Mauryan emperor who is known for his rock edicts and inscriptions. So, (A) matches with (II).
(B) James Prinsep was a British scholar who played a crucial role in deciphering the Brahmi script, which was used in inscriptions during ancient India. So, (B) matches with (III).
(C) Magadha was one of the most prominent Mahajanapadas (major kingdoms or republics) during ancient India. So, (C) matches with (I).
(D) Ganas were early forms of selfgoverning republics or oligarchies in ancient India. These Ganas were characterized by a system of shared rule by a council of elders. So, (D) matches with (IV).

So, the correct option is [1].

Some historical inscription  does not directly mention the name of the ruler, Asoka. Instead, it refers to him using titles such as "devanampiya," meaning "beloved of the gods," and "piyadassi," translated as "pleasant to behold." The name Asoka is found in some other inscriptions along with these titles. Epigraphists, after analyzing all these inscriptions and noting their similarities in content, style, language, and palaeography, have concluded that they were issued by the same ruler.

Early scholars studying ancient inscriptions often mistakenly assumed them to be in Sanskrit, when in reality, they were written in Prakrit, an earlier vernacular language. It was only after years of meticulous investigations by several epigraphists that James Prinsep succeeded in deciphering Asokan Brahmi in 1838.

During the period between the sixth and the fourth centuries BCE, Magadha emerged as the most dominant mahajanapada, situated in present-day Bihar. This rise in power can be attributed to various factors according to modern historians. Firstly, Magadha's fertile region facilitated productive agriculture. Additionally, the presence of iron mines in present-day Jharkhand provided essential resources for tools and weapons. The abundance of elephants in the local forests proved crucial for bolstering the army. Moreover, the Ganga River and its tributaries served as convenient and cost-effective means of communication.

The sixth century BCE marks a significant turning point in early Indian history, characterized by the emergence of early states, urban centers, the increasing use of iron, and the introduction of coinage. This period also witnessed the growth of diverse philosophical systems, including Buddhism and Jainism. Early Buddhist and Jaina texts mention sixteen states known as mahajanapadas, with names like Vajji, Magadha, Koshala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara, and Avanti being frequently mentioned as among the most important mahajanapadas. The governance of these mahajanapadas varied; while most were ruled by kings, some, known as ganas or sanghas, functioned as oligarchies, with power shared by multiple men, collectively referred to as rajas. Notably, both Mahavira and the Buddha belonged to such ganas. In some cases, like the Vajji sangha, resources such as land were possibly controlled collectively by the rajas. Although the histories of these states are challenging to reconstruct due to limited historical sources, some of them endured for nearly a millennium.