The orphans and handicapped have also not been ignored. Yudhisthira also salutes or greets them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/p>\n
Question 6. \nThis is what a famous historian of Indian literature, Maurice Winternitz, wrote about he Mahabharata : \u201cJust because the Mahabharata represents more of an entire literature… and contains so mush and so many kinds of things, (it) give (s) us an insight into the most profound depths of the soul of the Indian folk.\u201d Discuss.<\/p>\n
Answer: \nThere is no denying the fact that Mahabharata represents whole of literature and shows a very beautiful picture of all the aspects of public life of contemporary Indian folk. This epic thrws the following lights on the life of Indians : \n(i) Social Life<\/p>\n
(a) Four Varbas : Society was divided into four Varnas and Varna system was not strict. There was no restriction on people to adopt their hereditary occupation. For example, Parshuram was known as a Kshatriya even if he was Brahmana. Brahman\u2019s place in the society was not supreme.<\/p>\n
(b) Status of Women : Women had very good status in the society. They were highly respected. They had the right to select their husband through the custom of \u2018Suyamuas\u2019.<\/p>\n
(c) Age of Courage : Age of Mahabharata was an age of volour and bravery. Dying in the battlefield was considered very prestigeous. People believed that one who dies in the battlefield goes straight to heaven. Protection of weaker sections was also considered as an act of bravery.<\/p>\n
(d) Social Evils : Some social evils also existed in the society. Playing the game of dice, endogamy, polygamy, betraying the enemy were common things that prevailed in the society.<\/p>\n
(ii) Political Life : \n(a) Large empires : King was the head of the state and all the power of the state rested in his hands. There was no restricion on these powers. However there were ministers to advice the king in administrative functions but the kings were not bound to accept their advice.<\/p>\n
(b) Life of Kings : Kings used to live with great pomp and show. They had splendid palaces and used to adopt many titles. They had an ambition to become Chakravarti King. For this, they used to organise Ashvamedha yajna. There were many dancers in their courts. Drinking liquor and gambling were a part of their characters.<\/p>\n
(iii) Economic Life : \n(a) Agriculture : Agriculture was the main occupation of the people. Even kings themselves used to plough the land. Land was very fertile.<\/p>\n
(b) Animal Rearing: Animal rearing was another occupation of the people. Cow, bull, horses and elephants were important rearing animals.<\/p>\n
(iv) Religious Life :<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
(a) Worshipping New Gods and Goddesses : \nIn Mahabharata age, people started to worship new gods and goddesses, except Vedic gods and goddesses, and some of them were Parvati, Durga, Vishnu, Brahma, etc.<\/p>\n
(b) Believe in Incarnation : People also belived that god takes birth. It was believed that god Vishnu took birth in the form of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna and people started to worship them them as well.<\/p>\n
(c) Karma theory and Reincarnation : People also believed in Karma theory and reincarnation. They believed that one has to face all of his good or bad deeds of this life in his next life or birth.<\/p>\n
(d) Stress on Yajnas : People in this epic age greatly stressed on Yajnas. Many new methods of yajnas were started in this age. \nActually, like any other epic, Mahabharata in an epic which shows a live picture of wars, forests, palaces and towns. Culturally also Mahabharata is very important. This epic has given a content to sculptors, plays and dance forms.<\/p>\n
Question 7. \nDiscuss whether the Mahabharata could have been the work of a single author. \nOr \nWho composed the original story of Mahabharata ? Describe the various stages through which Mahabharata was completed between the fifth century BCE. and 100 CE. (C.B.S.E. 2008 (CD), 2014 (D)) \nOr \nWhat do you know about the authors and the period when Mahabharata was compiled ? (C.B.S.E. 2017 (O.D.)) \nAnswer: \nIt is not possible for a single author to compose the entire Mahabharata. It seems to have been composed between 500 B.C.E. to 100 C.E. As a result, many episodes have been incorporated in it from time to time. Some of the stories mentioned in it were already popular among the people. As Mahabharata was written in a very long time, it seems as if no single author would have written it.<\/p>\n
Different Authors \nThe following suggestions are given regarding the authors of Mahabharata : \n(i) The original story of Mahabharata was written by Bhatt-Sarthis. They were called as Sutas. They generally accompanied Kshatriya warriors to the battlefield. So they composed poems to celebrate the victories and achievements of various warriors. These compositions were circulated through oral method.<\/p>\n
(ii) From the 5th century B.C.E., the Brahmanas took over the story and began to write it in the form of an epic. The story moved around the Kurus. As the Kurus and Panchalas had attained kingdom from chiefdom, it is possible that these new kings might have wanted their history to be recorded and preserved in a more systematic way. Besides, old social values were replaced by new norms. So it is possible that such upheavals might have necessitated the re-writting of the epic story.<\/p>\n
(iii) Another phase in the composition of the epic task of Mahabharta started between 200 B.C.E. and 200 C.E. This was the time when the worship of Vishnu was becoming quite important. Krishna who was one of the most important characters in the epic, was identified with Vishnu.<\/p>\n
(iv) Therefore between 200 and 400 C.E., many didactic sections resembling the Manusmriti were added in the main story. Originally the text of Mahabharata had 10,000 verses. But after addition of didactic section, it comprised of 1,00,000 verses.<\/p>\n
(v) However the enormous composition of Mahabharata is traditionally attributed to Vyasa, a famous sage.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Question 8. \nHow important were gender differences in early societies? Give reasons for your answer. \nOr \nState whether gender differences were really important in the early societies from C. 600 BCE to 600 CE. (C.B.S.E. 2017 (O.D)) \nOr \n\u201cBrahmanical texts reinforced gender access to property in the early societies.\u201d Analyse the statement with examples. \n(C.B.S.E. 2019 (Comp.)) \nOr \nDescribe the ideal of patriliny and Gendered access to property prevailing during 6th century B.C.E. to 6th century C.E. (C.B.S.E. 2019 (D.)) \nAnswer: There were three main reasons of gender differences in early societies and these were : \n(i) Gender inequality, patrilineal system \n(ii) Gotra of woman \n(iii) Right over property<\/p>\n
(i) Gender inequality : Earlier societies were male dominated and were run according to the patrilineal system. That is why male child was desired in every type of family as sons were important for the continuity of the partilineage. Daughters were viewed rather differently in this system. They had no right over ancestral resources. They were expected to marry out of their gotras. This custom of marriage is known as \u2018exogamy\u2019. It means that young girls and women of reputed families were regulated in a way that they could marry at right time and with right person. This gave rise to the belief that Kanyadana was an important religious duty of the father.<\/p>\n
(ii) Gotra of Women : From C. 1000 B.C.E. onwards, people were classified into gotras by Brahamanas. Each gotra was named after a Vedic seer as all the members of that gotra were assumed as the descendants of that seer. There were two important rules of gotras:<\/p>\n
(a) Woman had to adopt gotra of her husband after her marriage.<\/p>\n
(b) Members of same gotra could not marry with each other. But some evidences have been found in which these rules were not obeyed. For example, some of the Satavahana rulers had more than one wife (polygamy). A study of the names of wives of Satavahana rulers revealed that a few of them had names derived from gotras such as Gotama and Vasistha which were their father\u2019s gotras.<\/p>\n
They probably had retained these names instead of adopting names of their husbands gotras. Some women also belonged to the same gotra as of their husbands. This fact was against the rules of exogamy. This fact actually exemplified an alternative practice that of endogamy or marriage within the kin group. This type of marriage still exists in many communities of South India. These sorts of marital relations give strength to organised communities.<\/p>\n
Satavahana rulers were identified through the names derived from that of the mother. Although this may suggest that mothers were important but we should note down the fact that succession to the throne, among Satavahanas, was generally patrilineal.<\/p>\n
(iii) Access to Property : According to Manusmriti, ancestral property of parents should be distributed (after their death) equally among all the sons. But eldest son should be given special share. Women could not demand their share in these ancestral resources. But they had the right over the gifts given to them at the time of their marriage. It was known as stridhana or woman\u2019s wealth. This wealth could be inherited by her children. Their husbands had no right over this wealth. But Manusmriti restricts women to secretly collect any valuable goods or familial property without the permission of their husbands.<\/p>\n
Some evidences indicate that yet women of upper class had resources within their reach but still land, animals and wealth were under the control of males. In other words, social differences among men and women were increased because of the difference in access of resources or property.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Question 9. \nDiscuss the evidences that suggest that Brahmanical prescriptions about kinship and marriage were not universally followed. \nOr \nDescribe the rules of marriage during the period C. 600 B.C.E. \u2014 600 C.E. I (C.B.S.E. 2011 (D)) \nOr \n\u201cBecause of the diversity of the Indian subcontinent there have always \u201d been population whose social practices were not influenced by the I Brahminical ideas during 600 B.C.E. \u2014 600 C.E. Examine the statement. (C.B.S.E. 2017 (D) \nAnswer: \nThe Brahmans considered their view-point as universally accepted. They believed that their rules were followed every where. But in reality, it was not so. In fact, there was no universal impact of the Brahmanas because of regional diversities and lack of proper communication. In other words, we can say that the rules framed by the Brahmanas were not adhered every where. The following evidences have been found in this regard:<\/p>\n
(i) Diversity in Family Life. We accept family life usually with ease. But all families are not the same. There is always diversity in human relations and activities. In reality, family is a part of a big group. It is a part of larger network of people defined as relatives or kinfolk. However, the familial ties are natural as they are based on blood relations. For example, such relations are kept in different ways. Some societies regard cousins as blood relatives whereas others do not think so.<\/p>\n
We can know a lot about elite families. But it is very difficult to have a full view of the relationships of ordinary people. The historians have made efforts to analyse and examine attitude towards family and kinship. The Mahabharata is a story of a war between two groups of cousins, i.e., the Kauravas and the Pandavas. This war was fought for land and power. It was fought for eighteen days in which the Pandavas emerged victorious.<\/p>\n
(ii) Rules of Marriage. The sons were considered important to continue the patrilineage. So the daughters had no claims to the resources of the household. They were married into families outside the kin. This system was called exogamy which literally meant marrying outside one\u2019s kin or gotra. The women of high status families were married to the right persons at right time. Thus, Kanayadana or the gift of a daughter in marriage was an important religious duty of the father.<\/p>\n
As the new towns emerged, the social life became more complex. The people bought and sold their products in the cities. So they shared the views with each other. Hence the Brahmanas laid down codes of social behaviour in great detail. They expected all the Brahmanas in particular and the others in general to follow these rules. Later on, these rules were enshrined in Dharamashastras.<\/p>\n
These texts recognised eight forms of marriage out of which four were considered as good and the other four were considered as condemnable. The condemnable marriages were solemnised by those who did not accept Brahmanical norms. Inscriptions of Satavahana rulers indicate that they did not followed the method of exogamy of Brahmanas. They had many queens and even from their own gotra. This fact is an example of endogamy method or marital relations within kinfolk.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Map Work<\/strong><\/p>\nQuestion 10. \nCompare the map in this chapter with Map I in Chapter 2. List the Mahajanapadas and cities located near the Kuru-Panchala lands. \nAnswer: \n \nIndications – Mahajanapadas: Malla, Koshala, Sakya, Avanti, Matsya, Shurasena Cities : Hastinapur, Indraprastha, Mathura, Virata, Kaushambi,Sarnath, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Bodh Gaya, Pataliputra, Vaishali, Kushinagara, Pava, Lumbini, Kapilavastu, Shravasti and Ujjayini<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Detailed, Step-by-Step NCERT Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 3 Kinship, Caste and Class: Early Societies Questions and Answers were solved by Expert Teachers as per NCERT (CBSE) Book guidelines covering each topic in chapter to ensure complete preparation. https:\/\/mcq-questions.com\/ncert-solutions-for-class-12-history-chapter-3\/ Kinship, Caste and Class: Early Societies NCERT Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 3 Kinship, …<\/p>\n
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 3 Kinship, Caste and Class: Early Societies<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","spay_email":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nNCERT Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 3 Kinship, Caste and Class: Early Societies - MCQ Questions<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n