SSC
The Kosala Mahajanapada is a part of which present-day state?
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Answer: Option C — Uttar Pradesh
Detailed Solution
The Kosala Mahajanapada was located in the region of present-day eastern Uttar Pradesh (the Awadh region).
About Kosala:
- It was one of the four most powerful Mahajanapadas of the 6th century BCE, along with Magadha, Vatsa and Avanti.
- Its capital in the 6th century BCE was Shravasti (in the present-day Shravasti district, Uttar Pradesh).
- Other important cities were Saketa (near Ayodhya) and Ayodhya.
- In the epic tradition, Ayodhya was the capital of Kosala and the kingdom of Rama.
Rulers of Kosala:
- Its famous king Prasenajit (Pasenadi) was a contemporary and follower of the Buddha.
- His sister, Kosala Devi, was married to Bimbisara of Magadha, and the Kashi region was given as dowry.
- After Prasenajit's death, there were conflicts between Kosala and Magadha.
- His son Vidudabha attacked and destroyed the Shakyas.
- Kosala was eventually absorbed into the kingdom of Magadha.
Shravasti and the Buddha:
- The Buddha spent many rainy seasons at Shravasti, mainly at the Jetavana monastery, built by the merchant Anathapindika.
- According to tradition, the Buddha performed the "Twin Miracle" at Shravasti.
- Shravasti is also sacred to the Jains, as the birthplace of the third Tirthankara, Sambhavanatha.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Bihar had Magadha, Anga and Vajji.
- ✗Madhya Pradesh had Avanti and Chedi.
- ✗Haryana was part of the Kuru region.
Quick tip
Remember: Kosala = eastern Uttar Pradesh (capital Shravasti; king Prasenajit; Jetavana monastery); Kashi given as dowry to Bimbisara.
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Mahajanapadas & Mauryan Empire — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Mahajanapadas & Mauryan Empire, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the sixteen Mahajanapadas, the rise of Magadha under the Haryanka, Shishunaga and Nanda dynasties, Alexander's invasion, and the Mauryan Empire under Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara and Ashoka, including Mauryan administration, Ashoka's dhamma and his edicts. Questions often ask about the capital of a Mahajanapada, the founder of a dynasty, or details of Ashoka's rule, such as the Kalinga war and his rock and pillar edicts. Key sources include Kautilya's Arthashastra and Megasthenes' Indica. James Prinsep first deciphered Ashoka's Brahmi inscriptions in 1837. Practise the Mahajanapadas and Mauryan Empire questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.