Chapter 16 The Period of Harshavardhana (600 – 650 A.D.)

Punjab State Board PSEB 6th Class Social Science Book Solutions History Chapter 16 The Period of Harshavardhana (600 – 650 A.D.) Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 6 Social Science History Chapter 16 The Period of Harshavardhana (600 – 650 A.D.)

SST Guide for Class 6 PSEB The Period of Harshavardhana (600 – 650 A.D.) Textbook Questions and Answers

I. Answer the following questions :

Question 1.
What do you know about Hiuen Tsang?
Answer:
Hiuen Tsang: Hiuen Tsang was a famous Chinese traveller who visited India during the reign of Harshavardhana. He was the royal guest in Harsha’s court. He spent nearly 15 years in India. He wrote about India and her people in detail.

Question 2.
Write a note about Harshavardhana.
Answer:
Harshavardhana was the most important ruler of the Pushyabhuti dynasty. His brother Rajyavardhana and his sister’s husband Grahavarman who was the ruler of Maukhari, were assassinated by Shashanka, the king of Bengal, with the help of the king of Malwa. Therefore, Harshavardhana ascended the throne in 606 A.D., after the death of his brother.

After ascending the throne Harshavardhana moved his capital from Sthaneshwar to Kannauj and became the joint ruler of both (Pushyabhuti and Maukhari) the states. He vowed to take revenge of the death of his brother and sister’s husband. After a few years he killed Shashanka and thus conquered Bengal. He conquered several other territories also and became the most powerful ruler of North India. He also led a military campaign against Pulakeshin- II of Chalukya dynasty of South India but failed.

Harshavardhana was a great scholar. He wrote three plays in Sanskrit, namely Priyadarshika, Ratnavali and Nagananda.

Harshavardhana was a follower of Shaivism but he respected other faiths also. He had special respect for Buddhism. He convened an assembly of Buddhists at Kannauj under the chairmanship of Hiuen Tsang. He also held assemblies at Allahabad after every five years. In one such assembly he is said to have given away all his wealth in charity.
Harshavardhana passed away in about 647 A.D. and with his death the rule of the Pushyabhuti dynasty also ended.

Question 3.
What do you know about the society of this period?
Answer:
The caste system was in existence in India during Harshavardhana’s period. The untouchables were treated badly. They had to live outside the towns. The houses of rich people were beautifully built. On the other hand, the poor lived in small houses having mud floors. The dress of the people varied from region to region. The people were honest and lovers of freedom. They loved and respected each other. Most of the people were vegetarians. There were not many criminals. The Hinduism was much popular among the people, whereas the Buddhism was less popular among them.

Question 4.
Write about the administration of Harshavardhana.
Answer:
Harshavardhana was supreme in his empire. He himself made a visit of empire in order to know about the problems and difficulties of his people.There was a council of ministers to help him in administration. He himself appointed the ministers. The entire empire was divided into provinces, districts and villages. Villages were administered by Panchayats. Justice was imparted to all. Judicial system was efficient. Punishments were rigorous. Land revenue was the main source of income of the state. It was 1/ 6th of the produce and paid both in cash and kind.

II. Fill in the blanks :

Question 1.
Harshavardhana made ________ his capital.
Answer:
Kanauj

Question 2.
________ a faftious Chinese visited India during the reign of Harshavardhana.
Answer:
Hsuan Tsang

Question 3.
An account of Hashavardhana tells us that he donated the income of about ________ villages for Nalanda University.
Answer:
200

III. Match the columns :

Question 1.

A	B
(1) Pushyabhutis	(a) Writer
(2) Hiuen Tsang	(b) Khurtkshetra
(3) Banabhatta	(c) Chinese traveller
(4) Dutaka	(d) Messenger

Answer:
Correct columns:

A	B
(1) Pushyabhutis	(b) Khurtkshetra
(2) Hiuen Tsang	(c) Chinese traveller
(3) Banabhatta	(a) Writer
(4) Dutaka	(d) Messenger

IV. Write ‘true’ or ‘false’ in the brackets given after each statement :

Question 1.
Harshavardhana ascended the throne in, 606 A.D.
Answer:
True

Question 2.
Pulakeshin-II was the king of Bihar.
Answer:
False.

Question 3.
People did not pay any taxes to the king.
Answer:
False.

Question 4.
Most of the people were vegetarians.
Answer:
True

Question 5.
Rajyavardhana was the father of Harsha.
Answer:
False.

V. Activities (Something To Do):

Question 1.
Draw a sketch map of India and indicate Thanesar, Kanauj, Nalanda, Vatapi, Ellora on it.
Answer:
Do it yourself.

PSEB 6th Class Social Science Guide The Period of Harshavardhana (600 – 650 A.D.) Important Questions and Answers

Multiple Choice Questions:

Question 1.
The rule of Harshavardhana was around ________ years ago.
(A) 1400
(B) 1500
(C) 1600
(D) 1700.
Answer:
(A) 1400.

Question 2.
Who among the following wrote a about Hershavardhana?
(A) Banabhatta
(B) Xuna Zang
(C) Ravi Kirti’
(D) All of these.
Answer:
(D) All of these.

Question 3.
Harshacharitta was written by ________
(A) Harishana
(B) Banabhatta
(C) Arya Bhatta
(D) Xuan Zangt
Answer:
(B) Banabhatta.

Question 4.
________ dynasty rose in northern India after the decline of the Gupta empire.
(A) Pushyabhuti
(B) Mauryan
(C) Kushana
(D) Slave.
Answer:
(A) Pushyabhuti.

Question 5.
________ was the most important ruler of the Pushyabhuti dynasty.
(A) dynasty
(B) Harshavardhana
(C) Ashoka
(D) Bindusara.
Answer:
(B) Harshavardhana.

Question 6.
Shashanka was the king of ________
(A) Bengal
(B) Bihar
(C) Bengal
(D) Tamil Nadu.
Answer:
(A) Bengal.

Question 7.
Hiuen Tsang visited India during the times of.
(A) Ashoka
(B) Harshavarardhaka
(C) Sheshanka
(D) Chandragupta II.
Answer:
(B) Harshavardhana.

Question 8.
Nalanda is situated in
(A) Bengal
(B) Odisha
(C) Bihar
(D) Tamil Nadu.
Answer:
(C) Bihar

Question 9.
Which of these play was written by Harshavardhana?
(A) Priyadarshika
(B) Rathavali
(C) Nagananda
(D) All of these.
Answer:
(D) All of these.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Name some of the states that rose in Northern India after the decline of the Gupta Empire.
Answer:
The Maukharis of Kannauj, the later Guptas of Magadha, the Maitrakas in Gujarat and Shashanka in Bengal.

Question 2.
Where did the Pushyabhutis start their rule?
Answer:
The Pushyabhutis started their rule in the region of Kurukshetra in the present day Haryana.

Question 3.
Name the capital city of the Pushyabhuti dynasty.
Answer:
Sthaneshwar (Thanesar).

Question 4.
Who was the most important ruler of the Pushyabhuti dynasty?
Answer:
Harshavardhana.

Question 5.
Where and why did Harshavardhana change his capital?
Answer:
Harshavardhana changed his capital from Sthaneshwar to Kannauj. He believed that Kannauj was a central place to rule whole of India.

Question 6.
Who wrote biography of Harshavardhana?
Answer:
Banabhatta.

Question 7.
Name the South Indian ruler who defeated Harshavardhana.
Answer:
Pulakeshin-II.

Question 8.
What was Harshavardhana’s religion?
Answer:
Shaivism.

Question 9.
Name the plays written by Harshavardhana.
Answer:
Priyadarshika, Ratnavali and Na

Question 10.
When did Harshavardhana die?
Answer:
In about 647 A.D.

Question 11.
What was the effect of Harshavardhana’s death on his kingdom?
Answer:
His kingdom was divided into several smaller units which kept fighting with one another.

Question 12.
From where do we come to know about Harsha-vardhana’s period?
Answer:
From Hiuen Tsang’s accounts and Banabhatta’s Harshachrita.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Name the kings defeated by Harshavardhana. Did he conquer the kings of the Deccan?
Answer:
Harshavardhana defeated the kings of Punjab, Eastern Rajasthan and Assam. He ruled over almost the whole of North India.

After he had taken over Northern India under his control, he launched several campaigns against the Deccan rulers. But he did not conquer the Deccan. He was stopped by the army of Pulakeshin- II of the Chalukya dynasty.

Question 2.
What was Harshavardhana’s religion? How did he behave towards other religions?
Answer:
Harshavardhana was a follower of Shaivism but he bestowed his patronage on other religions as well. At Prayag he held a great assembly. He followed a tolerant religious policy. He r generously gave gifts to the Brahamanas as well as to Jains.

Question 3.
How did Hiuen Tsang describe the people of Indip?
Answer:
Hiuen Tsang described the people of India as hot tempered and quick to anger but honest. Indians were also particular about cleanliness. Except for some robberies, there were not many crimes, There was no death sentence.

Question 4.
What do you know about the economy of Harshavardhana’s period?
Answer:
In Harshavardhana’s time, agriculture was the main occupation of people. Cattle rearing was also done. Trade and carftsmanship were other occupations. People paid taxes regularly to the king both in cash and kind.

Long Answer Type Question

Question 1.
Describe the achievements of Harshavardhana as a ruler.
Answer:
Harshavardhana became the king of Sthaneshwar at the age of sixteen. He soon gathered the courage and ability to establish one of the largest kingdoms of his time.

His achievements can be described as under :
1. A Great Conquerer: Harshavardhana conquered the five kingdoms of the North, namely Punjab, Kannauj, Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. However, he was defeated by Pulakeshin-II of the Chalukya dynasty.

2. A Great Ruler: Harshavardhana administered his empire efficiently. Taxes were reasonable. Punishments were severe. He also kept a strong army. He acted on the advice of his ministers.

3. A Patron of Literature: Harshavardhana was a great patron of literature. Banabhatta was one of his court poets. He wrote Harsha’s biography, Harshachrita. Harshavardhana himself was a great scholar. He wrote three plays in Sanskrit, namely Ratnavali, Nagananda, and Priyadarshika.

4. Religious Tolerance: Harshavardhana was a follower of Shaivism but he respected all other religions also. He had special respect for Buddhism. He convened an assembly of Buddhists at Kannauj. In the Prayag Assembly, he worshipped the Buddha, the Sun, and Shiva.