🏆 Sources of Ancient History of Bihar – Complete Notes for BPSC | Edutreaty

📌 Introduction

The study of Bihar’s ancient history is crucial for competitive exams like BPSC, Bihar SI, and other state-level exams. The history of Bihar is reconstructed through various sources such as archaeological evidence, inscriptions, coins, literary texts, and foreign accounts.

The name Bihar is derived from “Viharas”, meaning monasteries or resting places of Buddhist monks. This name became popular during the 12th century.

🏺 Archaeological Sources of Bihar

Archaeology plays a vital role in understanding Bihar’s ancient past through physical remains.

Key Findings:

  • 80-pillared hall at Kumhrar (Patna)
  • Ashokan pillars at Vaishali, Lauriya Areraj, Nandangarh, Rampurva
  • Kushan remains at Chirand
  • Terracotta figurines at Buxar and Patna
  • Buddhist sites: Nalanda and Vikramshila

👉 These findings provide insights into architecture, art, and urban development.

🪨 Inscriptions in Bihar History

Inscriptions are writings engraved on hard surfaces like stone or metal.

  • Earliest inscriptions belong to the period of Ashoka
  • Written in Brahmi script and Prakrit language

Important Inscriptions:

  • Barabar cave inscriptions (Gaya)
  • Nagarjuni hills inscriptions (Dasaratha)
  • Gupta copper plates (Nalanda, Gaya)
  • Pala copper plates (Dharmapala, Devapala)

👉 These reveal administration, land grants, and socio-economic conditions.

🪙 Coins (Numismatics)

Coins help in understanding the economic and political history.

  • Punch-marked coins: Patna, Purnea
  • Kushan coins: Buxar, Chirand
  • Gupta coins: Hajipur

👉 Gupta gold coins (Dinars) show artistic excellence and royal authority.

📖 Literary Sources

Vedic Literature

  • Rigveda: Bihar called Kikata
  • Atharvaveda: Mentions Magadha
  • Satapatha Brahmana: Videha kingdom

Puranas

  • Vishnu Purana: Maurya dynasty
  • Vayu Purana: Gupta dynasty
  • Matsya Purana: Shunga dynasty

Epics

  • Ramayana: King Janaka of Videha
  • Mahabharata: Karna of Anga

Buddhist Literature

  • Anguttara Nikaya: 16 Mahajanapadas
  • Vinaya Pitaka: Magadha & Vaishali

Jain Literature

  • Kalpa Sutra
  • Bhagwati Sutra

Non-Religious Texts

  • Arthashastra: Mauryan administration
  • Mudrarakshasa: Political events

🌍 Foreign Accounts

Foreign travellers provide an outsider’s perspective on Bihar.

  • Megasthenes – wrote Indica
  • Fahian – described Gupta India
  • Hiuen Tsang – detailed Nalanda University
  • Itsing – stayed 11 years at Nalanda

🎯 Importance for BPSC Exam

This topic is highly important because:

  • Frequently asked in Prelims MCQs
  • Helps in Mains answer writing
  • Builds foundation for Bihar Special GK

🧠 Quick Revision Points

  • Bihar = Viharas
  • Ashoka → earliest inscriptions
  • Dinar → Gupta coins
  • Kikata → Rigveda
  • Indica → Megasthenes

❓ Practice MCQs

Q1. Bihar word is derived from:
A. Vedas
B. Viharas
C. Puranas
D. Stupas
✅ Answer: B

Q2. Ashokan inscriptions were written in:
A. Sanskrit
B. Persian
C. Brahmi
D. Urdu
✅ Answer: C

Q3. ‘Indica’ was written by:
A. Faxian
B. Xuanzang
C. Megasthenes
D. Yijing
✅ Answer: C

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