Question

Pushyamitra shunga was a staunch ………………………
A.Buddhist
B.Jain
C.Hindu
D.Atheist

Answer 1

Hint:The Shungan Empire was an ancient Indian kingdom from Magadha, which dominated the central and eastern Indian subcontinent from about 185 to 75 B.C. The dynasty was founded by Pushyamitra Shunga after the fall of the Maurya Empire.

Complete answer:
Pushyamitra Shunga (ruled c. 185 – c. 149 BCE) was the founder and first emperor of the Shungan Kingdom in East India. He had been a disciple of Hinduism. Pushyamitra was originally a Senapat "General" of the Mauryan Empire. In 185 BCE, the last Maurian ruler, Brihadratha Maurya, was assassinated during the military examination and declared emperor. Pushyamitra has been reported to have carried out various Ashvamedha campaigns to legitimize its right to rule.

Shunga inscriptions were found as far as the Ayodhya (inscription Dhanadeva-Ayodhya), and the Divyavadana stated that an army was sent in the north-western region of the Punjab to persecute Buddhist monks as far as the Sakala (Sialkot) district. The buddhist writings note that Pushyamitra cruelly persecuted the Buddhists, even though some modern scientists shared their cynicism. In 148 BC his son Agnimitra succeeded Pushyamitra Shunga.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C).

Note: The Divyavadana or Divine stories are a Sanskrit style, many of which originate in the vinaya texts of Mulasarvastivadin. The date may be from the 2nd CE century. Thus the history itself is very old and may have always been among the first Buddhist writings, but this particular compilation has not been verified before the 17th century.