Question

The mother of Vardhamana Mahavira was a __________
(a)Licchavi princess
(b)Maurya princess
(c)Saka princess
(d)Not a member of the royal family

Answer 1

Hint: -Vardhamana Mahavira was Jainism's 2$4^{th}$ Tirthankara. He has been the spiritual successor of Parshvanatha, who the $23^{rd}$ Tirthankara.
-A Tirthankara is considered as the spiritual teacher and saviour of dharma (righteous path) in Jainism.
-The father of Mahavira was a Kshatriya King from the dynasty of Ikshvaku.

Complete answer: Mahavira was born into a royal Kshatriya Jain family in Bihar, India, in the early part of the 6th century BC. Trishala was his mother's name and Siddhartha was his father's name. His parents were Parshvanatha's lay devotees. In the royal Licchavi Empire, Trishala was born as a princess. King Chetak was the Licchavi clan representative who ruled in Vaishali (India) as a Republican president, reputed to have united the Vajjian Confederation of Republics comprising the 9 Mallakis, 18 Kashi/Kosala GanaRajas and 9 Licchavi Republics. He had ten sons and seven daughters. Siddartha married his eldest daughter, named Priyakarini (Trishala). According to the Indologist Hermann Jacobi, Trishala was King Chetaka's sister.
(a)Licchavi Princess- Among the Vajji Mahajanapada of ancient India, the Licchavis were a clan. The capital of the Vajji Mahajanapada was also Vaishali, the capital and homeland of the Licchavis. It was later occupied by Ajatashatru, who during the Magadha-Vajji war, annexed the Vajji territory into his kingdom. Hence, it is the correct option.
(b)Maurya Princess- The Maurya Empire was a historical force based in Magadha. It was founded by Chandragupta Maurya, which ruled the Indian subcontinent between 322 and 185 BC. It is an incorrect option.
(c)Saka Princess- The Sakas settled in Drangiana, a city in southern Afghanistan, in western Pakistan, and in southern Iran, which was then called Sakastan of Sistan. They gradually expanded from there into present-day Iran, as well as northern India, where they are known as Saka. It is an incorrect option.
(d)Not a member of the royal family – It is an incorrect option
Therefore, Option A is the correct answer.

Note: -Jainism is an ancient Indian religion. Jain dharma traces its philosophical concepts and history through a succession of twenty-four leaders or Tirthankaras.
-Historically, an older contemporary of Gautama Buddha was Mahavira, who promoted Jainism in ancient India.