MasteryExams
History • Ancient IndiaEasy

The term 'Bhaga' in the agrarian economy of ancient India, particularly during the Maurya and Gupta periods, referred to:

A. A forced unpaid labor service
B. The king's share of agricultural produce✓ Correct Answer
C. An emergency tax levied during war
D. A toll tax collected at city gates

💡 Solution & Explanation

In the agrarian economies of ancient India during the Maurya and Gupta epochs, bhaga represented the primary land tax collected by the sovereign, typically calculated as one-sixth of the total agricultural harvest. Forced unpaid labor was generally categorized separately under terms like vishti, distinguishing it from regular crop shares.

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