The question asks about the consequences that resulted from the practice of giving land grants to Brahmans, based on the provided passage describing the early medieval period (c. 600-1200 CE).

Analyzing Land Grants and Their Impact

The passage highlights the significant role of land grants, particularly to Brahmans, during the early medieval period in India. It mentions their connection to the legitimation of political power, their impact on agrarian relations, agrarian expansion, rural stratification, and cultural developments.

Let's examine each statement in the question against the information given in the passage:

• (i) They buttressed the position of rulers. The passage states that "Land grants to Brahmans played a significant role in the legitimation of political power". Legitimation of political power directly means strengthening or buttressing the position of the rulers. Therefore, this statement is supported by the passage.
• (ii) They led to the growth of agriculture as not unoften the grantee had to bring fresh land under cultivation. The passage mentions "an agrarian expansion in various parts of the subcontinent" and states that land grants "had a significant impact on agrarian relations". Historically, land grants were often given to bring uncultivated land under the plough or to improve existing cultivation, thereby leading to agrarian expansion and growth. While the passage doesn't explicitly state that grantees *had* to bring fresh land under cultivation, it strongly links land grants to agrarian expansion, making this consequence highly probable and consistent with the passage's context about agrarian changes.
• (iii) The undifferentiated rural society got further stratified. The passage explicitly states that "rural societies became increasingly stratified" right after mentioning the impact of land grants on agrarian relations and agrarian expansion. This indicates that land grants contributed to the growing stratification within rural society. Thus, this statement is supported by the passage.
• (iv) The practice of endowing land grants to religious institutions and personages began from c. 600 CE. The passage discusses developments during the period c. 600-1200 CE where land grants were prevalent. However, the practice of giving land grants existed much earlier in Indian history (e.g., Satavahana and Gupta periods). The passage describes the *continuation* and *impact* of this practice during 600-1200 CE, not its origin. Therefore, this statement is not supported by the passage and is historically inaccurate regarding the commencement of the practice.

Based on the analysis, statements (i), (ii), and (iii) are consequences that flowed from the land grants given to Brahmans, as described or implied by the passage. Statement (iv) is not supported.

Therefore, the correct statements are (i), (ii), and (iii).

Revision Table: Consequences of Land Grants

Additional Information: Land Grants in Early Medieval India

Land grants during the early medieval period (c. 600-1200 CE) were a significant feature of the socio-political and economic landscape. They were given by rulers to various beneficiaries, including Brahmans and religious institutions (temples, monasteries) as well as administrative or military personnel.

• Economic Impact: Land grants often facilitated the spread of agriculture into new areas or intensified cultivation in existing ones, leading to agrarian expansion. They also contributed to the development of self-sufficient village economies in some regions.
• Social Impact: The grants created a class of intermediaries between the state and the cultivators. Brahmans and religious institutions receiving grants often gained significant economic power and social prestige. This contributed to the increasing stratification of rural society, creating different layers of landlords, peasants, and landless labourers.
• Political Impact: Granting land, especially to Brahmans, was a way for rulers to gain religious merit and political legitimacy. Brahmans often acted as ideological supporters of the ruling power. Land grants also sometimes transferred administrative and judicial rights to the grantees, potentially leading to decentralization of political authority.
• Cultural Impact: Land grants to religious institutions were crucial for the construction and maintenance of temples and monasteries, which became centres of cultural, educational, and economic activities. This patronage fueled developments in architecture, sculpture, literature, and religious practices like devotional worship.

These land grants were a complex phenomenon with far-reaching consequences across various aspects of life in early medieval India.