Holy Sites
What is the name of the ancient Hindu River that is no longer flowing?
Saraswati River
What is the overall name for the Indian schools of philosophy
Shatdarshana
How many Vedas and what is the name of each?
4 vedas - Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda
Bali was afriad to this particular hill. What is the name of this hill?
Rishimukh Parvat
What celestial event took place during the Kurukshetra war?
Solar Eclipse
Where is the birthplace of the river Godavari AND what is the name of the mouth of the Godarvi river?
Triambakeshwar
Gomukh
This Hindu school of Philosophy focuses on logic and reasoning...
Nyaya
What is difference between history and itihasa?
Itihasa are records that tells about what happened in the past in the land of India. Itihasas are usually epic poems.
Difference between history and itihasa is histroy is written AFTER event occurs consists of facts
Itihasa is written WHILE event is happpening, and contains facts AND morals (ex - Ramayan and Mahabharat)
What was the name of the god who told Ram that Nal and Neel have the ability to construct Ram Setu?
God Varuna
Who killed Bhima's son in battle field?
Karna
Under which tree did Siddharth Goutam achieve enlightenment?
Ficus/Fig tree
What are the names of the 3 divisions of Vedanta?
Advaita, Dvaita, Vishishta Advaita
Name any 6 Puranas out of 18
Vishnu, Naradiya, Padma, Garuda, Varaha, Bhagavata, Matsya, Kurma, Linga, Shiva, Skanda, Agni, Brahmanda, Brahmavaivarta, Markandeya, Bhavishya, Vamana, Brahma.
Give 4 names of Sita Maa
Janaki, Maithali, Sita, Vaidahi
What is original name of Bhishma?
Deverat
Which city is known as the "yoga capital of the world" and has been the center for meditation, yoga, and spiritual studies for centuries?
Rishikesh
How many schools of Indian philosophy and what are their names?
6 schools
Shad Darshana
Sankhya, Nyaya, Vaishik, Yog, Mimansa, Vedanta
What is the difference between shruti and smriti?
Shruti is of divine origin and is said to be authorless (ex: Vedas) whereas Smriti texts are the derivative work or product of human intellects and are attributed to an author (ex: Ramayan/Mahabharata)
Who made Hanuman limp and why?
Bharat saw Hanuman carrying the mountain and was afraid that Hanuman might drop the mountain on Ayodha, destroying the kingdom. Bharat shot Hanuman to save the kingdom, but once he learnt that this mountain was for Ram and Lakshman, Bharat gave Hanuman another arrow to help him fly to Sri Lanka faster.
What kingdom did the Pandavas choose to take shelter in their 13th year of exile?
Virata Kingdom ruled by the Matsya king by the name Virata
Name the cities where the Kumbh Mela takes place and where the Ardh Kumbh Mela takes place
Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain
Prayagraj and Hardiwar
What is the main focus for each of the sahd-darsana?
NYAYA - scientific and a rational approach
VAISESHIKA - metaphysics
SANKHYA - Purusha (soul) and Prakriti (nature)
YOGA - discipline of body and mind
PURVA MIMAMSA - power of yajnas and mantras in sustaining the activities of the universe
UTTARA MIMAMSA/VEDANTA - world is unreal and the only reality is Brahman
What are the 4 subdivisions of the Vedas?
Samhitas (mantras and benedictions)
Aranyakas (text on rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices and symbolic-sacrifices)
Brahmanas (commentaries on rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices)
Upanishads (text discussing meditation, philosophy and spiritual knowledge)
What was the name of the mountain that Hanuman carried to save Lakshman?
Dronagiri
Mohadaya
Who was Yagnaseni?
100 point bonus: What was the purpose of her birth?
When King Draupada conducted a yagna to get a warrior to kill Drona, Draupadi was born from that Yagna fire. Draupadi was also called Yagnaseni for being born out of the fire