1)Who is the author of Sivananda Lahari?
Adi Shankarar
2)Where is Vaidhyanath (one of Jyothirlinga Shrines) temple located?
Deogarh in Jharkand
3)What is the meaning of Tat Tvam Asi?
You are That
4)Name all the 12 Alvars of Tamil Nadu.
Poikai, Butham,Pey, Tirumazisai,Madhurakavi,Kulasekara,Tiruppan, Periyalvar,Andal,Nammalvar, Thondaradippodi and Tirumanga
5)What are the four stages of life?
Brahmacharya,Grahasthasrama,Vanaprastha and Sanyasa (student,householder,recluse and ascetic)
6)What are the four Purusharthas (4 aims in life) ?
Dharma ( Religious Laws),Artha (Prosperity/wealth),Kama (Pleasure/Desire) & Moksha (Liberation)
7)Which is the tree under which Shiva sits silent?
Banyan/vata vriksha
8)Where are the four Mutts established by Adi Sankara?
Sringeri,Dwaraka,Badrinath and Puri (Kancheepuram is the place where he attained Mukti)
9)What are the Navagrahas?
Sun,Moon,Mars,Mercury,Jupiter,Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu
10)What did Jnaneswar (aka Dnyaneshwar/Jnandev) write?
Bhavartha Deepika - a commentary on Bhagavad Gita, popularly known as Jnaneswari/ Dnyaneshwari - in Marathi
11) Where is Kailash, abode of Shiva?
In the Himalayas, inside Chinese territory
12) How many verses are there in Valmiki Ramayana?
24,000
13) Where does “Aham Brahmasmi “ occur?
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
14)What is the weapon of Parasurama?
Parasu (axe)
15) Where does Bhagawad Gita come?
In Bhisma Parva of Mahabharata
16) How many Major Puranas are there?
Eighteen major Puranas & 18 minor Puranas(upa Puranas)
17) Which city is known as the City of Temples in Orissa?
Bhuvaneswar
18) What are Vedangas?
There are six branches of knowledge which help in understanding the Vedas. They are Siksha(phonetics), Kalpam (technique of rituals),Vyakarana (Grammar), Niruktham (etymology), Chandas (Metres) and Jyothisham (astrology)
19) Who wrote Bhaja Govindam?
Adi Shankarar
20) What are the four divisions of each Veda?
Mantras/samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishads
21) Who is the author of Ramayana (in Sanskrit)?
Valmiki
22) Where is the Mallikarjuna Temple (jyotirlinga shrine) located?
Sri Sailam
23) Who built Angkor Wat temple in Kampuchea (Cambodia)?
Suryavarman II (1113-1150 CE)
24) Who founded the Ramakrishna Mission in India?
Swami Vivekananda , in 1897
25) What was the flag of Arjuna?
Hanuman/monkey
26) Name the demon killed by Krishna on the Deepavali/ Diwali day.
Narakasura
27) Who is the author of Brahmasutras?
Vyasa
28) How many chapters are there in the Bhagawad Gita?
18
29) What are the six systems of Hindu Philosophy?
Sankya,Nyaya,Yoga, Vaisheshika, Purva Mimamsa and Uttara Mimamsa
30) Who is the Guru in Kathopanishad?
Yama
31) Who is the disciple in Kathopanishad?
Nachiketas
32) In which Veda does Sri Rudram occur?
Yajur Veda
33) To which Veda does Prasnopanishad belong?
Atharva Veda
34) What is the birth place of Adi Sankara?
Kaladi, in Kerala
35) Where is the Mahakaleswar Temple located?
Ujjain in Madhya Prades
36) How many times did Thyagaraja recite Rama’s name and how long did it take?
960 million (96 crores) times, it took him 21 years 15 days.
37) Who are the FOUR great Tamil Saivite saints?
Appar(Tirunavukkarasu), Sundarar, Sambandar & Manikkavasagar
38) Who were the FOUR seers, who Veda Vyasa entrusted with the propagation of the four Vedas?
Rig to Paila, Yajur to Jaimini, Sama to Vaisampayana and Atharvana to Sumantu
39) Name the FOUR Manasa Putras (Mind created sons) of Brahma.
Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana & Sanatkumara
40) What are the FOUR divisions of an ancient Indian army?
Ratha (Chariots), Gaja(Elephantry), Thuraga (Cavalry) & Pathathi (Infantry)
41) Name the FOUR ancient methods to achieve your goal.
Sama(gentle persuation), Dhana (Bribes, Offering money or Perks), Beda (Cause dissentions or cause divisions in the opposite enemy camp), Dhanda (Punishment for dis obeyance)
42) What are the FOUR Mahavakyas (Great Truths) in The Upanishads
Aham Brahmasmi, Tat Tvam Asi, Pragnanam Brahma, Ayam Atma Brahma
43) what are the names of the FOUR towns where Kumba Mela is held in roation?
Haridwar, Allahabad (Prayag/Triveni Sangam), Nasik and Ujjain.
44) Where did Suka recite the Puranas (mythology) to his disciples? Where is it?
Naimisaranya; it is in Uttar Pradesh. There is a famous Vaishnavite shrine with the same name.
45) What is the name of the forest that was visited by the famous Tamil saints Appar and Sambandhar ?
Vedaranayam; once the area was full of woods. Now there is a small town with this name. Appar and Sambandhar did miracles in this place.
46) What is the Upanishad that contains the word forest?
Brhat Aranyaka Upanishad (Aranya means forest)
47) In which Vana (forest) Buddha gave his first sermon?
Mrga Vana (Deer Park)
48) What happened in Tarukavanam?
Arrogant ascetics ignored gods. So Shiva and Vishnu went in the disguise of Bikshatana and Mohini and taught them a lesson at Tarukavanam (Vanam means forest)
49) Where is Svetaranyam?
Svetaranyam is Tiru Ven Kadu near Mayiladuthurrai
50) What God you can see in Badarivanam?
Badarivanam is the abode of Vishnu in the form of Nara Narayana or Badari Narayana
51) What is the name given to Indra’s garden?
Indra’s garden is known as Nandanam. That is the name for Temple gardens as well.
52. Who is the lord of death? - Yamadharmaraja. There is a separate shrine for lord yama at the Sri Vanchinathaswamy temple in nannilam taluk, tanjavur district.
53. Who is the father pf Kaveri? - According to legend, a girl called Vishnumaya or Lopamudra, the daughter of Brahma was born, but her divine father allowed her to be considered the foster daughter of sage Kavera-muni . In order to obtain the beatitude for her adoptive father, she resolved to become a river whose waters would have to purify all the sins. This river came to be known as "Kaveri", the daughter of Kavera.
54. Where do you find the Shaligrama (or Salagrama) stone? - The name Salagrama refers to the name of the village on the bank of Gandaki (in the Mustang district of Nepal) where the holy stones are picked up.
55. What is the name of Sage Narada's veen? - Mahati
56. In hinduism, who are the ashta-dikpalas or the guardians of eight directions?
57. What is the other names for Udupi? - Rajata peetha / Shivalli (Shivabelli)
58. Who is vaikartana? - Surya putra karna
59. Ganesha is also known as Ekadanta. Do you know why?
Sage Vyas chose Ganesha for the herculean task of writing the epic Mahabharata. He broke his own tusk and used it as a pen. He is therefore, known as Ekadanta.
60. How did Ganesha get the elephant head?
As per Hindu mythology Parvati A
As per Hindu Mythology, one day, Parvati made a little boy of sandalwood paste and instructed him to guard her chamber,while she took a bath. During this time, Shiva wanted to enter the abode with his followers.s an obedient child, Vinayaka refused entry to Shiva, when he wanted to gain entry. Shiva, who was not familiar with this son, was enraged by the hindrance and ordered his followers to attack the little boy. The boy’s head was chopped off in the fight that ensued. Parvati was aghast with grief on learning the accident and demanded Shiva to restore the boy to life. Shiva, thus, ordered his followers to find a mom who sleeps with her newborn baby. The head of such a baby would be attached to the boy’s body. The followers first found the head of an elephant calf with white tusks. Thus, the re-birth of Ganesha took place with the head of an elephant. Shiva blessed the boy that Ganesha would be worshipped by people before undertaking any task.
61. Dhruva the sacred blade grass holds a special place in Lambodara upasana. Do you know why?
There is a story about Durva grass. Lord Ganesh had to fight with a demon called Analasuran (Fire Demon). As soon as he swallowed the demon Vinayaka’s stomach started burning. When he ate Durva grass the fire subsided. Therefore, Varaganapati is most pleased by the worship of Dhruva tied in garlands or in bunches.
62. Which flower is believed to generate most vibrations in the Ganesh Puja?
Ganapati likes worship done with red hibiscus and yellow marigold flowers. Red hibiscus is believed to generate most vibrations in the Ganesh Puja.
63. Who are the wives of Ganesha?
Shiva and Parvati, pleased with Ganesha’s affection and love, arranged his marriage with two daughters of Prajapati – Siddhi and Budddhi. It is said that he got two sons – Kshema and Labha from Siddhi and Buddhi, respectively.
Yet another legend mentions that Siddhi and Buddhi, daughters of Brahma worshipped Ganesha whole heartedly, that he accepted them as his wives.
64. What is Ganesha's vehicle and what is the story associated with it?
Karaucha, a Gandharva was strolling in the court of Indra, when he accidentally stepped on sage Vamadeva. The enraged sage turned him into a mouse and cursed that he will remain so until Ganesha made him as his vehicle.The mouse thus was in the hermitage of Sage Parashara, when Ganesha visited the place.
The mouse instantly recognized him and offered prayers to him. Ganapati pleased with his prayers wanted to grant the mouse a boon. The mouse expressed his desire to become his vehicle,which was granted. Thus, Ganapati is always accompanied by Mooshakavahana or the mouse.
Other legends mention that the mouse was a gift to Ganesh from the earth on his birthday.
