Mythology Quiz

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1. How is the Mahabharatha introduced to the readers? More specifically who narrates the story and where? P.S – I am not asking about Veda Vyasa and Ganesha .
2. Bhagavad Gita can be considered as a part of a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna or as an advice given to a confused Arjuna by Krishna. When this conversation was going on, it is said that time froze and hence not all were able to listen to the discourse.  Name those people in the epic Mahabharatha who actually heard this. 
3.

In Mahabharatha, only once does Shri Krishna become ferociously angry and try to attack a person, even though he had taken an oath that he will not be using weapons to attack any one. Whom did Lord Krishna try to attack?

4. _________ and ___________ did not join either side in Kurukshethra war. Fill up. I repeat “did not join either side, in thoughts and action” , not just on the war field. Dhritarashtra and Vidura are excluded since they are very obvious.

 5. Who is Uloopi, Babruvahana, Chithrangada, Iravan and how are these people related?

6. Who is the only person who switched sides at the beginning of the war?

7. If Krishna was Parthasarathy who was Karnasarathy ? 

8. True or False.
  • Arjuna laid Bhishma on a bed of arrows.
  • Bhishma had got the power of “ichcha-mrityu” from his father Shanthanu.
  • Bhishma is the 8th of the Ashta Vasus who is born as a human due to a curse.
  • Before his death Bhishma advised Yudhisthira on “Raja Dharma”.
  • A pre-condition for Bhishma’s confirmed presence in the war was that Karna will not participate in the war while he is in the war field

 9.Match the following : -

10.Something is common to the role these 5 people played in the war. What is that? - Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Shalya, Ashwathama
12.Emperor of Nishada Kingdom, Nala is considered to be an extremely efficient chef. His story is so interesting that even in Kathakali there is a separate work called “Nala Charitam” which runs for 4 days. What forced Nala, a Kshatriya king, to become a chef and a charioteer?
13.Who are the two vulture demi-gods who helped Sri Ram at some point or the other in his pursuit for Sita ?

14. Why is Ganga known as Bhagirathi?
15. Kalidasa’s Raghu Vamsha, among many kings, also deals with Emperor Raghu, great grandfather of Sri Ram, had an empire vast enough including Transoxiana ; the ancient name used for the portion of Central Asia corresponding with modern-day Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, southern Kyrgystan and southwest Kazakhstan. What does Kalidasa’s another work Shakunthalam deals with? How does this story lead to Mahabharatha?

 16. How is Hanuman’s only son related to Ravana’s one of the most prominent sons?

 17. Indra’s vajrayuda is made up of ?
18. In 1947, the TIME Magazine cover depicted a self-hurting Kālī as a symbol of the partition of India. Like all husbands we find Lord Shiva falling on the feet of his wife, a ferociously angry Kali, in certain illustrations. Any explanations?


19.    Connect Lakshmi, Airavata, Parijat, Halahala . A single connection.

 20.    Connect - Man with 10 Heads and the man with a 1000 arms.
Answer

1.The Mahabharata states that it was first recited to Janamejaya at the sarpa satra (snake sacrifice) by the sage Vaishampayana, who is the student of the original author Veda Vyasa. This incident is narrated by Ugrasrava Sauti in the conclave of sages held in Naimisharanya or Naimisha Forest.



2. Hanuman, Arjuna, Sanjaya and Barbarika, son of Ghatotkacha.

3. Bhishma.

4.Rukmi of Vidarbha, Balarama
5. Uloopi , the Naga princess and Chitrangadha, the Princess of Manipura are Arjuna’s wives, whom he married during the exile period. Iravan and Babruvahana are their sons from Arjuna respectively.

 6. Yuyutsu, the Kaurava’s step brother and Dhritarashtra’s only son who survived the war.

 7. King Shalya.

 8. All true.

 9. 1-A, 2-C, 3—D, 4-B, 5-E

 10. Chronological of Commander in Chiefs of Kaurava Army.
11. Drona helped retrieve the ball of the Kuru Vamsha kids from a well along with his own ring which he had thrown in, uusing grass leading to his appointment as their guru.
12. Nala, Emperor of Nishada Kingdom (current day Aravalli ranges), was affected by demon Kali since he was not able to mary Damayanti, Nala’s wife. Nala – Damayanti is one of the prominent love stories in the puranas. 

 13. Jatayu and Sampati
14. Rama’s one of the forefather’s Bhagiratha brought Ganga from heaven  to earth for purifying his forefathers. The term “bhagiratha prayatna” is often used to denote an impossible, strenuous task.



15. Dushyanta and Shakuntala. Bharatha is their son whose descendants are the main characters of Mahabharatha epic.
16. Makaradhwaja , Hanuman’s only son was the main gaurd of Mahiravana’s (Ravana’s Son, King of Patala World) empire. Mahiravana had abducted Rama and Lakshmana so that he can give them as “bali” to Goddess Kali.

 17. Dadichi Maharshi’s Bones.
18. After killing the evil demon Raktabija, who duplicates every time his blood falls on earth, a delirious Kali start dancing in rage on the corpse of the evil demon. To calm her down Shiva lies down on the floor/falls on her feet.

 19. All emerged from Churning of the Kshir Sagar / Paal Aazhi

20.The man with ten heads, Ravana, before meeting his end at Ram’s hand was a powerful king since he had got blessing from Lord Shiva. The only human king who is said to have defeated him is Kartavirya Arjuna, King of Mahishamati (who was later killed by Parashurama). He had a 1000 hands.

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