THE THIRSTY CROW

Indian Mythology Quiz (17 August 2014)

PRELIMS

• 20 Questions• * questions will be used to resolve ties• Each question carries 1 mark

#1 A *

B *

C

D

E F

G

H

I

J *

‘Whenever there is a decay of righteousness and a rise of unrighteousness, I shall manifest myself !For the protection of the good,For the destruction of the wicked and the establishment of righteousness,I am born in every age !

How is this verse popularly known in Indian mythology ?

#2

Actor Goga Kapoor played what famous role in the 1988 TV series Mahabharata ?

#3

Only temple in India dedicated to whom ? He is generally viewed in a negative manner in Indian culture

It is located in Pavithreswaram, Kollam District, Kerala

#4*

It is said that Indra once killed a demon, despite him not causing any harm to anyone. So he was cursed for this sin which was

thought unredeemable. He was freed from being a wanderer by the power of a Shivalingam in a forest, which was later developed

into a temple by a Pandyan King.

This Pandyan King was childless and so Shiva gave him darshan and granted him boons. So was born an Ayojina girl (not from the

womb), who had eyes shaped like that of a fish.

Who are we talking about ?

#5

Raja Ravi Varma’s Paintings

#6

#7

#8*

#9

#10*

ANSWER TIME !

Exchange Sheets !!

#1 Bharata *

Shantanu *

Bhishma

Kunti

Krishna Draupadi

Pandu

Pandavas

Parikshita

Vidur *

‘Whenever there is a decay of righteousness and a rise of unrighteousness, I shall manifest myself !For the protection of the good,For the destruction of the wicked and the establishment of righteousness,I am born in every age !

How is this verse popularly known in Indian mythology ?

#2Yada Yada hi Dharmasya….

Actor Goga Kapoor played which famous character in the 1988 TV series Mahabharata ?

#3Kansa

Only temple in India dedicated to whom ? He is generally viewed in a negative manner in Indian culture

It is located in Pavithreswaram, Kollam District, Kerala

#4* Shakuni

It is said that Indra once killed a demon, even if he had not caused any harm to anyone. So he was cursed for this sin which was

thought unredeemable. He was freed from being a wanderer by the power of a Shivalingam in a forest, which was later developed

into a temple by a Pandyan King.

This Pandyan King was childless and so Shiva gave him darshan and granted him boons. So was born an Ayojina girl (not from the

womb), who had eyes shaped like that of a fish.

Who are we talking about ?

#5Meenakshi (Meena + Akshi)

Raja Ravi Varma’s Paintings

#6

Ravana cutting off Jatayu’s wings

#7

Kartikeya/Murugan

#8*

Damayanti

#9

Shakuntala fromAbhijnanashakuntalam

#10*

Shantanu wooing Satyavati

GROUND RULES

• This quiz is worth 20 points in THE THIRSTY CROW• Round instructions as we go along• No talking !• No stalking !• No nosepicking either !• Quizmaster is GOD, obviously !

INFINITE BOUNCE (CLOCKWISE)

• 10 Questions• +10 for direct question• +5 on the pass• No negatives

The 9th Mandala of the Rigveda was called the ___ Mandala. It contains hymns addressed to ‘___ pavamana’. ___ was kept and distributed by the Gandharvas.

Sharyanavat was possibly the name of the pond or lake on the banks of which ___ could be found. It is described as ‘green tinted’ and ‘bright shining’ by the composers of the Rig Veda.

Much of the details regarding have been forgotten leading to widespread speculation about the effects of ___ on the human body.

Fill in the Blanks

#1

SOMA

#2

According to the Shiva Mahapurana, once Brahma and Vishnu had an argument over supremacy of creation. So, Shiva pierced the three worlds as a huge endless pillar of light, the _______. Vishnu and Brahma travelled in opposite directions to each end of the pillar to find where the light ends.

Brahma lied that he had found the end, which made Vishnu concede defeat. Shiva appeared as a second pillar of light, cursing Brahma that he would never be worshipped in religious ceremonies and Vishnu would be worshipped till the end of eternity.

Story behind what ??? OR FITB.

JYOTIRLINGA

The places where Shiva appeared as the pillar of light are the spots of the famous Shiva temples considered the most holy.

#3

Gist of whose conversation with whom ??

Such pure devotion is expressed in 9 ways. The ways are Bhajan, Kirtan, Japa, Satsang and so on. Total surrender in my faith is considered the highest form of Bhakti for me. Anyone who practises these 9 methods makes me very happy and reaches me without fail. That which is so difficult for saints to attain has been attained by you so easily, _____. This is because of your sincere devotion.

FITB

SHABARI

__ ______ is the symbol that represents the One Supreme Reality and is a central tenet of Sikh religious philosophy. It is the first phrase in the Mul Mantar, referring to the existence of ‘one consonant’ and is consequently a part of the Sikh morning prayer, Japji Sahib.

FITB

#4

IK ONKAR

Contrary to popular perception, Dhritarashtra had 103 children. The 102nd and 103rd (X & Y) were from a Vaishya woman, in fear that Gandhari’s pregnancy may not yield a favourable result.

These sons were the righteous ones among the Kaurava brothers. While X acted as an informant for the Pandavas during the war due to his support for dharma at all costs, Y chose not to leave his brothers because of his unflinching loyalty to them inspite of his devotion to dharma.

This pair has a parallel in Ramayana in the form of Vibhishana and Kumbhakarna.

When the Pandavas retired to the Himalayas, they left the kingdom in the charge of X.

X and Y ???

#5

X= Yuyutsu, Y= Vikarna

In response to intense prayers of King Purushottam Dev, X and Y left their temple and rode out to Kanchi in a white horse and black horse respectively. On the way they grew thirsty and happened to meet a milkmaid who gave them butter milk. As payment, the milkmaid was not given money but a ring telling her to claim dues from King Purushottam Dev who would cross in some time on his way to Kanchi.

When the king passed by, indeed; the milkmaid produced the ring and claimed her dues saying there were two men on a white horse and a black horse who asked her to do so. The king instantly knew who they were. With this confidence, he successfully conquered Kanchi.

This story is so powerful that a mere mention of white horse-black horse brings to memory the images of X and Y.

X and Y please ??

#6

X= Jagannath, Y= Balabhadra

She has been described by the author of the epic as generally very ugly:

1. Pot bellied2. Cross-eyed3. Thinning, brown hair4. A grating voice that is very harsh on the ears5. A heart full of wickedness

It is generally believed that she continued to live in the city of her birth along with the future king, her brother.

Who is being talked about ? AND Which Indian city gets its name from a pivotal incident associated with her ?

#7

Surpanakha, Nashik

According to Vana Parva in the Mahabharata, ______ was so absorbed in practising austerities that white ants started building their nests around his body and through his hair, leaving only his eyes.

Sukanya, daughter of King Sharyati on a trip to the forest poked curiously through two eyes in an ant hill which caused ______ to burst out in fury. His anger was quelled only when the King offered Sukanya in marriage to him.

The Ashvini Kumars arrived at their cottage and requested Sukanya to marry one of them. However Sukanya requested them to give _____ his youth back so that she could make an unbiased choice. They agreed to do so and made two products which restored ______’s youth. Sukanya subsequently identified her husband and (re)married him. His ashram was on Dhosi Hill, an extinct volcano in modern day Mahendragarh, Haryana.

What were the two products ?

#8

Chyawanprash & Kayakalp

Vedic mythology refers to this place as an ancient settlement conquered by King Bharata in the epic Ramayana. Bharata was also called Pushkal and so the name of the settlement became Pushkalavati. However, research has proven this claim as debatable and hence suggests an alternative name of this town, ‘Purushapura’, or the ‘City of Men’.

Which modern day city is this ?

#9

Peshawar

What is missing from this list and what are they collectively called ?

___________

Manimekalai

Chivaka Chintamani

Valayapathi

Kuntalakeci

#10

Silappathikaaram, The Five great epics of Tamil Literature

INFINITE BOUNCE (ANTICLOCKWISE)

• 10 Questions• +10 for direct question• +5 on the pass• No negatives

What is this table about ?#1

Shishya (Lineage) Mahavakya Veda Sampradaya

Padmapada Prajnanam Brahma Rig Veda Bhogavala

Sureswara Aham Brahmasmi Yadur Veda Bhurivala

Hastamalakacharya Tattvamasi Sama Veda Kitavala

Totakacharya Ayamatma Brahma Atharva Veda Nandavala

Details of The Char Dhams when formed by Adi Shankaracharya

#2

What is being depicted here and why is this so important in Indian mythology ?

This is painting of the Sarpamedha Yajna, where Rishi Vaishampayana recited the Mahabharata to

King Janamejaya, when he asked about the story of his ancestors

In Hindu mythology, Apasmara was a dwarf who represented ignorance and epilepsy. Where have we seen and ‘ignored’ Apasmara ?

#3

He is worshipped as Khatushyamji in Rajasthan.

Because he was widely believed to have been sacrificed before the

Mahbharata war, his head watched the battle from

the top of an adjoining hill. Due to his sacrifice, he was deified by Krishna himself.

Who are we talking about ?

#4

Barbarika

Giri-Vara-Vindhya-Shiro-adhi-Nivaasini Vissnnu-Vilaasini Jissnnu-Nute Bhagavati He Shiti-Kannttha-Kuttumbini Bhuri-Kuttumbini Bhuri-KrteJaya Jaya He Mahissaasura-Mardini Ramya-Kapardini Shaila-Sute

Suravara-Varssinni Durdhara-Dharssinni Durmukha-Marssinni Harssa-RateTribhuvana-Possinni Shangkara-Tossinni Kilbissa-Mossinni Ghossa-RateDanuja-Nirossinni Diti-Suta-Rossinni Durmada-Shossinni Sindhu-SuteJaya Jaya He Mahissaasura-Mardini Ramya-Kapardini Shaila-Sute

Excerpt of which famous hymn ?

#5

Aigiri Nandini

The personal God in Hinduism is worshipped in a five-step process:

1. Dhupa2. Dipa3. Naivedya4. Akshata5. Pushpa

Sanskritic verses used to describe this process have been taken from the Taittriya Upanishad. This verse is so useful and sacrosanct that it became part of the Hindu ‘code of conduct’.

What part of this verse are we talking about ?

#6

X is the most irresistible and destructive weapon of Kali and Shiva, discharged by the mind, the eyes and the bow. It destroys the target completely and holds the power of annihilating human creations and vanquishing all beings.

It was used by Arjuna to kill Jayadratha and by Lakshmana to kill Meghnada.

What ?

#7

Pashupatastra

According to a story in the Ramcharitamanas, X was growing continually in size due to Narada. To temper the vanity of X, Sage Agastya travelled with his family to the South of India. X bowed in reverence for the great sage upon which Agastya half-heartedly asked if it could stay like that till he came from his trip to the south. X agreed and has stayed that way till day because, as we all know, Sage Agastya never returned from the South.

X ??

#8

Vindhya Mountains

Shu Hikosaka, a Japanese scholar studies Buddhist scriptures thoroughly and also performed a field survey that the ancient mountain Potalaka, the residence of Avalokiteshwara described in the Gandhavyuha sutra and Hieun Tsang’s records is the real mountain X.

The mountain is situated in Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu and is also the purported site for the divine establishment of the Tamil culture by Sage Agastya.

Which mountain/hill are we talking about ?

#9

Pothigai Hills

Indra was once driven out of Devaloka by an asura named Vritra. The asura was the recipient of a boon that any weapon made before he a got that boon or made from metal/wood would do him no harm.

Indra thus approached Vishnu with this problem. Vishnu suggested that only the weapon made from the bones of Sage Dadhichi could help him win against Vritra. Thus, Indra and Brahma approached Dadhichi who gladly accepted he requested and gave his own life for the good of the world.

The Gods then fashioned the _____ from his vertebral bones.

FITB and how is this weapon/design still commemorated in India ?

#10

Vajra, It forms the motif of the Param Vir Chakra

CONNECT 1

• 5 Questions• No points for individual answers• +50/-25, +40/-20, +30/-15, +20/-5,

+10 for the theme• Think laterally to arrive at the

connect

CONNECT ??

Disguises adopted by the Pandava Brothers during their Agyatavasa (Incognito 14th year)

in Virata

CONNECT 2

• 7 Questions• +10 points for individual answers• +70/-35, +60/-30, +50/-25, +40/-20,

+30/-15, +20/-10, +10 for the theme

ANSWERS

Parashurama

Veda Vyasa

Kripacharya

Ashwatthama

Bali

Vibhishana

Dara Singh(Hanuman)

CONNECT ??

The seven Chiranjivis- Mythological characters believed to be immortal and alive even today

THANK YOU !!