DharmaQuiz: June 2012

Friday, June 22, 2012

DharmaQuiz Session 145: 22-Jun-2012

Theme: Pilgrimage towns of India.

Name this pilgrimage town that has both Manjunatha (Shiva) and Bahubali temples. a) Shirdi b) Dharmasthala c) Guruvayur. #DharmaQuiz 1081. Ans: b) Dharma Sthala, Karnataka.
Name this temple town where Balabhadra and Subhadra deities feature in Ratha Yatra. d) Tirupati. e) Kedarnath f) Puri. #DharmaQuiz 1082. Ans: f) Puri, along with Lord Jagannath deity.
There's a 1300yr old Sangameshwara temple at this UNESCO heritage site. Name the site. g) Ajanta. h) Pattadakal. i) Hampi. #DharmaQuiz 1083. Ans: h) Pattada Kallu.
At 11483 ft above sea level, there's a Parashuram Konda temple in NE India. Where? j) Arunachal Pr. k) Assam l) Tripura. #DharmaQuiz 1084. Ans: j) Arunachal Pradesh. More here: http://www.tirupatidarshanguide.com/east-india-temples/parashuram-kund-india.html
{Final, Open till 11PM} There's a 354 yr old Lalji temple in Poschim Bongo. Where? m) Darjeeling. n) Haldia. o) Kolkata. #DharmaQuiz 1085. Ans: Haldia, Midnapore district.

Answers not computed for this one session due to lack of time on my side. Apologies.

See you in July!

Friday, June 15, 2012

DharmaQuiz Session 144: 15-Jun-2012

Theme: Hindu Rituals

Of which Hindu ritual, "Paani grahana" is a part of? a)Naming ceremony. b) Marriage. c) Death ceremony. - #DharmaQuiz 1076. Ans: b) Marriage.
There is a Hindu samskara called Karna Vedha. It's related to which of the following? d) Hands. e) Ear. f) Nose . - #DharmaQuiz 1077. Ans: e)Ear
When is this prayer usually said? "karagre vasate Lakshmi.. kara madhye Saraswati"? g) Morning. h) Before lunch i) Evening. #DharmaQuiz 1078. Ans: g) Morning. More: "karaagre vasate lakshmi karamadhye saraswati karamoole sthithaa gouri prabhaate karadarshanam" when looking at both palms first thing in the morning.
When Hindus say "paada sparsham kshamaswa me" prayer, whom are they addressing? j) Sky. k) Fire. l) Earth. - #DharmaQuiz 1079. Ans: l) Earth. Hindus touch the floor and pray "samudra vasane devi parvata sthana mandale Vishnu patnee namasthubhyam paada sparsham kshamaswa me" to ask for forgiveness for touching mother Earth with foot.
{Final, Open till 11PM} Among Hindu samskaras or customs, which one comes first? m)Jatakarma n) Namakarana o) Chudakarana - #DharmaQuiz 1080. Ans: m) Jatakarma.

Two good references to read further:
http://www.vmission.org.in/hinduism/samskaras.htm
http://sanskritdocuments.org/articles/customs_rituals_in_Hindu_dharma_IISH_Gopalakrishnan.doc

Top Scorers:

@vinodvyas220 : 5
@iCSM : 5
@DevNakshi : 5
@shawjipk : 5
@anandt_05 : 5
@iSaakshi : 5
@akhilm176 : 5
@rahulghildiyal
@shanthigrama : 5
@bhaviknz : 5
@sharathinindia : 5
@premchandu_a : 5
@philAmit : 5
@sweetandu : 5
@surnell : 5
@gdeepy : 5

Congrats to all these, who answered well!

@Susri1210 : 4
@Gurush_ : 4
@gnanambalam : 4
@prashanth__s : 4
@rk_kulkarni : 4
@Marut_ : 4

@kaushkrahul : 3
@Tasmayi : 3
@arora_chandan : 3
@abhipar7 : 3
@akhil_fsu : 3

@gototihar : 2
@ManishManke : 2
@swathyg : 2
@NAashish : 2
@kharesm : 2
@archie229 : 2
@Hindustanumh : 2
@talismaan : 2
@karthik_sy : 2
@somaiyahiral : 2
@WiseIndian : 2
@MaheshwarBhatP : 2
@pravinrao6750 : 2
@ashok567 : 2
@TobaTekSing : 2
@SarathRamakrish : 2

@idhairya : 1
@psudo : 1
@hm_eVOTS : 1
@ecophilo : 1
@harshvb : 1
@achandwar : 1
@truevirathindu : 1
@TheArvindDhar : 1
@VickyTweets9 : 1
@rajiv2131 : 1
@sanathandharma : 1
@AvinashCKM : 1
@CricRaks : 1
@_cowInspector : 1
@raghu_ji : 1
@VijayShenli : 1
@1KaDuM : 1
@pramodthap : 1
@Shree03 : 1
@krimhumhrim : 1
@suren_bamel : 1
@riteshshetty : 1

Thanks for a wonderful participation today. You can always refer to this blog after 11 PM IST, on Tuesdays and Fridays. Also, you can subscribe on Twitter to @kiranks/dharmaquiz list for an update tweet with answers.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

DharmaQuiz Session 143: 12-Jun-2012

Theme: Phrases describing God in Hindu or Sanatana Dharma.

In Hindu Dharma, God is termed as Paramatma. What does Parama+atma mean? #DharmaQuiz 1071. Ans: Parama = Supreme ; Atma = Soul ; Supreme Soul.
In Indian Dharma, God is existence absolute,knowledge absolute & bliss absolute. What's the Sanskrit combined term for all? #DharmaQuiz 1072. Ans: Sat-Chit-Ananda or Satchidaananda.
Sages of ancient India described the God as "Swayambhu" in Samskritam. What does it mean? #DharmaQuiz 1073. Ans: Swayam = Self; Bhu = Existed or created. Self-Existent or does not depend upon others for existence.
God in Hinduism is described as "SarvaVid". Here "vid" is the same root word as that of "Veda". What does vid mean? #DharmaQuiz 1074. Ans: vid = "to know". God is "Sarva vid" which means "all knowing".
{Final, Open till 11PM} Dharma teaches us that God is "antaryaami". Translate Antar-Yaami into English. #DharmaQuiz 1075. Ans: Antar = Inside ; Yaami = Residing. Overall it means the supreme soul within - http://vedabase.net/a/antaryami

All questions today were formed after reading this beautiful essay by Swami Sivananda.
http://hinduism.about.com/od/basics/a/whoisgod.htm?nl=1
Top Scorers today:

@shawjipk : 5
@hchaturv : 5
@JagannathAjnabi : 5
@vschanna : 5
@sweetandu : 5
@rahulghildiyal : 5
@iSaakshi : 5
@TheArvindDhar : 5
@sharathinindia : 5
@pvaidyaraj : 5
@NikhilShembekar : 5
@DevNakshi : 5
@vinodvyas220 : 5
@Dhanushm : 5
@Gurush_ : 5

Congrats to:

@bhaviknz : 4
@anandt_05 : 4
@sanathandharma : 4
@mayaadvaita : 4
@siddarthpaim : 4
@bhijeetD : 4

@sharad_51 : 3
@suar4sure : 3

@sandeepsmysore : 2
@s007kunal : 2
@TheRajarshi : 2
@PravishShetty : 2
@hiteshrangra : 2

@Right2bRight : 1
@jai1900 : 1
@basubash : 1
@Manjunaath : 1
@manohar_sram : 1
@rajiv2131 : 1
@rinku3009 : 1
@karthik_sy : 1
@hindu_rashtra : 1
@voxindica : 1
@LalooKant : 1
@VijayShenli : 1
@mukunthaniyer : 1
@ShivaKap : 1
@RajivSuresh : 1
@sjkgill : 1
@ProudHindu3 : 1

Nice to see a very good response today. Please go through the links given and leave comments if you have more to share on this fascinating Paramatma topic.

Friday, June 8, 2012

DharmaQuiz Session 142: 8-Jun-2012

Theme: Hindu phrases in Modern Government Mottos.

Life Ins Corp of India's motto is "Yogakshemam Vahaamyaham" = I shall take care of welfare. Which scripture is it from? #DharmaQuiz 1066. Ans: Bhagavad Gita
"Satyameva Jayate", national motto of India is from Mundaka Upanishad. What is the very next word after SMJ in that mantra? #DharmaQuiz 1067. Ans: Naanrutam. More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satyameva_Jayate
Rama said "Janani Janma bhumischa Swargadapi Gariyasi" at Lanka. Which Hindu majority country's national motto is it today? #DharmaQuiz 1068. Ans: Nepal. More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janani_Janmabhoomischa_Swargadapi_Gariyasi
Indonesian Navy uses "Jaleshveva Jayamahe" as its motto derived from Sanskrit. What does "Jayamahe" mean? #DharmaQuiz 1069. Ans: We will Win.
{Final, Open till 11PM} Govt of Goa's seal has a Brihadaranyaka Upanishad mantra. "Sarve Bhadraani _____". Fill blanks. #DharmaQuiz 1070. Ans: "Pashyantu". The full phrase in the official seal is "Sarve bhadraani pashyantu, maa kaschit dhukha bhag bhavet". Read these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Seal_of_Goa.png and http://www.tanhaa.net/index.php/2009/10/21/sarve-bhavantu-sukhinah/

Top Scorers:

@vschanna : 5
@TheArvindDhar : 5
@shanthigrama : 5
@rahulghildiyal : 5
@iSumitRk : 5
@bhaviknz : 5
@sharad_51 : 5
@sweetandu : 5
@pvaidyaraj : 5
@lodyaashi : 5
@iSaakshi : 5

Also, Congrats to:

@sanathandharma : 4
@DevNakshi : 4

@NikhilShembekar : 3
@siddarthpaim : 3
@clumsycoder : 3

@Gurush_ : 1
@mayankmatador : 1
@bhattvihang : 1
@mayureshgaikwad : 1
@idhairya : 1
@AnkurTri : 1
@Satya046 : 1
@JagannathAjnabi : 1

Thanks to all those who participated!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

DharmaQuiz Session 141: 5-Jun-2012

Theme: Pandavas' sons in Mahabharata

Draupadi had a son named Shrutasena. Which of the Pandava was the father of this boy? #DharmaQuiz 1061. Ans: Sahadeva.
Arjuna had a son named Iravan. He's worshipped in Singapore today as Aravan. Name Iravan's mother. #DharmaQuiz 1062. Ans: Ulupi, the Naga Princess.
Who killed Yudhishtira and Draupadi's son, Prativindhya during the Kurukshetra war time? #DharmaQuiz 1063. Ans: Ashwatthama.
Karenumati, the princess of Chedi, had a son Niramitra from one of the Pandavas. Who was that Pandava? #DharmaQuiz 1064. Ans: Nakula.
{Final, Open till 11PM} Sarvaga was the son of a princess of Varanasi or Kashi. Who was his strong Pandava father? #DharmaQuiz 1065. Ans: Bhima.