DharmaQuiz: November 2013

Friday, November 29, 2013

DharmaQuiz Session 244: 29-Nov-2013

Theme: Famous mantras from Upanishads

#DharmaQuiz 1606: सत्यं वद। घर्मं चर। स्वाध्यायान्‌ मा.. "Satyam vada; dharmam chara" - This message about truth is from which Upanishad? Ans: Taittiriya Upanishad 1/11 (Shiksha Valli)
Read more in here: http://www.swaminarayan.org/essays/2010/0802.htm

#DharmaQuiz 1607: ॐ असतोमा सद्गमय । तमसोमा ज्योतिर्गमय "Om asato maa sad gamaya tamaso maa jyotir gamaya" - Which Upanishad is this from? Ans: Brihadaryanaka Upanishad 1.3.28
More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadaranyaka_Upanishad

#DharmaQuiz 1608: उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत - Uthishtata jagrata, praapya varaan nibodhata - From which Upanishad is this from? Ans: Katha Upanishad 1.3.14

More here: http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=14158

#DharmaQuiz 1609: प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म - prajnaanam Brahma - From which upanishad is this Maha Vakya?. Ans: Aithareeya Upanishad 3.3 of Rig Veda.

#DharmaQuiz 1610: तत् त्वम् असि - tat tvam asi - "Thou art That" - From which Upanishad is this Maha Vakya? Ans: Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7 of the Sama Veda. In the dialogue between Shvetaketu and his father Uddalaka.

Toppers for session 244:

@iParamanand : 5
@GuruCharan99 : 5
@bhaviknz : 5
‏@Tasmayi : 5
@iRohitBhat : 5
@sharathinindia : 5
@surenc1974 : 5
@KaushikRg : 5
@PrachinVaani : 5
@sweetandu : 5
@ramas_cal : 5

Congrats to the following too:

@man8shree : 4
@Mamdhata : 4
@SriAiyer2RS : 4

@Talk_karma : 2
@rinku3009 : 2

@JagannathAjnabi : 1
@venkataa : 1
@jodhra63 : 1
@D_Shadz : 1
@Telugutalli : 1
@anantjoshi84 : 1
@brahmavith : 1

Please explore some nice mantras and mahavakyas from Upanishads when you have time. Friend @PrachinVaani shared Upanishads chronologically ordered by him.
http://historyindianized.blogspot.in/2013/06/the-era-of-upanishads-2.html?m=1

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

DharmaQuiz Session 243: 26-Nov-2013

Theme: Hindu Dharma's Key Acharyas

#DharmaQuiz 1601: Who is termed as the greatest Paramacharya for classifying the sacred Vedas into four parts? Ans: Veda Vyasa.

#DharmaQuiz 1602: Can you name one famous Guru, who can fit into "Dharmacharya" title for writing exemplary bhashyas on Vedas & Upanishads? Ans: Adi Shankara as the most prominent.

#DharmaQuiz 1603: Name 1 Hindu Guru who can fit into "Karmacharya" title for outstanding work done in motivating and organizing Hindu society. Ans: Swami Vivekananda as one prime example.

#DharmaQuiz 1604: Name one Hindu Guru who can fit into "Vijnanacharya" title for tremendous contribution to science or mathematics scholarship. Ans: Bhaskaracharya as one prime example.

{Final, Open till 10 PM} #DharmaQuiz 1605: Name a Guru who formulated foundational sutras of Yoga, fit enough to be praised as "Yogacharya". Ans: Patanjali

Toppers for session 243:

@Bengalur_Huduga : 5
@GuruCharan99 : 5
@brahmavith : 5
‏@bhaviknz : 5
@Simuntweets : 5
@man8shree : 5
@KaushikRg : 5
@sweetandu : 5
@GayathriSrinath : 5

Congrats to:

@cubicle_warrier : 4
@rajeshrajput1 : 4
@sreekannoth : 4
@Mamdhata : 4

@showadarsh : 3
@PankajBagla : 3
@venkataa : 3

@ijitendramodi : 2
@Archana1207 : 2
@tradetoday99 : 2
‏@right_advocate : 2

@ramanujam75 : 1
@mjrajput : 1
@PrashantRastog1 : 1
@njith : 1
‏@rao_deepak : 1
@shrivijaybk : 1
@imRaghu4mKoppal : 1
@imthe_Right : 1
@Atulkbhaskar : 1
@Ignoramusme : 1
@CurrAffairs : 1
@ManikGup92 : 1
@kathalkar24 : 1
@antapravah : 1
@ShubhamBhuyaat : 1
@Purusharth6 : 1
@theninjax : 1
@esgeeaar : 1
@pulkitgupta80 : 1
@DrSrishtiGupta : 1
@SriAiyer2RS : 1
‏@iNIMISH : 1
@GaneshChakravor : 1

See you on Friday.

Friday, November 22, 2013

DharmaQuiz Session 242: 22-Nov-2013

Theme: Hindu Astrology and Calendar

#DharmaQuiz 1596: Out of the 60 Hindu Samvatsaras, which samvatsara are we currently in?. Ans: Vijaya Nama Samvatsara.
#DharmaQuiz 1597: During which calendar month (Jan to Dec) did Dakshinayana start in 2013? Ans: July.
#DharmaQuiz 1598: Today is Sharad Ritu and Kartika maasa in South India. Which Ritu (ecological season) is it in most of North India today?. Ans: Hemanta Ritu (pre winter season). Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritu_%28Indian_season%29
#DharmaQuiz 1599: As per the Hindu astronomical period of time measurement, we are in the 7th Manvantara. Which Manu is this attributed to?. Ans: Vaivaswata Manvantara. Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manvantara
#DharmaQuiz 1600: There are four padas (quarters) for Kali Yuga. In which pada are we today, per Hindu Astrology?. Ans: First Pada.

Topper for session 242:

@SarathRamakrish : 5
‏@KaushikRg : 5
‏@shawjipk : 5
@GuruCharan99 : 5

Congrats to:

@bsr3012 : 4
@sndpmysuru : 4

‏@sweetandu : 3
@man8shree : 3

@gbhat_ : 2
@madhukarmp : 2
@DrPannagDesai : 2
@JagannathAjnabi : 2

‏@nareshdixit82 : 1
@bhrigupathi : 1
@Livenletlive33 : 1
@shakkuiyer : 1
@SriAiyer2RS : 1
@kirankonnects : 1
‏@drarora_gaurav : 1
@pvnananth : 1
@Telugutalli : 1

See you next week.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

DharmaQuiz Session 241: 19-Nov-2013

Theme: Bhajans, Aartis and Suprabhatams

#DharmaQuiz 1591: Who put to music the most common version of "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" bhajan that Mahatma Gandhi used to sing?. Ans: Vishnu Digambar Paluskar.

#DharmaQuiz 1592: The most famous suprabhatam in South India you can find is "Kausalya Supraja Rama Purva...". Who composed it ~600 yrs ago?. Ans: During 1430 CE by Prativaadibhayankara Sri Anantacharya Read it here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suprabhatam#Venkateshwara_Suprabhatam

#DharmaQuiz 1593: Every Ramakrishna matha will sing "Khandana Bhava Bandhana" aarti composed by Swami Vivekananda. Usually in which raaga?. Ans: Mishra Kalyana. @GuruCharan99 explains that it was originally composed in Raga Mishra Kalyan in Belur Mutt. But it can also be sung in Dhrupad raaga.

#DharmaQuiz 1594: The Ram Bhajan "Jaise Suraj ki Garmi se" became immensely popular. Which movie featured it for the first time? Ans: Parinay

{Final, Open till 10 PM} #DharmaQuiz 1595: Who composed about 140 years ago, the very famous "Jai Jagadish Hare" aarti bhajan in Punjab? Ans: Pandit Shardha Ram Phillauri.

Answers for session 241:

@GuruCharan99 : 5
@GayathriSrinath : 5
@bhaviknz : 5
@KaushikRg : 5

@DrSrishtiGupta : 3
@rinku3009 : 2
@sachinjohri : 2
@niranjanpai : 2

@YashwantCharan : 1
@kirankonnects : 1
@pvnananth : 1
@ABoni8 : 1
‏@bechaara : 1
@myself_a_desi : 1
@ssk3071 : 1

Hope you enjoyed it today. It was tough.

Friday, November 8, 2013

DharmaQuiz Session 240: 8-Nov-2013

Theme: Sun worship among Hindus

#DharmaQuiz 1586: Today is Chhath pooja mainly celebrated in Bihar. What do women give to Surya Bhagawan on this day?. Ans: They give Arghya to rising and setting sun. Along with water, wheat, sugarcane, bananas, milk and coconut too offered. Thanks to ‏@man8shree for details.
#DharmaQuiz 1587: Worshiping Solar deities is an ancient Indian custom. Which Aditya or Sun is the great Gayatri mantra dedicated to?. Ans: Savitr (Tat Savitur varenyam). @cgmagia explains futher - "Savitr" one of aditya offspring of Vedic deity Aditi. His name in Vedic Sanskrit connotes impeller, rouser, vivifier.
#DharmaQuiz 1588: The 7th day after Sun starts his northern ascent (Uttarayana), Hindus celebrate a festival dedicated to Sun. Name it. Ans: Ratha Saptami.
#DharmaQuiz 1589: This is a temple dedicated to Surya or Sun God. Also a UNESCO World heritage site. Where is it? Ans: Konark, Puri, Odisha. @amitagra21 explains further that this is not a temple anymore, but is only the remnants of a grand temple destroyed by "Kalapahar".

DQ 1589 ; From Wiki
#DharmaQuiz 1590: Name this community found in North India, Pakistan & Afghan, who were historically Sun-worshipers. Ans: Gujjars -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurjar - Answers with Suryavamshi or Suryavanshi also accepted.

Top scorers of session 240:

@GuruCharan99 : 5
@bhaviknz : 5
@vipulgupta1976 : 5
@man8shree : 5

Congrats to all the following:

@paivijay : 4
‏@sharathinindia : 4
@cgmagia : 4
‏@arunz : 4
@n_dolli : 4

@Simuntweets : 3
@wakeupindia777 : 3
@tradetoday99 : 3

@MeSavitha : 2
@AgentSaffron : 2
@rohitsamvada : 2

‏@nkgrock : 1
@RaghuVamshee : 1
@Mamdhata : 1
‏@_shomy : 1
@dheepakg : 1
@trolleswar : 1
‏@sillyslaphappy : 1
@usrnamecntblnk : 1
@sparkbird : 1
@gugujyoti : 1
@indiapremi : 1
@kalika3107 : 1
@lodyaashi : 1
@DreameMerchant : 1
‏@ShatajitBasu : 1
@rajeshrajput1 : 1
@pappu_pedia : 1
@chetankshet : 1
@pramod_klr : 1
@hthakur1990 : 1
@pramoo : 1
‏@chaitanyasoul : 1
@amitagra21 : 1
@chaitanyasoul : 1
@aackthu : 1
@errajalok : 1
@Livenletlive33 : 1
@shikha_shrivas : 1
@BhartPutra : 1