DharmaQuiz: August 2014

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Bhagavad Gita

DharmaQuiz Session 294: 19-Aug-2014

#DharmaQuiz 1856: What's the name of the longest chapter in Krishna's eternal preaching for human kind, the Bhagavad Gita? Ans: Chapter 18, Moksha Sanyasa Yoga.

#DharmaQuiz 1857: In which chapter of Bhagavad Gita, does Lord Krishna display to Arjuna, his cosmic form or Vishwarupa? Ans: Chapter 11, Vishwarupa Darshana Yoga.

#DharmaQuiz 1858: Name one person from Mahabharata other than Arjuna, to whom Krishna had displayed his universal cosmic form or Vishwarupa. Ans: These are the names I have read from varous sources -> Sanjaya, Dhritarashtra (the only time he gets his vision momentarily), Yashoda (foster mother), Duryodhana (before Kurukshtra war, as a messenger of Pandavas), Vidura (Krishna visiting his house), Bhishma (while waiting for death on arrow bed), Karna (at the time of death in battlefield), Akrura (Kamsa's emissary), Utanga, Narada, birth parents Devaki & Vasudeva (in the jail when born) too.

#DharmaQuiz 1859: Which Yoga among 18 in Bhagavad Gita (chapters), explains Sthita Prajna (the one who has absolute control over senses)? Ans: Sankhya Yoga, Chapter 2.

{Final,Open till 10.00PM} #DharmaQuiz 1860: In Gita, apart from Arjuna & Krishna, who are the others being a part of conversation (uvacha)? Ans: Sanjaya and Dhritarashtra. Only four people from
Mahabharata are in conversation during the entire 18 Yogas or chapters of Bhagavad Gita.

Ans for session 294:

@NilimaNilimas : 5
@durgaramdas : 5
@pavanaja : 5
@iParamanand : 5
@siribhatta : 5
@vipulgupta1976 : 5

@man8shree : 4
@rajeshrajput1 : 4
@Sunil_Rao_MS : 4
@chetankshet : 4

@shyamddeore : 3
‏@peeyushmalhotra : 3

@TheRajarshi : 2
@nikhil_tikmani : 2
@kushleshsharma : 2
@bhupinderpti : 2
@SanmitraK1 : 2

@ajegowda : 1
@atulkoolkarni : 1
@sahasrajith_ks : 1
@AmitaroraDr : 1
@helloraajitha : 2
@anoopchandra9 : 1
@vigneshshanbhag : 1
@vikasbsingh : 1
@akshri_250 : 1
@vidisha_24 : 1
@NarayanSanath : 1
@Umeshkumarr26 : 1
@_p_k_m : 1
@Shrimaan : 1
@Kamal_Khilega : 1
‏@AmitIntruder : 1
@SriAiyerRS11 : 1
@gunturmaverick : 1
‏@rinku3009 : 1
@SnookyBangalore : 1
@srijai : 1
@sankarbe : 1
@upma23 : 1
@valmikii : 1
@devadas1967 : 1
‏@ulta_chashma : 1
@vinod_gowda : 1
‏@SaurishReddy : 1
@ProudDilliwala : 1
@deshi_mangoman : 1
@vishal_jamuar : 1
@surykant2612 : 1
@Kesavaprakash : 1
@gandabherunda : 1
@vikasdixit1984 : 1
@deepaknagar : 1
@Sukesh2232 : 1
‏@ispastwadi : 1
‏@swapnilXlogic : 1
@sanjaybansal20 : 1
‏@RAVINDRARAMA : 1
@DonAmit : 1
@akshri_250 : 1
@AzadHindFauji : 1
‏@vishaldwivedi6 : 1
‏@keshavaram : 1
‏@adarshdgp : 1

Jai Shri Krishna!

27 Hindu Nakshatras

DharmaQuiz Session 293: 12-Aug-2014

#DharmaQuiz 1851: Out of the 27 Nakshatras or stars as a part of Hindu panchanga or astrology, which one translates as "Deer's head"? Ans: Mriga Shira.

#DharmaQuiz 1852: Out of the 27 Nakshatras of Hindu panchanga which one translates as "the eldest"? Ans: Jyeshtha.

#DharmaQuiz 1853: Out of the 27 Nakshatras of Hindu panchanga what does Shatabisha mean? Ans:
Comprising of a hundred physicians.

#DharmaQuiz 1854: If a girl is born in this nakshatra of Hindu panchanga, she's usually married to a
home without father-in-law. Which star? Ans: Mula, "the root". The belief is that after marriage, the
father in law of the bride would soon die.

{Final,Open till 10.00PM} #DharmaQuiz 1855: Pushya nakshatra is linked to Rama and Sita.
Name one event of their lives in that nakshatra. Ans: Sita was born per some, and Rama and Sita were married in this nakshatra per some other astrologers.

Scores for session 293:
Did not note. Sorry.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Maha Lakshmi

DharmaQuiz Session 292: 8-Aug-2014

#DharmaQuiz 1846: Devi Lakshmi is praised in Vedas as "padma maalini". What does Padmamaalini mean? #VaraMahaLakshmi Ans: The one who wears a garland of lotus flowers.

#DharmaQuiz 1847: Goddess Lakshmi is often referred as Hiranyavarnaa and Adityavarnaa.
What does the Aditya Varnaa mean? Ans: Resplendent like the sun.

#DharmaQuiz 1848: This Ashta Lakshmi temple is 10 KM outside a big South Indian metro.
Which city? Ans: Hyderabad. 12 KM from Nampally.


DQ: 1848

#DharmaQuiz 1849: This Bharat Ratna was famous for singing one of the most famous Lakshmi songs. In which language? Ans: Kannada

DQ 1849

Here is the rendering:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tdYY6lUw9g

#DharmaQuiz 1850: Today is #VaraMahaLakshmi vrata. First performed by Parvati. Who told her to do this puja? Ans: Lord Shiva.

Read more about the Vedic Shri Sukta praising Goddess Lakshmi here, with meaning:
http://www.puja.net/wordpress/sri-suktam-rig-veda-mantra-for-lakshmi/

Answers to session 292:

@pramod_klr : 5
@KaushikRg : 5
‏@surnell : 5
@RakeshChouhan : 5

@chetankshet : 4
@GayathriSrinath : 4
@tradetoday99 : 4
@gboxam : 4
@vish_was_is : 4
@MangoAdmi : 4

@bezubaan : 3

‏@kakdwip : 2
@omprakashcaims : 2

@ashokagarwal : 1
@SaffronShirt : 1
@skdeshpande : 1
@Vamsee9002 : 1
@chand_andas : 1
@atul_speaks : 1
@praveenk333 : 1
@sapana_almelkar : 1
@Dm12Sanyal : 1
@anamika_99 : 1
@nandaakumar : 1
‏@sankarbe : 1
@Viswajgd : 1
@Ramgopaljgd : 1
@hegde_anirudh : 1
@sumanthagowda : 1
@ngc1729 : 1
@peeyushmalhotra : 1
@gkamath07 : 1
@nrkoranne : 1
@ReMeeer : 1

Pictures: holidayiq.com and ytimg.com

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Hindu Temples On River Banks

DharmaQuiz Session 291: 5-Aug-2014

#DharmaQuiz 1841: Name this upanadi or tributary of Krishna river, on whose bank is a very famous Vithala temple. Ans: Bhima or Chandrabhaga river. Pandharapur kshetra.

#DharmaQuiz 1842: This river is one of the headstreams of Ganga, on whose bank is a peetha re-established by Adi Shankara. Name the river. Ans: Alaknanda. Badrinath peetha.

#DharmaQuiz 1843: This desert like place in south India that is famous for its pancha linga (5 linga) darshana is on which river's bank? Ans: Kaveri. Talakadu pancha linga darshana.

#DharmaQuiz 1844: There's a famous Rama temple in the south East of India, where Rama and Sita supposedly visited. On which river's bank? Ans: Godavari. Bhadrachalam temple.

#DharmaQuiz 1845: A Jyotir Linga in central India is on an Om shaped island. On which major river's bank? Ans: Narmada. Omkareshwar temple.

Scores for session 291:

@hchaturv : 5
@abhipar7 : 5
@durgaramdas : 5
@mareekuree : 5

@chetankshet : 4
@vipulgupta1976 : 4
@mrsnrao : 4
@gboxam : 4

@keshavaram : 3
@CJoshi28 : 3

@harishinamdar : 2
@kirtweetz : 2
@kushleshsharma : 2

@prasca : 1
@DeepeshLakhera : 1
@srinivasanands : 1
@aseemcam : 1
@ratnakarkulkarn : 1
@RakeshChouhan : 1
@rohitsamvada : 1
@shreyasms : 1
@Eagleeye47 : 1
@DrSatyaSaraswat : 1

Thanks for participating!

Friday, August 1, 2014

Nava Nagas - Naga Panchami

DharmaQuiz Session 290: 1-Aug-2014

#DharmaQuiz 1836: Which of the 9 famous Nagas was a part of Samudra Manthan, and also worn by Lord Shiva around his neck? #NagaPanchami Ans: Vasuki.

#DharmaQuiz 1837: Which of the 9 famous Nagas was killed by Lord Krishna, and it attained moksha? Ans: Kaliya or Kalinga. But Aghasura also considered.

#DharmaQuiz 1838: Who was the ancestral mother of all famous Nagas? She was the daughter of Prajapati Daksha. Ans: Kadru

#DharmaQuiz 1839: Lord Vishnu, the sustainer of Brahma's creation, is resting over which of the 9 great Nagas? Ans: Sesha.

#DharmaQuiz 1840: One of the 9 Nagas had to flee Kurukshetra area and settle in Taksha Shila. Who? Ans: Takshaka

Scores for session 290:

@ravighiyar : 5
‏@durgaramdas : 5
@Sunil_Rao_MS : 5
@Tasmayi : 5
@PrachinVaani : 5
@ksmsundaram1975 : 5
@KaushikRg : 5
@ProtectIndia : 5
@deshi_mangoman : 5
@abhipar7 : 5
@pramod_klr : 5

@vipulgupta1976 : 4
@Bengalur_Huduga : 4

@Mamdhata : 2
@SonalShriv : 2

@MyViews_MyIdeas : 1
@DelRastogi : 1
@gdthot : 1
@sumanthagowda : 1
@anantharajutm : 1
@shyamddeore : 1
@bashbangalore : 1
‏@ajegowda : 1
@AnupamkPandey : 1
‏@noop_1882 : 1
@rohitsamvada : 1
@rohitkumarnath : 1
@akshri_250 : 2
‏@Mamdhata : 1
@dubey2812 : 1
@SanthoshPPrabhu : 1
‏@A31X64Vijay : 1
‏@ShrinivasRJoshi : 1
@Rasraj : 1

Regarding Kaliya, there are different versions. Keep reading them in Mahabharata for a better understanding. I am also learning.