G.

K QUIZ
By Netra Patel

Questions & Answers

1. Who wrote down the epic Mahabharata while Vyasa was dictating?
> Ganesh

2. How many incarnations of Vishnu appeared in Satya or Krita Yuga

from his Dashavatar?
>4

3. Which one is the first avatar of Lord Vishnu from his Dashavatar?
>Matsya

4. In the Narasimbha avatar, Lord Vishnu kill?

>Hiranyakashipu

5. In which Yuga, Shree Rama was born in Ayodhya?

>Treta Yuga

6. Sati (wife of Lord Shiva) was the daughter of?

>Daksha Prajapati

7. In Mahabharat, Devavrata was the other name of?

>Bhishma
8. Who brought the River goddess Ganga to Earth from the heavens?
>Bhagiratha

9. In which Yuga, Krishna was born?

>Dwapara Yuga

10. What is the final incarnation of Lord Vishnu in his Dashavatara?

>Kalki

11. For how many days was the battle of kurukshetra was fought?
>18

12. What is the name of Lord Krishna's conch shell?

>Panchjanya

13. What was the real name of Valmiki, the writer of Ramayana?
>Ratnakar

14. Who is known as the father of Sita?

>Raja Janak

15. From which forest Sita was abducted by the Ravana?

>Dandaka forest

16. What was the condition on which Ganesha agreed to write the Mahabharata?
>Ganesha said, “I will be the scribe if you can recite it without break.”

17. What was the condition Vyasa laid down for Ganesha to write Mahabharata?
>Vyasa said, “You will not inscribe if the meaning is not clear to you.”

18. What was the original name of Mahabharata?

>Jaya. It was said of the Mahabharata, “What is here may be found elsewhere too
but what is not here cannot be found anywhere.”
19. For how many days was the Battle of Kurukshetra fought?
>Eighteen days.

20. Where did the battle between Rama and Ravana take place?
>Lanka

21. What is the meaning of the word ‘Shiva’?

>The auspicious one.

22. What was the initial reaction of Kumbhakarna when he heard about the
abduction of Sita by Ravana?
>He disapproved of it and advised Ravana to restore Sita to Rama.

23. What was the name of Sugriva’s wife?

>Ruma.

24. Why did Hanuman leap towards the Sun soon after birth?
>He thought it was an eatable.

25. Who made Rama and Lakshmana expert archers?

>Vishwamitra.

26. What was the name of the kingdom ruled by Drupada?

>Panchala.

27. How did earth come to be called as Prithvi?

>King Prithu was the first among men to till the soil and make it yield crops. The
word Prithvi is derived from Prithu.

28. What was the name of the Yajna performed by Dasharatha to obtain sons?
>Putrakameshti Yajna.
29. What does the word Bhishma mean?
>The terrible. When he took the vow to remain celibate throughout his life, the
gods showered flowers on him, while uttering the word “Bhishma”.

30. Sage Pulastya’s grandson became a mighty king. Who was he?
>Ravana.

31. Why did Dasharatha kill Shravan Kumar?

>He mistook the sound of water being filled in the pot by Shravan Kumar for an
animal drinking water.

32. Who performed the Putrakameshti Yajna for King Dasharatha?

>Rishyashringa.

33. What was the original name of Indrajit?

>Meghanada.

34. Who was the father of Bhishma?

>King Shantanu.

35. What were the names of Kama’s foster parents?

>Radha and Adhiratha.

36. What was the name by which Kama was called by his father when he was
young?
>Vasushena.

37. Where did Drona go when he was insulted by Drupada?

>Hastinapura.

38. Who was Devayani?

>Devayani was the daugher of Shukracharya.

39. Who threw Devayani into a well?

>Sharmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparva, the king of the asuras.
40. Who took Devayani out of the well?
> King Yayati.

41. Who was the mother of Bhishma?

>Ganga.

42. What was the name of Sati’s father?

>Daksha Prajapati.

43. How many children did Gandhari have?

>101. A hundred Kauravas and a daughter.

44. Who was the only daughter of Gandhari and who was her husband?
>Dushshala. Jayadratha was her husband.

45. Who was the mother of Shakuntala?

>Menaka.

46. How was Hiranyaksha related to Hiranyakashipu?

>He was his brother.

47. What was the name of Dhruva’s father?

>Uttanapada.

48. What was the name of Satyabhama’s father?

>Satrajit, a Yadava chieftain.

49. From whom did Kama receive the divine armour?

>He was born with the divine armour (kavacha) and earrings (kundala).

50. Who took Krishna and Balarama to Mathura from Vrindavan?

>Akrura.
51. Why is Rama sometimes called Raghava?
>Raghava means a descendant of Raghu. In this sense not only Rama but also
Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna can be called Raghava. But traditionally the
eldest male was given the appellation.

52. What is the name of Indra’s elephant?

>Airavata.

53. Why did King Shibi cut off his flesh?

>Shibi had given refuge to a dove. When the kite claimed that the dove was his
lawful prey, Shibi offered to give any other flesh in lieu of the dove. To this, the
kite asked for the flesh cut from Shibi’s right thigh equal in weight to the dove.

54. Where in modern India was the ancient kingdom of Virata?

>Ajmer.

55. What was the capital of Indra’s kingdom?

>Amaravati.

56. Who was Vali’s son?

>Angada.

57. What was the name of Shakuntala’s husband?

>Dushyanta.

58. Where did Janaka find Sita?

>Sita was found when a field was being ploughed for preparing the spot for a
Yajna to be performed by Janaka (Sita literally means furrow).

59. Who offered poisoned sweets to Bhima when he was young?

>Duryodhana.

60. In what disguise did Arjuna go to Mount Raivataka to abduct Subhadra?

>In the disguise of a sanyasi (with the permission of Krishna).

61. Who were Abhimanyu’s parents?

>Arjuna and Subhadra.

62. A son of Hiranyaksha, he ruled over Pragjyotisha. He was such a menace to the
devas that Indra implored Krishna to help him. At this request Krishna along
with his wife Satyabhama, attacked the city of Pragjyotisha and killed this
asura.
>Name the asura. Narakasura
63. Who was the half-brother of Dhruva?
>Uttama.

64. What is the meaning of the word Pandava?

>Pandava means an offspring of Pandu. Therefore Yudhishthira is a Pandava., So
is Arjuna and their brothers.

65. Who did Ekalavya consider as his Guru?

>Dronacharya. Ekalavya made a statue resembling Dronacharya and practised
archery in front of the statue.

66. When the Kauravas led by Duryodhana went to Dvaitavana forest to enjoy the
sight of the suffering Pandavas, who fought with them and took Duryodhana
prisoner?
>Chitrasena, the Gandharva.

67. Who defeats the Gandharva King Chitrasena and frees the Kauravas?
>Arjuna.

68. Which are the ten incarnations of Vishnu?

>1.Matsya(Fish)
2. Kurma (Tortoise)
3. Varaha (Boar)
4. Narasimha (Man-Lion)
5. Vamana (Dwarf)
6. Parashurama (Rama of the Axe)
7. Rama
8. Krishna
9. Buddha
10. Kalki Jayadeva was one of the first to consider Buddha as an avatar. Till then
Balarama was considered an avatar.

69. Who crowned Kama as the king of Anga?

>Duryodhana.

70. What was the name of Draupadi’s father?

>Drupada.

71. With whom does Nala play the game of dice?

>Pushkara, his cousin. (His brother according to some versions.)

72. What was the name of Draupadi’s brother?

>Dhrishtadyumna.
73. How did Hanuman get the name Anjaneya?
>Because he was the offspring of Anjana.

74. Who succeeded Aja to the throne of Ayodhya?

>Dasharatha

75. Who presented the bow, Gandiva to Arjuna?

>Varuna at the request of Agni.

76. What was the real name of Bhishma?

>Devavrata.

77. What was the name of the Kaurava, who joined the Pandavas in the Battle of
Kurukshetra?
>Yuyutsu. He was a half-brother of the Kauravas.

78. What was the name of Krishna’ show?

>Saranga.

79. With what weapon did Krishna kill Shishupala?

>Sudarshana Chakra.

80. To whom does Yudhishthira offer the first worship at the time of the Rajasuya
Yajna?
>To Krishna.

81. Who killed Jarasandha in a wrestling duel?

>Bhima.

82. Why is Arjuna called Partha?

>From Pritha, the real name of Kunti. (Though the name Partha is equally
applicable to Yudhishthira and Bhima also, Arjuna was more often referred to as
Partha).

83. Who built the palace at Indraprastha for the Pandavas?

>Maya.

84. Of which kingdom was Shalya, the king?

>Madra.
85. Why did Gandhari cover her eyes?
>Her husband* Dhritarashthra was blind. She wanted to share his fate. Hence she
blindfolded herself.

86. On behalf of the Kauravas, who played the game of dice with the Pandavas?
>Shakuni.

87. Who prompts Durvasa to go, with his disciples, to the hermitage of the
Pandavas?
>Duryodhana.

88. What was the name of Rama’s bow?

>Kodanda

89. Who was the charioteer of Krishna?

>Daruka.

90. What was the name of the kingdom ruled by Jarasandha?

>Magadha.

91. Where is Upaplavya?

>It was a minor city in the kingdom of Virata.

92. What was the name assumed by Draupadi when the Pandavas lived in disguise
in King Virata’s kingdom?
>Sairandhri.

93. Why is Kama sometimes called Radheya?

>From his foster mother, Radha. Radheya means an offspring of Radha.

94. Identify the child who was blessed in the following manner by the devas: –
Vishnu – “May you live your life as the greatest devotee of god” Indra – “No
weapon of any kind will wound or hit your body” Agni – “Fire will never affect
you.”
>Hanuman.

95. What form did Maricha assume to deceive Rama? And why?
>He assumed the form of a golden deer and lured Rama away from his hermitage.
When Rama’s arrow pierced him, he cried out, imitating Rama’s voice, “Ha,
Lakshmana”. When Lakshmana went out to help Rama, Ravana seized the
opportunity to abduct Sita.
96. Who was called as Vaasudeva?
>Vaasudeva means an offspring of Vasudeva. Both Krishna and Balarama could be
called Vaasudeva but traditionally only Krishna is called Vaasudeva.

97. What was the real name of Draupadi?

>Krishnaa.

98. How did Sita get the name Janaki?

>From Janaka, her father.

99. When Bhima was poisoned by the Kauravas and thrown into the depths of River
Ganga, how was he saved?
>It is believed that Nagaloka is situated deep below the river. Here Bhima was
bitten several times by the serpents, which neutralised the effect of poison in his
body.

100. What is the origin of the name, Panchavati, where Rama is said to have
built a hermitage?
>Five Banyan trees. Pancha (Five) Vata (Banyan tree).

101. Who was Kacha’s father?

>Brihaspati.

102. For how many years did Janamejaya’s Sarpa-satra last?

>Twelve years.

103. Who were the physicians to the devas?

>Ashwini twins.

104. Heroes in ancient times often had more than one name. Given below are
sets of names. Identify the name by which they are commonly known: –
a.Kapidhvaja, Bibhatsu, Dhananjaya, Savyasachi, Kiriti, Krishna. b.Ajatashatru,
Dharmaja, Dharmaputra, Mridangaketu. c.Vallava, Marutatmaja, Vayusuta,
Pawanaputra.
> a. Arjuna. b. Yudhishthira. c. Bhima.

105. Who seized Draupadi by the hair and dragged her into the court?
> Dushshasana.

106. What did Sita give Hanuman to be shown to Rama?

>Chudamani (Crest Jewel)

107. When Ganga descended from heaven, who bore the force of her descent?
>Shiva.
108. Who was Purochana?
>A minister of Duryodhana who built the shellac palace at Varanavata.

109. What was the virtue for which Kama was famous?
>Generosity

110. What was the name assumed by Arjuna in Virata’s palace?

>Brihannala.

111. Whose incarnation was Lakshmana supposed to be?

>Lakshmana is said to be the incarnation of Maha Shesha (the great snake).

112. When Hanuman was asked to bring Sanjivani from Gandhamadana, why
did he carry the whole mountain?
>Because he could not recognize the Vishalyakarani (Sanjivani) from other herbs.

113. What was the name of Dronacharya’s father?

>Sage Bharadwaja.

114. Who was Lakshmana’s wife?

>Urmila.

115. What was the capital of Janaka’s kingdom?

>Mithila

116. King of Manipur Babruvahana was the son of?

>Arjun

117. Who is known as the mother of King Dhritarashtra?

>Ambika

118. From which forest Sita was abducted by the Ravana?

> Panchavati forest

119. What was the real name of Valmiki, the writer of Ramayana?
> Ratnakkardah

120. What is the name of Lord Krishna's conch shell?

> Panchajanya

121. What is the final incarnation of Lord Vishnu in his Dashavatara?

> 10 – Kalki
122. In which Yuga, Krishna was born?
> Dwapara Yuga