This is a compilation of all of the quiz questions from the Gita Wisdom Long Island Podcast Series.
Results
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#1. Krishna insisted the inhabitants of Vrindavan should honor Govardhan Hill instead of a demigod. Out of anger, this demigod caused a torrential downpour. In response, Krishna lifted the Hill, sheltering the inhabitants from the rainfall. Which demigod caused the devastation?
#2. The aspect of God seated in the hearts of all living beings is known as
Krishna is realized in three ways: Brahman, the impersonal realization that everything is God, is the origin of all energies. Everything is pervaded by and made up of Brahman energy. Paramatma is experienced as God within the heart. This is not an abstract idea. Krishna says in the Gita he is situated in everyone’s heart — hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam [BG 13.18] and again in BG 15.15 sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto. The highest realization is Bhagavan, Krishna in personal form. Understanding Krishna in this form, we are able to engage in loving exchange with Krishna.
#3. There are nine progressive stages of bhakti. The final stage, transcendental love for God, is known as:
#4. panditah sama-darsinah roughly translates to what?
#5. Who is depicted on the flag atop Arjuna’s chariot?
#6. The crevice at the crown of the head, by which a great mystic yogi can exit his body at will, is known as
#7. The Gita offers advice on how to give up material attachments with the phrase “param dristva navartate”, which can be interpreted to mean
#8. What type of guru is authorized to give formal initiation to a disciple?
We’ll talk about three types of gurus here. The vartma-pradarsaka guru is the person who first introduces you to devotional practices.
A shiksha guru is an instructing teacher, someone who offers guidance and is there to answer questions. One can have more than one shiksha guru.
A diksha guru is authorized to officially initiate disciples into their lineage. When one accepts initiation from a diksha guru, they are agreeing to follow vows and seriously pursue spiritual life. The guru agrees to guide the disciple through as many lifetimes as is needed for the disciple to become liberated.
It’s possible that these roles may all be filled by the same person, though this is generally not the case.
#9. When a disciple is initiated into a Vaishnava lineage they are given a new name ending in das or dasi. What does the word das mean?
Upon initiation, disciples are given a name of Krishna, Radha or some place or activity associated with them, followed by das for men or dasi for women. The word das means “servant of”. For example, Krishna das means “servant of Krishna” and Yogesvara das means “servant of Krishna, who is the master of mystic yoga”.