Mahabharata or Ramayana Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mahabharata

It is said that Vyasa got the idea for a grand saga, and wanted it written down for the benefit of future generations. However, the endeavour being so vast and difficult, and Vyasa's temper being so irascible, it was a task few would dare undertake. So in despair, Vyasa prayed to Bramha and asked him to suggest one who would capable of such a task. Bramha thought long and hard, and came up with Ganesha's name. Vyasa then prayed to Ganesha, who manifested before him and agreed to take on the task, provided Vyasa fulfil one condition; to never stop once he started dictating, or else he would stop writing and be gone. To this Vyasa agreed and also posed a counter-condition; that Ganesha would only write down what he understood. So it began, Vyasa being left breathless with Ganesha's speed and intelligence, and Ganesha, often perplexed at Vyasa's high flown language and complex analogies, yet the Mahabharata was written.

Answer: Ramayana

The town of Ayodhya, in modern day Uttar Pradesh, has early origins, and is believed by many Hindus to be the actual birthplace of Lord Rama, as it is mentioned in the Ramayana. The controversy arose because of the location of the mosque, the Babri Masjid, which is believed to have been built by the Mughal Emperor Babur, after having torn down a Hindu temple to Ram, which existed on that spot.

However, there doesn't seem to be any evidence to suggest that he actually did so, but that didn't stop Hindu fanatics from tearing down the mosque in a shameful destruction that led to violence all over the country. Recent excavations onthe site for proof of the existence of such a temple, have not been conclusive either, though they provided some interesting finds all the same.

The matter has gone to the courts, and as of 2004, there doesn't seem to be any resolution in sight, though every now and then a some politician or the other raises this issue for a vote or two.

Answer: Both

This Hitchcockian tendency dates back to even the composers of these grand epics, who were not averse to giving themselves a small presence in the story line. Vyasa comes several times in the Mahabharata, offering advice, siring children and offering some more sage advice. Valmiki, by comparision appears only once, when his ashram becomes the refuge of Seetha, when Rama throws her out of his palace... but more on that later.

Answer: Both

IN the mid 80s and early 90s, before the advent of cable tv, India used to come to a halt at 9 a.m. on Sunday mornings, as first the Ramayana and some years later, the Mahabharata were serialized into 150+ episodes. The actors with the big roles, such as Rama, Sita, Krishna, Arjuna, etc. did not just become household names...they literally became gods. Even though the serials themselves were in Hindi, everybody from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Guwahati to Gujarat, would tune into the state-owned Doordarshan channel, every Sunday, at exactly nine, to catch the latest episode of the greatest stories of India.

Answer: False

Hanuman, makes a cameo appearance; twice in the Mahabharata, where he challenges both Bhima and Arjuna, to tests of strength and skill. To Bhima, he appears as an old monkey whose tail lies along Bhima's path. Bhima, despite his super-human strength, is unable to lift what seems such a light object, and humbly accedes defeat, only to find out that the old monkey is indeed, Hanuman, who is also his half brother. To Arjuna, as well, he appears as a seemingly ordinary monkey, until he challenges the former to prove his skill with the bow by building a bridge of arrows. Arjuna, caught up in the pride for his own prowess, is stunned to find that no matter what he tries, he is unable to build a bridge which can support even a single monkey.

He is about to give up, when Krishna comes to his aid, and helps him build a bridge that can support Hanuman, even when he takes a gigantic form and jumps up and down on it.

Answer: True

In terms of Hindu mythology, every creation/destruction cycle has mini-cycles within itself and such cycles are divided into four yugas or "ages". These yugas are differentiated by the relative amounts of good and evil in the world. In the Satya yuga, for example, there is no evil at all, whereas in the Treta yuga, one quarter of the world is evil, in the Dwapara Yuga, one half and in the Kali Yuga, three quarters. Hindu mythology states this is currently the Kali Yuga, which will last for another 8,000 years.

The story of the Ramayana is supposed to have taken place in the Treta Yuga, whereas the events of the Mahabharata are supposed to be set in the Dwapara Yuga. Historically, the Mahabharata was written earlier and the Ramayana, much later. If one goes through the stories themselves, the characters of the Ramayana are easily identifiable into good and bad, with very few "grey areas" in between.

The Mahabharata, on the other hand is full of such "grey areas", so to speak, with few who can be classified as genuinely good or genuinely evil.

In the Mahabharata, for example, gods are not averse to treachery and deceit, while demons are shown to be capable of loyalty and friendship.

Answer: Kandahar

Kandahar is mentioned in the Mahabharata as Gandhara, which is the hometown of Gandhari, wife of Dhritarastra and mother to the Kaurava princes, and her brother Shakuni, who is the ultimate cause for the kinslaying Mahabharata war.

Answer: False

The Pandavas were cousins on the father's side to Krishna, and were five in number, whereas Rama had three brothers, Bharata and the twins, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

Answer: Nakula and Madri

In the Ramayana, Rama's brothers, Lakshmana and Shatrughna, and Rama's sons, Luva and Kusha, are twins. In the Mahabharata, the youngest of the Pandava brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva are also twins, sons of Madri. Nala and Neela, the Vanara builders of note were also twins appearing in the Ramayana. Krupa and Kripi were also twins. Bali and Sugreeva were also twins.

Answer: Mahabharata

This is perhaps the most enlightening part of the Mahabharata. Tired of their lives on the earth and following the end of the Dwapara Yuga, the Pandavas seek to climb Mount Kailash and ascend to heaven. However, they starting falling one by one, for their various vices and only honest, pure Yudhistira is able to climb the mountain. Why and how...well if you haven't already read it, what are you waiting for...?