List of top Rigveda Questions

The Rigvedic verse "tvam-agne sa-prathā asi" (Thou, O Agni, art wide-extended) is quoted and explained in which specific chapter of the first Panchika of the Aitareya Brahmana?

"Hariścandro ha vaidhāsa aikṣvāko rājā-aputro babhūva..." (King Harishchandra, son of Vedhas, of the line of Ikshvaku, was childless...). This opening line marks the beginning of the Shunahshepa legend in which part of the Aitareya Brahmana?

According to the physiological and phonetic mappings in the Yajnavalkya Shiksha, what is the correct internal location where the 'Anudatta' (low accent) is perceived or produced within the body?

Match the ritual content in List I with its correct location within the Aitareya Brahmana in List II:
List I (Topic/Statement):
A. "Agnirvai devanamamo vishnuh..." (Agni is the first, Vishnu the last)
B. Śunaḥśepākhyānam (The Shunahshepa Narrative)
C. Shodashi (The Sixteenth Sacrifice)
D. Ādityabhṛgvādīnām-utpattiḥ (Origin of Adityas and Bhrigus)
List II (Panchika):
I. Saptama-panchikāyām (Seventh)
II. Tritiya-panchikāyām (Third)
III. Prathama-panchikāyām (First)
IV. Chaturtha-panchikāyām (Fourth)

Match the fragments of the famous "Charaiveti" (Keep Moving) Gathas from the Aitareya Brahmana (7.15) in List I with their completions in List II:
List I (Gatha Start):
A. caran vai (The traveling man indeed...)
B. caran (Traveling...)
C. sūryasya (Of the Sun...)
D. śraman yo na (He who exerts and does not...)
List II (Completion/Keyword):
I. madhu vindati (finds honey)
II. paśya (behold)
III. svādumudumbaram (sweet fruit of the Udumbara)
IV. tandryate caraṃścaraiveti (grow weary; keep moving, keep moving!)

Match the ritual and numerical symbolism of the Aitareya Brahmana in List I with their correct ritual identifications in List II:
List I:
A. sa vā eṣa gāyatraiva (He is indeed Gayatri-natured)
B. caturviṃśatyakṣarā vai (Consisting of twenty-four syllables)
C. caturvimshtir-agniṣṭomasya (Twenty-four are of the Agnishtoma)
D. pañcadaśa prayāṇīye (Fifteen are in the initial offering)
List II:
I. stutaśastrāṇi (Chants and recitations)
II. gāyatrī (The Gayatri meter)
III. yad-agniṣṭomaḥ (Because it is the Agnishtoma)
IV. sāmidhenīranvāha (The fire-lighting verses recited)

Arrange the following arguments of the 'Purva-paksha' (opponent's view) regarding the meaninglessness of mantras, as traditionally presented in Yaska's Nirukta (1.15):
A. vākyaniyamāt (Because of fixed word order)
B. tadarthaśāstrāt (Because of the Brahmana's instructions)
C. buddhiśāstrāt (Because of instructions on obvious things)
D. acetane'rthabandhanāt (Because of addressing inanimate things)
E. avidyamānavacanāt (Because of speaking of non-existent things)

Select the correct multichoice technical statements regarding Rigvedic literature and phonetics:
A. "Ajyam vai devanam" (Ghee is indeed for the gods) is a sentence found in the Aitareya Brahmana.
B. According to the Aitareya Brahmana, the Agni-offering (Agneya) involves nine potsherds (navakapala).
C. The Rigveda Pratishakhya consists of twenty-five chapters (Patalas).
D. The Rigveda Pratishakhya consists of eighteen chapters (Patalas).

Arrange the following philosophical inquiries from the Nasadiya Sukta (The Hymn of Creation, RV 10.129) in their correct thematic order:
A. pra vocat (Who could declare it?)
B. ka iha (Who here...)
C. ka ī dadarśa (Who indeed saw it?)
D. prathamasya-hnaḥ (Of the first day/origin)
E. ko asya veda (Who knows of this?)

Arrange the following fragments to form the correct traditional definition of the relationship between Mantra and Brahmana in the Veda:
A. bhaved brāhmaṇalakṣaṇam (becomes the definition of Brahmana)
B. mantraśca (and the Mantra)
C. anyad brāhmaṇamityetad (that which is other is Brahmana)
D. brāhmaṇalakṣaṇam (definition of Brahmana)
E. dvau bhāgau tena mantraśca (by those two parts, the Mantra and...)

Arrange the following fragments from the opening verse of the Aksha Sukta (The Gambler's Lament, Rigveda 10.34.1) in the correct sequence:
A. pravātejā niśṛṇe varvutānāḥ (Born in a windy place, rolling on the play-board)
B. somasyeva maujavatasya bhakṣaḥ (Like a draught of the Soma from Mount Mujavat)
C. bṛhato mādayanti (Born of the high [tree], they intoxicate me)
D. prāvepā mā (The trembling ones...)
E. vibhīdako jāgurvir-mahyam-acchān (The Vibhidaka nut has kept me awake and delighted me)

Arrange the following liturgical fragments describing the recitation of the Shunahshepa legend in their correct ritual sequence:
A. śunaḥśepaṃ śrutaṃ śrutau (The hearing of the Shunahshepa...)
B. tatra kratau rājasūye (In that sacrifice, the Rajasuya...)
C. madhye'bhiṣecanīye'hani (In the middle, on the day of anointing...)
D. bahiṣṭu-paśusomake (After the animal and Soma sacrifices...)

Match the fragments of the famous verse from the Paniniya Shiksha (Verse 52) in List I with their completions in List II:
List I (Fragments):
A. Mantro hinah...
B. Mithyaprayukto...
C. Sa vagvajro...
D. Yathendrashatruh...
List II (Completions):
I. Na tamarthamaha
II. Svarato varnato va
III. Svarato'paradhat
IV. Yajamanam hinasti

Match the Vedas in List I with their corresponding primary Brahmanas in List II:
List I (Vedas):
A. Atharvaveda
B. Samaveda
C. Yajurveda
D. Rigveda
List II (Brahmanas):
I. Tandya Brahmana
II. Shatapatha Brahmana
III. Aitareya Brahmana
IV. Gopatha Brahmana

Determine the correctness of the following Assertion (A) and Reason (R) based on the Paniniya Shiksha:
Assertion (A): According to Shambhu (Panini), the number of letters in the Sanskrit alphabet is sixty-three or sixty-four.
Reason (R): According to the Paniniya Shiksha, the letter 'L' (L-kara) is dental (Dantya).

In the context of Vedic phonetics (Shiksha), identify the correct logical sequence of the 'Pada-shyayayah' (accented shades/sequences) describing the transition of tones in a word:
A. Udatta-para (leading to high)
B. Nihata/Prachaya (neutralized)
C. Udatta (high)
D. Anudatta (low)
E. Svarita (circumflex)

Determine the correctness of the following Assertion (A) and Reason (R) based on the ritual logic of the Aitareya Brahmana:
Assertion (A): According to the Aitareya Brahmana, the initial sacrificial offering (Purodasha) of the Dikshaniya Ishti is dedicated to Agni and Vishnu (Agnavishnavam).
Reason (R): The mantra "Uru prathasva" (Spread out wide) is recited by the priest while flattening the sacrificial cake on the potsherds.

Select the correct facts regarding the branches (Shakhas) of the Vedas:
A. The Atharvaveda is traditionally said to have nine branches (Navadha).
B. The Krishna Yajurveda is said to have exactly fifteen branches.
C. The Atharvaveda contains the Shaunaka branch.
D. The Shukla Yajurveda consists of twelve branches.

Select the correct facts regarding the Nasadiya Sukta (RV 10.129):
A. The Nasadiya Sukta contains seven mantras.
B. The Rishi of the Nasadiya Sukta is Parameshti Prajapati.
C. The Nasadiya Sukta consists of thirty-one mantras.
D. The Nasadiya Sukta is found in the second Mandala of the Rigveda.

Select the correct facts regarding the Aitareya Brahmana and the Rigveda:
A. The Aitareya Brahmana contains the famous Shunahshepa legend.
B. The Rigveda Samhita consists of ten Mandalas.
C. The Rigveda contains exactly nine thousand mantras.
D. The Aitareya Brahmana is primarily linked to the Yajurveda.

Match List I with List II based on the famous verse from the Rigveda (1.164.46):
List I (Verses):
A. Indram mitram...
B. Atho divyah sa...
C. Ekam sadvipra...
D. Yamam...
List II (Completions):
I. Suparno garutman
II. Matarishvanamahuh
III. Bahudha vadantyamnim
IV. Varunamagnimahuh

Match List I with List II based on the phonetic and instructional verses of the Paniniya Shiksha:
List I (Instruction/Fragments):
A. Giti shighri shirahkampi...
B. Vyaghri yatha haret...
C. Madhuryamaksharavyaktih...
D. Udattashchanudattashcha...
List II (Completions/Descriptions):
I. Svaritashcha svarastrayah
II. Padachhedastu susvarah
III. Putran darshtrabhyam na cha pidayet
IV. Yathalekhitapathakah

Match the fragments in List I with their corresponding descriptions or completions in List II based on the Nirukta and Vedic commentaries:
List I (Fragments):
A. Kim te...
B. Suprayeva jarbhari...
C. Oshedhe...
D. Avishishtastu...
List II (Completions/Context):
I. Tarfaritu
II. Krnvanti kikateshu
III. Vakyarthah
IV. Trayasvenam

Select the correct statements from the following regarding the Yama-Yami Samvada Sukta (RV 10.10):
A. "Na te sakha sakhyam..." is the second mantra of this Sukta.
B. The Rishi of the Yama-Yami Sukta is Madhuchhandas.
C. There are fifteen mantras in this Sukta.
D. The Yama-Yami Samvada Sukta consists of fourteen mantras.