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Vedas, Puranas and Upanishads
Sanskrit - the language of the Vedic Texts.

Vedas, Puranas and Upanishads

The Vedas

There are four Vedas: the Rig Veda, the Sama Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Atharva Veda. These are the primary texts of Hinduism. They have also had a vast influence on Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

Traditionally the text of the Vedas was coeval with the universe but scholars have determined that the Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas, was composed about 1500 BC and codified about 600 BC. It is unknown when it was finally committed to writing, but this probably was at some point after 300 B.C.

The Vedas contain hymns, incantations, and rituals from ancient India. Along with the Book of the Dead, the Enuma Elish, the I Ching and the Avesta, they are among the most ancient religious texts still in existence. Besides their spiritual value, they also give a unique view of everyday life in India four thousand years ago.

The Puranas

The Puranas are post-Vedic texts which typically contain a complete narrative of the history of the Universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of the kings, heroes and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology and geography. There are 17 or 18 canonical Puranas, divided into three categories, each named after one of the deities: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. There are also many other works termed Purana, known as 'Upapuranas.'

The Upanishads

The Upanishads are a continuation of the Vedic philosophy, and were written between 800 and 400 B.C. They elaborate on how the soul (Atman) can be united with the ultimate truth (Brahman) through contemplation and mediation, as well as the doctrine of Karma - the cumulative effects of a persons' actions.

1.
How many Upanishads are there?
There are 108,000 Upanishads
There are 10,800 Upanishads
There are 1,080 Upanishads
There are 108 Upanishads
There are 108 Upanishads in the history of Hinduism
2.
Who wrote the Brahma Sutras?
Ved Vyas
Rama
Valmiki
Kabir
Ved Vyas wrote the Brahma Sutras and the philosopher and theologian Adi Shankacharya made a popular commentary to them in the 9th century
3.
How many Vedas are there?
There are 2 Vedas
There are 4 Vedas
There are 6 Vedas
There are 8 Vedas
The four Vedas are the Rig Veda, the Shyam Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Atharva Veda
4.
What is the name of the last part of Gita which was dictated by Krishna?
Veda Gita
Uddhava Gita
Rama Gita
Srimad Bhagwat Gita
The last part of Gita was recited by Shri Krishna to his disciple. It is called Uddhava Gita after the disciple who wrote down Krishna's words
5.
How many Puranas are there?
There are 9 Puranas
There are 18 Puranas
There are 27 Puranas
There are 36 Puranas
The 18 Puranas are classified in three categories, one for each of the gods who make up the Tri-Murti (Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar)
6.
What is Shri Krishna's final discourse to Arjuna called?
Rama Gita
Uttara Gita
Anu Gita
Uddhava Gita
Anu (meaning 'small') Gita is the last teaching Shri Krishna bestowed upon Arjuna. It is a teaching on the transmigration of souls, the way to attain liberation, dharma and the benefits of an austere life
7.
What is the second part of Gita called?
Uttara Gita
Anu Gita
Uddhava Gita
Rama Gita
The second part of Shri Krishna's teachings to Arjuna (the 3rd Pandava brother) is called Uttara Gita
8.
The ancient Vedic texts were written in which language?
Punjabi
Hindi
Sanskrit
Hindi
Sanskrit is an ancient language and all of the Hindu scriptures are written in it. It is also believed that Sanskrit is the mother of all Indian languages today
9.
What is the name of the place where Ved Vyas taught the Puranas and the Vedas?
Lanka
Ayodhya
Varanasi
Naimisharanya
Ved Vyas taught the Vedas and Puranas in a jungle on the banks of the Gomati River named Naimisharanya
10.
Where is Tripura Rahasya (The Mystery beyond the Trinity) listed?
In the Ved Samhita
In the Haritaayana Samhita
In the Kali Samhita
In the Rudra Samhita
Haritaayana is the name of the author who wrote about Tripura Rahasya in his Haritaayana Samhita

 

Author:  Siddarth Bhattacharjee

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