Bhaja Govindam & Adi Sankara- Quiz

1. Give the meaning of Bhaja Govindam

   Ans. Seek Govinda, Seek the God.

2. Bhaja Govindam is also called __________

   Ans. Moha Mudgara.

3. Adi Sankara lived for __________ years and established __________ philosophy.

   Ans. 32, Advaita Vedanta.

4. Give Sankara’s birth details
   a. Place of birth?
   b. Period of birth?
   c. Parents’ names?
   d. Reason for his birth(circumstances)?

   Ans. a. Kaladi village, central Kerala.
   b. 8th century A.D.
   c. Sivaguru and Aryamba.
   d. Sankara was born as a result of prayers to Lord Shiva, of Vrishabachaleshwara temple at Trichur.

5. Write about Sankara’s early life?

   Ans. Sankara was born towards the end of 8th century A.D at Kaladi, a village in Central Kerala. He was the only son of a devout Nambudri Brahmin couple Sivaguru & Aryamba. Sankara was an infant prodigy and completed vedic studies by the age of eight. His father died when he was still young and it was his mother who brought him up with loving care as he was her only source of consolation and support now. The boy exhibited ascetic tendencies and the mother felt very upset.

   When Sankara was bathing in the nearby Purna river and while the mother was standing on the bank, a crocodile caught hold of the boy’s leg and started dragging him into deeper waters. When death was seemingly near, Sankara asked his mother’s permission to enter the last ashram of sanyasa, Apat Sanyasa. Aryamba reluctantly gave consent and mysteriously the crocodile let go of the boy. Sankara emerged from the river as a Bala Sanyasin at the very young age of 8. He decided to become a wandering monk and soon left his village after assuring his mother that he would be at her side during her last days and would even perform her funeral rites.

6. After leaving his birthplace, he reached the banks of __________ river where he met is Guru __________ who was the disciple of __________ of __________ reputation.

   Ans. Narmada, Govinda Bhagavatpada, Gaudapada, Mandukya Karika.

7. In about how many years did Sankara complete his Vedic studies and Sadhana?

   Ans. About 7 years.

8. After completion of studies what did his Guru ask him to do?

   Ans. His Guru asked him to go to Kashi and spread the message of Advaita Vedanta by writing commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the Upanishads and the Bhagawad Gita.

9. How did Sankara spread the message of Advaita Vedanta?

   Ans. Sankara traveled to Kashi and won several debates defeating eminent leaders of other systems of philosophy and thereby establishing Advaita philosophy.

10. Sankara had established himself as a great philosopher in the city of __________ by the age of __________

    Ans. Kashi, sixteen.

11. Sankara in his earlier years started on a tour of India for a __________ under instructions from __________ who blessed him while he was writing __________.

    Ans. Dig Vijaya or spiritual conquest, Veda Vyasa, Brahma Sutra Bhashya.

12. To establish the truth of __________ over __________, Sankara had a great debate with __________ who was a disciple of __________.

    Ans. Jnana Kanda, Karma Kanda, Mandana Misra, Kumarila Bhatta.

13. In this debate,
    a. Who was the judge?
    b. What was the judge’s relation with Sankara’s opponent?
    c. By what name was the opponent later on called as?

    Ans. a. Ubhaya Bharati
    b. Mandana Misra’s wife
    c. Sri Sureswaracharya

14. Name the mutts established by Sankara and the names of his disciples who were chosen as the heads of these mutts

    Ans. i) South – Sringeri mutt – Sri Sureswaracharya.
    ii) North – Badri math – Totaka.
    iii) West – Dwaraka math – Padamapada.
    iv) East – Jagannath Puri – Hastamalaka.
    v) Kamakoti mutt @ Kanchi in Tamilnadu.

15. Describe Sankara’s moments with his mother during her last moments.

    Ans. After a pretty long stay at Sringeri, he hastened to the bedside of his dying mother in his ancestral home at Kaladi and sped her soul to the “immortal realms of light” to the strains of mellifluous hymns in praise of Shiva and Vishnu. Undeterred by the opposition of his pharisaical (religious formalist) kinsmen. He cremated his mother’s body on the river bank behind the house and the spot has since become hallowed as a place of pilgrimage.

16. Sankara visited many temples in India and established __________ in many of them. Name atleast three such temples.

    Ans. i) Sri chakras. Kamakshi temple, Kanchi
    ii) Nara Narayana temple, Badri
    iii) Guhyeshwari temple, Nepal.

17. He earned the name of __________ because of his triumphant tours all over India.

    Ans. Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya (best of peripatetic teachers).

18. As a symbol of recognition of his scholarship he ascended the __________ in Kashmir.

    Ans. Sarvajna Pitha.

19. During his last visit to Nepal, he had a vision of __________ and from there he went to __________ where he is said to have disappeared from this world.

    Ans. Sri Dattatreya, Kedarnath.

20. Some say he also ended his life by merging with __________

    Ans. Kamakshi at Kanchi.

21. Sankara symbolizes the great __________ culture.

    Ans. Rishi.

22. The kingdom of __________, __________ and __________ are within each one of us, says Advaita.

    Ans. Peace, fullness and Joy.

23. Meaning of Sankara?

    Ans. Sam karoti iti Sankara – he who blesses is Sankara.

24. How many Stanzas are there in Bhaja Govindam?

    Ans. 31.

25. Bhaja Govindam along with __________ comes under the category of Prakarna Granthas

    Ans. Atma Bodha.

26. What are Prakarana Granthas?

    Ans. Introductory manuals for spiritual studies are called Prakarana Granthas.

27. What are commentaries on Indian scriptures called as?

    Ans. Bhashyas.

28. Name the occasion and year when swami dwelled on this subject of Bhaja Govindam.

    Ans. Summer course on Indian culture and Spirituality, 1973 at Brindavan.

29. How many stanzas did Swami elaborate upon?

    Ans. 16.

30. Meaning of Apat Sanyasa?

    Ans. It is the last ashram of Sanyasa. It means formal renunciation at a critical situation.

31. Explain briefly the circumstances which triggered Sankara to write Bhaja Govindam.

    Ans. Once in Benaras, when Sankara was going on his daily rounds along with his fourteen disciples, he overheard a very old Pundit cramming Panini’s Grammar rules. Sankara was touched with pity at the ignorance and folly of the man, wasting away the most precious “dusk hours” of his life for a mere intellectual accomplishment instead of spending them in contemplation on the Lord, praying for spiritual enlightenment and for release from bondage of Samsara.

ALSO PLEASE LEARN

All 16 Bhaja Govindam verses + Meanings of these verses from Path Divine textbook:

Pages 19 – 24