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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. The god Parjanya is closely associated with _____.

2. Who is the mother of the Maruts?

3. Why does Apala's husband supposedly hate her in the later commentaries associated with "Apala and Indra"?

4. In the Atharva Vedic ritual, the Great Naked Woman is treated as a _____.

5. Who are the sky and earth parents of?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the nature of Soma in "The Marriage of Surya"?

2. Who competes in the contest in "The Maruts" and what are they doing in the competition?

3. What are two meanings of "Atri and the Lost Sun"?

4. Who are the sons of the sun and what are their roles?

5. In "Indra and the Maruts", why does Indra mock the Maruts?

6. According to Indian theory, what happens to the sun during the rainy season?

7. Why is the Rig Veda described in "Realia" as worldly?

8. What are the possible meanings of the 'banner that dawn plants in the sky' in "Dawn and the Asvins"?

9. What does the poet ask for at the end of "Parjanya, the Bull", and why?

10. How is the phrase 'O, little mother' a triple entendre in "Indra and the Monkey"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the plot of the allegory of the "The Boy and the Chariot"? How does the boy follow his father into the realm of Yama? What is he trying to accomplish? What does the chariot symbolize in this myth and throughout the Rig Veda?

Essay Topic 2

What role does 'butter' play in the Rig Veda? What is its literal meaning in this context? Find examples of and explain its metaphorical meaning.

Essay Topic 3

Describe Indra's greatest heroic deed in slaying the dragon Vrtra. Why did he slay Vrtra? What was the dragon doing that caused him to be the enemy of Indra? What does this symbolize?

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