Name: _________________________ | Period: ___________________ |
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. The word for exertion of religious activity in "Agastya and Lopamudra" is _____.
2. In "The Three Strides of Visnu", the commentator suggests that the ferocious beast is a _____.
3. Who is Rudra's successor as a Hindu god?
4. What is Rudra the embodiment of?
5. In the hymn, "Indra and the Maruts", what type of animal is named as 'the does' that are yoked to the chariot?
Short Essay Questions
1. What are the possible meanings of the 'banner that dawn plants in the sky' in "Dawn and the Asvins"?
2. What does the poet ask for at the end of "Parjanya, the Bull", and why?
3. What are two meanings of "Atri and the Lost Sun"?
4. What is the nature of Soma in "The Marriage of Surya"?
5. Why is the Rig Veda described in "Realia" as worldly?
6. Why does the author say it is a possibility that priests are being satirized in "The Frogs"?
7. What are the different meanings of the 'house of clay' metaphor in "The House of Clay"?
8. What is the role of beauty in regards to women in the Rig Veda?
9. In "The Courtship of Ghosa", what does Ghosa ask the Asvins?
10. Who brandishes their power and in what way in "The Deeds of Varuna"?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
What are the different types of oblation? Where and when are they presented, and by whom? Cite specific instances from the hymns.
Essay Topic 2
What are the Maruts known for? Whom do they serve? Why does Agastya have to apologize to them?
Essay Topic 3
Describe the relationship between male and female characters in the Rig Veda. Do females have an equal role in the texts? Who is the female counterpart to Yama and what is she known for? Do females invoke the gods? How are female characters voiced?
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