Test: Devotional Paths to The Divine - UPSC MCQ

The manuscript is South-Indian Manuscript of Bhagavad Gita.

 Shiva, Vishnu and Durga as supreme deities came to be worshipped through elaborate rituals. At the same time, gods and goddesses worshipped in different areas came to be identified with Shiva, Vishnu or Durga.

A hagiography is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader. The term hagiography may be used to refer to the adulatory and idealized biography of a founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religions. Hence the answer is option (B). 

The correct answer is B as There were 12 Alvars who came from different backgrounds and castes. The Nayanars were a group of 63 saints who were devoted to Lord Shiva. The Nayanars were from different castes. 

There were 63 Nayanars who belonged to different caste backgrounds. There were 12 Alvars who came from equally divergent backgrounds.

Ramanuja was born in Tamil Nadu in the eleventh century. He was deeply influenced by the Alvars. He firmly believed that intense devotion to Vishnu was the best means to attain salvation.

• The correct answer is D as the Virashaiva movement began in karnataka.
• Karnataka is the motherland of Veerashaiva religion.

Mirabai left Rana's palace due to facing opposition because of her devotion to Krishna.

These compositions were transmitted through written texts, and marginalized communities played a significant role in their preservation.

Ramanuja, a philosopher, thought that the top method to find salvation was by showing deep love and devotion to Vishnu. This intense love helps the devotee connect with Vishnu and reach a state of happiness and unity with him.

• The saint-poets in Maharashtra, such as Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, and Tukaram, mainly focused on composing inspiring songs in simple Marathi.
• These songs were meant to inspire and uplift people spiritually, emphasizing devotion and love for God.
• They used their poetry to spread messages of unity, love, and compassion among all individuals, regardless of their background or social status.

 He says his legs are pillars, the body is the shrine, and the head is a cupola of gold. This means he is offering a temple made of gold to God.

• Chokhamela's son did compose an abhang questioning the social order.
• An abhang is a Marathi devotional hymn.
• In this particular abhang, Chokhamela's son expresses thoughts about the social order, reflecting on the caste system and inequalities present in society.
• For a 4-6 year old:
• Chokhamela's son really did write a song about how things should be fair for everyone, showing that he wanted things to be better for all people.

• Rumi was indeed a poet from Iran.
• He wrote beautiful poetry that many people still read and enjoy today. Iran is a country in the Middle East, and poets like Rumi have left a lasting impact on literature.

Guru Angad compiled the compositions of Baba Guru Nanak and introduced a new script called Gurmukhi. This script became vital for writing down the teachings and hymns of Guru Nanak.

• Guru Nanak appointed Lehna as his successor, who later became known as Guru Angad.
• This means that after Guru Nanak, Guru Angad took over as the next spiritual leader.
• It's like when a captain of a team retires and then another player becomes the new captain.
• So, in this case, it's true that Lehna became Guru Angad after Guru Nanak.