India | Mahabharata

Q.  Name the Persian version of the Mahabharat, translated during Akbar’s reign?

A.  Razm-namah

Q.  In the war of the Mahabharata, who killed Chitrasena, Satyasena and Sushena, the sons of Karna?

A.  Nakula

Q.  According to the Mahabharata, who revealed the fact the Kamsa was not the son of Ugrasena?

A.  Narada

Q.  According to the Mahabharata, in which wildlife sanctuary in India did Bhima kill Kichaka?

A.  Chikhaldhara

Q.  In the Mahabharata, who was Drona's father?

A.  Bharadwaz

Q.  In the Mahabharata, who slayed Ghatotkacha?

A.  Karna

Q.  In the Mahabharata, who was the mother of Babhruvahana?

A.  Chitrangada

Q.  In the Mahabharata, who was the father of Janmajaya?

A.  Parikshit

Q.  Who was Bishma's father?

A.  King Shantanu. King Shantanu was one of the first few kings of the Kuru house. He had two wives, Ganga( the river goddess) and Satyavati (who was a fisherwoman). Bishma was King Shantanu's son through his first wife Ganga. Chitraganda and Vichitraveerya were Bishma's step brothers.

Q.  Who vowed to kill Bishma in her next birth?

A.  Princess Amba. Princess Amba was reborn as Shikandi. She had vowed to kill Bishma as the latter refused to marry her. Her sisters Ambika and Ambaalika married King Vichtraveerya.

Q.  When King Vichitraveerya died, who finally gave an heir to the Kuru clan?

A.  Veda Vyaasa. In the absence of a king a noble brahmin was allowed to give an heir to the throne. Queen Ambika closed her eyes when she saw the brahmin; hence Dirtharashtra was born blind. Queen Ambaalika became pale and weak when she saw the bhramin, and hence Pandu was born anaemic.A charya Vidura was born to Queen Ambika's maid through Veda Vyaasa.

Q.  Who was Shakuni?

A.  The brother of Gandhari. Shakuni, the expert at the game of dice was the brother of Gandhari and hence was King Ditharashtra's brother-in-law. He was the maternal uncle of the Kauravas.

Q.  The 100 Kauravas also had a sister. What was her name?

A.  Dushala. Dushala was the sister of the Kauravas. She later married Jayadrata.

Q.  Which great sage gave Kunti a boon that she could beget a son whenever she wished for one through the devas?

A.  Sage Duruvasa. Sage Duruvasa was short in stature but incomparable in learning.He was a very short-tempered man. Kunti was a great devotee of his and hence he gave her the boon.

Q.  What was the pet name given to Karna by his foster parents?

A.  Radheya. Karna was Kunti's eldest born through Surya, the sun god. Without realising the consequences, Kunti playfully tried Sage Duruvasa's mantra when she was still unmarried. Karna was thus born. She had placed him in a wooden box and set it afloat on a river. A charioteer, Adhiratha, found the baby and called it by the pet name Radheya," meaning ""son of Radha"". (Radha was Karna's foster mother.)"

Q.  Who was Kamsa?

A.  Krishna's Uncle. Kamsa was King Ugrasena's son, Lord Krishna's maternal uncle, and Devaki's brother. He was married to the twin daughters of King Jarasandha (the ruler of Magadha). He tormented Vasudeva, Devaki and Ugrasena and was later killed by Lord Krishna.

Q.  Who was Lord Krishna's foster mother?

A.  Yashoda. Yashoda was Lord Krishna's foster mother; she was Nanda's wife. They were from the Yadava dynasty. Nanda was a great friend of Vasudeva who was Krishna's father. Fearing that Kamsa would harm Krishna, Vasudeva exchanged his son for Nanda's daughter.

Q.  Who had insulted Acharya Drona?

A.  King Drupada. Acharya Drona was the teacher of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Drupada was Acharya Drona's Childhood Friend. He had insulted Drona when the latter went to him for financial help. Drona had his revenge when the Pandavas captured Drupada and brought him before Drona. Drupada vowed that he would beget a son who would kill Drona.

Q.  What "Guru-Dakshina" did Drona ask from Ekalavya?

A.  His right thumb. This was one of the most cruel acts that Drona committed and he paid for it on the Kurukshetra battlefield.

Q.  Friendship in the Mahabharatha was defined by whom?

A.  Duryodhana and Karna. Karna and Duryodhana were the thickest of friends.Karna gave his life in the end for his friend. It was Duryodhana who made Karna the king of Anga.

Q.  By Whom the ""House of Lac"" was built ?

A.  Purochana. The architect built the ""house of lac"" in Varnavata. It was plot to kill the Pandavas hatched by Duryodhana and Shakuni. Acharya Vidura saved the Pandavas."

Q.  Who were Gatotkacha's parents?

A.  Bheema and Hidimbaa. Bheema and Hidimbaa were Gatotkacha's parents. Bheema killed Hidimbasura, Hidimbaa's brother.

Q.  Which Rakshasa did Bheema kill in Ekachakra?

A.  Bakasura. Bakasura was killed by Bheema at Ekachakra. The Pandavas took shelter in the house of a poor Bhramin. Bakasura lived just outside the city. The villagers had an agreement with Bakasura that if he left the them undisturbed they would send a cart load of food with a human being for him to eat every week. Bheema took the Bhramin's place and killed Bakasura.

Q.  What was the capital of Panchala?

A.  Kamapilya. Kamapilya was the capital of Panchala. It was Drupada's Kingdom.Drupada's daughter - Draupadi or Panchali was the wife of the Pandavas.

Q.  What was the Balarama's weapon?

A.  plough. Balarama's weapon was the plough. He is the god of wine. He was the brother of Lord Krishna.

Q.  Which emperor did Bheema defeat in order to enable Yudhistra to perform the Rajasuya Yagna?

A.  Jarasandha. Jarasandha the emperor who ruled from Magadha was killed by Bheema in order to enable Yudhistra to perform the Rajasuya Yagna. It was said Jarasandha would die only if his body was spilt into two pieces and if the pieces were thrown in opposite directions.

Q.  Who was Beeshmaka?

A.  Krishna's father-in-law. King Beeshmaka was the father of Prince Rukmi and Princess Rukmini.Princess Rukmini later married Lord Krishna.

Q.  Which apsara wanted to marry Arjuna when he was in Indraloka?

A.  Urvashi. Urvashi, the apsara, wanted to marry Arjuna. Arjuna declined as the immortal apsara had been married to one of Arjuna's ancestors. Urvashi cursed Arjuna that he would have to spend a part of his life as a eunuch.

Q.  What was Yudhistra's weakness?

A.  Gambling. Gambling was a major weakness of Yudhishtra. Shakuni and Duryodhana exploited this.

Q.  Which Pandava vowed to kill the evil Dushasana and drink his blood when he molested Draupadi?

A.  Bheemasena. Bheema accomplished his vow in the great battle of the kurus which followed.

Q.  Who was bestowed with unique vision to narrate the happenings of the war to King Dirtharashtra?

A.  Sanjaya. Maharishi Ved Vyasa bestowed divine vision upon Sanjaya to narrate the happenings of the war to the king.

Q.  How many warriors did each elephant carry in the war?

A.  Seven (7). Each elephant was decked with ornaments and carried seven warriors and their weapons.

Q.  After beholding which divine sight did Arjuna take up his arms against the Kurus?

A.  Lord Krishna's Vishwaroopa or divine form. Lord Krishna bestowed special eyesight upon Arjuna and he was shown the Lord's Vishwaroopa or Divine Form, encompassing of all possible matter in the universe.

Q.  Who was the First Commander in Chief of the Kaurava Army?

A.  Bheeshma. Bheeshma was the first Commander in Chief , Drona was the second, Karna was the third, and Ashvathama the last Commander in chief of the Kaurava army.

Q.  Acharya Drona was a Maharathi?

A.  True. Indeed Acharya Drona was one of the greatest Maharathis. Warriors on Chariot were classified as Rathi, Atirathi or Maharathi ,depending on their skill and valour.

Q.  Virata was one of the Maharathis in the Pandava army: who was the other?

A.  Drupada. Drishtadyumna and Drishtaketu were Atirathis while Shikhandi was a Rathi.

Q.  Who was King Santunu's first wife?

A.  The Ganga. King Santunu got married twice. His first wife killed 7 of his 8 sons and his second wife, who was called Satyavati, rowed a boat on a lake.

Q.  Who was the blind king?

A.  The Dhitarashta. Dhitarashta was born blind. When he got married, his wife Gandhari put on a blindfold to 'share her husband's world'.

Q.  What offering did Eklavya give Dronacharya?

A.  The His right thumb. Dronacharya (Sage Drona) asked for Eklavya's thumb because he was learning from Dronacharya without him knowing. Eklavya pulled out a dagger and sliced his thumb off.

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