Ancient Indian Literature Test

Name/explain three examples of paradoxes from "Creation Hymn"

1) "There was neither non-existence nor existence then." Like many creation myth stories, the Indians believed that in the beginning there was literally nothing. It was just a vast area of nothingness, almost like a black hole. 2) "There was neither death nor immortality then." Because there was nothing, there was no way there could be death or there could be immortality. Nothing was living so therefore nothing had the ability to either die or continue living. 3) "Darkness was hidden by darkness in the beginning." This is a paradox because if darkness is hidden, then how is more darkness visible? This adds to the idea of "nothingness": it couldn't be dark because there was no light (and therefore no way to tell it was dark), it was simply a void of nothing.

Describe what happened to the Kauravas.

100 sons; jealous of cousins, planned to have them/their mom killed in fire. They think they are dead, become court princes, the gods didn't help them. Their uncle divides the kingdom, resulting in jealousy/anger. They need to win the gamblin war, so they get all of Pandavas (people, money, wife). They wanted Pandavas wife as a slave & exiled Pandavas. Vyasa tells them they will fail but they want war. They lose the war/country and die.

Describe what happened to the Pandavas.

5 sons protected by gods, escaped out of house: Vyasa advises them to live as priests. Win princess/share her as a wife and Krishna helps them in the war. They accept their share of the kingdom but they are bad gamblers; don't succeed in the war. Krishna saves the wife and they lose all possessions. Gods make Arjuna invincible but he doesn't want to fight his cousins. They end up winning the war and rule the country.

What is a paradox? Provide an example.

A paradox is a contradictory statement or a statement that seems to state something impossible/incorrect (but still expresses a truth). An example would be, "I know that I know nothing."

How does Arjuna show that he is the best student?

Arjuna shows that he is the best student by being able to focus solely on the bird and its head; he literally cannot physically see anything else and Drona is pleased.

How does Drona reward Arjuna?

Drona rewards Arjuna by giving him the Brahma-Head, an invincible weapon that would supposedly make Arjuan undefeatable/the greatest living archer.

How do gods reflect qualities of heroes?

Gods (in Eastern literature) generally reflect what humans should do (do as I do, while in Western literature it's generally do as I say). Humans are encouraged to model their lives after gods; for instance, they should be peaceful and live as they are intended to. If gods display qualities like courage, discipline, or being skilled ("heroic" qualities), then humans will most likely want to model them.

How does Drona test his students' skills in archery?

He had an artificial bird created and asks his archers to simply shoot off its head.

In what ways is Arjuna different from the rest of the students?

He is different from the other students because he has more skill, focus, and discipline when it comes to mastering his craft. While the other students seem to show a desire to succeed, none do as much as Arjuna. He is willing/able to do things that his classmates can't, which makes him stand out to Drona.

What are you told about "that one" who is mentioned in "Creation Hymn"?

I am told that "that one" is an unidentified, mysterious spirit/being/force that single handedly created the earth. Only who I assume is Indra, the greatest god in Hinduism, knows who "that one" is.

Why do you think Indian parents still tell this story to their children? What lessons does it contain?

I think Indian parents still tell this story to their children because, as I mentioned before, it gives them an idea of what a "good person/model citizen" is. It also teaches important lessons about focusing and listening to your mentors/superiors. This excerpt teaches readers that if you do so, you will be successful.

Who are the Kauravas? Who are the Pandavas?

Kauravas - Duryodhana and his 99 brothers Pandavas - 5 brothers: Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva

Judging from Arjuna's qualities, which traits do you think were admired in ancient India?

One of Arjuna's qualities is courage/heroism, which I can tell was valued in ancient India because being a "hero" is a significant part of any culture. Arjuna was most likely an example of a "model citizen", especially for men. He was brave, focused, hardworking, and skilled, all qualities that ancient Indians most likely valued and wanted their citizens to embody.

Who knows how the Earth was created, according to "Creation Hymn"?

Only "the one who looks down on it, in the highest heaven" knows how the Earth was created; I would assume this is Indra, since he is the greatest god in Hinduism. The universe was created by a force known as "that one", who is completely a mystery.

Name some qualities of heroes as shown in "The Mahabharata".

Some qualities of heroes include being dedicated/disciplined, being selfless and looking out for others, and being skilled or excelling in a particular area.

What was the Aryan view of life and death? (from "Burial Hymn)

The Aryans seem to want to avoid death, wishing everyone a long life, but when death comes, they want you to be happy/successful in the afterlife. For those who were married/related to the dead, they encourage them to keep living and enjoying their lives. They also encourage the relatives to be proud of their relation to the dead; for instance, the priest tells the dead man's wife, "You were the wife of this man who took his hand and desired to have you." They seem to mourn the dead but not for long, instead wishing them well and moving on.

What did the ancient Aryans believe would happen to the dead man? How desirable or frightening did they consider death to be?

The ancient Aryans hoped that the dead man would be welcomed by the earth into the ground. THey hoped/though that he would be happy and successful in the afterlife. However, they valued life over death and while they didn't necessarily think anything bad was going to happen, they wished for long lives rather than death.

What does the priest ask of the earth in "Burial Hymn"?

The priest asks the earth to be welcoming and gentle to the dead man. He asks the earth to let the dead man be happy, successful, and prosperous in the afterlife.