1.
How long is a single Kalpa?
Correct Answer
C. 1000 cycles of the four yugas
Explanation
A Kalpa is equal to 4.32 billion years and is a day of Lord Brahma. One thousand cycles of the four yugas (Satya, Treta, Dvapara and the present Kali yuga) or ages (gold, silver, bronze and iron age) equals to one Kalpa. Nrsimha appeared close to the end of Satya yuga or the Golden age. Nrsimha, unlike many other incarnations does not appear one thousand times in one Kalpa but around 10 times only. One Kalpa equals to one day or night of Lord Brahma and only in the day of Lord Brahma that life in this material creation exists. With the onset of Lord Brahma's night, the entire universe is devastated and plunged into darkness. When another day of Lord Brahma begins, life again becoms manifest. Every time Nrsimha appears the pastime of Nrsimha varies.
2.
Who is Sarabha?
Correct Answer
B. Lord Shiva's Ugra rupa as a bird like creature
Explanation
At another time, Lord Shiva took the form of Sarabha (a bird like creature who devours lions and elephants) to cool down Nrsimhadeva. However, when Sarabha approached Nrsimha, He became even more ferocious and revealed His special form as Asta Muhka Ganda Berundha Nrsimha, having 8 heads. The Sarabha Form of Lord Shiva was then torn apart in a hundred pieces, and only Lakshmi in Her secret tantric form as Sri Nrsimhi (also known as Pratyangira devi) was able to bring Nrsimhadeva back to His peaceful form.
3.
Nrsimha also married________as a tribal girl.
Correct Answer
Bhumi devi
Mother Earth
Bumi devi
Bhumi
Bumi
Explanation
Bhumi devi (mother earth) incarnated as Chechu Lakshmi, a tribal girl and married Nrsimhadeva.
4.
What does "Hiranyakashipu" means?
Correct Answer
E. Golden bed
Explanation
Prahlada and other names like Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha are in Sanskrit.
Prahlada - Joy, delight and happiness
Hiranyakashipu - Golden bed
Hiranyaksha - Golden eye
5.
Why was Prahlada's soul chosen to be Prahlada?
Correct Answer
E. Because of the vrata he followed
Explanation
Nrsimha said to Prahlada -
Due to being attached to a prostitute you became accustomed to drinking wine and performing other sinful activities, so that you never engaged in the study of the Vedas. You spent more time at the house of the prostitute. One day however you and she quarrelled with each other and because of that you missed your meal that day. As a result both of you unknowingly observed a sacred vow in relation with Me – not eating and sleeping the entire day and through the night.
Because of unknowingly observing this vow in relation to Me, you became purified and accumulated heaps of pious merit. By the performance of this vow many devas, Brahma and Mahadeva attained perfection of life and the power they needed to perform their tasks. Dear Prahlada, on the strength of that vow you came to render devotional service unto Me. In the next life the prostitute was born in heaven as an Apsara and after enjoying life there she entered My supreme abode.
6.
Who are Hiranyakashipu's (and Hiranyaksha's) parents?
Correct Answer
D. Kashyap and Diti
7.
When did Kashyap and Diti had their sexual intercourse?
Correct Answer
A. As Lord Shiva riding on his bull along with many other fearsome looking ghosts who follow Lord Shiva for their welfare are passing by
Explanation
One evening, Diti was sexually inclined and wished to beget a child. Diti's husband, Kashyap was performing a fire sacrifice at that time but after understanding the strong sexual desire of his wife, he accepted her request but he did not wanted to engage in sexual intercourse at that very moment as that time is very inauspicious as Lord Shiva riding on his bull along with many other fearsome looking ghosts who follow Lord Shiva for their welfare are passing by. But Diti could not control her desires and caught hold of the sage's clothes and the great sage Kashyap understanding his wife's purpose, he and his wife engaged in sexual intercourse in a secluded place.
8.
Is it true that Nrsimha also saved Adi Sankara?
Correct Answer
A. True
Explanation
Adi Sankara appeared to establish the impersonal philosophy that God Has no form and that wen we die, our soul will merge into this impersonal God. Actually Adi Sankara is Lord Shiva himself and although this impersonal philosophy is not accepted by Lord Shiva himself, he appeared to teach this philosophy under the order of Krishna as He was disturbed by the materialistic desires that people wanted Krishna to grant. Once Adi Sankara was about to be sacrificed by a Kapalika (devotees of the goddess Kali) but then he was saved by Nrsimhadeva. Then Adi Sankara composed the wonderful "Lakshmi Nrsimha Stotra" which glorifies the Lord.
9.
Then a shadow-like figure appeared to emerge from Prahlada's body.
Prahlada who was puzzled asked the shadow, "Who are you?" The shadow
answered, "I am your virtuous ___. Now I am leaving you and
entering this boy's body.
Correct Answer
character
qualities
Explanation
Prahlada Maharaja once conquered Heaven. King Indra accepted Sage Brhaspati's advice and went to meet Sage Sukracarya. Sukracarya told Indra that Prahlada Maharaja was a very noble person. King Indra decided to attain those good qualities from Prahlad. King Indra disguised himself as a Brahmin boy and approached Prahlada with a request for moral and spiritual advice. Prahlada accepted him as his pupil and gave him the advice. Pleased with the pupil's devotion, Prahlada agreed to give him whatever boon he wanted. The boy said that he wanted only the good qualities of his guru, Prahlada Maharaja. Prahlada agreed to it. Then a shadow-like figure appeared to emerge from Prahlada's body. Prahlada who was puzzled asked the shadow, "Who are you?" The shadow answered, "I am your virtuous character. Now I am leaving you and entering this boy's body." Saying thus, it left Prahlada's body and entered Indra's body. Following it, all the good qualities of Prahlada entered King Indra's body. It was only in the end that Prahlada Maharaja came to know that the cunning pupil was King Indra. Thus from that day, Prahlada Maharaja began to decline in his good qualities and King Indra began to prosper.
10.
There were many ____ offered by the demigods in order to pacify Nrsimhadeva.
Correct Answer
11.
According to the opinion of some historians, Prahlāda Mahārāja was born
in Tretā-yuga in the city of Multan, in the state of _____.
Correct Answer
Explanation
Purport of Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Antya 9.10 -
According to the opinion of some historians, Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in Tretā-yuga in the city of Multan, in the state of Punjab. He was born of Hiraṇyakaśipu, a king of the dynasty of Kaśyapa. Prahlāda Mahārāja was a great devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, but his father was very much against Viṣṇu. Because the father and son thus differed in their consciousness, the demon father inflicted all kinds of bodily pain upon Prahlāda. When this torture became intolerable, the Supreme Lord appeared as Nṛsiḿhadeva and killed the great demon Hiraṇyakaśipu.....
12.
Prahlāda Mahārāja, Bali Mahārāja, Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and other
great sages came to visit Sri ________________. Upon seeing Him,
they became unconscious in ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.
Correct Answer
Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Chaitanya
Caitanya
Gauranga
Explanation
Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Antya 9.10
TRANSLATION
Prahlāda Mahārāja, Bali Mahārāja, Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and other great sages came to visit Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Upon seeing Him, they became unconscious in ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.
13.
The most famous prayer to Nrsimhadeva (after the Nrsimha Pranam)
Correct Answer
B. Nrsimha Kavacha
14.
Nrsimhadeva (is said to) appeared in?
Correct Answer
D. Ahobilam
Explanation
Nrsimha is believed to have appeared in Ahobilam, South India. Ahobilam is located in the Nandayal Taluka of Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located at a distance of 40 km from Nandyal, and is conveniently accessibly by bus from Nandyal, Kurnool and Hyderabad. Ahobilam is not connected by rail; the closest railway stations are Nandyal. There are nine temples worshipping nine different forms of Nrsimha around the Nallamala Forest range. Few temples can be reached through trekking. Some temples are inside the cave. Some temples are very difficult to trek. It is on these hills that Garuda, the vehicle of Lord Vishnu, did penance to see the forms of Nrsimhadeva.
15.
There are only 9 forms of Nrsimhadeva
Correct Answer
B. False
16.
If you are facing a very difficult task , the Narada Purana recommends you to meditate on Nrsimha smiling with Prahlada and Lakshmi.
Correct Answer
B. False
Explanation
When one faces a very difficult task, he should meditate upon Lord Nrsimhadeva having sixteen hands. With His sixteen hands, the Lord splits open the demon with two and lifts his intestines with two more. Two hands hold a conch and disc, two more hold a bow and an arrow, two more hands hold a sword and an iron club, two hands hold a mace and a lotus, two hold a noose and a goad, while the remaining two hands are kept on the crown of the enemy. If a task is exceedingly great, Lord Nrsimhadeva should be meditated upon as having thirty-two hands.
17.
A Nrsimha-like sculpture was found in
Correct Answer
C. Germany
18.
Nrsimha also appeared as a half-lion half-tiger
Correct Answer
B. False
Explanation
It's Half-Lion Half-Cat