Indian Independence Movement - Subhash Chandra Bose

Subhash Chandra Bose founded the Indian National Army (INA), also known as Azad Hindu Fauz, in 1942 with Japanese support. He aimed to liberate India from British rule through armed struggle, famously coining the slogan 'Give me blood, and I will give you freedom.'

Subhash Chandra Bose was affectionately called 'Netaji' meaning 'Respected Leader' in Hindi. This title was given by Indian soldiers and the German public during his time in Germany, and it stuck as his honorary name throughout India.

Subhash Chandra Bose was born on January 23, 1897 in Cuttack, Odisha (then Orissa). His father Janakinath Bose was a successful lawyer, and the family was prominent in Cuttack. This date is commemorated as 'Netaji Jayanti' across India.

Subhash Chandra Bose was deeply influenced by the Bhagavad Gita's teachings on duty, action, and righteousness. He often quoted the Gita, particularly the concept of 'karmayoga' or selfless action, viewing the Indian independence struggle as his dharma.

Subhash Chandra Bose married Emilie Schenkl, an Austrian woman, in 1937 in Germany. They met while Bose was in Europe organizing Indian liberation efforts. Emilie was a secretary who worked with Bose and their daughter Anita Pfaff was born in 1942.

Subhash Chandra Bose is presumed to have died on 18 August 1945 from severe burn injuries sustained in a plane crash in Taiwan. He was reportedly en route to Tokyo and died in a hospital shortly after the crash, though conspiracy theories about his survival persist.

Subhash Chandra Bose's famous motto was 'Give me blood and I will give you freedom' (Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azadi dunga), which he delivered to motivate Indians to join the Indian National Army (INA) and fight for independence from British rule. It emphasized the sacrifice needed for freedom.

According to the Mahabharata epic, the Kurukshetra war between the Pandavas and Kauravas lasted exactly 18 days. Each day had specific battles and this is a well-established fact in the traditional account.

Draupadi had five sons, one from each Pandava husband. Sutasoma was her son born to Bhima. Ghatotkacha was Bhima's son from Hidimba (a rakshasi), making option A incorrect. Sarvaga and Rajsuya were not among Draupadi's five sons (Prativindhya, Sutasoma, Srutakarma, Srutakirti, Srutasena).

Bhima had three wives in the Mahabharata: Hidimba (rakshasi, mother of Ghatotkacha), Draupadi (shared wife among Pandavas), and Valandhara (mother of Sarvaga). This makes option B (3) correct.

Bhishma (originally named Devavrata) took a vow of lifelong celibacy (brahmacharya) to enable his father King Shantanu to marry Satyavati. Satyavati's father had conditioned the marriage on Bhishma never claiming the throne or having children, to ensure her descendants would inherit. This is a central narrative in the Mahabharata backstory.

In the Mahabharata, King Parikshit was cursed by sage Shringi's son to die on the seventh day by a snake bite. This happened because the king placed a dead snake around the sage's father's neck, which enraged the young sage. The curse ultimately led to Parikshit's death by Takshaka, the snake king.

According to the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna cursed Ashwatthama with: (1) bearing the burden of all people's sins, (2) total isolation from humanity, and (3) a body covered in non-healing sores and ulcers. Ashwatthama had destroyed Uttara's womb, killing the unborn Parikshit (who was later revived). The curse of eternal suffering and isolation was punishment for this heinous act. Option C correctly lists conditions 1, 2, and 3. Option D (all four) is incorrect because 'prolonged illness' is essentially the same as condition 3, not a separate fourth condition.