Indian Literature and Texts

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote 'Anand Math' in 1882, which contains the patriotic song 'Vande Mataram' that became India's national song. Swami Vivekananda was a Hindu monk and key figure in introducing Indian philosophies to the West, while Dayananda Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj. Ramakrishna Paramahansa was Vivekananda's guru.

The Andhras were first mentioned in the Aitreya Brahmana, which is a Brahmana text attached to the Rig Veda. This text provides early historical references to various kingdoms and tribes of ancient India. The other options are texts from different traditions or periods and don't contain this early mention of the Andhras.

Tulsi Das (also known as Tulsidas or Goswami Tulsidas) wrote the Ramacharitamanas, an epic poem in Awadhi language that retells the story of Lord Ram. This 16th-century work is one of the most revered texts in Hindu literature and played a key role in making the Ramayana story accessible to common people. Valmiki wrote the original Sanskrit Ramayana, while Bhakta Kabir and Bhakta Ramdev were other Bhakti movement saints with different literary contributions.

The Rig Veda is the oldest Veda, composed between 1500-1200 BCE. It is the most ancient Hindu religious text and foundation of the other three Vedas.

Charles Lamb's 'Essays of Elia' (1823) and 'Last Essays of Elia' (1833) ARE personal essays reflecting his life, memories, and impressions - not economic, political, or formal literary criticism. The title 'Eila' appears to be a typo/OCR error for 'Elia' (Lamb's pen name).

The Rig Veda is the oldest of the four Vedas, dating back to approximately 1500-1200 BCE. It is a collection of hymns and praises dedicated to various deities and is considered the foundation of Hindu scripture. The other Vedas (Sama, Yajur, and Atharva) were composed later.

The Gayatri Mantra is a highly revered Vedic mantra found in the Rig Veda (Mandala 3.62.10). It is dedicated to Savitr, the sun deity, and is considered one of the most important mantras in Hinduism.

The Brahmanas are Vedic texts that contain ritualistic precepts and explanations of the hymns in the Samhitas. They provide the ceremonial procedures and philosophical interpretations for Vedic rituals. The correct answer is D (Brahmanas), not the Samhitas (which contain the hymns themselves) or Puranas (which are later encyclopedic texts).

This is the correct option, as ‘sacred’ here implies the book that is entitled to reverence and respect from Hindus. Something that is holy.

The Atharva Veda is the correct answer as it contains hymns, spells, and incantations for everyday life, including magical charms and spells for protection, healing, and various purposes. The Rig Veda primarily contains hymns praising deities, Yajur Veda focuses on ritual formulas and sacrifices, while Sama Veda consists of musical melodies derived from Rig Vedic hymns.

The Rigveda, the oldest of the four Vedas, contains exactly 1,028 hymns (suktas) organized into 10 books (mandalas). It comprises approximately 10,600 verses dedicated to various deities. The 1028 figure is well-documented in Vedic scholarship and Indological studies.

The Ramayana and Mahabharata reached their final form during the Later Vedic period (c. 1000-600 BCE). While their oral traditions may be older, they were compiled and composed in this period, reflecting the social and cultural changes of that era.

O.V. Vijayan, the Indian author and cartoonist known for his novel Khasakkinte Itihasam, was born in 1930. He was a prominent figure in Malayalam literature.

The four Vedas - Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva - are the primary sources of information about Aryan history, culture, religion, and social structure. While Sama Veda is indeed a Veda, the question asks which is 'not one of the main sources,' implying it's less historical compared to Rig Veda, which contains more historical information about early Aryan society and their compositions.

The Vedas are the oldest and most sacred scriptures of Hinduism, composed in Vedic Sanskrit. They contain hymns, philosophy, rituals, and guidance for life. The Koran is Islamic, the Talmud is Jewish, and the Old Testament is part of Christian and Jewish scriptures.