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Indian Philosophy and Aesthetics

2,776 Questions

Indian philosophy spans diverse concepts from Buddhist teachings and practices to ancient aesthetics. This collection covers meditation rules, spiritual enlightenment, and cultural expressions like Odissi. These topics are vital for general awareness in civil services and state exams.

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Indian Philosophy and Aesthetics Questions

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Which of the following was the basic premise of Bkakti Movement?

  1. Bhakti or Single-minded, uninterrupted and extreme devotion to God with the help of Brahmins was only means of Salvation.

  2. Bhakti or Single-minded, uninterrupted and extreme devotion to God was the only means of Salvation.

  3. Both A and B

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The doctrine of the oneness of the individual soul and intense devotion or love towards the God was the the best means of attaining salvation.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Which of the following statement is true regarding the Bhakti Movement?
I.  It Condemned rituals, ceremonies, and blind faith.
II. Rejection of idol worship by many saints.
Which of the statement(s) given is/are correct?

  1. I only

  2. II only

  3. Both I and II

  4. Neither I nor II
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Different saints of the north and south India had started a movement against the caste hierarchy, rituals, and blind faith. This movement is called the Bhakti movement. Saints of this movement stressed on equality. They said that 
God can be achieved through devotion and good deeds. Two forms of bhakti were introduced

(A) Sagun Bhakti - Saints of this form had faith in worshipping God with form. They advocated idol worship.
(B) Nirgun Bhakti - Saints of this form had faith in worshipping God without any form. They were against idol worship.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Consider the following statement that are related to the Bhakti Movement:
I. Originated as a reaction on caste division, untouchability and ritualism in India.
II. Devotion was the pivotal point in the Bhakti cult in uniting human soul with God. 
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

  1. I only

  2. II only

  3. Both I and II

  4. Neither I nor II
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

During medieval period discrimination on the basis of caste, sex, religion was at the boom. People believed in untouchability and to fulfil useless rituals.  Due to these practices, people were suffering and as a result different saints, poets and social reformers gave birth to the Bhakti movement. Though the ideology of different saints might differ yet they all were agreed on the following points

(1) God is one and we all are his children.
(2) We can achieve God and can feel his presence by devotion.
(3) The purity of soul can connect a person with God.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Which statement(s) is/are related to the Ramananda?
I. He worshipped Ram and Sita but preached the oneness of God and the doctrine of Bhakti for everyone.
II. Dismissed the caste system and untouchability, simplified rules of worship and made rigidity of the Varnashrama tradition milder.

  1. I only

  2. II only

  3. Both I and II

  4. Neither I nor II
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Ramanand was born in Allahabad. He was a disciple of Ramanuja. He spread the message of devotion to Lord Rama. He challenged caste distinctions. He was against bad customs and ceremonies. He accepted his disciples without discrimination of caste, gender, religion, and birth.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Which of the following statement(s) is correct about Alvar Saints?

  1. The twelve Alvars were Tamil poet-saints, who lived between 6th and 9th centuries AD and espoused 'emotional devotion' or bhakti to Vishnu-Krishna in their songs.

  2. The 93 Alvars Saints were the Shiva devotional poets, who lived between 5th and 10th centuries.

  3. Only B

  4. Both A & B
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The earliest bhakti movements (from sixth century to ninth century) were led by the 12 Alvars. These Alvars were“immersed” in devotion to Vishnu or Krishna.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Consider the following statements:
I. Some of the earliest bhakti movements (c.sixth century) were led by the Alvars (literally, those who are "immersed" in devotion to Vishnu) and (literally, leaders who were devotees of Shiva).
II. They travelled from place to place singing hymns in Tamil in praise of their gods. 
III. During their travels the Alvars and Nayanars identified certain shiners as abodes of their chosen deities.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct about Alvars and Nayanars?

  1. Only I

  2. I and II

  3. I and III

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Alvars were devotees of Vishnu and the Nayanars were devotees of Shiva. They traveled extensively, composing hymns in Tamil, and sanctified specific locations as abodes of their deities.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Which of the following statement is not correct about Andal?

  1. Andal was a woman Alvar, the most striking of her compositions were widely sung (and continue to be sung to date).

  2. Andal was a woman Nayanar, she incorporated the prevailing caste system in the society.

  3. Andal saw herself as the beloved of Vishnu; her verses express her love for the deity.

  4. Andal saw herself as the beloved of Krishna; her verses express her love for the diety.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Andal was the only female Alvar saint among 12 alvar saints of the south. She was the daughter of Alvar saint Periyalvar. Like other Alvar saints, she was also a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Her Tamil work Thiruppavi and Nachiar are still recited by devotees during the winter festival season of Margazhi.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Select the incorrect statement(s) about Bhakti Saint Ramananda 
I. He advocated prabattimarga or path self-surrender to God.
II. He propagated 'Davita or dualism of Jivatma and Paramatma'. 
Which is/are correct statement(s)?

  1. Only I

  2. Only II

  3. Both I & II

  4. Neither I nor II
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Ramananda was a proponent of Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism) and focused on Rama-bhakti. Statement I is generally associated with Ramanuja's influence, and statement II describes Dvaita (Madhvacharya), not Ramananda's specific philosophy.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

The Bhakti literature by the Nayanmars and Alvars.

  1. Stressed the rigidities of traditional rituals

  2. Opposed the practice of image worship

  3. Preached personal devotion of God as a means of salvation

  4. Advocated the austerities preached by the Buddhists and Jains
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Nayanars and Alvars saints led the bhakti movement in south India. They preached ardent love of Shiva (by Nayanars) or Vishnu(by Alvars) as the path of salvation. They were sharply critical of Buddhists and  Jainas. They were against the rigidity of rituals followed by the people. They stressed on devotion and love.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Samarth Guru Swami Ramdas's scripture 'Dasbodh' is in the form of a _______.

  1. Teacher-pupil dialect

  2. Father-son dialect

  3. Mother-son dialect

  4. Father-mother dialect
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Shrimad Dasbodh is a classical 17th century Hindu Advaita Vedanta spiritual text. It was orally narrated by saint Samarth Ramdas, to his disciple Kalyan Swami.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Consider the following statement(s) is/are related to the impact of Bhakti Movement:
I. Bhakti Movement resulted in a surge in Hindu literature in regional/vernacular languages mainly in the form of devotional poems and music.
II. Bhakti Movement resulted in a surge in Buddhist text in regional/vernacular languages mainly in the form of devotional poems and music.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

  1. Only I

  2. Only II

  3. Both I and II

  4. Neither I nor II
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Bhakti movement significantly promoted the use of regional languages for devotional literature, but it was primarily a Hindu movement, not a Buddhist one.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Consider the following statements:
I. In the course of the evaluation of forms of worship, in many instances, poet-saints emerged as leaders around whom there developed a community of devotees.
II. Brahmans remained important intermediaries between gods and devotees in several forms of bhakti.
III. At a sifferent level, historians of religion often bhakti traditions into two broad categories: Saguna (with attributes ) and nirguna (without attributes).
Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct about the early traditions of Bhakti?

  1. Only I

  2. I and II

  3. I and III

  4. All of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

All statements are correct: poet-saints formed communities, Brahmans often acted as intermediaries, and the distinction between Saguna and Nirguna is a fundamental classification in Bhakti studies.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Consider the following statements:
I. Karaikal Ammaiyar, a devotee of Shiva, adopted the path of extreme asceticism in order to attain her goal.
II.Andal and Karaikkal Ammaiyar renounced their social obligations, but did not join an alternative order to become nuns.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct about the women devotees of the period?

  1. Only I

  2. Only II

  3. Both I and II

  4. Neither A nor B
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Both statements accurately reflect the lives of these female saints who challenged traditional gender roles while remaining within the devotional framework.

Multiple choice history devotion towards the almighty bhakti movement bhakti movement : south and north india bhakti saints

Select the correct statements related to the Bhakti Movement in Medieval History in India.

  1. To the theistic devotional trend that emerged in medieval Hinduism and later revolutionised in Buddhism.

  2. To the theistic devotional trend that emerged in medieval Hinduism and later revolutionised in Jainism.

  3. To the theistic devotional trend that emerged in medieval Hinduism and later revolutionised in Sikhim.

  4. None of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Bhakti movement is a devotional trend that emerged in Hinduism and influenced other traditions, including Sikhism, which incorporated many Bhakti ideals.