This quiz is designed to motivate you to study the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava scriptures in specific, and the Sad Darshanas in general, which are necessary to understand Gauḍīya philosophy properly.
Jnana or knowledge related to bhakti is also part of bhakti. In fact, hearing, which includes studying shastra, is the first limb of bhakti. Learning, followed by consolidating and then testing our knowledge in the form of a quiz is a fun and effective way to help us retain information.
This quiz is in multiple-choice questions format. (MCQs). If you see the response that you anticipated simply click on it. The quiz will immediately show which answers are correct or incorrect so we can learn as we go.
1 / 10
Why does God create the world?
Learn more Why does God Create the World?
2 / 10
Where does the drive for happiness come from?
Learn more Where Does the Drive for Happiness Come From?
3 / 10
The word “ānanda” can generally indicate which of the following types of happiness?
From the book Jīva-tattva by Śrī Babaji-
“The word “ānanda” can generally indicate any one of the following four different types of happiness:
These four types of ānanda are all completely distinct in quality and in quantity.
Material happiness is simply relief from suffering; it is not really a positive feeling. If you carry a heavy weight on your shoulders, you get a sense of happiness when you can put it down. The happiness of deep sleep is similar: It is not a positive feeling but a sense of relief from all the disturbances caused by the body and mind. It is this second type of ānanda listed above, the feeling of relief from any material disturbance, that Jāmātṛ Muni refers to when he states that the jīva is of the nature of ānanda. In other words, the ānanda inherent in the jīva’s nature is jīvānanda, and not any other form of ānanda.
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī writes in Paramātma Sandarbha (Anuccheda 28) that the meaning of the word “ānanda” in the context of jīvānanda refers to absence of suffering, duḥkha-pratiyogitva. Similarly, in his Digdarśini ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī writes that the ānanda of the jīva is insignificant. Thus we should be careful not to think that the ātmā in its intrinsic nature contains brahmānanda or bhaktyānanda.”
4 / 10
What does “sac-cid-ānanda” mean when it is applied to jīva?
In Paramātma Sandarbha (28), Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī explicitly says that the self is devoid of knowledge, although conscious by nature, and it lacks bliss although free of any material misery. In other words, it has the potential (svarūpa yogyatā) to get knowledge and bliss but not yet the functionality (phalopadhayi yogyatā).
To give an example, a child has the potential to be an athlete or a graduate, but that potential is not realized unless he practices on the track or goes to college and studies.
Learn more: Are Bliss and Knowledge Inherent?
5 / 10
What is the difference between the happiness and distress experienced by devotees and non-devotees?
There is no difference in the mechanism of experience of happiness or misery between a devotee and a non-devotee. A devotee, like a non-devotee, also experiences these through his or her senses. Both have five external senses and the mind. The difference lies in the reaction to one’s experience. A devotee sees everything as the grace of the Lord, an opportunity to learn, advance, and become stronger.
One may see it as an act of purification. One will stay composed and fixed in one’s service. Therefore, the devotee would not suffer in an unfavorable situation like a non-devotee and would also not become unnecessarily elated in a favorable situation. One can read the stories of the Pāṇḍavas or some contemporary devotees to see how a devotee faces happy and miserable situations.
Learn more: Happiness and Suffering
6 / 10
What is the purpose of the law of kārma?
Learn more: The Purpose of the Law of Karma.
7 / 10
If the punishment inflicted on the jīvas is for their ultimate good, why are they allowed to enjoy in this world and not just suffer constantly so that they would have no choice but to surrender?
Learn more: Bhagavān’s Paradoxical Potency, Māyā
8 / 10
If the material world and objects are all composed of the guṇas, then how does one prevent oneself from being affected by karma?
Learn more: Aliens, Spiritual Planets and Gunas
9 / 10
According to Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, what is the very first step in bhakti?
Bhakti is not a material process and without training, nobody in this world is familiar with it. One has to learn it from a qualified teacher. This is why there is so much stress on having a teacher.
Indeed, according to Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, the very first step in bhakti is accepting a teacher, and then the second step is to formalize the relation and study from him—guru-pādāśrayastasmāt kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam (BRS 1.2.74).
Studying under a guru means acquiring knowledge. Kṛṣṇa also advises Arjuna to study from a teacher. He has given similar instruction to Uddhava a few times.
Learn more: Studying Śastra: Jñāna or Bhakti?
10 / 10
Which of the following are a sign of spiritual progress?
Learn more States of Consciousness, Varṇas, Advancement
Your score is
Restart quiz
Please click the stars to rate the quiz
