History

Devotional Paths to the Divine

Question:

Match the following:
The Buddha                      –    namghar
Shankaradeva                  –    worship of Vishnu
Nizamuddin Auliya        –   questioned social differences  
Nayanars                          –  Sufi saint
Alvars                               –  worship of Shiva

Answer:

The Buddha           –  questioned social differences
Shankaradeva                –  namghar
Nizamuddin Auliya      –  Sufi saint
Nayanars                        –  worship of Shiva
Alvars                             –    worship of Vishnu

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Devotional Paths to the Divine

Q 1.

Who was Ramanuja? What are the main points of his preachings?

Q 2.

How many Alvars were there?

Q 3.

Name the two sets of compilations of Nayanar's songs.

Q 4.

Why do you think many teachers rejected prevalent religious beliefs and practices?

Q 5.

Who were Sufis?

Q 6.

What did the terms nam', dan' and isnan' mean?    [V. Imp.]

Q 7.

Why do you think ordinary people preserved the memory of Mirabai?

Q 8.

What was known as dharmsal?

Q 9.

For either the Virashaivas or the saints of Maharashtra, discuss their attitude towards caste.

Q 10.

Who was Kabir? How do we know about him?

Q 11.

Name any two saints of Maharashtra.

Q 12.

The songs are as much a creation of the saints as of generations of people who sang them.' Explain.

Q 13.

What were the major ideas expressed by Kabir? How did he express these?

Q 14.

Name any two great Sufis of Central Asia .

Q 15.

Match the following:
The Buddha                      –    namghar
Shankaradeva                  –    worship of Vishnu
Nizamuddin Auliya        –   questioned social differences  
Nayanars                          –  Sufi saint
Alvars                               –  worship of Shiva

Q 16.

There are severed saint-poets whose names have been mentioned but their works have not been included in the chapter. Find out more about the language in which they composed, whether their compositions were sung and what their compositions were about.

Q 17.

What is abhang?

Q 18.

For any of the saint-poets whose compositions have been included in this chapter, find out more about their works, noting down other poems. Find out whether these are sung, how they are sung, and what the poets wrote about

Q 19.

What is Guru Granth Sahib?

Q 20.

Fill in the blanks:
(a) Shankara was an advocate of…………..
(b) Ramanuja was influenced by the ………….
(c)  , ………..  and ………. were advocates of Virashaivism.
(d) ….. was an important centre of the Bhakti tradition in Maharashtra.

Q 21.

Who compiled the compositions of Baba Guru Nanak?

Q 22.

Who were the followers of Baba Guru Nanak?

Q 23.

What were the major teachings of Baba Guru Nanak?

Q 24.

Who were the Pulaiyar and the Panars?

Q 25.

Name the set of compilation of Alvars' songs.

Q 26.

Write a brief note on new religious developments in north India. [V. Imp.]

Q 27.

What did Ramanuja propound?

Q 28.

Describe the beliefs and practices of the Nathpanthis, Siddhas and Yogis.

Q 29.

Why did the Mughal emperor Jahangir order the execution of Guru Aijan in 1606?

Q 30.

Find out whether in your neighbourhood there are any dargahs, gurudwaras or temples associated with saints of the Bhakti tradition in your neighbourhood. Visit any one of these and describe what you see and hear.

Q 31.

To whom did Baba Guru Nanak appoint as his successor?

Q 32.

What are namghars?

Q 33.

What did the Puranic stories consist of? [V. Imp.]

Q 34.

What do you mean by Khanqahs? What purpose did it serve?

Q 35.

Write in brief about the ideas of Shankara and Ramanuja.

Q 36.

Who were the Nayanars and Alvars? Write about them in brief. [V. Imp.]

Q 37.

What were the major beliefs and practices of the Sufis?

Q 38.

Why was the Mughal emperor Jahangir hostile to the Sikh community? How did the Sikh movement gain momentum?    [V. Imp.]