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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Maya?

2. What has Arjuna forgotten that Krishna remembers?

3. What are those who have achieved perfect renunciation free from?

4. What has the person done, who indulges his senses for his own pleasure, ignoring the needs of others, according to Krishna?

5. Who does Krishna say is the father, mother and grandfather of the universe?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are some of the reasons Krishna says people worship him?

2. What is the first thing Sri Krishna says to Arjuna?

3. Describe Krishna's instructions for the practice of meditation.

4. What does Krishna tell Arjuna concerning the performance of selfless action versus the renunciation of action?

5. What does Krishna say determines the destination of the dying.

6. What does Krishna say truly great souls seek? How?

7. What are the eight divisions of Krishna's prakriti?

8. What are some of the things Krishna says to describe his nature as the Lord?

9. Do actions cling to Krishna? Why?

10. What does Arjuna say would be better than killing Dhritarashtra's sons?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Toward the end of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna shifts his attention to those souls with "demonic tendencies."

1) Describe the attitudes of souls of this nature. How are they different from the attitudes Krishna has previously promoted?

2) Discuss what Krishna teaches concerning the destiny of souls of demonic nature.

3) What are the "three gates" to self-destruction? How may these be avoided?

Use specific examples for all the above.

Essay Topic 2

Krisha says, "At the beginning of time I declared two paths for the pure heart: jnana yoga . . . and karma yoga."

Part 1) Compare and contrast jnana yoga and karma yoga.

Part 2) What kind of aspirants does Krishna say pursue each? What are the advantages of each path?

Part 3) Discuss which path Krishna favors.

Cite specific textual examples for all of the above.

Essay Topic 3

Seeing Arjuna's despair prior to battle, Sri Krishna rebukes him saying such weakness in a time of crisis is unworthy of him. Krishna urges Arjuna to rise up with a brave heart and destroy the enemy.

Describe Arjuna's response in detail. What is the logic of Arjuna's argument? Upon what sources does Arjuna rely to support this argument? To what conclusion does the argument lead? Discuss while citing specific examples.

(see the answer keys)

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