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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. The red streaks in "The Gale Wind" may be the redness in the sky during rain, or the _____ of the wind.

2. In "The Three Strides of Visnu", the commentator suggests that the ferocious beast is a _____.

3. Who are 'those who eat serpents' most likely to be in "Savitr at Sunset"?

4. Parsu's name,as mentioned in the notes for "Indra and the Monkey", means _____.

5. For what is 'the house of clay' a metaphor?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the nature of Soma in "The Marriage of Surya"?

2. In "The Courtship of Ghosa", what does Ghosa ask the Asvins?

3. How is creation mythology presented in "Varuna Provoked to Anger"?

4. Who competes in the contest in "The Maruts" and what are they doing in the competition?

5. What is the central image of the hymn, "Mudgala's Wife and the Bull in the Chariot", and how do their interpretations overlap?

6. According to Indian theory, what happens to the sun during the rainy season?

7. What are the different meanings of the 'house of clay' metaphor in "The House of Clay"?

8. Why is the Rig Veda described in "Realia" as worldly?

9. What is the conflict present in all of the dialogues with women in the Rig Veda? Who succeeds, and who fails in this conflict?

10. Who brandishes their power and in what way in "The Deeds of Varuna"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the ritual involved in the sacrifice of the horse. Describe of each stage of the sacrifice. Who is involved? Who is the sacrifice dedicated to?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the many faces of Agni and how he fits into the hierarchy of beings in the Rig Veda. What is mysterious about his birth? Why does he hide?

Essay Topic 3

What are the two incarnations of Parjanya? What is the significance of Parjanya as a god figure? What is paradoxical about Parjanya's gender in "Parjanya, the Cow"?

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This section contains 710 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample