SRI ISOPANISAD TEST

Answer all the questions

Write out the Invocation, and Mantras 1,5 and 15 in Sanskrit and English.
In the Introduction, Srila Prabhupada cites the example of Mahatma Gandhi to illustrate
which of the 4 defects?
Imperfect senses
Tendency to make mistakes
To be illusioned
Cheating
We accept 3 methods of acquiring knowledge — pratyaksa, anumana and sabda.
Anumana means:
a) Direct perception
Sound vibration
Inference
Tradition
Pratyaksa means:
a) Direct perception
Sound vibration
Inference
Tradition
Of the 3, which is most important:
Pratyaksa
Anumana
Sabda
To illustrate completeness, Srila Prabhupada gives 3 examples. Which of the following is
NOT one of those 3:
The 3 features of the Absolute Truth
How a family works nicely in co-operation
How the material world is arranged nicely
How the Lord gives the conditioned souls complete facility to return to Him
To illustrate the point that we cannot be happy separate from the Complete Whole Srila
Prabhupada gives what example?
The hand being separated from the body
A child being separated from the mother
A screw being separated from a machine
The young man running away from home
Sri Isopanisad is part of:
Rg Veda
Sama Veda
Yajur Veda
Atharva Veda
The fighting of communists and capitalists illustrates:
How striving for something other than your quota brings suffering
How you should get your quote at all costs
Fighting is part of the quota for humans
Politics is a nasty business
If one works according to the isavasya system one will be happy to:
Live indefinitely in the material world
Go back to Godhead immediately
Perform karma yoga
Increase one’s material necessities
One who does not follow the isavasya system is called:
A fool
A mental speculator
A killer of the soul
An animal
Which is NOT given as an example of the Lord’s capabilities:
Swifter than the wind
Unapproachable by the demigods
Supplies air and rain
Most excellent
What example is given in the purport of Mantra 4 to illustrate how the Lord and His
energies are one?
A businessman with his employees
The sun with its sunshine
A fire with its heat and light
A father with his children
What scriptural example is given in Mantra 5 to show how God is everywhere?
Bhisma and Yudhisthira
Krsna and Arjuna
Lord Caitanya and Mother Saci
Prahlada and Nrsingadeva
What does the maha-bhagavata see:
Everything in relation to the Lord
All living entities as His parts and parcels
The Lord everywhere
All of these
The maha-bhagavata sees oneness in the sense of:
The salt in a drop of sea water, and that in the whole ocean
Quality but not quantity
Fire with its heat and light
All of these
Which form of the Lord is very important to help the neophytes relate to the Lord in a
personal way, according to the purport of Mantra 8:
The holy name
The Deity
Srimad Bhagavatam
None of these
Veda-vada-rata people are:
Advanced devotees
Neophyte devotees
People who pose as being learned in the Vedas, but are not
Mayavadis
One should culture knowledge by:
Becoming a perfect gentleman
Reading a wide variety of books
Both of these
Neither of these
Mantra 11 tells us that to achieve immortality we should:
Avoid subjects connected to ignorance
Only focus on pure spiritual knowledge
Understanding both ignorance and knowledge
Realize Brahman
Which expert materialist who failed to achieve success is mentioned in the purport of
Mantra 11 to show how little chance we have of being materially successful:
Ravana
Kamsa
Hiranyaksa
Hiranyakasipu
Which 2 classes of nondevotees are condemned in Mantra 12:
Mudhas and naradhamas
Demigod worshippers and impersonalists
Sensualists and speculators
None of these
Which class is the worst?

Which class of people should we hear from:

Dhira
Adhira
Mayayapahrta-jnana
All of these
To surpass death and the ephemeral cosmic manifestation one should know:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead
His name
The material creation
All of these
Some of these
What problem is the speaker facing in Mantra 15?
Material desire
Being dazzled by the brahmajyoti
Demoniac people
Lack of sincerity
Which demons, killed by Krsna in Vrndavana are mentioned in the purport of Mantra 15:
Agha
Baka
Putana
Pralambha
Some of these
All of these
In Mantra 16 the Lord is referred to as Primeval Philosopher, Maintainer of the Universe,
Regulating Principle and destination of the pure devotees. Which does Srila Prabhupada
say is most important in the purport?

The all-pervading feature of the Lord is known as:

Jiva-sakti
Paramatma
Brahman
Bhagavan
In Mantra 17 the speaker says he is at the point of:
Birth
Death
Old age
Disease
In Mantra 17 the speaker asks the Lord to remember:
All his sacrifices
His devotional service
His knowledge
His chanting
Everything he has done
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura is quoted in the purport of Mantra 17 as saying:
One should chant Hare Krsna constantly
One should be materially detached
One should always render pure devotional service
If one is on the right path, occasional worldliness will not hamper one
In Mantra 18 the speaker asks the Lord to:
Lead him on the right path
Free him from the reactions of his past sins
Both of these
One of these
What activity is most recommended for spiritual advancement at the end of Sri
Isopanisad?
Hearing and chanting
Praying
Remembering
Worshipping

SRI ISOPANISAD TEST

1. Write out the Invocation, and Mantras 1,5 and 15 in Sanskrit and English.
2. In the Introduction, Srila Prabhupada cites Gandhi to illustrate which of the 4 defects?
a) Imperfect senses
b) Tendency to make mistakes
c) To be illusioned
d) Cheating
3. We accept 3 methods of acquiring knowledge — pratyaksa, anumana and sabda.
Anumana means:
a) Direct perception
b) Sound vibration
c) Inference
d)Tradition
4. Pratyaksa means:
a) Direct perception
b) Sound vibration
c) Inference
d) Tradition
5. Of the 3, which is most important:
a) Pratyaksa
b) Anumana
c) Sabda
6. To illustrate completeness, Srila Prabhupada gives 3 examples. Which is NOT one of
those 3:
a) The 3 features of the Absolute Truth
b) How a family works nicely in co-operation
c) How the material world is arranged nicely
d) How the Lord gives the conditioned souls complete facility to return to Him
7. To illustrate the point that we cannot be happy separate from the Complete Whole
Srila Prabhupada gives what example?
a) The hand being separated from the body
b) A child being separated from the mother
c) A screw being separated from a machine
d) The young man running away from home
8. Sri Isopanisad is part of:
a) Rg Veda
b) Sama Veda
c) Yajur Veda
d) Atharva Veda
9. The fighting of communists and capitalists illustrates:
a) How striving for something other than your quota brings suffering
b) How you should get your quote at all costs
c) Fighting is part of the quota for humans
Politics is a nasty business.
10. If one works according to the isavasya system one will be happy to:
a) Live indefinitely in the material world
b) Go back to Godhead immediately
c) Perform karma yoga
d) Increase one’s material necessities
11. One who does not follow the isavasya system is called:
a) A fool
b) A mental speculator
c) A killer of the soul
d) An animal
12. Which is NOT given as an example of the Lord’s capabilities:
a) Swifter than the wind
b) Unapproachable by the demigods
c) Supplies air and rain
d) Most excellent
13. What example is given in the purport of Mantra 4 to show that the Lord and His
energies are one?
a) A businessman with his employees
b) The sun with its sunshine
c) A fire with its heat and light
d) A father with his children
14. What scriptural example is given in Mantra 5 to show how God is everywhere?
a) Bhisma and Yudhisthira
b) Krsna and Arjuna
c) Lord Caitanya and Mother Saci
d) Prahlada and Nrsingadeva
15. What does the maha-bhagavata see:
a) Everything in relation to the Lord
b) All living entities as His parts and parcels
c) The Lord everywhere
d) All of these
16. The maha-bhagavata sees oneness in the sense of:
a) The salt in a drop of sea water, and that in the whole ocean
b) Quality but not quantity
c) Fire with its heat and light
d) All of these
17. Which form of the Lord is important to help the neophytes relate to the Lord in a
personal way:
a) The holy name
b) The Deity
c) Srimad Bhagavatam
d) None of these
18. Veda-vada-rata people are:
a) Advanced devotees
b) Neophyte devotees
c) People who pose as being learned in the Vedas, but are not
d) Mayavadis
19. One should culture knowledge by:
a) Becoming a perfect gentleman
b) Reading a wide variety of books
c) Both of these
d) Neither of these
20. Mantra 11 tells us that to achieve immortality we should:
a) Avoid subjects connected to ignorance
b) Only focus on pure spiritual knowledge
c) Understanding both ignorance and knowledge
d) Realize Brahman
21. Which expert materialist who failed to achieve success is mentioned in the purport of
Mantra 11:
a) Ravana
b) Kamsa
c) Hiranyaksa
d) Hiranyakasipu
22. Which 2 classes of nondevotees are condemned in Mantra 12:
a) Mudhas and naradhamas
b) Demigod worshippers and impersonalists
c) Sensualists and speculators
d) None of these
23. Which class is the worst?
24. Which class of people should we hear from:
a) Dhira
b) Adhira
c) Mayayapahrta-jnana
d) All of these
25. To surpass death and the ephemeral cosmic manifestation one should know:
a) The Supreme Personality of Godhead
b) His name
c) The material creation
d) All of these
26. What problem is the speaker facing in Mantra 15?
a) Material desire
b) Being dazzled by the brahmajyoti
c) Demoniac people
d) Lack of sincerity
27. Which demons, killed by Krsna in Vrndavana are mentioned in the purport of Mantra
15:
a) Agha
b) Baka
c) Putana
d) Pralambha
e) All of these
f) Some of these
28. In Mantra 16 the Lord is referred to as Primeval Philosopher, Maintainer of the
Universe, Regulating Principle and destination of the pure devotees. Which is most
important?
29. The all-pervading feature of the Lord is known as:
a) Jiva-sakti
b) Paramatma
c) Brahman
d) Bhagavan
30. In Mantra 17 the speaker says he is at the point of:
a) Birth
b) Death
c) Old age
d) Disease
31. In Mantra 17 the speaker asks the Lord to remember:
a) All his sacrifices
b) His devotional service
c) His knowledge
d) His chanting
32. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura is quoted in the purport of Mantra 17 as saying:
a) One should chant Hare Krsna constantly
b) One should be materially detached
c) One should always render pure devotional service
d) If one is on the right path, occasional worldliness will not hamper one
33. In Mantra 18 the speaker asks the Lord to:
a) Lead him on the right path
b) Free him from the reactions of his past sins
c) Both of these
d) One of these
34. What activity is most recommended for spiritual advancement at the end of Sri
Isopanisad?
a) Hearing and chanting
b) Praying
c) Remembering
d) Worshipping