Consider the following statements:

1. The Bhagavad Gita is part of the Mahabharata and is a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna.

2. Shankaracharya is associated with the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy.

3. The Rigveda is the oldest of the Vedas and contains hymns dedicated to various deities.

4 . The Natya Shastra, attributed to sage Bharata, is an ancient Indian treatise on the performing arts and is closely related to the expression of Hindu spirituality.

Which of the statements above is/are correct?

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Explanation:

• The Bhagavad Gita is part of the Mahabharata, specifically the Bhishma Parva (Book of Bhishma). It is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna during the Kurukshetra War, where Krishna imparts spiritual wisdom to Arjuna, addressing his moral dilemmas about the battle.
• Adi Shankaracharya is a prominent figure in the development of Advaita Vedanta, a non-dualistic school of Hindu philosophy. He emphasized the idea that Brahman (the ultimate reality) is one and indivisible and that the apparent diversity in the world is an illusion (Maya).
• The Rigveda is the oldest of the four Vedas and consists of hymns or chants dedicated to various deities, such as Agni, Indra, Varuna, and others. It forms the foundation of Vedic literature and Hindu religious practices.
• The Natya Shastra, attributed to sage Bharata, is an ancient Indian text that provides an extensive guide on the performing arts, including dance, drama, and music. It is deeply connected to the spiritual and ritualistic aspects of Hinduism and outlines how performance art can be a means of expressing divine spirituality.

Information Booster:

• Bhagavad Gita:  Bhagavad Gita is a sacred text in Hinduism, consisting of 700 verses. It is considered a philosophical dialogue on dharma (duty), karma (action), and bhakti (devotion), where Lord Krishna guides Arjuna on how to approach life's challenges with spiritual wisdom.
• Advaita Vedanta: This school of philosophy, championed by Adi Shankaracharya, asserts that Brahman is the only reality, and everything else is illusion (Maya). The ultimate goal of human life is to realize this non-duality and to experience the oneness of the soul (Atman) with Brahman.
• Rigveda: The Rigveda is one of the four Vedas (along with Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda), and it consists of 1,028 hymns. These hymns are dedicated to various deities that represent different forces of nature, and they are used in various rituals and sacrifices.

Adi Shankaracharya –

• Born: Kalady, Kerala (8th century CE)
• Revered as: An avatar of Lord Shiva
• Mastery: Vedas mastered by age 16

Philosophical Contributions:

• Founded:Advaita Vedanta – Non-dualism (Atma = Brahma)
• Core Belief: God and soul are one; the material world is Maya (illusion)
• Opposed:Mimamsa School – Ritual-based Hinduism
• Synthesized: Six sects of worship into ‘Shanmata’ (worship of 6 deities)
• Founded:Dashanami Sampradaya – Monastic tradition

Key Literary Works:

Commentaries on Brahma Sutras, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita

Four Mathas (Monastic Centres):

• Sringeri (South)
• Dwarka (West)
• Puri (East)
• Badrinath (North)