1. Give the English meanings of the words prakritim, purusa, and jneyam.

prakṛti – material nature

puruṣa – the enjoyer
kṣetram – the field
kṣetra-jñam – the knower of the field
jñānaṁ – knowledge
jñeyaṁ – the object of knowledge

2. List five levels of brahma puccham pratistha as stated in the Taittiriya Upanishad 2.9.
Five levels of brahma puccham pratistha –
a. anna-maya: dependence upon food for existence. This is a materialistic realization of the
Supreme.
b. prāṇa-maya: realize the Absolute Truth in the living symptoms or life forms.
c. jñāna-maya: realization extends beyond the living symptoms to the point of thinking, feeling and
willing.
d. vijñāna-maya: Brahman realization, in which the living entity’s mind and life symptoms are
distinguished from the living entity himself.
e. ānanda-maya: realization of the all-blissful nature

3. List the 24 components of this world.

24 elements (of material nature – that constitute kṣetra or the
material body)
 5 great elements (mahā-bhūta) are earth, water, fire, air and ether.
 5 knowedge acquiring senses are eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin.
 5 working senses are voice, legs, hands, anus and genitals.
 5 sense objects (indriya-gocara) are smell, taste, form, touch and sound.
 Mind (11th sense), intelligence (buddhi), false ego (ahaṅkāra) and pradhāna.
 The aggregate of these 24 elements is called the field of activity. By analytical study of these
24 elements, one can understand the field of activity.

4. List, in Sanskrit or English, ten of the 20 items of knowledge.

20 items of knowledge are –
 amānitvam (1) Humility – no expectation of respect
 adambhitvam (2) Pridelessness – not being anxious to be famous.
 ahimsā (3) Nonviolence – not putting others into distress.
 kṣāntir (4) Tolerance – bearing insults and dishonor
 ārjavam (5) Simplicity – straightforward and nondiplomatic
 ācāryopāsanaṁ (6) Serving a bona fide guru – without motivation.
 śaucaṁ (7) Cleanliness – both internal (mind) & external (body)
 sthairyam (8) Steadiness – determined to progress in spiritual life.
 ātma-vinigrahaḥ (9) Self-control – Rejecting unfavorable things.
 indriyārtheṣu vairāgyam (10) Renunciation of the objects of sense gratification
 anahaṅkāra eva ca (11) No false ego – No identification with body
 janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhiduḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (12) Perception of the evil of birth, death,
old age and disease (that they give rise to suffering)
 asaktir anabhiṣvaṅgaḥ putra-dāra-gṛhādiṣu (13) Detachment (14) Freedom from entanglement
with children, wife, home and the rest
 nityaṁ ca sama-cittatvam iṣṭāniṣṭopapattiṣu (15) Even-mindedness amid pleasant and
unpleasant events.
 mayi cānanya-yogena bhaktir avyabhicāriṇī (16) Constant and unalloyed devotion to Me with
undeviating attention
 vivikta-deśa-sevitvam (17) Secluded living – Living in devotee association.
 aratir jana-saṁsadi (18) Detachment from the general mass of people.
 adhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṁ (19) Accepting the importance of self-realization.
  tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam (20) Philosophical search for the Absolute Truth

5. What is the mahat-tattva?

The mahat-tattva is the total cause of the total cosmic manifestation; and that total substance of the
material cause, in which there are three modes of nature.

6. How do those situated in the mode of goodness become conditioned?

When a living entity is situated in the mode of goodness, he becomes conditioned to feel that he is
advanced in knowledge and is better than others. In this way he becomes conditioned. The best
examples are the scientist and the philosopher. Each is very proud of his knowledge, and because
they generally improve their living conditions, they feel a sort of material happiness. This sense of
advanced happiness in conditioned life makes them bound by the mode of goodness of material
nature.

7. The mode of passion is characterized by what?

The mode of passion is characterized by the attraction between man and woman. Woman has
attraction for man, and man has attraction for woman. This is called the mode of passion. And when
the mode of passion is increased, one develops the hankering for material enjoyment. He wants to
enjoy sense gratification.

8. List 3 results of the mode of ignorance.

3 results of the mode of ignorance are – madness, laziness, and sleep.

9. Those situated in goodness, passion, and ignorance progress in which directions?

Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode
of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the abominable mode of ignorance go down to the
hellish worlds.

10. Give the English meaning of ūrdhva-mūlam and adhaḥ-śākham.

ūrdhva-mūlam: with roots above
adhaḥ-śākham: branches downwards

11. What do the leaves of the banyan tree refer to?

The leaves of the banyan tree refer to The Vedic hymns, meant for elevating oneself.

12. What is the tree of the material world situated on?

The tree of material world is situated on desire.

13. This banyan tree is nourished by what?

The banyan tree is nourished by three modes.

14. Give the English meaning of asaṅga-śastreṇa

asaṅga-śastreṇa: weapon of detachment.

15. Give three examples of how Krishna maintains this material world.
Three examples that tells Krishna maintains this material world –
a. Krishna says he is the source of light of the sun, moon and fire that dissipate the darkness of this
world.
b. Krishna says he enters into each planet and by his energy he sustains all living beings.
c. Krishna becomes moon and supply the juice of life to all plants and vegetables.
16. What do the words kṣarah and akṣarāh refer to?
kṣarah: fallible
akṣarāh: infallible

17. What does the word puruṣottamam refer to?

puruṣottamam: The supreme personality of Godhead
18. Give the English meaning of the following words: sampadaṁ (1-3), pravṛtti and nivṛtti (7), anīśvaram
(8), and ugra-karmāṇaḥ. (9)
sampadaṁ: the qualities
pravṛtti and nivṛtti: acting properly, not acting improperly.
anīśvaram: with no controller
ugra-karmāṇaḥ: engaged in painful activities.

19. Who was the best example of a demoniac man?

The best example of such a demoniac man was Rāvaṇa.

20. Give the English meaning of mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya.

mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya: O son of Kunti without achieving me.

21. List the three gates leading to hell.

3 gates to hell - lust, anger and greed.

22. Name the three kinds of faith.

The 3 kinds of faith are faith in mode of Goodness, faith in mode of Passion and faith in mode of
Ignorance based on nature one has acquired.

23. List the six results of eating food in the mode of goodness.
6 results of eating food in the mode of goodness are - increase the duration of life, purify one’s
existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction.

24. Austerity of the body consists of what eight items?

Austerity of the body consists of - worship of the Supreme Lord, the brāhmaṇas, the spiritual master,
and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence.

25. Give the English meaning of svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ.

svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ: Practice of Vedic Study.

26. List four symptoms of charity in the mode of goodness.

4 symptoms of charity in the mode of Goodness - Charity given out of duty, without expectation of
return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person.

27. The three words om tat sat indicate what?

The 3 words om tat sat indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth.

28. List symptoms of renunciation in the mode of passion.

Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome or out of fear of bodily discomfort is said to
have renounced in the mode of passion.

29. List the five causes for the accomplishment of all action.
The place of action [the body], the performer, the various senses, the many different kinds of
endeavor, and ultimately the Supersoul – these are the five factors of action.

30. List three symptoms of happiness in the mode of goodness.

3 symptoms of happiness in the mode of goodness - beginning may be just like poison but at the end
is just like nectar and which awakens one to self-realization.

31. List three symptoms of happiness in the mode of passion.

That happiness which is derived from contact of the senses with their objects, and which appears like
nectar at first but poison at the end is said to be of the nature of passion.

32. List five symptoms of happiness in the mode of ignorance

Happiness which is blind to self-realization, which is delusion from beginning to end and which
arises from sleep, laziness and illusion is said to be of the nature of ignorance.
33. List nine qualities by which the brāhmaṇas work.
Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness
– these are the natural qualities by which the brāhmaṇas work.

34. List six symptoms of surrender in Sanskrit or English

6 symptoms of surrender are –
a. anukulyasya sankalpah: Accept everything favourable to serving the Lord.
b. pratikulyasya varjanam: Give up everything unfavourable for serving the
Lord.
c. raksisyatiti visvaso: Have a firm conviction that only Krishna can protect
oneself.
d. goptṛtve varaṇaṁ: Always accept Krishna as one’s maintainer.
e. ātma-nikṣepa: full self-surrender to Krishna.
f. kārpaṇye: Always humbly think of oneself as most fallen so that Krishna
will take care.

35. This confidential knowledge may never be explained to whom?

This confidential knowledge may never be explained to those who are not
austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is
envious of Krishna.

Selected Analogies
13.3
A citizen may know everything about his patch of land, but the king knows
not only his palace but all the properties possessed by the individual citizens.
Similarly, one may be the proprietor of the body individually, but the Supreme
Lord is the proprietor of all bodies.

13.17
The example is given of the sun: The sun, at the meridian, is situated in its
place. But if one goes for five thousand miles in all directions and asks,
"Where is the sun?" everyone will say that it is shining on his head. In the
Vedic literature this example is given to show that although He is undivided,
He is situated as if divided.

13.33
The air enters into water, mud, stool and whatever else is there; still it does
not mix with anything. Similarly, the living entity, even though situated in
varieties of bodies, is aloof from them…

14.3
The scorpion lays its eggs in piles of rice, and sometimes it is said that the
scorpion is born out of rice. But the rice is not the cause of the scorpion.
Actually, the eggs were laid by the mother. Similarly, material nature is not
the cause of the birth of the living entities. The seed is given by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and they only seem to come out as products of
material nature

14.26
If one is not situated in the same transcendental position with the Lord, one
cannot serve the Supreme Lord. To be a personal assistant to a king, one
must acquire the qualifications.

14.26
To be in Krishna consciousness or in devotional service means to acquire
equality with Krishna. The Lord says that His nature is eternal, blissful and
full of knowledge, and the living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme,
as gold particles are part of a gold mine. Thus, the living entity, in his
spiritual position, is as good as gold, as good as Krishna in quality.

14.27
The servant of the king enjoys on an almost equal level with the king. And so
eternal happiness, imperishable happiness, and eternal life accompany
devotional service. Therefore, realization of Brahman, or eternity, or
imperishability, is included in devotional service.

15.8
The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life
from one body to another as the air carries aromas. Thus, he takes one kind
of body and again quits it to take another.

15.9
Consciousness is originally pure, like water. But if we mix water with a
certain color, it changes. Similarly, consciousness is pure, for the spirit soul
is pure. But consciousness is changed according to the association of the
material qualities.

15.13
His energy is sustaining each planet, just like a handful of dust. If someone
holds a handful of dust, there is no possibility of the dust's falling, but if one
throws it in the air it will fall down. Similarly, these planets, which are
floating in the air, are actually held in the fist of the universal form of the
Supreme Lord.

18.17
Anyone who is acting in Krishna consciousness under the direction of the
Supersoul or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even though killing does
not kill. Nor is he ever affected by the reaction of such killing. When a soldier
kills under the command of a superior officer, he is not subject to be judged.
But if a soldier kills on his own personal account, then he is certainly judged
by a court of law.

18.48
Every endeavor is covered by some fault, just as fire is covered by smoke.
Therefore, one should not give up the work born of his nature, O son of Kunti,
even if such work is full of fault.

18.55
Viśate means that one can enter into the abode of the Supreme Lord in one's
individuality to engage in His association and render service unto Him. For
instance, a green bird enters a green tree not to become one with the tree
but to enjoy the fruits of the tree.

18.61
A person seated in a high-speed motorcar goes faster than one seated in a
slower car, though the living entities, the drivers, may be the same. Similarly,
by the order of the Supreme Soul, material nature fashions a particular type
of body to a particular type of living entity so that he may work according to
his past desires.