Question 1

……………….. of the Kerala School of Astronomy and Mathematics, in his 'Tantrasangraham' revised Arybhata's model for planets Mercury and Venus.

Accepted Answer

Nilakantha Somayaji, a major mathematician and astronomer of the Kerala School of Astronomy and Mathematics, revised Aryabhata's model for the planets Mercury and Venus in his work 'Tantrasangraha'.

Question 2

……………….. had authored a treatise titled 'Jyotir Mimamsa' which stressed the necessity and importance of astronomical observations to obtain correct parameters for computations.

Accepted Answer

Somayaji, also known as Nilakantha Somayaji, was a renowned Indian mathematician and astronomer who authored the treatise 'Jyotir Mimamsa'. In this work, he emphasized the importance of astronomical observations for accurate computations, showcasing his significant contributions to the field of astronomy.

Question 3

……………….. an astronomer from Kerala wrote, 'Sphuta nirnaya' which details an elliptical correction to the existing notions.

Accepted Answer

Achyuta Pisharodi, an astronomer from Kerala, is known for writing 'Sphuta Nirnaya', where he introduced an elliptical correction to the prevailing astronomical models of his time.

Question 4

The cross-staff known as the 'Yasti-Yantra' was used by……………….

Accepted Answer

The cross-staff, known as the 'Yasti-Yantra', was used by Bhaskara II, an Indian mathematician and astronomer, for astronomical measurements.

Question 5

………………. invented the 'Phalaka Yantra' which consisted of a rectangular board with a pin and index arm, which was used to determine the time from the sun's position.

Accepted Answer

Bhaskara II, an Indian mathematician and astronomer, invented the 'Phalaka Yantra'. This device was used to determine time based on the position of the sun, showcasing his contributions to ancient scientific instruments.

Question 6

Mahendra Suri, the court astronomer of ………………mentions about an astrolabe, a combination of two semi-circular board instrument giving rise to a 'scissor instrument'.

Accepted Answer

Mahendra Suri, the court astronomer of Firoz Tughlaq, is known for mentioning an astrolabe, which is a historical astronomical instrument used by astronomers and navigators to measure the inclined position in the sky of a celestial body, day or night.

Question 7

The oldest mathematical document produced in India is the 'Bakhshali Manuscript' discovered in 1881 in the village of …………….near Peshwar, now in modern Pakistan.

Accepted Answer

The Bakhshali Manuscript, named after the village of Bakhshali where it was found, is the oldest known mathematical document from India. It was discovered in 1881 near Peshawar, which is now in modern-day Pakistan.

Question 8

'Bakhshali Manuscript' is believed to have prepared in ………………. century AD.

Accepted Answer

The Bakhshali Manuscript is believed to have been prepared in the 7th century AD. It is an ancient Indian mathematical text written on birch bark and found near the village of Bakhshali, in present-day Pakistan.

Question 9

Who wrote Panchaka Sidhanta?'

Accepted Answer

Varahamihira wrote Pancha-Siddhantika, which is a compilation of five earlier astronomical works. It is an important source for the history of Indian astronomy.

Question 10

Kerala School of Mathematics and Astronomy was founded by …………………

Accepted Answer

Madhava of Sangamagrama is credited with founding the Kerala School of Mathematics and Astronomy, which significantly contributed to the development of mathematics and astronomy in India.

Question 11

Fahien, the ………………Buddhist traveler visited India in the 5th century AD wrote about the health care system of the Gupta empire and described the institutional approach of the Indian medicine system.

Accepted Answer

Fahien was a Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to India in the early 5th century AD to acquire Buddhist texts and observe the practice of Buddhism in India. His journey and observations provide valuable insights into the social and religious life of India during the Gupta Empire.

Question 12

The basic text of the Vedanta school is the 'Brahmasutra' of…………………..

Accepted Answer

The 'Brahmasutra' is attributed to Badarayana, which forms the basis of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy.

Question 13

Visishtadvaita, propounded by ……………..emphasizes the concept of Supreme Being having definite form, name and attributes.

Accepted Answer

Visishtadvaita is a sub-school of Vedanta philosophy, and it was propounded by Ramanuja. This philosophy emphasizes the concept of a Supreme Being (God) having a definite form, name, and attributes, distinguishing it from the impersonal absolute concept found in Advaita Vedanta.

Question 14

Dvaita school of philosophy is introduced by ………………….in the 13th century.

Accepted Answer

Madhavacharya, also known as Madhvacharya, introduced the Dvaita (dualism) school of Vedanta philosophy in the 13th century, emphasizing a strict distinction between the individual soul (atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman).

Question 15

Sudhadvaita was the philosophy propagated by ………………of 15th-16th centuries.

Accepted Answer

Sudhadvaita is a sub-school of Vedanta philosophy, and it was propagated by Vallabhacharya in the 15th-16th centuries. This philosophy emphasizes the concept of pure non-dualism, where God is the only reality and everything else is an aspect of God.

Question 16

Achintya Bheda Abheda is the philosophy propagated by ……………..during the 15th-16th centuries.

Accepted Answer

Achintya Bheda Abheda is a Gaudiya Vaishnavism philosophy taught by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the 15th-16th centuries, emphasizing the inconceivable, simultaneous oneness and difference between the individual soul and the supreme soul (Krishna or God).

Question 17

………………… popularized the Rama Bhakti cult in north India through his work, 'Ramacharit Manas'.

Accepted Answer

Tulsidas popularized the Rama Bhakti cult in north India through his epic poem 'Ramacharit Manas', which is considered one of the greatest works of Hindi literature.

Question 18

The Krishna cult of the Vaishnavite tradition was popularised by…………….., the only woman saint in the North Indian Bhakti tradition.

Accepted Answer

Mira Bai, a Rajput princess and devotee of Krishna, is renowned for her devotion and is considered the only woman saint in the North Indian Bhakti tradition who popularized the Krishna cult of the Vaishnavite tradition through her poetry and bhajans (devotional songs) dedicated to Lord Krishna.

Question 19

The Vaishnava Bhakti movement in Bengal was spearheaded by………………, through his famous popular work, 'Gita Govinda'.

Accepted Answer

Jayadeva, the 12th-century Sanskrit poet, is renowned for his work 'Gita Govinda,' which played a significant role in the development of the Vaishnava Bhakti movement in Bengal. This epic poem celebrates the divine love of Krishna and Radha, influencing the spiritual and cultural landscape of the region.

Question 20

The Suharwardi Order was started in India by ……………….,a desciple of Shaik Suharwardi.

Accepted Answer

The Suharwardi Order, a Sufi order, was introduced in India by Shaikh Zakariya, a disciple of Shaikh Suharwardi.

Quiz 9: Historical Figures and Movements in Astronomy, Mathematics, Philosophy and Religion in India and Beyond