1. In His 1966 Divine Discourse, Swami directs us on how to make our consciousness sublime:

“Krishna-thrishna - Thirst for Krishna, for seeing Him, hearing Him, His Flute, for installing Him in the heart, in the mind, for grasping His Reality through the intellect - this thirst is the healthiest, the most conducive to peace. Devotion to Krishna is the chain by which the monkey mind can be fastened and subdued. Transmute all the desire with which the senses torment you into the thirst for Krishna and you are saved.”

According to Swami, what happens when this Krishna-thrishna is quenched?

A. The spiritual path becomes easier.
B. The highest bliss is attained.
C. We will not have to reincarnate again.
D. We eschew bad company.

2. In His 1977 Divine Janmashtami Discourse, Swami explains the significance of Krishna’s birth as the eighth child:

“Sri Krishna was born as the eighth child of Devaki. This is significant, for Samaadhi is the eighth stage of spiritual effort, coming after yama, niyama, aasana, pranaayaama, prathyahara,dharana and dhyaana. These are known as ashtaanga-yoga; the eight-fold discipline - abstention from evil-doing, observance, control of breath, posture, withdrawal of mind from sense objects, concentration, meditation and absorption in the Aathma. The Lord can be visualized only after the seven steps are successfully negotiated and the mind purified in the process. The term, samaadhi (superconciousness state of bliss), is generally identified with a temporary loss of consciousness, or even more, a temporary heightening of the consciousness. But we have to judge the state by the effect it has on the person and his attitude towards himself and others.”

According to Swami, what does samaadhi mean?

A. Experiencing equality of every being and everything.
B. Cessation of the breath in meditation.
C. Equal distribution of wealth in society.
D. Full knowledge of scriptures.

3. In His 1990 Divine Janamashtami Discourse, Swami explains:

“We must understand properly the meaning of the term Krishna. The word has three meanings. One is ‘Krishyathi iti Krishnah’ (The one who cultivates is Krishna). What is it that has to be cultivated? The Hridayakshetra (field of the heart). Krishna cultivates the field of our hearts by removing the weeds of bad qualities, watering it with love, ploughing it with the use of sadhana, and sowing the seeds of devotion. This is how Krishna cultivates our hearts.

The second meaning of the word is: ‘Karshathi iti Krishnah’ (The one who attracts is Krishna). Krishna attracts you by His eyes, His speech, His sports, and by every action of His. By His words, He softens and calms the hearts of even those filled with hatred and makes them rejoice. Krishna displayed these qualities even as a small child. Once He had entered the house of a gopika at night and climbed a pillar to get at the butter that was kept in a pot suspended from the ceiling. The gopika woke up, caught Him in the act and held fast His legs, saying that she would now expose Him before His mother Yashoda. She asked Him what He was doing at the top of the pillar.”

According to Swami, what innocent reply did the prankster child Krishna give?

A. He was checking for the pillar’s strength.
B. He was helping the ants to cross the pillar safely.
C. He was sleep-walking and got lost.
D. He was searching for the missing calf.

4.In His 1996 Divine Janamashtami Discourse, Swami enlightens us about the Divine relationship between Krishna and Radha.

“In the case of Radha, Krishna churned her heart and gave her the nectar of Divine bliss. Radha had no attachment to any of her kith and kin. Krishna appeared before Radha before she gave up her life and blessed her. God will give anything for the devotee including Himself. No one can equal Him in the sacrifice He will make for the sake of the devotees. Krishna asked Radha what she wanted at the last moment of her life. Radha said: ‘I don't want anything except to listen to the music of your flute once before I pass on. Sing, Oh Krishna, speak to me to fill my heart with bliss,’ sang Radha. ‘Distill the essence of the Vedas and make it flow into the eternal music of your flute, oh Krishna.’

Krishna took out His flute and played on it and when Radha closed her eyes, He threw it away. He never touched it again. He dedicated the flute to give delight to Radha. Thus, all the mysteries of Krishna served to relieve the distress of the devotees. Krishna used all His powers to serve the devotees. When the purport of the Bhagavatha stories is properly understood, one can realize the puissance of the Lord...I have told you many times that Radha does not simply mean the form of a woman. It is something far more important.”

So, according to Swami, what does Radha mean?

A. One who constantly chants the Name of the Lord.
B. One who brings delight to all.
C. The ultimate example of selfless devotion.
D. Krishna ’s escort.

5. In His 1987 Divine Discourse, Swami tells us how Krishna teaches us one of the reasons of man’s falling on the spiritual path by revealing a story:

“On one occasion, Krishna was conversing with the Pandava brothers when Arjuna expressed disagreement with certain statements of Krishna. Krishna assumed an angry pose and left the place. Hardly had He gone a short distance when Dharmaja, Bhima and Nakula turned on Arjuna and berated him for insulting Krishna, who was their very life-breath. Unable to bear this rebuke, Arjuna prayed internally to Krishna. Meanwhile Krishna returned and told the brothers: ‘What Arjuna has done is true to human nature. Man is fickle-minded and prone to doubts….’”

According to Swami, what reason did Krishna give to Arjuna for his temporary failing?

A. His short temperedness.
B. His lack of faith.
C. His false sense of doership.
D. His intellect.

6. In His 1996 Divine Janamashtami Discourse, Swami reveals the significance of Krishna’s love for pure white milk and butter and curds:

“Krishna used to visit the houses of the cowherds and drink curds and milk. The symbolic meaning of this action is Krishna's preference for sathva, represented by the pure white curds and milk. Krishna explained to Yashodha the reason why He preferred the butter in their homes to the butter offered by Yashodha.”

According to Swami, what reason did Krishna give to His Divine Mother Yashoda?

A. He was testing the quality of their butter.
B. Their butter was tastier than Yashoda’s.
C. They were more generous than Yashoda.
D. The hearts of the gopis were pure and selfless.

7. In His 1994 Divine Janamashtami Discourse, Swami instills true devotion in us by clarifying the truth of Krishna’s Advent:

“Krishna, in fulfilling the pledge He had given to Mother Earth, rid the world of many wicked rulers and sought to establish the reign of Righteousness for the protection of the good. The Divine incarnates from age to age for the purpose of protecting the virtuous, punishing the wicked and establishing Dharma. Krishna is said to have destroyed many wicked persons. But this is not quite correct.”

According to Swami, who or what really killed His wicked uncle Kamsa?

A. The people of his kingdom.
B. His own fear of Krishna.
C. His unrighteous acts.
D. A few jealous demons.

8. In His 1990 Divine Janamashtami Discourse, Swami uses the gopis as an example of the pinnacle of devotion:

“Krishna Naama (name) makes you strong and steady; it is sweet and sustaining. Look at the gopis (milk maids of Gokulam) and their yearning for the Lord! They never swerved from the path of bhakthi, of continuous smarana (remembrance) of the Lord. When in pain, the gopis always called on Krishna only; whether in joy or in grief.

Prema (Love) is nectarine in its sweetness. Bhakti (Love for the Lord) was the highest expression of devotion among the gopis because they were saturated with the sweetness of ____________”

A. Divine Love.
B. The Nectarine music from Krishna’s Flute.
C. Krishna ’s undivided attention on them.
D. Being a part of the group with the other cowherdesses.

9. In His 1996 Divine Janamashtami Discourse, Swami delightfully reveals to us the comparison between the two Avathars – Krishna and Rama:

“If you recognize the distinction, between Krishna and Rama, you will appreciate better the nature of Krishna. Krishna always smiled at the outset and carried out His task later. For Rama, the deed came first and then the smile. Krishna made women cry. Rama wept for the sake of women. Rama went into the battle only after having a strong cause for it. Krishna first provoked the conflict and then determined its outcome. The Krishna principle revels in delight. The Rama principle is based on the concept of baadhyatha (obligation).”

One of the differences between Rama and Krishna Avatar was that Krishna had no kingdom of His own. According to Swami, who did He rule then?

A. The cowherds.
B. Radha.
C. The hearts of millions.
D. The Pandavas and the Kauravas.

10. In His 1977 Divine Janamashtami Discourse, Swami describes the symbolism of the jewelry that Krishna wore:

“Krishna's complexion was neither fair nor dark; it was three parts dark and one-part fair, an amalgam of both. Since they were of the Vaishnava caste, the parents placed a line of musk on the centre of his brow. He wore silver kankans (bangles) on His wrists, such as cow-herd boys wore in those days in that part of the country. But the kankans that Krishna wore were not mere kankans. They had profound implications.’

According to Swami, what did the kankans signify?

A. The eternal bondage between man and God.
B. His determination to fulfill the vows He undertook for liberating His devotees.
C. For teaching detachment from the material world.
D. For destroying ego and illusion.

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-Heart2Heart Team