Hi Everyone!! This article will share The Story of The Saptarishis Questions & Answers.
In my previous posts, I have shared the questions and answers of The Conceited Python, Florence Nightingale and The Wind so, you can check these posts as well.
The Story of The Saptarishis Questions & Answers
Question 1: What kind of food could the Saptrishis eat? Why?
Answer: The Saptarishis could eat only that which was given to them at a sacrifice or the roots and fruits of the forest. This is because if they would eat anything else, this would reduce the merits they had attained through penance, and heaven would get further away from them.
Question 2: Who stopped the rishis from accepting King Vrisadarbhi’s gifts? What did he tell the king’s ministers?
Answer: Rishi Atri stopped the rishis from accepting the king’s gifts. He told the king’s ministers that the rishis were not idiots and that he knew that the figs were stuffed with gold. He added that they might be hungry, but their good sense had not left them yet. He asked them to return the figs to the king with the rishis’ compliments.
Question 3: How did the king feel on learning that the Saptarishis had refused his gifts again? What did he do as a result?
Answer: The king was extremely offended on learning that the Saptarishis had again refused his gifts. As a result, he locked himself up in his chamber and performed a sacrifice. A fearsome demoness merged from the sacrificial fire.
Question 4: What did the king instruct the demoness to do?
Answer: The king instructed the demoness to follow the Saptarishis and their group as they wandered around in the forest searching for food. When they reached the lake in search of lotus stalks, she was to become the guardian of the lake and ask them the meanings of their names, as she could overpower them only when she had obtained that information. Additionally, he cautioned the demoness to get the meanings of their names the first time she asked as she would get only one chance with each of them.
Question 5: Whom did the rishis meet on their way to the lake? Why were they astonished by his appearance?
Answer: The rishis met a well-muscled man on their way to the lake. They were astonished by his appearance because though there was drought and hunger everywhere, it seemed to have left the man and his dog untouched.
Question 6: Why did Indra reward the Saptarishis? What was the reward?
Answer: Indra rewarded the Saptarishis because they had truly conquered hunger and proved themselves beyond temptation. As a reward for this, they would ascend to the heavens and take their place among the other stars so that forever people would see them and know about their greatness.
Question 7: Why did the stranger utter the last words of his reply to the demoness in an undertone?
Answer: The stranger uttered the last words of his reply to the demoness in an undertone because he knew that the demoness had to get the meaning of his name the first time, she asked him. She had but one chance and if she lost that chance, she would lose all her power.
Question 8: Read these sentences and answer the questions.
1. “We lose all our merits if we accept even one gold coin. Heaven is more important to us than hunger.”
a. Who said these words and to whom?
Answer: Vasistha said these words to the king’s ministers who took the gifts to the rishis.
b. Why did the speaker say this?
Answer: The speaker said this because if the rishis accepted the king’s gifts, they would lose the merits that would help them to reach heaven.
c. How had they obtained the merits?
Answer: The rishis had acquired the merits by performing severe austerities and penances. They lived a very simple life and ate only the roots and fruits of the forests or that was given to at a sacrifice. They even went without food for many days.
2. “Who are you and why did you kill this creature who was willing to allow us to eat the lotus stalks?”
a. Who said these words and to whom?
Answer: The rishis spoke these words to the stranger.
b. What happened immediately after this?
Answer: Immediately after this, the stranger’s form altered and grew radiant. He was transformed into God Indra.
c. What was the listener’s reply?
Answer: The listener, who was in fact God Indra in disguise, told the rishis that the demoness would not have allowed them to eat the lotus stalks. Once she had got the meanings of their names, she would have killed them all. Since he knew what the king had planned for the rishis, he had decided to help them in the disguise of a stranger.
So, these were The Story of The Saptarishis Questions & Answers.