Table of Contents

Questions and Answers from Annexure-1 on TWENTY SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS.................................... 2

Questions and Answers from Annexure-2 on H. H. SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI (BRIEF
BIOGRAPHY) ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Questions and Answers from Annexure-3 on H. H. SRI SWAMI Chidananda SARASWATI (BRIEF
BIOGRAPHY) ............................................................................................................................................ 7
Questions and Answers from Annexure-4 on AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY .......... 9

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Questions and Answers from Annexure-1 on TWENTY SPIRITUAL
INSTRUCTIONS

1. Who has given us TWENTY SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS to follow in our daily

life?

Ans: Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji

2. How can you describe TWENTY SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS in one sentence?

Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji writes this sentence after listing all the 20
instructions.

Ans: This is the essence of all spiritual Sadhanas.

3. In TWENTY SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS, Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji advises

us to get up at what time in the morning?

Ans: At 4 a.m. daily

4. In TWENTY SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS, what does Sadgurdev Swami

Sivanandji advise us to do after getting up in the morning?

Ans: To do Japa and Meditation/Sit on Padma, Siddha or Sukha Asana for

Japa and Dhyana

5. In TWENTY SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS, Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji advises

us to sit in some 3 particular asanas for Japa and Dhyana. Which asanas are
those?

Ans: Padma, Siddha or Sukha Asana

6. In TWENTY SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS, Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji advises

us to eat a particular type of food. Which type of food is it?

Ans: Sattvic food

7. As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL

INSTRUCTIONS, what should we not to when eating food?

Ans: We should not overload the stomach.

8. As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL

INSTRUCTIONS, how much of charity should we do?

Ans: One tenth of our income or one anna per Rupee

9. As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL

INSTRUCTIONS, how much of charity should we do?

Ans: One tenth of our income or one anna per Rupee

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10.As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL
INSTRUCTIONS, we should read 1 chapter daily of which holy book?

Ans: Bhagavad Gita

11.List the two SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS of Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji

about what should we eat or drink and not eat or drink?

Ans:

 Take Sattvic food. Do not overload the stomach.

 Give up smoking, narcotics, intoxicant drinks and Rajasic food.

12.As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL

INSTRUCTIONS, what should we do on Ekadashi?

Ans: We should Fast on Ekadasi or take milk and fruits only.

13.As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL

INSTRUCTIONS, when should we observe Mouna?

Ans: We should observe Mouna for two hours daily and during meals also.

14.As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL

INSTRUCTIONS, how should we speak?

Ans: Speak the truth at all cost. Speak a little. Speak sweetly.

15.Which motto has Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji given us in TWENTY

SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS?

Ans: ‘Simple living and high thinking.’

16.As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL

INSTRUCTIONS, what should we do as soon as we wake up or as soon as we
sleep?

Ans: Think of god

17.As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL

INSTRUCTIONS, what should we do as soon as we wake up or as soon as we
sleep?

Ans: Think of god

18.As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL

INSTRUCTIONS, what should we have always round our neck or in our
pocket?

Ans: Japa Mala

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19.As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL
INSTRUCTIONS, whom should we serve?

Ans: Serve the Sadhus, Sannyasins, poor, sick and the suffering.

20.As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL

INSTRUCTIONS, what should we keep under lock and key?

Ans: Meditation room

21.As advised by Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji in TWENTY SPIRITUAL

INSTRUCTIONS, should our meditation room be a common room or a
separate room?

Ans: Separate room

22.State the 20th SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION given to us by Sadgurdev Swami

Sivanandji.

Ans: Keep a daily spiritual diary. Stick to your routine.

23.State the 14th SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION given to us by Sadgurdev Swami

Sivanandji.

Ans: Do not depend upon servants. Have self-reliance.

24.State the 11th & 12th SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION given to us by Sadgurdev

Swami Sivanandji.

Ans:

11. Reduce your wants. Lead a happy, contented life.

12. Never hurt the feeling of others. Be kind to all.

25.State the 6th SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION given to us by Sadgurdev Swami

Sivanandji.

Ans: Brahmacharya: Preserve the vital force, very carefully.

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Questions and Answers from Annexure-2 on H. H. SRI SWAMI
SIVANANDA SARASWATI (BRIEF BIOGRAPHY)

1. When was Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji born?

Ans: 8th. of September, 1887

2. Where was Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji born? Fill in the blank:

In the village of ______ on the bank of the river ________ in _________.

Ans: In the village of Pattamadai on the bank of the river Tamraparani in

South India.

3. What was the name of Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji’s parents?

Ans:

Mother’s name: Sri P.S. Vengu Iyer

Father’s name: Srimati Parvati Ammal

4. What was the occupation of Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji’s father?

Ans: Revenue officer

5. Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji was which son of his parents, among the
siblings?

Ans: Last and third son

6. What was the childhood name of Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji?

Ans: Kuppuswamy

7. Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji’s father was whose devotee?

Ans: Lord Siva

8. What did Kuppuswamy do with his mother’s cakes and sweetmeats?

Ans: He distributed them liberally to his younger companions, dogs, cats,

crows, and sparrows, himself not eating a bit.
9. During his school days, what did Kuppuswamy do during the visit of
Governor of Madras?

Ans: He sang a song of welcome

10.What did Kuppuswamy do during his holidays?

Ans: He would spend the entire period in the hospital.

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11. Where did Kuppuswamy go to study medicine?

Ans: Medical School in Tanjore

12. While practicing, Dr. Kuppuswamy started a medical journal. What was its
name?

Ans: The Ambrosia

13. What was the name of the ship in which Dr. Kuppuswamy sailed to Malaya?

Ans: S.S. Tara

14. What food did Dr. Kuppuswamy carry in the ship?

Ans: A good quantity of sweets, prepared by his mother

15. What was the name of the book that a sadhu gave to Dr. Kuppuswamy in
Malaya?
.
Ans: Jiva Brahma Aikyam

16. What did the people of Malaya lovingly called Dr. Kuppuswamy?
.
Ans: Heart of Love

17. Who initiated Dr. Kuppuswamy into the Sannyas order?

.
Ans: Sri Swami Visvananda Saraswati

18. In 1927, what did Sadgurudev Swami Sivanandji do with the money from
his insurance policy that had matured?
.
Ans: Swamiji started a charitable dispensary at Lakshmanjula

19. How did Sadgurudev Swami Sivanandji create notebooks for his writings?
.
Ans: He used to gather bits of paper and used envelopes, and stitch them
into little notebooks.

20. Wheb did Sadgurudev Swami Sivanandji enter Mahasamadhi?

.
Ans: 14th of July 1963

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Questions and Answers from Annexure-3 on H. H. SRI SWAMI
Chidananda SARASWATI (BRIEF BIOGRAPHY)

1. When was Gurdev Swami Chidanandji born?

Ans: 24th September, 1916

2. What was the name of Gurdev Swami Chidanandji’s parents?

Ans:

 Mother’s name: Sarojini

 Father’s name: Srinivasa Rao

3. Gurdev Swami Chidanandji was which son of his parents, among the siblings?

Ans: The second of five children and the eldest son.

4. What was the childhood name of Gurdev Swami Chidanandji?

Ans: Sridhar Rao

5. Name two people who influenced Sridhar Rao in his childhood?

Ans:

 Sri Anantayya, a friend of his grandfather

 His uncle, Krishna Rao

6. What was the name of Sridhar Rao’s school?

Ans: Muthiah Chetty School in Madras

7. What was the name of Sridhar Rao’s college?

Ans: Loyola College

8. What degree did Sridhar Rao studied for in his college?

Ans: Bachelor of Arts

9. Sridhar Rao served lepers in his home in two ways. Fill in the blank to
complete the sentences:

 _______ on the vast lawns of his home

 look after them as though they were ______

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 Ans:

 Build huts on the vast lawns of his home

 Look after them as though they were deities

10. Which spiritual books appealed to Sridhar Rao more than college books?
Name all three of the authors whose works he read

Ans: Works of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda and Sri Gurudev

11. While still in his twenties, Sridhar Rao began initiating youngsters into what?

Ans: Into great Rama Taraka Mantra

12. In which year did Sridhar Rao join Sri Swami Sivanandaji’s ashram in
Rishikesh?

Ans: In 1943

13. When the Yoga-Vedanta Forest University (now known as the Yoga-Vedanta
Forest Academy, YVFA) was established in 1948, what did Sadgurudev
Swami Sivanandaji appoint Sridhar Rao as?

Ans: Vice Chancellor and Professor of Raja Yoga

14. During his first year of appointment in Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy, with
exposition of which text did Sridhar Rao inspire students?

Ans: Maharishi Patanjali's Yoga-Sutras

15. What is the name of the biography on Sadgurudev Swami Sivanandaji,

written by Sridhar Rao in the first year of his stay at the Ashram?

Ans: Light Fountain

16. In which year did Sadgurudev Swami Sivanandji initiated Sridhar Rao into
the holy order of Sannyasa and gave him the name “Swami Chidananda?
.
Ans: On Guru Purnima day, the 10th of July, 1949

17. Wheb did Gurudev Swami Chidanandji enter Mahasamadhi?

.
Ans: 28th August 2008

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Questions and Answers from Annexure-4 on AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY

1. Who estabilished Divine Life Society?

Ans: Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji

2. When did Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji estabilish Divine Life Society?

Ans: In 1936

3. Where did Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji estabilish Divine Life Society?

Ans: Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, India

4. As per Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji, what is the goal of life?

Ans: Self-realisation

5. What is the basic ideal of the Divine Life Society? Fill in the blank:
To make known the inherent ________ in all human beings

Ans: To make known the inherent divinity in all human beings

6. What are the ethical foundations of the Divine Life Society?

Ans: Purity, integrity, nobility and magnanimity

7. It is the endeavour of the Society to bring within the reach of the common
man whose lofty ideals? Fill in the blank:
The great ______________ of the past and the ______________

Ans: The great seers and sages of the past and the ancient scriptures

8. Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji summed up his teachings in which few words?

Ans: Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realise, Be Good, Do Good, Be

Kind, Be Compassionate
9. What do we call Sadgurdev Swami Sivanandji’s approach?

Ans: 'Synthesis of Yoga' or 'Integral Yoga.'

10. The goal of the Divine Life Society is to make man what?

Ans: A true human being - a true Hindu, a true Christian, a true Muslim.

11. How many approximate branches are there of the Divine Life Society all over
the world?

Ans: About 400

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12. As per the first basic tenet of the Divine Life Society, what should be
understand about life? Fill in the blank:
Understanding that life is __________________________________.

Ans: Understanding that life is divine in its origin, content and meaning.

13. As per the 2nd basic tenet of the Divine Life Society, what should we strive
for? Fill in the blank:
Striving to __________________________________.

Ans: Striving to attain perfection by unfolding the divinity hidden within.

14. What does the 3rd basic tenet of the Divine Life Society say about the
external conduct? Fill in the blank:
External conduct should be ______. Not only thoughts should be _______,
but also speech and actions should be _______.

Ans: External conduct should be noble. Not only thoughts should be sublime,
but also speech and actions should be selfless.

15. State the 4th basic tenet of the Divine Life Society.
.
Ans: Social well-being is not opposed to individual salvation. Even after
attaining perfection, selfless service should be continued.

16. The Divine Life Society has been established for 5 main purposes. State the
first two:

Ans:

1. To Disseminate Spiritual Knowledge

2. To Establish and Run Educational Institutions

17. The Divine Life Society has been established for 5 main purposes. State the
3rd, 4th and 5th purposes:

Ans:

3. To Help Deserving Orphans and Destitutes

4. To establish and Run Medical Organizations
5. To Take Such Other Steps from Time to Time

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