1. The four Vedas are the earliest Hindu texts, composed from around 1500 to 1200 BCE, and originally passed down orally. The Vedic "trinity" was made up of which three gods?
   A)  Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva

   B)  Indra, Kali and Agni

   C)  Surya, Soma and Ganesha

2. Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, was the first goddess to be worshipped by the Hindus. She is thought to have originated as a river goddess and as such is associated with fertility. Saraswati is usually depicted sitting upon a white lotus and playing which instrument?
   A)  a sitar

   B)  a ganjira

   C)  a veena

3. This Hindu god is sometimes called Lord of the Dance, as he is said to have the power to dance the world in and out of existence. Typically depicted with a blue throat from having swallowed poison to save the world, what is his name?
   A)  Indra

   B)  Shiva

   C)  Vishnu

4. While the Hindu goddess Kali has a historical reputation for indiscriminate violence, most of her wrath is aimed at the destruction of ignorance. It is Kali the earth mother upon whom the balance of the world is dependent, and she is representative of the often ignored potential power of women. Consort of Shiva, Kali is most often depicted in what color?
   A)  red

   B)  green

   C)  black

5. The Hindu goddess takes many forms, some of them overlapping. In her incarnation as Durga, she is a warrior goddess and represents female creative energy. There is a story that Durga was created from a beam of energy produced by the other gods when they were unable to kill the demon Mahishasura. With the help of gifts from each of the gods, Durga overcame the demon. Which gift did Indra, the god of weather and war, bestow upon her?
   A)  a trident

   B)  a thunderbolt

   C)  a discus

6. Hindus believe that their supreme god can enter this world as an avatar, a term that means "one who descends". Which of the following is NOT one of the ten avatars of Vishnu?
   A)  Matsyavatara, the fish

   B)  Kurmavatara, the tortoise

   C)  Nagavatara, the snake

7. Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, is worshipped by every Hindu as the goddess of prosperity, particularly that which pertains to the family. Lakshmi is usually depicted as a beautiful lady with four arms, and is associated with the lotus flower, a symbol of purity. Which is her major festival?
   A)  Diwali

   B)  Navrati

   C)  Rakhi

8. Soma, god of the moon, is also a plant from which an intoxicating drink is made, which is also called Soma. Confused yet? When the other gods drink this ambrosial Soma, the god Soma must then recreate himself. To which natural occurence was this linked?
   A)  low and high tides

   B)  dry and monsoon seasons

   C)  waxing and waning of the moon

9. Legend warns that if you look at the full moon on the night of Ganesh Chaturthi, the birthday festival of Ganesha, the elephant headed god of new beginnings, that one of these ills will befall you. Which one should you worry about?
   A)  your lover will die before the year is out

   B)  you will be falsely accused

   C)  you will never have children

10. In the literature of Hinduism, the Sutras are collections of wise sayings which serve as manuals to proper behavior in various aspects of life. The standard Hindu text on love is thought to have been written by a celibate scholar who lived sometime during the first six centuries CE and was named for Hindu god of love. What is this romantic god's name?
   A)  Kama

   B)  Rama

   C)  Yama