Direction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the following question given below it.
The two great epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, were developed over a period of centuries and perhaps put to writing in their present form in the second century AD. The Mahabharata contains about 1,00,000 verses and is the longest single poem in the world. It consists of many legends and tales revolving around the conflicts between two branches of a mythical family. The stories- which involve deities, and heroes- contain elements of cosmology, philosophy, and religious doctrine. Besides the main story of the war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, a number of the other interesting stories are woven into the epic. The Bhagvat Gita, a later addition to the Mahabharata, enshrines a philosophical doctrine and it is described the three paths of salvation, viz. Karma, Gyan, and Bhakti. The Ramayana, the story of Rama, is shorter than the Mahabharata and is full of interesting adventures and episodes. For centuries Ramayana – the story of Rama and Sita, Ravana and Hanuman and several other characters has held the minds of the people, educated as well as uneducated, rich or poor. Everyone knows that its composer was Valmiki. These two epics have influenced the thinking of millions of people for centuries. Their influence on the life of Indians has been great and immeasurable. This period abounds in influence in the development from early Vedic religion to Hinduism. Rig Veda is a collection of 1028 hymns in Vedic Sanskrit. The hymns are in praise of different Vedic deities some of them are descriptions of nature. Most enchanting is addressed to Ushas, the goddess of dawn. Yajur Veda gives directions for the performance of the Yajna, the Sama Veda prescribes the tunes for the recitation of the hymns of the Rig Veda, and the Atharva Veda prescribes rites and rituals. There were many other shastras and smrities . The shastras contained works of science and philosophy. For Example, the Arthashastra by Kautilya was the treatise on the science of government. There were Shastras on art, mathematics and other sciences. The smirities deals dealt with the performance of duties, custom and laws prescribed according to the Dharma. The most famous of these is Manusmriti.
What comprises the Mahabharata?
Important Questions on Reading Comprehension
Read the following passage carefully and answer the following question given below it.
The two great epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana were developed over a period of centuries and perhaps put to writing in their present form in the second century AD. The Mahabharata contains about 1,00,000 verses and is the longest single poem in the world. It consists of many legends and tales revolving around the conflicts between two branches of a mythical family. The stories—which involve deities, and heroes—contain elements of cosmology, philosophy, and religious doctrine. Besides the main story of the war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, a number of the other interesting stories are woven into the epic. The Bhagvat Gita, a later addition to the Mahabharata, enshrines a philosophical doctrine and it is described the three paths of salvation, viz. Karma, Gyan, and Bhakti. The Ramayana, the story of Rama, is shorter than the Mahabharata and is full of interesting adventures and episodes. For centuries Ramayana – the story of Rama and Sita, Ravana and Hanuman, and several other characters have held the minds of the people, educated as well as uneducated, rich or poor. Everyone knows that its composer was Valmiki. These two epics have influenced the thinking of millions of people for centuries. Their influence on the life of Indians has been great and immeasurable. This period abounds in influence in the development from early Vedic religion to Hinduism. Rig Veda is a collection of 1028 hymns in Vedic Sanskrit. The hymns are in praise of different Vedic deities some of them are descriptions of nature. Most enchanting is addressed to Ushas, the goddess of dawn. Yajur Veda gives directions for the performance of the Yajna, the Sama Veda prescribes the tunes for the recitation of the hymns of the Rig Veda, and the Atharva Veda prescribes rites and rituals. There were many other shastras and series. The shastras contained works of science and philosophy. For Example, the Arthashastra by Kautilya was the treatise on the science of government. There were Shastras on art, mathematics, and other sciences. The similarities deals dealt with the performance of duties, customs, and laws prescribed according to the Dharma. The most famous of these is Manusmriti.
Which of the following is most nearly the SAME in the meaning as printed in the bold letter as used in the context of the passage?
Epics
The two great epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, were developed over a period of centuries and perhaps put to writing in their present form in the second century AD. The Mahabharata contains about 1,00,000 verses and is the longest single poem in the world. It consists of many legends and tales revolving around the conflicts between two branches of a mythical family. The stories- which involve deities, and heroes- contain elements of cosmology, philosophy, and religious doctrine. Besides the main story of the war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, a number of the other interesting stories are woven into the epic. The Bhagvat Gita, a later addition to the Mahabharata, enshrines a philosophical doctrine and it is described the three paths of salvation, viz. Karma, Gyan, and Bhakti. The Ramayana, the story of Rama, is shorter than the Mahabharata and is full of interesting adventures and episodes. For centuries Ramayana – the story of Rama and Sita, Ravana and Hanuman and several other characters has held the minds of the people, educated as well as uneducated, rich or poor. Everyone knows that its composer was Valmiki. These two epics have influenced the thinking of millions of people for centuries. Their influence on the life of Indians has been great and immeasurable. This period abounds in influence in the development from early Vedic religion to Hinduism. Rig Veda is a collection of 1028 hymns in Vedic Sanskrit. The hymns are in praise of different Vedic deities some of them are descriptions of nature. Most enchanting is addressed to Ushas, the goddess of dawn. Yajur Veda gives directions for the performance of the Yajna, the Sama Veda prescribes the tunes for the recitation of the hymns of the Rig Veda, and the Atharva Veda prescribes rites and rituals. There were many other shastras and smrities. The shastras contained works of science and philosophy. For Example, the Arthashastra by Kautiliya was the treatise on the science of government. There were Shastras on art, mathematics and other sciences. The similarities deals dealt with the performance of duties, custom and laws prescribed according to the Dharma. The most famous of these is Manusmriti.
When were the two epics written according to the author's view?
The two great epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, were developed over a period of centuries and perhaps put to writing in their present form in the second century AD. The Mahabharata contains about 1,00,000 verses and is the longest single poem in the world. It consists of many legends and tales revolving around the conflicts between two branches of a mythical family. The stories—which involve deities, and heroes—contain elements of cosmology, philosophy, and religious doctrine. Besides the main story of the war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, a number of the other interesting stories are woven into the epic. The Bhagvat Gita, a later addition to the Mahabharata, enshrines a philosophical doctrine and it is described the three paths of salvation, viz. Karma, Gyan, and Bhakti. The Ramayana, the story of Rama, is shorter than the Mahabharata and is full of interesting adventures and episodes. For centuries Ramayana – the story of Rama and Sita, Ravana and Hanuman and several other characters has held the minds of the people, educated as well as uneducated, rich or poor. Everyone knows that its composer was Valmiki. These two epics have influenced the thinking of millions of people for centuries. Their influence on the life of Indians has been great and immeasurable. This period abounds in influence in the development from early Vedic religion to Hinduism. Rig Veda is a collection of 1028 hymns in Vedic Sanskrit. The hymns are in praise of different Vedic deities some of them are descriptions of nature. Most enchanting is addressed to Ushas, the goddess of dawn. Yajur Veda gives directions for the performance of the Yajna, the Sama Veda prescribes the tunes for the recitation of the hymns of the Rig Veda, and the Atharva Veda prescribes rites and rituals. There were many other shastras and smrities. The shastras contained works of science and philosophy. For Example, the Arthashastra by Kautilya was the treatise on the science of government. There were Shastras on art, mathematics and other sciences. The smirities deals dealt with the performance of duties, custom and laws prescribed according to the Dharma. The most famous of these is Manusmriti.
Which of the following is most nearly the SAME in the meaning as printed in bold letter as used in the context of the passage?
Treatise
Rajendra stayed in a tiny hut with his goat. One day, his uncles tied it alongside the goats that belonged to the village butcher. The butcher killed all the goats. Now, Rajendra's goat had a bell around its neck. Rajendra found the bell. Scared that the boy would tell everyone he had killed a stolen goat, the butcher gave Rajendra some money! His uncles met him and asked about the money. 'Everyone wanted goat's meat today. My goat somehow ended up at the butcher's and he sold its meat. This is my share', he replied. His uncles who owned twenty goats slaughtered them all and went to sell the meat. But there was so much meat in the market that they got only a few rupees for their goats. Angry, they set fire to his little hut. Rajendra came home and found a pile of ash. Sadly he gathered the ash in a bag and decided to leave the village. He walked till he reached a village where he sat down under a tree to rest. Who was this stranger carrying a bag of ashes? The villagers wondered. Rajendra's hut had been his dearest possession, so he said, 'It is the ash from a sacred place'. The villagers asked him to sell it. But he refused. Rumour spread that a holy man from the Himalayas had ash that could cure all misfortunes. He wanted no money, but it was only right that you paid a coin. Soon the ash was all gone and in its place was a pile of coins. Rajendra decided to return to his village. When his uncles saw him they asked Rajendra his secret. Rajendra said, 'I sold the ash from my burnt hut and got this money'. His uncles burnt down their fine houses gathered the ashes and set off for the village, but as soon as they uttered the word 'ash', the villagers beat them! By then the villagers knew there was no magic in the ash. Angry, the uncles decided to kill Rajendra. They invited him for a walk and pushed him in the river. A girl washing clothes nearby heard his screams for help. Being a good swimmer she dived in. When she heard his story she thought of a plan. The next day Rajendra went to his uncles' house with the girl, dressed in finery and said, 'When I fell into the river, she saved me. She has a palace at the bottom of the river. Do come and visit us'. Saying this, they left in the direction of the river, The uncles decided to follow Rajendra and cheat him of his newfound wealth. So they ran to the river and dived into its deep waters. They were never heard of again'.
Why did Rajendra leave his village one day?
Directions: Read the given comprehension carefully and answer the question that follows.
Rajendra stayed in a tiny hut with his goat. One day, his uncles tied it alongside the goats that belonged to the village butcher. The butcher killed all the goats. Now, Rajendra's goat had a bell around its neck. Rajendra found the bell. Scared that the boy would tell everyone he had killed a stolen goat, the butcher gave Rajendra some money! His uncles met him and asked about the money. 'Everyone wanted goat's meat today. My goat somehow ended up at the butcher's and he sold its meat. This is my share', he replied. His uncles who owned twenty goats slaughtered them all and went to sell the meat. But there was so much meat in the market that they got only a few rupees for their goats. Angry, they set fire to his little hut. Rajendra came home and found a pile of ash. Sadly he gathered the ash in a bag and decided to leave the village. He walked till he reached a village where he sat down under a tree to rest. Who was this stranger carrying a bag of ashes? The villagers wondered. Rajendra's hut had been his dearest possession, so he said, 'It is the ash from a sacred place'. The villagers asked him to sell it. But he refused. Rumour spread that a holy man from the Himalayas had ash that could cure all misfortunes. He wanted no money, but it was only right that you paid a coin. Soon the ash was all gone and in its place was a pile of coins. Rajendra decided to return to his village. When his uncles saw him they asked Rajendra his secret. Rajendra said, 'I sold the ash from my burnt hut and got this money'. His uncles burnt down their fine houses gathered the ashes and set off for the village, but as soon as they uttered the word 'ash', the villagers beat them! By then the villagers knew there was no magic in the ash. Angry, the uncles decided to kill Rajendra. They invited him for a walk and pushed him in the river. A girl washing clothes nearby heard his screams for help. Being a good swimmer she dived in. When she heard his story she thought of a plan. The next day Rajendra went to his uncles' house with the girl, dressed in finery and said, 'When I fell into the river, she saved me. She has a palace at the bottom of the river. Do come and visit us'. Saying this, they left in the direction of the river, The uncles decided to follow Rajendra and cheat him of his newfound wealth. So they ran to the river and dived into its deep waters. They were never heard of again'.
Why did the villagers donate money to Rajendra?
A. They saw his bag of ashes and felt sorry for him.
B. They felt that it was their duty to help him in his time of trouble.
C. He misled them into thinking he had travelled all the way to the Himalayas.
Rajendra stayed in a tiny hut with his goat. One day, his uncles tied it alongside the goats that belonged to the village butcher. The butcher killed all the goats. Now, Rajendra's goat had a bell around its neck. Rajendra found the bell. Scared that the boy would tell everyone he had killed a stolen goat, the butcher gave Rajendra some money! His uncles met him and asked about the money. 'Everyone wanted goat's meat today. My goat somehow ended up at the butcher's and he sold its meat. This is my share', he replied. His uncles who owned twenty goats slaughtered them all and went to sell the meat. But there was so much meat in the market that they got only a few rupees for their goats. Angry, they set fire to his little hut. Rajendra came home and found a pile of ash. Sadly he gathered the ash in a bag and decided to leave the village. He walked till he reached a village where he sat down under a tree to rest. Who was this stranger carrying a bag of ashes? The villagers wondered. Rajendra's hut had been his dearest possession, so he said, 'It is the ash from a sacred place'. The villagers asked him to sell it. But he refused. Rumour spread that a holy man from the Himalayas had ash that could cure all misfortunes. He wanted no money, but it was only right that you paid a coin. Soon the ash was all gone and in its place was a pile of coins. Rajendra decided to return to his village. When his uncles saw him they asked Rajendra his secret. Rajendra said, 'I sold the ash from my burnt hut and got this money'. His uncles burnt down their fine houses gathered the ashes and set off for the village, but as soon as they uttered the word 'ash', the villagers beat them! By then the villagers knew there was no magic in the ash. Angry, the uncles decided to kill Rajendra. They invited him for a walk and pushed him in the river. A girl washing clothes nearby heard his screams for help. Being a good swimmer she dived in. When she heard his story she thought of a plan. The next day Rajendra went to his uncles' house with the girl, dressed in finery and said, 'When I fell into the river, she saved me. She has a palace at the bottom of the river. Do come and visit us'. Saying this, they left in the direction of the river, The uncles decided to follow Rajendra and cheat him of his newfound wealth. So they ran to the river and dived into its deep waters. They were never heard of again'.
Why did the girl go into the river?
Rajendra stayed in a tiny hut with his goat. One day, his uncles tied it alongside the goats that belonged to the village butcher. The butcher killed all the goats. Now, Rajendra's goat had a bell around its neck. Rajendra found the bell. Scared that the boy would tell everyone he had killed a stolen goat, the butcher gave Rajendra some money! His uncles met him and asked about the money. 'Everyone wanted goat's meat today. My goat somehow ended up at the butcher's and he sold its meat. This is my share', he replied. His uncles who owned twenty goats slaughtered them all and went to sell the meat. But there was so much meat in the market that they got only a few rupees for their goats. Angry, they set fire to his little hut. Rajendra came home and found a pile of ash. Sadly he gathered the ash in a bag and decided to leave the village. He walked till he reached a village where he sat down under a tree to rest. Who was this stranger carrying a bag of ashes? The villagers wondered. Rajendra's hut had been his dearest possession, so he said, 'It is the ash from a sacred place'. The villagers asked him to sell it. But he refused. Rumour spread that a holy man from the Himalayas had ash that could cure all misfortunes. He wanted no money, but it was only right that you paid a coin. Soon the ash was all gone and in its place was a pile of coins. Rajendra decided to return to his village. When his uncles saw him they asked Rajendra his secret. Rajendra said, 'I sold the ash from my burnt hut and got this money'. His uncles burnt down their fine houses gathered the ashes and set off for the village, but as soon as they uttered the word 'ash', the villagers beat them! By then the villagers knew there was no magic in the ash. Angry, the uncles decided to kill Rajendra. They invited him for a walk and pushed him in the river. A girl washing clothes nearby heard his screams for help. Being a good swimmer she dived in. When she heard his story she thought of a plan. The next day Rajendra went to his uncles' house with the girl, dressed in finery and said, 'When I fell into the river, she saved me. She has a palace at the bottom of the river. Do come and visit us'. Saying this, they left in the direction of the river, The uncles decided to follow Rajendra and cheat him of his newfound wealth. So they ran to the river and dived into its deep waters. They were never heard of again'.
Which of the following is TRUE in the context of the passage?
A. Rajendra plotted with the villagers to teach his uncle a lesson.
B. Rajendra married the girl who saved him from drowning.
C. Rajendra uncles were very greedy.
Should you encourage startups to tap into innovative ways of raising money or protect investors from dubious issuers? This is the dilemma global financial regulators have been grappling with in their effort to regulate the crowd-funding of business ventures through social media platforms. The Securities and Exchange Board of India's recent proposals on crowd-funding leans towards the second horn of the dilemma, the emphasis being on according to maximum protection to investors from the risks of funding new ventures. It has framed an onerous set of rules seeking to restrict the type of investors, firms and platforms that may participate in crowd-funding. But crowd-funding is a nascent concept in India; overly restrictive rules can stifle this democratic form of fund-raising.
Take SEBI's plan of allowing only accredited investors, defined as institutions, companies, high net worth investors (HNIs) and eligible retail investors to take up crowd-funding. Eligible retail investors are those who have a professional adviser, an annual income of 10 lakh, passed a professional exam, have filed an income tax return for three years and agree to cap their investments at 60,000 or 10 per cent of their net worth. Now, while HNIs have avenues such as venture capital, private equity and angel funds when partaking in new ventures with a minimum limit at 1 crore, these are out of reach of the small investor. Crowd-funding is more democratic it allows investors with modest sums to come together in large numbers to kick-start a new venture. True, startups are risky investments with high failure rates and poor liquidity (the investor can exit only if the business is listed or sold). But this can easily be contained by ensuring that only a small portion of the investors' portfolio is deployed in crowd-funding. This could be through a monetary limit (Rs.60,000 or 10 per cent of net worth, as SEBI suggests) while doing away with the other conditions. The disclosures mooted by SEBI audited financials and a prospectus describing the business plans and promoters - should adequately inform prospective investors of the risks of startup funding. SEBIs conditions for the firms who can tap this platform also seem too limiting. The Rs. 10-crore limit on each issuer appears reasonable to curb systemic risks, but the rule on the age (the entity should be less than four years old) is irrational.
Given that crowd-funding is an informal route to raise money, SEBI should not try too hard to throw an overly protective and ipso facto stifling net over it. In this context, the regulators' idea that the crowd-funding platforms do their own due diligence on new ventures is a sound one. Shielding investors are all very well, but the real focus should be on getting the right kind of entities to set up crowd-funding platforms. Requiring these platforms to have good systems and experienced people at the helm to curate the ventures seeking public funds may be the best way to harness the power of the crowd, without exposing the investor to too much risk.
Why has SEBI laid down strict rules for crowdfunding in India?
