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Culture Documents
A
a-bhayamabsence of fear
acamanasipping water from the hand
a-dharmaunrighteousness, irreligion
adhyasa superimposition
adi-purusa
the primordial Man
a-dvaitanon-duality
agneyia ceremony of bidding farewell to the ritual fire
agnifire
agni-hotrasacrifice to (or by) fire
aham asmi; aham brahma asmi-I am, I am Brahman
ahamkara-the conception of oneself as an individual; self-conceit
a-ja, ajata-unborn a-jnani-one who lacks jnana
a- kama-without desire akasa-space, the most subtle of the five elements
a-krita-not made, uncreated a-linga-without sign
a-mrita-immortal a-nama -without name
ananda-bliss
a- niketana-without dwelling-place
aranya-the forest a-rupa-without form asana-seat, posture (yogic)
a-sanga-free from ties, attachment
a-sat-unreal asrama-(1) abode of ascetics, (2) stage of life
astasraddha-the final eightfold offering to devas, rishis, ancestors, and lastly to oneself as departed
(Na.Pa.Up., 4.38)
ati-beyond; e.g., ati-dharma, beyond dharma
atman -the 'self', man's innermost principle; the supreme Self
atyasrama-beyond every stage of life
avadhuta-one who renounces everything, including even the classical tokens of sannyasa
avidya-ignorance
avyakta-not manifested
B
bhakta; bhakti-devoted worshipper; heartfelt devotion
bhiksa-alms
bhiksacharya-living on alms
bhuman-fullness
bhutani-the elements; beings
brahmachari-a celibate student; one in the first asrama
brahmaloka-the world or heaven of Brahma
brahman-the supreme principle of all; the Absolute
brahmannistha-established in Brahman
brahmavadi-one who talks about Brahman, a theologian
brahmavidya-the knowledge of Brahman;
brahmavid-one who knows Brahman
buddha-awakened
buddhi-intellect in its highest form
C
caturtha-the 'fourth' state of consciousness
D
danda-a wooden staff,
E
ekagrata-one-pointedness
ekam eva advitiyam,-One-only-without-a-second
evamvid, evamvidvan-one who knows 'thus'
G
gayatri-a famous mantra from the Rig-Veda, whose use is obligatory for Brahmans
grihastha-a householder, married man; one in the second asrama
guha-cave; the secret place of the heart
guna-(lit.) strand; the three gunas (sattva, goodness; rajas, passion; ramas, darkness) are the three
modes or qualities of prakriti (the primary substance), whose varied combination produces the
diversity of beings.
H
hamsa-swan; a symbol of the atman and of the liberated one, whom nothing can bind and who is free
to go anywhere (cp the kesi)
homa- ritual sacrifice
J
jivanmukta-one who has found liberation during his lifetime
jivanmukti-the state of a jivanmukta
jnana-wisdom, knowledge
jnani-a sage; one who has awaken to reality, realized the Self
jyoti-light
K
kaivalyam-the state of absolute aloneness, unicity of the liberated one
kamachara-free to go anywhere, unrestrained ;
kamandalu-a gourd " karana-cause; instrument; agency karma-action; work; the result of acts done in
a previous life
kaupinam-ascetic's loin cloth
kavi-saffron colour, worn by ascetics kesi-'hairy one'; an ascetic, completely acosmic kirtanadevotional song
kosa-'sheath'; one of a series of 'bodies' held to envelop the atman
krama-sannyasi-one who takes sannyasa as the final stage of life, as a means to attain moks kritasomething done or made
kritakritya-one who has performed all that he had to perform
kutacaka-a type of ascetic
kutira-a hut
Llila-play; the Lord's play in and through creation
loka-place, world madhu-honey
Mmahaprasthana-the great departure (for instance, of the Buddha when he left his palace for the
forest) mahatma-one who is a 'great soul'
mahavakya-the great sentences, or mantras, which sum up the teaching of the Upanishads
manas-the mental faculty manasa-with the mind
mantra-formula of prayer
matha-monastery
mauna-silence
maya-the undefinable condition of the world of manifestation, which cannot properly be described
either as being (sat) or not-being (asat); hence, the power of illusion which keeps men in samsara
moksa-final liberation from samsara; salvation
mrityu-death
muni-one who keeps silence; an ascetic
murti-image, icon; a particular form of the unique and transcendent divine mystery
Nnamajapa-repetition of the divine name
namarupa-'name and form'; this includes the world of phenomena and all the various signs used by
men to express the unique mystery that is beyond all. To render by 'individuality' is inadequate.
namaskra-saying 'namah,' i.e., salutation, homage
neti (na-iti)-'(saying) No;' i.e., Not that'
nihitam gahayam-hidden in the cave (of the heart)
nirvikalpa samadhi-samadhi with complete suspension of all perception and thought
Ppara-beyond
paramatman-the Supreme Self
paramahamsa-one of the most extreme forms of sannyasa
paramjyoti-the supreme light
parivrajya-the life of a wandering mendicant
pinda-rice-balls offered to the departed
pitri-departed ancestors
prajapati-the Lord of beings
prajapatya-a sacrifice in which a man's entire property is given away before taking sannyasa
prajna, prajnana- intelligence
prana-breath, breath of life
pranava-OM
pratistha-support, prop
prasada-portion of an offering given back to the worshipper; grace
pratyahara-withdrawal of attention from objects (phase of yoga)
prayaga-sacred place of the confluence of rivers, as at Allahabad
pretya-departed (from this world)
puja-ritual worship given to a murti (image) accompanied by lustration, offerings and the recitation
of sacred mantras
purnam-fullness
purusa-the archetypal man, one of the expressions of the unique and indivisible mystery of the
atman-brahman
Rrishi -Vedic seer
Ssadguru-the true Guru
sadhana-spiritual exercises
sadhu-good, virtuous; a monk
sakti- force, power, energy; the active power of the Divinity
sahaja-natural manifested throughout the created universe
samadhi-the final ecstasy, or rather 'enstasy', on the spiritual path; contemplation; hence, death
samastih-totality
sampratti-ceremony of handing over of possessions at death or on taking sannyasa
samsara-the world, seen as carrying all things along in its ceaseless flux; passage through successive
births and deaths
samskara-'sacramental' rites which mark the successive stages in the life of the dvija (twice- born)
Hindu
sanatana dharma-the traditional name of the religion which springs from the Vedas, the 'eternal'
religion or law. The modern term 'Hinduism' was coined by foreigners.
sandhya-the 'conjunctions' of day and night at sunset and sunrise, times which are regarded as
specially appropriate for prayer