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Sabda Kosah

Glossary


jagadacharya: "World teacher."

jaggery: A dark, crude sugar made from the sap of certain species of palm.

Jainism: (Jaina) An ancient non-Vedic religion of India made prominent by the teachings of Mahavira ("Great Hero"), ca 500 BCE. The Jain Agamas teach reverence for all life, vegetarianism and strict renunciation for ascetics. Jains focus great emphasis on the fact that all souls may attain liberation, each by their own effort. Their great historic saints, called Tirthankaras ("Ford-Crossers"), are objects of worship, of whom Mahavira was the 24th and last. Jains number about six million today, living mostly in India.

japa: "Recitation" or "incantation." Practice of concentrated repetition of a mantra, often while counting the repetitions on a mala or strand of beads. It may be done silently or aloud. Sometimes known as mantra yoga. A major sadhana in Hindu spiritual practice, from the simple utterance of a few names of God to extraordinary feats of repeating sacred syllables millions of times for years on end. See: mantra, yama-niyama, yoga.

Jesus Christ: A teacher and prophet in the first century of this era whose teachings are the basis of Christianity.

Jew: An adherent of Judaism, or descendant of such adherents. See: Judaism.

jiva: "Living, existing." From jiv, "to live." The individual soul, atman, bound by the three malas (anava, karma and maya). The individuated self (jiva-atman) as opposed to the transcendental Self (parama atman). The jivanmukta is one who is "liberated while living." See: atman, evolution of the soul, purusha, soul.

jnana: "Knowledge; wisdom." (Tamil: jnanam) The matured state of the soul. It is the wisdom that comes as an aftermath of the kundalini breaking through the door of Brahman into the realization of Parashiva, Absolute Reality. The repeated samadhis of Parashiva ever deepen this flow of divine knowing which establishes the knower in an extraordinary point of reference, totally different from those who have not attained this enlightenment. Jnana is sometimes misunderstood as book knowledge, as a maturity or awakening that comes from simply understanding a complex philosophical system or systems. Those who define jnana in this way deny that the path is a progression of charya-kriya-yoga-jnana or of karma-bhakti-raja-jnana. Rather, they say that one can choose one's own path, and that each leads to the ultimate goal. See: God Realization, door of Brahman, Self Realization, samadhi.

jnana dana: "Gifts of wisdom." The karma yoga of printing, sponsoring and distributing Hindu religious literature, pamphlets and books, free of charge as a way of helping others spiritually. See: yama-niyama.

jnana marga: See: jnana pada.

jnana pada: "Stage of wisdom." According to the Saiva Siddhanta rishis, jnana is the last of the four successive padas (stages) of spiritual unfoldment. It is the culmination of the third stage, the yoga pada. Also names the knowledge section of each Agama. See: jnana, pada.

jnani: "Sage." One who possesses jnana. See: jnana.

Judaic-Christian: Concerned with two of the three religions descended from Abraham, Judaism and Christianty, especially in the sense of their shared beliefs.

Judaism: The religion of over 12 million adherents worldwide (over half in the United States), first of the Abrahamic faiths, founded about 3,700 years ago in Canaan (now Israel) by Abraham, who started the lineage, and in Egypt by Moses, who emancipated the enslaved Jewish tribes. Its major scripture is the Torah.

jyotisha: From jyoti, "light." "The science of the lights (or stars)." Hindu astrology, the knowledge and practice of analyzing events and circumstances, delineating character and determining auspicious moments, according to the positions and movements of heavenly bodies. In calculating horoscopes, jyotisha uses the sidereal (fixed-star) system, whereas Western astrology uses the tropical (fixed-date) method.


Kabala:A body of mystical teachings of rabbinical origin, partially based on an esoteric interpretation of the Hebrew scriptures.

Kadaitswami: "Marketplace swami." A satguru of the Nandinatha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara. Born ca 1804; died 1891. Renouncing his career as a judge in Bangalore, South India, Kadaitswami became a sannyasin and trained under the "Rishi from the Himalayas," who then sent him on mission to Sri Lanka. He performed severe tapas on an island off the coast of Jaffna, awakening many siddhis. For decades he spurred the Sri Lankan Saivites to greater spirituality through his inspired talks and demonstration of siddhis. He initiated Chellappaswami as the next satguru in the parampara. Kadaitswami's name given at his initiation was Muthyanandaswami. See: Kailasa Parampara, Natha Sampradaya.

kadhi kavi: "Hand made saffron color." Hand-spun, hand woven cloth, ocher in color, worn by Hindu renunciates. A Tamil term referring to the color taken on by robes of sadhus who sit, meditate or live on the banks of the Ganges. The Sanskrit equivalent is kashaya.

kahuna:"Deep one." A priest in the Native Hawaiian religion: 1) Kahuna pule officiated in the temples (heiau) and performed rites for the inauguration of houses. 2) Healer kahunas were medicine men who, depending on their specialty, delivered babies, treated sick children, and plied the arts of magic, diagnosis with fingertips, psychic reading and contacting the spirits of illness. 3) Kaula kahunas were reclusive ascetic prophets who lived aloof from society. A rare few kahuna lineages are carried forth today.

kaif: (Shum) The state of awareness being aware of itself. Pronounced kaw-eef. See: Shum.

Kailas (Kailasa): "Crystalline," or "abode of bliss." The four-faced Himalayan peak (22,028 feet) in Western Tibet; the earthly abode of Lord Siva. Associated with Mount Meru, the legendary center of the universe, it is an important pilgrimage destination for all Hindus, as well as for Tibetan Buddhists. Kailasa is represented in Shaktism by a certain three-dimensional form of the Shri Chakra yantra (also called kailasa chakra). See: Shri Chakra.

Kailasa Parampara: A spiritual lineage of 162 siddhas, a major stream of the Nandinatha Sampradaya, proponents of the ancient philosophy of monistic Saiva Siddhanta. The first of these masters that history recalls was Maharishi Nandinatha (or Nandikesvara) 2,250 years ago, satguru to the great Tirumular, ca 200 BCE, and seven other disciples (as stated in the Tirumantiram). The lineage continued down the centuries and is alive today -- the first recent siddha is known as the Rishi from the Himalayas," so named because he descended from those holy mountains. In South India, he initiated Kadaitswami (ca 1804 -- 1891), who in turn initiated Chellappaswami(1840 -- 1915). Chellappan passed the mantle of authority to sage Yogaswami (1872 -- 1964), who in 1949 initiated the present satguru, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. See: Natha Sampradaya, Patanjali, Tirumular, Yogaswami.

kalasha: "Water pot; pitcher; jar." In temple rites, a pot of water, kalasha, topped with mango leaves and a husked coconut represents the Deity during special pujas. Kalasha also names the pot-like spires that adorn temple roofs.

Kali Yuga: "Dark Age." The Kali Yuga is the last age in the repetitive cycle of four phases of time our solar system passes through. It is comparable to the darkest part of the night, as the forces of ignorance are in full power and many subtle faculties of the soul are obscured. See: mahapralaya, yuga.

kamandalu: "Vessel, water jar." Traditionally earthen or wooden, carried by sannyasins, it symbolizes the renunciate's simple, self-contained life. The tree from which kamandalus are traditionally made is the kamandalutaru. See: sannyasa dharma, sannyasin.

Kane: The central, primary God of the Hawaiians, Lord of procreation, associated with dawn, sun and sky, creator of the three worlds (upper heaven, lower heaven and earth) and the beings within them.

Kant, Immanuel: German philosopher (1724-1804) whose classic works include Critique of Pure Reason (1781) and Critique of Practical Reason (1788).

karma: "Action," "deed." One of the most important principles in Hindu thought, karma refers to 1) any act or deed; 2) the principle of cause and effect; 3) a consequence or "fruit of action" (karmaphala) or "after effect" (uttaraphala), which sooner or later returns upon the doer. What we sow, we shall reap in this or future lives. Selfish, hateful acts (papakarma or kukarma) will bring suffering. Benevolent actions (punyakarma or sukarma) will bring loving reactions. Karma is threefold: sanchita, prarabdha and kriyamana. -- sanchita karma: "Accumulated actions." The sum of all karmas of this life and past lives. -- prarabdha karma: "Actions begun; set in motion." That portion of sanchita karma that is bearing fruit and shaping the events and conditions of the current life, including the nature of one's bodies, personal tendencies and associations. -- kriyamana karma: "Being made." The karma being created and added to sanchita in this life by one's thoughts, words and actions, or in the inner worlds between lives. Kriyamana karma is also called agami, "coming, arriving," and vartamana, "current, revolving, set in motion." While some kriyamana karmas bear fruit in the current life, others are stored for future births. See: anava, fate, mala, maya, moksha, pasha, sin, soul.

karma yoga: "Union through action." Selfless service. See: yoga.

karnavedha: "Ear-piercing." See: samskaras of childhood.

Karttikeya: Child of the Pleiades, from Krittika, "Pleiades." Second son of Siva, brother of Ganesha. A great Mahadeva worshiped in all parts of India and the world. Also known as Muruga, Kumara, Skanda, Shanmukhanatha, Subramanya and more, He is the God who guides that part of evolution which is religion, the transformation of the instinctive into a divine wisdom through the practice of yoga. See: Muruga, Pleiades, Veda.

Kauai: Northernmost of the Hawaiian islands; 553 sq. mi., pop. 50,000.

Kauai Aadheenam: Monastery-temple complex founded bySivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1970; international headquarters of Saiva Siddhanta Church.

kavadi: fhto A penance offered to Lord Murugan-Karttikeya, especially during Tai Pusam, consisting of carrying in procession a heavy, beautifully decorated, wooden object from which pots of milk hang which are to be used for His abhisheka. The participant's tongue and other parts of the body are often pierced with small silver spears or hooks. See: penance.

kevala avastha: "Stage of oneness, aloneness." (Tamil: avasthai.) In Saiva Siddhanta, the first of three stages of the soul's evolution, a state beginning with its emanation or spawning by Lord Siva as an etheric form unaware of itself, a spark of the Divine shrouded in a cloud of darkness known as anava. Here the soul is likened to a seed hidden in the ground, yet to germinate and unfold its potential. See: anava, avastha, evolution of the soul, sakala avastha, soul, shuddha avastha.

konrai: The Golden Shower tree, Cassia fistula; symbol of Siva's cascading, abundant, golden grace.

kosha: "Sheath; vessel, container; layer." Philosophically, five sheaths through which the soul functions simultaneously in the various planes or levels of existence. They are sometimes compared to the layers of an onion. The koshas, in order of increasing subtlety, are as follows. -- annamaya kosha: "Sheath composed of food." The physical or odic body, coarsest of sheaths in comparison to the faculties of the soul, yet indispensable for evolution and Self Realization, because only within it can all fourteen chakras fully function. See: chakra. -- pranamaya kosha: "Sheath composed of prana (vital force)." Also known as the pranic or health body, or the etheric body or etheric double, it coexists within the physical body as its source of life, breath and vitality, and is its connection with the astral body. Prana moves in the pranamaya kosha as five primary currents or vayus, "vital airs or winds." Pranamaya kosha disintegrates at death along with the physical body. See: prana. -- manomaya kosha: "Mind-formed sheath." The lower astral body, from manas, "thought, will, wish." The instinctive-intellectual sheath of ordinary thought, desire and emotion. It is the seat of the indriyas, sensory and motor organs, respectively called jnanendriyas and karmendriyas. The manomaya kosha takes form as the physical body develops and is discarded in the inner worlds before rebirth. It is understood in two layers: 1) the odic-causal sheath (buddhi) and 2) the odic-astral sheath (manas). See: indriya, manas. -- vijnanamaya kosha: "Sheath of cognition." The mental or cognitive-intuitive sheath, also called the actinodic sheath. It is the vehicle of higher thought, vijnana -- understanding, knowing, direct cognition, wisdom, intuition and creativity. -- anandamaya kosha: "Body of bliss." The intuitive-superconscious sheath or actinic-causal body. This inmost soul form (svarupa) is the ultimate foundation of all life, intelligence and higher faculties. Its essence is Parashakti (Pure Consciousness) and Parashiva (the Absolute). See: actinic, actinodic, manomaya kosha, odic, soul, subtle body.

Krishna: "Black." Also related to krishtih, "drawing, attracting." One of the most popular Gods of the Hindu pantheon. He is worshiped by Vaishnavas as the eighth avatara incarnation of Vishnu. He is best known as the Supreme Personage celebrated in the Mahabharata, and specifically in the Bhagavad Gita. In Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Krishna is the Godhead.

krishnadana: "Black gifts." Bad money, funds derived through adharmic activities, which should not be received as donations by institutions, temples or ashramas. Bad money can never do good. It has a curse upon it. See: yama-niyama.

kriya: "Action." 1) In a general sense, kriya can refer to doing of any kind. Specifically, it names religious action, especially rites or ceremonies. 2) In yoga terminology, kriya names involuntary physical movements occuring during meditation that are pretended or caused by lack of emotional self-control or by the premature or unharnessed arousal of the kundalini. 3) Various traditional hatha yoga techniques for cleansing the mucous membranes. 4) The second stage of the Saiva path, religious action, or kriya pada. See: kriya pada.

kriya marga: See kriya pada.

kriya pada: "Stage of religious action; worship." The stage of worship and devotion, second of four progressive stages of maturation on the Saiva Siddhanta path of attainment. See: pada.

kriya yoga: "Action union." A term for various schools of meditative yoga practice emphasizing pranayama, breathing techniques, to accelerate spiritual progress, aggressively breaking awareness free of day-to-day consciousness and arousing the kundalini with the goal of expanded consciousness and self transformation. Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), who taught kriya yoga, called it the "airplane route" to God. The modern revival of this ancient meditation system is said to have begun with the deathless avatara Babaji in 1861.

kriyamana karma: "Actions being made." See: karma.

kshama: "Patience." See: yama-niyama.

kshatriya: "Governing; sovereign." See: caste.

Ku: The Hawaiian Deity worshiped for prosperity, good fishing, abundant crops, good will, noble offspring, righteous leaders and victory in battle. In the Hindu pantheon, Ku is known as Kumara, Skanda or Karttikeya .

kukarma: "Unwholesome acts," or the fruit therefrom. See: karma.

kulaguru: "Family preceptor" or "teacher." The kulaguru guides the joint and extended family, particularly through the heads of families, and provides spiritual education. He may or may not be a satguru.

kumbhabhisheka: "Water pot ablution." The formal consecration of a new temple and its periodic reconsecration, usually at twelve-year intervals, following renovation, extensive cleaning and renewal. The rites culminate with the priests' pouring sanctified water over the temple spires, which resemble an inverted pot, or kumbha. Leading up to the consecration, during the construction of a temple, the following rituals are performed by the sthapati (architect) assisted by the temple priest: 1) pancha silanyasa: setting five stones in the foundation at the northeast corner of the main sanctum; 2) prathama silanyasa: laying of first stone on foundation bed; 3) nilayasthapanam: placement of the door frame; 4) garbhanyasam: encasement of a cubical silver or gold box of gems, silver, gold and herbs; 5) sthupi sthapanam: placement of the tower capstone; 6) nethron meelanam: awakening the Deity by completing the chiseling of the eyes with a gold chisel dipped in milk and honey; 7) mulalinga sthapanam: installing the Deity.

Kumbhalavalai: A large and popular temple to Lord Ganesha located in Alaveddy, Northern Sri Lanka, near Gurudeva's Sri Subramuniya Ashram.

kundalini: "She who is coiled; serpent power." The primordial cosmic energy in every individual which, at first, lies coiled like a serpent at the base of the spine and eventually, through the practice of yoga, rises up the sushumna nadi. As it rises, the kundalini awakens each successive chakra. Nirvikalpa samadhi, enlightenment, comes as it pierces through the door of Brahman at the core of the sahasrara and enters it. Kundalini shakti then returns to rest in any one of the seven chakras. Sivasayujya, perpetual Siva consciousness, is complete when the kundalini arrives back in the sahasrara and remains coiled in this crown chakra. See: chakra, door of Brahman, samadhi, nadi, tantra.

kundalini shakti: The pure (neither masculine nor feminine) force that flows through the sushumna nadi. See: kundalini, sushumna nadi.

kundalini yoga: "Uniting the serpent power." Advanced meditative practices and sadhana techniques, a part of raja yoga, performed to deliberately arouse the kundalini power and guide it up the spine into the crown chakra, sahasrara. In its highest form, this yoga is the natural result of sadhanas and tapas well performed, rather than a distinct system of striving and teaching in its own right.

Kural: Fws; See: Tirukural.

kurta shirt: Traditional men's shirt of India, usually thigh length and collarless.

kuttuvilaku: A standing lamp found in the temple, shrine room or home. It is made of metal, with several wicks fed by ghee or special oils. Used to light the home and used in puja. Part of temple and shrine altars, the standing lamp is sometimes worshiped as the divine light, Parashakti or Parajyoti. Returning from the temple and lighting one's kuttuvilaku courts the accompanying devas to remain in the home and channels the vibration of the temple sanctum sanctorum into the home shrine. Called dipastambha in Sanskrit.

Lahiri Ayanamsha: See: ayanamsha.

Lao Tzu: Chinese philosopher (6th century BCE), author of Tao-te Ching, traditionally regarded as the founder of Taoism. See: Taoism.

Lemurian Scrolls: A work like none other on the planet, Lemurian Scrolls came to Gurudeva in a series of clairvoyant revelations during 1973-1974 in answer to his need, inwardly expressed, for the ancient ideal pattern on which to begin molding his several Saivite monasteries in the Western world. Thus, as a boon from the Gods, Gurudeva began developing the siddhi, or psychic ability, to perceive and read from a series of ancient manuscripts with his inner eye. These were presented to him by a librarian on the astral plane, and as Gurudeva read from them, he dictated them word by word to a scribe who recorded them on paper. The manuscripts, written some two million years ago, unfolded the nature of life in Saivite monasteries in the Treta and Dvapara Yugas. This text, along with subsequent writings, gave Gurudeva the pattern of culture and administration that he sought for his own monasteries. In addition, they disclosed much new knowledge about how man came to this planet, journeying millions of years ago from the Pleiades and other planets to further the soul's unfoldment. Lemurian Scrolls was for 25 years entrusted only to the resident monastics of Gurudeva's monasteries, until 1998 when they were released to the world. These angelic prophecies, exquisitely illustrated, overwhelm the reader with a sense of his divine origin, purpose and destiny and have the power to motivate a profound rededication to anyone's spiritual quest.

liberal Hinduism: A synonym for Smartism and the closely related neo-Indian religion. See: neo-Indian religion, Smartism.

liberation: Moksha, release from the bonds of pasha, after which the soul is liberated from samsara (the round of births and deaths). In Saiva Siddhanta, pasha is the three-fold bondage of anava, karma and maya, which limit and confine the soul to the reincarnational cycle so that it may evolve. Moksha is freedom from the fettering power of these bonds, which do not cease to exist, but no longer have the power to fetter or bind the soul. See: mala, moksha, pasha, reincarnation, Self Realization, soul.

light: In an ordinary sense, a form of energy which makes physical objects visible to the eye. In a religious-mystical sense, light also illumines inner objects (i.e., mental images). -- inner light: light perceived inside the head and body, of which there are varying intensities. When the karmas have been sufficiently quieted, the meditator can see and enjoy inner light independently of mental images.

linchpin: A central, key element; a locking pin inserted in a hole at the end of an axle or other shaft to prevent a wheel from slipping off.

lineage: A direct line of ancestors and descendants or predecessors and successors.

liturgy: The proper, prescribed forms of ritual.

loka: "World, habitat, realm, or plane of existence." From loc, "to shine, be bright, visible." See: three worlds.

Lono: The Hawaiian God of weather, worshiped to bring the rains and dispense fertility. One of four primary Gods, along with Ku, Kane and Kanaloa. Lono, also the God of harvest, is known as Ganesha in the Hindu tradition.

lotus flower: An aquatic plant (Nelumbo nucifera) native to southern Asia and Australia, with large leaves, fragrant, pinkish flowers, a broad, rounded, perforated seedpod, and fleshy rhizomes.

lotus pose: Padmasana. The most famous of hatha yoga poses and the optimum position for meditation. The legs are crossed, turning the soles of the feet up, which then resemble a lotus flower. See: asana, hatha yoga, padmasana.

lucid dreaming: The practice of remaining conscious in the dream state and directing the course of one's dream.

lunar calendar: A calendar based primarily on the cycles of the moon rather than the sun. For example, a month is from one full moon to the next or from the new moon to the next new moon. There are both lunar and solar based calendars in India, though today the solar is becoming prevalent. See: ayanamsha, panchanga.

macrocosm: "Great world" or "universe." See: microcosm-macrocosm, three worlds.

Madurai Meenakshi citadel: The labyrinthine Meenakshi-Sundareshvara temple, on the Vagai River in Madurai, the Athens of India. This edifice holds two temples, one to Siva and one to Shakti. The tall gopuras, thousand-pillared hall, sacred tanks and shrines vibrate with thousands of years of worship at this seven-walled citadel.

magnetized: Having been made magnetic. As certain physical elements are magnetized with actinodic power within a shrine through the chanting of mantras and by various other means.

maha: An adjective or prefix meaning "great."

Mahabharata: "Great Epic of India." The world's longest epic poem. It revolves around the conflict between two royal families, the Pandavas and Kauravas, and their great battle of Kurukshetra near modern Delhi in approximately 1424 BCE. The Mahabharata is revered as scripture by Vaishnavites and Smartas. See: Bhagavad Gita, Itihasa.

Mahadeva: "Great shining one;" "God." Referring either to God Siva or any of the highly evolved beings who live in the Sivaloka in their natural, effulgent soul bodies. God Siva in His perfection as Primal Soul is one of the Mahadevas, yet He is unique and incomparable in that He alone is uncreated, the Father-Mother and Destiny of all other Mahadevas. He is called Parameshvara, "Supreme God." He is the Primal Soul, whereas the other Gods are individual souls. It is said in scripture that there are 330 million Gods. See: Gods, Parameshvara, Siva, deva.

mahaprasthana: "Great departure." Death. See: transition.

maharaja: "Great king." Indian monarch. Title of respect for political or (in modern times) spiritual leaders.

Maharshi (or Maharishi): "Great seer." Title for the greatest and most influential of siddhas.

mahasamadhi: "Great enstasy." The death, or giving up of the physical body, of a great soul, an event occasioned by tremendous blessings. Also names the shrine in which the remains of a great soul are entombed. See: cremation, death.

Mahashivaratri: "Siva's great night." Saivism's foremost festival, celebrated on the night before the new moon in February-March. Fasting and an all-night vigil are observed as well as other disciplines: chanting, praying, meditating and worshiping Siva as the Source and Self of all that exists.

mahatala: Sixth netherworld. Region of consciencelessness. See: chakra.

maha vasana daha tantra: "Great purification by fire." See: vasana daha tantra.

Maheshvara: "Great Lord." In Saiva Siddhanta, the name of Siva's energy of veiling grace, one of five aspects of Parameshvara, the Primal Soul. Maheshvara is alsoa popular epithet for Lord Siva as Primal Soul and personal Lord. See: Nataraja, Parameshvara.

makimai: The Hindu tradition of regularly giving to a temple or ashrama a fixed percentage of one's income. Fifteen percent, approximately one sixth, was the makimai established in South India by the Chettiar community around Palani Temple and now practiced by the Malaka Chettiars of Malaysia. See: tithe.

mala: "Impurity." An important term in Saivism referring to three bonds, called pasha -- anava, karma, and maya -- which limit the soul, preventing it from knowing its true, divine nature. See: anava, karma, liberation, maya, pasha.

mala: "Garland." A strand of beads for holy recitation, japa, usually made of rudraksha, tulasi, sandalwood or crystal. Also a flower garland.

malaparipakam: "Ripening of bonds." The state attained after the three malas, anava, karma and maya, are brought under control during marul, the second stage of the sakala avasthai. At this time, the Lord's concealing grace, tirodhana shakti, has accomplished its work, giving way to anugraha, His revealing grace, leading to the descent of grace, shaktinipata. See: anava, anugraha, karma, mala, marul, maya, sakala avastha, shaktinipata, tirodhana shakti.

manifest: To show or reveal. Perceivable or knowable, therefore having form. The opposite of unmanifest or transcendent. See: formless.

manipura chakra: "Wheel of the jewelled city." Solar-plexus center of willpower. See: chakra.

mankolam: "Mango design." The paisley, a stylized image of the mango, symbol of auspiciousness, associated with Lord Ganesha.

manomaya kosha: See: kosha.

mandapa: From mand, "to deck, adorn." Temple precinct; a temple compound, open hall or chamber. In entering a large temple, one passes through a series of mandapas, each named according to its position, e.g., mukhamandapa, "facing chamber." In some temples, mandapas are concentrically arranged.

mansahara: "Meat-eating."

mansahari: "Meat-eater." One who follows a nonvegetarian diet. See: vegetarian.

mantra: "Mystic formula." A sound, syllable, word or phrase endowed with special power, usually drawn from scripture. Mantras are chanted loudly during puja to invoke the Gods and establish a force field. Certain mantras are repeated softly or mentally for japa, the subtle tones quieting the mind, harmonizing the inner bodies and stimulating latent spiritual qualities. Hinduism's universal mantra is Aum. To be truly efficacious, such mantras must be bestowed by the preceptor through initiation. See: Aum, incantation, japa, puja.

Manu Dharma Shastra: "Sage Manu's law book." An encyclopedic treatise of 2,685 verses on Hindu law assembled as early as 600 bce. Among its major features are the support of varna dharma, ashrama dharma, stri dharma and seeing the Self in all beings. Despite its caste-based restrictions, which determine one's life unrelentlingly from birth to death, it remains the source of much of modern Hindu culture and law. These "Laws of Manu" are the oldest and considered the most authoritative of the greater body of Dharma Shastras. The text is widely available today in several languages. See: caste, dharma.

Manu Samhita: "Verses of Manu." Alternate term for Manu Dharma Shastras.

marga: "Path; way." From marg, "to seek." See: pada.

marriage (or wedding) pendant: A gold ornament worn by the Hindu wife around the neck representing her vows of matrimony. Known as mangala sutra in Sanskrit, and tali in Tamil. She reveres it as an image of her husband and ritually worships it during her morning devotions.

marul: "Confusion." The second of the three stages of the sakala avasthai when the soul is "caught" between the world and God and begins to seek knowledge of its own true nature, pashu-jnanam. See: pashu-jnanam, sakala avastha.

Masonic Lodge: A society or body of Freemasons. A fraternal, all-male order derived from the organized guilds of stoneworkers in the Middle Ages, who unlike other classes of people, were allowed to travel freely from country to country. In the 1700s, with the decline of stoneworking arts, fraternity lodges were opened to honorary Masons who were not stoneworkers. Freemasonry teaches moral philosophy and welcomes members of all faiths.

Master Course, The: A trilogy of three masterful volumes by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami -- Dancing with Siva, Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism; Living with Siva, Hinduism's Contemporary Culture; and Merging with Siva, Hinduism's Contemporary Metaphysics -- constituting a daily study of 365 lessons, one for each day of the year, undertaken privately or as a correspondence study with Himalayan Academy. See: Dancing with Siva, Merging with Siva.

masturbation: Manipulating one's own genitals, or the genitals of another, for sexual gratification. See: celibacy, dissipation, ojas, tejas, transmutation.

materialism (materialistic): The doctrine that matter is the only reality, that all life, thought and feelings are but the effects of movements of matter, and that there exist no worlds but the physical. Materialists usually hold that there is no God -- a cosmic, material, prime mover perhaps, but no personal God. An Indian school of thought which propounded this view were the Charvakas. See: atheism, worldly.

matha: "Monastery." See: monastery.

mathavasi: "Monastery dweller." A monastic. See: monk.

mati: "Cognition, understanding; conviction." See: yama-niyama.

maya: "Consisting of; made of," as in manomaya, "made of mind."

maya: "Artfulness," "illusion," "phantom" or "mirific energy." The substance emanated from Siva through which the world of form is manifested. Hence all creation is termed maya. It is the cosmic creative force, the principle of manifestation, ever in the process of creation, preservation and dissolution. Maya is a key concept in Hinduism, originally meaning "supernatural power; God's mirific energy." See: mala, mind (universal).

Mayan: An advanced civilization that thrived 3,000 years ago in southern Mexico, Guatemala and northern Brazil. The Mayans were adept in astrology, mathematics and agriculture. They built great cities and temples out of stone and believed in many nature Gods.

mayil: "Peacock." See: mayura.

mayura: "Peacock." (Mayil in Tamil.) The vahana, or mount, of Lord Karttikeya, symbolizing effulgent beauty and religion in full glory. The peacock is able to control powerful snakes, such as the cobra, symbolizing the soulful domination of the instinctive elements -- or control of the kundalini, which is yoga. See: Karttikeya.

meditation: Dhyana. Sustained concentration. Meditation describes a quiet, alert, powerfully concentrated state wherein new knowledge and insights are awakened from within as awareness focuses one-pointedly on an object or specific line of thought. See: internalized worship, raja yoga, Satchidananda.

mendicant: A beggar; a wandering monk, or sadhu, who lives on alms. See: sadhu.

medium: A person who communicates with the departed or with agents of another world or dimension. See: mediumship.

mediumship: The phenomenon in which a person goes into a trance and allows a disincarnate, astral being to enter or take control of his body, often to convey verbal messages to others in attendance, as in a seance.

menopause: The permanent cessation of menstruation, normally occurring between ages 40 and 55. The decline in ovarian hormones may result in unpleasant effects, such as hot flashes, and may be coupled with midlife emotional crises, leading to a variety of health problems.

menopause, male: The male equivalent of female menopause, the mid-life passage also termed virapause and andropause, physiological, chemical and hormonal, changes, particularly the decrease in the body's production of testosterone. Generally occuring in the late forties or early fifties, the timing is generally parallel, as for women, with the vanaprastha ashrama, the life stage of withdrawal into higher pursuits. Without proper psychological preparation, this can be a difficult passage, accompanied by mood swings, fatigue, depression, feelings of inadequacy and loss of purpose and direction in life. See: menopause.

mental body (sheath): The higher-mind layer of the subtle or astral body in which the soul functions in Maharloka of the Antarloka or subtle plane. In Sanskrit, the mental body is vijnanamaya kosha, "sheath of cognition." See: kosha, subtle body.

mental plane: The refined strata of the subtle world. Here the soul is shrouded in the mental or cognitive sheath, called vijnanamaya kosha.

Merging with Siva: The third book in Gurudeva's Master Course trilogy, this tome is aptly subtitled Hinduism's Contemporary Metaphysics. It explores the metaphysics of the soul, written directly, intimately, to the seeker on the path of enlightenment. Merging with Siva consists of 365 daily lessons comprising Gurudeva's inspired talks, dictations and writings on yoga and mysticism from 1950 to 2001. It's about God, about the mystical realm of the fourteen chakras, the yogic path, the human aura, karma, force fields, thought and the states of mind, the two paths, living a pure life, clearing the subconscious, meditation and Self Realization. Released in 1999, it is custom illustrated with 71 original South Indian paintings.

meridian: The passageways of vital energy, known as chi in Chinese and prana in Sanskrit, as well as blood flow through the body. It is an important component of traditional Chinese medicine. Meridians act as the route for circulating chi and blood, connecting viscera with extremities and for communication between the upper/lower and interior/exterior parts of the body. Most of the major meridians are subtly governed by a physical organ. The major meridians of the human body are: governing vessel, large intestine, conception vessel, pericardium, heart, stomach, kidney, spleen, liver, lung, gall bladder, bladder, small intestine, and san jiao ("triple warmer"). See: acupuncture, circadian rhythm.

metaphysics: The philosophy that examines the nature of reality, especially those aspects of reality beyond the realm of physical perception, or impossible to investigate by intellectual scientific study.

methamphetamine: A highly toxic, synthetic chemical often used illicitly as a stimulant. Also called crystal meth, ice, methedrine and speed. This drug of abuse is one of the most addictive and popular on the streets today. An average dose causes a rush of energy and sense of euphoria that, unlike other drugs, can easily be hidden from observers. Consistent abuse of this drug is known to result in inability to hold a job, alienation of family and friends, violent crime, domestic abuse, stealing and other illegal acivities to support the habit, excessive persistent insomnia lasting from a couple of days to a week and causes permanent damage to the brain. Clandestine "meth" laboratories are exceedingly dangerous. Police officers and drug enforcement agents must exercise extreme caution when entering a suspected methamphetamine laboratory, often in a home, due to the volatile and lethal nature of the chemicals used in the drug's production. At such sites, chemicals are usually airborne in life-threatening quantities. They contaminate clothing, especially footwear, and often cause spontaneous explosions.

microcosm-macrocosm: "Little world" or "miniature universe" as compared with "great world." Microcosm refers to the internal source of something larger or more external (macrocosm). In Hindu cosmology, the outer world is a macrocosm of the inner world, which is its microcosm and is mystically larger and more complex than the physical universe and functions at a higher rate of vibration and even a different rate of time. The microcosm precedes the macrocosm. Thus, the guiding principle of the Bhuloka comes from the Antarloka and Sivaloka. Consciousness precedes physical form. In the tantric tradition, the body of man is viewed as a microcosm of the entire divine creation.

mind (five states): A view of the mind in five parts. -- conscious mind: Jagrat chitta ("wakeful consciousness"). The ordinary, waking, thinking state of mind in which the majority of people function most of the day. -- subconscious mind: Samskara chitta ("impression mind"). The part of mind "beneath" the conscious mind, the storehouse or recorder of all experience (whether remembered consciously or not) -- the holder of past impressions, reactions and desires. Also, the seat of involuntary physiological processes. -- subsubconscious mind: Vasana chitta ("mind of subliminal traits"). The area of the subconscious mind formed when two thoughts or experiences of the same rate of intensity are sent into the subconscious at different times and, intermingling, give rise to a new and totally different rate of vibration. This subconscious formation later causes the external mind to react to situations according to these accumulated vibrations, be they positive, negative or mixed. -- superconscious mind: Karana chitta. The mind of light, the all-knowing intelligence of the soul. The Sanskrit term is turiya, "the fourth," meaning the condition beyond the states of wakefulness (jagrat), "dream" (svapna), and "deep sleep" (sushupti). At its deepest level, the superconscious is Parashakti, or Satchidananda, the Divine Mind of God Siva. In Sanskrit, there are numerous terms for the various levels and states of superconsciousness. Specific superconscious states such as: vishvachaitanya ("universal consciousness"), advaita chaitanya ("nondual consciousness"), adhyatma chetana ("spiritual consciousness"). -- subsuperconscious mind: Anukarana chitta. The superconscious mind working through the conscious and subconscious states, which brings forth intuition, clarity and insight. See: chitta, consciousness, samskara, Satchidananda, vasana.

mind (three phases): A perspective of mind as instinctive, intellectual and superconscious. -- instinctive mind. Manas chitta, the seat of desire and governor of sensory and motor organs. -- intellectual mind. Buddhi chitta, the faculty of thought and intelligence. -- superconscious mind: Karana chitta, the stratum of intuition, benevolence and spiritual sustenance. Its most refined essence is Parasakti, or Satchidananda, all-knowing, omnipresent consciousness, the One transcendental, self-luminous, divine mind common to all souls. See: awareness, consciousness.

mind (universal): In the most profound sense, mind is the sum of all things, all energies and manifestations, all forms, subtle and gross, sacred and mundane. It is the inner and outer cosmos. Mind is maya. It is the material matrix. It is everything but That, the Self within, Parashiva, which is timeless, formless, causeless, spaceless, known by the knower only after Self Realization. The Self is the indescribable, unnameable, Ultimate Reality. Mind in its subtlest form is undifferentiated Pure Consciousness, primal substance (called Parashakti or Satchidananda), out of which emerge the myriad forms of existence, both psychic and material. See: chitta, consciousness, maya.

Mirabai (Mirabai): A Vaishnava saint (ca 1420 ), poetess and mystic, said to be a Rajput princess who abandoned the world in surrender to Lord Krishna. Her life story and songs are popular today, especially in Gujarat.

Miranda reading: A mandatory, formal, legal, verbal warning given by police in the US to a person who has been taken into custody advising of his right to remain silent and to have legal counsel.

mitahara: "Measured eating; moderate appetite." A requisite to good health and an essential for success in yoga. The ideal portion per meal is described as no more than would fill the two hands held side by side and slightly cupped piled high, an amount called a kudava. All the six tastes should be within these foods (sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent), which should be vegetarian, well cooked and highly nutritious. See: yama-niyama.

moksha: "Liberation." Release from transmigration, samsara, the round of births and deaths, which occurs after karma has been resolved and nirvikalpa samadhi -- realization of the Self, Parashiva -- has been attained. Same as mukti. See: four traditional goals, kundalini, Parashiva.

monastery: "Place of solitariness." Matha. The age-old tradition, carried forward from Lemurian times into the Hindu culture of India, a sacred residence where those of the same gender live under strict vows and work out their birth karmas in community toward realization of the Self. In monasteries, dedicated to transmutation of the sexual energies, celibacy is strictly upheld and there is no fraternizing with the opposite sex. The purpose of the monastery is to create an environment in which the monastic can balance the male and female energies (pingala and ida) within himself so that he lives in the spiritual, or sushumna, energy, which cannot be maintained in close association with the opposite sex. The monastic, whether a monk or a nun, is in a sense neither male nor female, but a pure soul being. See: ashrama, nadi.

monastic: A monk or nun (based on the Greek monos, "alone"). A man or woman who has withdrawn from the world and lives an austere, religious life, either alone or with others in a monastery. (Not to be confused with monistic, having to do with the doctrine of monism.) A monastery-dweller is a mathavasi, and sadhu is a rough equivalent for mendicant. See also: monastery, monk, sannyasin.

monism: "Doctrine of oneness." 1) The philosophical view that there is only one ultimate substance or principle. 2) The view that reality is a unified whole without independent parts. See: dvaita-advaita.

monistic theism: Advaita Ishvaravada. Monism is the doctrine that reality is a one whole or existence without independent parts. Theism is the belief that God exists as a real, conscious, personal Supreme Being. Monistic theism is the dipolar doctrine, also called panentheism, that embraces both monism and theism, two perspectives ordinarily considered contradictory or mutually exclusive, since theism implies dualism. Monistic theism simultaneously accepts that God has a personal form, that He creates, pervades and is all that exists -- and that He ultimately transcends all existence and that the soul is, in essence, one with God. Advaita Siddhanta (monistic Saiva Siddhanta, or Advaita Ishvaravada Saiva Siddhanta) is a specific form of monistic theism. See: advaita, Advaita Ishvaravada, Advaita Siddhanta, dvaita-advaita.

monk: A celibate man wholly dedicated to religious life, either cenobitic (residing with others in a monastery) or anchoritic (living alone, as a hermit or mendicant). Literally, "one who lives alone" (from the Greek monos, "alone"). A synonym for monastic. Its feminine counterpart is nun. See: monastic, sannyasin.

mors voluntaria religiosa: Latin for "religious self-willed death," a tradition in many religions which, with the sanction of community elders and religious leaders, offers the aged person who knows the end of physical life is near to voluntarily, peacefully and slowly end his life by fasting. Known in Hinduism as prayopavesha.

mortal sin: In the Abrahamic religions, a transgression that, if unexpiated in this one and only life, deprives the soul from closeness to God for eternity. Most Christian denominations, as well as Islam and mid-line conservative Judaism, believe that mortal sin will always automatically and inexorably condemn the sinner to eternal punishment. See: sin.

Mount Kailas: One of the most famous peaks in the Himalayas. See: Kailas.

Mount Tamalpais: A magnificent mountain in Marin County near San Francisco, California. A place of special power, it provides excellent hiking along with some of the most outstanding lookout points in California.

mridanga: (Tamil: mridangam) A South Indian concert drum, barrel-shaped and played on both ends.

mukti: "Release." A synonym for moksha. See: moksha.

muladhara chakra: "Root-support wheel." The four-petaled psychic center at the base of the spine which governs memory. See: chakra.

mumia: The force of dissolution or withdrawal of life force from organic substances and living organisms. For example, as soon as vegetables are picked, the force of dissolution, mumia, sets in. Therefore, the food should be cooked and eaten as soon after picking as possible, before the mumia force gets strong. Mumia, as it causes the breakdown of the cells, is an impure force. When food that is breaking down is regularly eaten, the body and mind become sluggish.

Mundaka Upanishad: Belongs to the Atharva Veda and teaches the difference between the intellectual study of the Vedas and their supplementary texts and the intuitive knowledge by which God is known.

mundane: Worldly, especially as distinguished from heavenly or spiritual. Ordinary. From Latin mundus "world;" mundanus "worldly."

Murugan: "Beautiful one," a favorite name of Karttikeya among the Tamils of South India, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. See: Karttikeya.

Murugan's South Indian abodes: A series of six temples to be visited in specified order, a life-changing pilgrimage called Arupadai Veedu: Tirupparankundram, known as the mount of beauty; Tiruchendur, abode of fulfillment; Palani Hills, the mount of meditation; Swamimalai, the abode of Kumara Guru; Tiruttani, the sport on the hills; and Palamadirsolai, the fruit grove of grace.

mushika: From mush, "to steal." The mouse, Lord Ganesha's mount, traditionally associated with abundance. Symbolically, the mouse carries Ganesha's grace into every corner of the mind. See: Ganesha.

mystic: One who understands religious mysteries or occult rites and practices. Inspiring a sense of mystery and wonder.

mysticism: Spirituality; the pursuit of direct spiritual or religious experience. Spiritual discipline aimed at union or communion with Ultimate Reality or God through deep meditation or trance-like contemplation. From the Greek mystikos, "of mysteries." Characterized by the belief that Truth transcends intellectual processes and must be attained through transcendent means. See: clairaudience, clairvoyance, psychic, trance.

nadi: "Snake," often the cobra; symbol of the kundalini coiled on the four petals of the muladhara chakra. See: kundalini, muladhara chakra.

nakshatra: "Star cluster." Central to astrological determinations, the nakshatras are 27 star-clusters, constellations arranged along the ecliptic, or path of the sun. An individual's nakshatra, or birth star, is the constellation the moon was aligned with at the time of birth. See: jyotisha.

Namah Sivaya: "Adoration (homage) to Siva." The supreme mantra of Saivism, known as the Panchakshara, or "five syllables." Na is the Lord's veiling grace; Ma is the world; Shi is Siva; Va is His revealing grace; Ya is the soul. The syllables also represent the physical body: Na the legs, Ma the stomach, Shi the shoulders, Va the mouth and Ya the eyes. Embodying the essence of Saiva Siddhanta, it is found in the center of the central Veda (the Yajur).

In a second rendering, Na-Ma Shi-Va-Ya corresponds to Siva's five actions, reflected in the symbolism of Lord Nataraja as follows. Na represents samhara, destruction or dissolution, corresponding to the hand which which holds a blazing flame. Ma stands for His concealing grace, tirodhana shakti, symbolized by Lord Nataraja's planted foot. Va indicates revealing grace, anugraha shakti, by which souls return to Him, reflected in the left front hand in the elephant trunk pose, gajahasta, pointing to His left foot, source of revealing grace. Shi stands for srishti, creation, and Siva's back right hand holding the drum. Ya stands for Siva's power of stithi, preservation and protection, shown in His hand gesturing abhaya, "fear not."

Na-Ma Shi-Va-Ya also stands for the five elements: Na as earth; Ma, water; Shi, fire; Va, air; and Ya, akasha. See: mantra, japa.

namakarana: "Name giving." See: samskaras of childhood.

namaskara: "Reverent salutations." Traditional Hindu verbal greeting and mudra where the palms are joined together and held before the heart or raised to the level of the forehead. The mudra is also called anjali. It is a devotional gesture made equally before a temple Deity, holy person, friend or even momentary acquaintance.

namaste: "Reverent salutations to you." A traditional verbal greeting. A form of namas, meaning "bowing, obeisance." See: namaskara.

Nandi: "The joyful." A white bull with a black tail, the vahana, or mount, of Lord Siva, symbol of the powerful instinctive force tamed by Him. Nandi is the perfect devotee, the soul of man, kneeling humbly before God Siva, ever concentrated on Him. The ideal and goal of the Siva bhakta is to behold Siva in all.

Nandinatha, Maharishi: (ca 250 BCE) A synonym of Nandikeshvara. The first siddha satguru of the major stream of the Nandinatha Sampradaya, the Kailasa Parampara, recorded in Panini's book of grammar as the teacher of rishis Patanjali, Vyaghrapada and Vasishtha. Among its representatives today is Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. See: Kailasa Parampara, Natha Sampradaya.

Nandinatha Sampradaya: See: Natha Sampradaya.

Naraka: Abode of darkness.Literally, "pertaining to man." The nether worlds. Equivalent to the Western term hell, a gross region of the Antarloka. Naraka is a congested, distressful area where demonic beings and young souls may sojourn until they resolve the darksome karmas they have created. Here beings suffer the consequences of their own misdeeds in previous lives. Naraka is understood as having seven regions, called tala, corresponding to the states of consciousness of the seven lower chakras. They are described as places of torment, pain, darkness, confusion and disease, but none are the places where souls reside forever. Hinduism has no such concept as eternal hell. See: asura, hell.

Nataraja: "King of Dance," or "King of Dancers." God as the Cosmic Dancer. Perhaps Hinduism's richest and most eloquent symbol, Nataraja represents Siva, the Primal Soul, Parameshvara, as the power, energy and life of all that exists. This is Siva's intricate state of Being in Manifestation. The dance of Siva as Natesha, Lord of Dancers, is the rhythmic movement of the entire cosmos. All that is, whether sentient or insentient, pulsates in His body, and He within it. Both male and female elements are depicted in this icon -- as also shown in Ardhanarishvara, the "half-female God," symbol of the inseparable nature of Siva-Shakti. See: Namah Sivaya, Parashakti Parameshvara, Parashakti, Parashiva.

Natchintanai: The collected songs of Sage Yogaswami (1872-1964) of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, extolling the power of the satguru, worship of Lord Siva, adherance to the path of dharma and striving for the attainment of Self Realization. See: Kailasa Parampara, Yogaswami.

Natha: "Master, lord; adept." An ancient Himalayan tradition of Saiva-yoga mysticism, whose first historically known exponent was Nandikesvara (ca 250 BCE). Natha -- Self-Realized adept -- designates the extraordinary ascetic masters (or devotees) of this school. Through their practice of siddha yoga they have attained tremendous powers, siddhis, and are sometimes called siddha yogis (accomplished or fully enlightened ones). The words of such beings penetrate deeply into the psyche of their devotees, causing mystical awakenings. Like all tantrics, Nathas have refused to recognize caste distinctions in spiritual pursuits. Their satgurus initiate from the lowest to the highest, according to spiritual worthiness. Natha also designates any follower of the Natha tradition. The Nathas are considered the source of hatha as well as raja yoga. See: Kailasa Parampara, Natha Sampradaya.

Natha Sampradaya: "Traditional doctrine of the masters." Sampradaya means a living stream of tradition or theology. Natha Sampradaya isa philosophical and yogic tradition of Saivism whose origins are unknown. This oldest of Saivite sampradayas existing today consists of two major streams: the Nandinatha and the Adinatha. The Nandinatha Sampradaya has had as exponents Maharishi Nandinatha and his disciples: Patanjali (author of the Yoga Sutras) and Tirumular (author of Tirumantiram). Among its representatives today are the successive siddhars of the Kailasa Parampara. The Adinatha lineage's known exponents are Maharishi Adinatha, Matsyendranatha and Gorakshanatha, who founded a well-known order of yogis. See: Kailasa Parampara, Natha, Saivism, sampradaya.

Nayanar: ehadhq "One who shows the way." The 63 canonized Tamil saints of South India, as documented in the Periyapuranam by Sekkilar (ca 1140 ). All but a few were householders, honored as exemplars of radical devotion to Lord Siva, though their biographies are perhaps historically inaccurate and the actions of some were violent, even heinous. Several contributed to the Saiva Siddhanta scriptural compendium called Tirumurai.

negative attachment: A fear, worry or doubt about the future or a lingering regret about the past that keeps one from "flowing with the river of life," living fully in the moment as an independent, spiritual being, facing each experience in the light of understanding.

Nehru, Jawaharlal: A major political influence in India's movement for independence, Nehru ( 1889-1964 ) was born in Allahabad, educated at Harvard. With Mahatma Gandhi he helped negotiate India's freedom from Britain. After the formation of Pakistan in August, 1947, he became Prime Minister of India.

neo: A prefix meaning new and different; modified.

neo-Indian religion: Navabharata Dharma. A modern form of liberal Hinduism that carries forward basic Hindu cultural values -- such as dress, diet and the arts -- while allowing religious values to subside. It emerged after the British Raj, when India declared itself an independent, secular state. It was cultivated by the Macaulay education system, implanted in India by the British, which aggressively undermined Hindu thought and belief. Neo-Indian religion encourages Hindus to follow any combination of theological, scriptural, sadhana and worship patterns, regardless of sectarian or religious origin. Extending out of and beyond the Smarta system of worshiping the Gods of each major sect, it incorporates holy icons from all religions, including Jesus, Mother Mary and Buddha. Many Navabharatis choose to not call themselves Hindus but to declare themselves members of all the world's religions. See: Smartism.

nerves: Cordlike bundles of fibers made up of neurons through which impulses pass between the brain, central nervous system and other parts of the body. Here also names the fibrous network of inner bodies.

nervous system: The system of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, ganglia and parts of the receptor and effector organs that regulates the body's responses to internal and external stimuli.

New Age: According to Webster's New World Dictionary: "Of or pertaining to a cultural movement popular in the 1980S [and ' 90S ] characterized by a concern with spiritual consciousness, and variously combining belief in reincarnation and astrology with such practices as meditation, vegetarianism and holistic medicine."

Nightingale, Florence: English hospital administrator ( 1820-1910 ) born in Florence, Italy, was influential in modernizing training for nursing. In 1854 during the Crimean War she organized a new type of hospital unit, introducing sanitary reforms, and securing necessary supplies. In 1907 she became the first woman to receive the British Order of Merit.

Nirguna Brahman: "God without qualities." See: Brahman.

nirvana sadhaka : Title for a senior sadhaka in Saiva Siddhanta Church who has followed the pattern of wearing white throughout monastic life and not entering the auxiliary training of the natyam. Nirvana sadhakas may qualify for holy orders of sannyasa after age 72.

nirvani andupadeshi: Nirvani means "extinguished one," and upadeshi means "teacher." In general, nirvani refers to a liberated soul, or to a certain class of monk. Upadeshi refers to a teacher, generally a renunciate. In The Master Course, these two terms have special meaning, similar to the Buddhist arhat and bodhisattva, naming the two earthly modes of the realized, liberated soul. After full illumination, the jivanmukta has the choice to return to the world to help others along the path. This is the way of the upadeshi (or bodhisattva), exemplified by the benevolent satguru who leads seekers to the goal of God Realization. He may found and direct institutions and monastic lineages. The nirvani (or arhat) abides at the pinnacle of consciousness, shunning all worldly involvement. He is typified by the silent ascetic, the reclusive sage. See: satguru, vishvagrasa.

nirvikalpa samadhi: "Undifferentiated trance, enstasy (samadhi) without form or seed." The realization of the Self, Parashiva, a state of oneness beyond all change or diversity; beyond time, form and space. The prefix vi- connotes "change, differentiation." Kalpa means "order, arrangement; a period of time." Thus vikalpa means "diversity, thought; difference of perception, distinction." Nir means "without." See: raja yoga, samadhi, Self Realization.

niyama: "Restraint." See: yama-niyama.

nondualism: "Not two-ness." Monistic philosophy. See: advaita, monism, monistic theism, Vedanta.

nonsectarian: Not limited to or associated with a particular religious denomination.

observation: The act of being aware, recording or noting things.

occult: Hidden, or kept secret; revealed only after initiation. See: mysticism.

occultism: The study of, and attempted control over, the supernatural.

odic:Spiritually magnetic -- of or pertaining to consciousness within ashuddha maya, the realm of the physical and lower astral planes. Odic force in its rareified state is prakriti, the primary gross energy of nature, manifesting in the three gunas: sattva, rajas and tamas. All matter, earth, air, fire and water, as well as thought, are odic force. It is the force of attraction and repulsion between people, people and their things, and manifests as masculine (aggressive) and feminine (passive), arising from the pingala and ida currents. These two currents (nadi) are found within the spine of the subtle body. Odic force is a magnetic, sticky, binding substance that people seek to develop when they want to bind themselves together, such as in partnerships, marriage, guru-shishya relationships and friendships. It, of itself, is stagnant and unflowing. Odic energy is the combined emanation of the pranamaya and annamaya koshas. See: actinic, kosha, subtle body.

officiate: Performing duties and responsibilities of an officer or priest.

oils, degraded: Describes oils that have been overused or overheated in the cooking process to the point of toxicity, such as in deep-frying, or that are exceedingly high in saturated fat or cholesterol, or that have been found to be unhealthy to use in cooking. The unhealthiest oils include coconut oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed (canola) oil, palm oil, corn oil, peanut oil and all hydrogenated oils, as well as others. The most healthy cooking oils are ghee (clarified butter), olive oil and sesame oil. Olive oil and sesame oil are also nutritious in salads and other raw dishes. Flaxseed oil also has many health advantages, but it should never be heated.

ojas: "Vigor, force, strength, vitality." In ayurveda, the underlying life-sap or fluid-essence of the dhatus, the seven tissue systems of the body -- plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, nerves and reproductive tissue. Ojas pervades every part of the body and underlies all physical capacities. It is not a physical substance, but exists on a subtle level. Ojas is depleted by excessive sex, drugs, talking, loud music, emotional burnout and insufficient rest. Signs of diminished ojas are fear, worry, sensory organ pain, poor complexion, cheerlessness, harshness, emaciation, immune system disorders and easily contracting of diseases (all the symptoms of the modern disease AIDS). Conservation of the vital sexual fluids increases the store of ojas, strengthens the immune system and enhances health and the quality of one's consciousness. See: ayurveda, tejas, transmutation.

olai: "Leaf." An ancient form of Indian books used in India, made of strips of fronds from the palmyra (trindruma) and talipot (talapatra, "fan-leaf") palms. Prepared birch bark (bhurja pattra) was the medium in the North. The pages were loosely tied, with cord passed between one or two holes and usually bound between wooden covers. Ink made from lampblack or charcoal was applied with a reed pen. Or, more commonly in the South, the letters were scribed with a stylus, then rubbed with powdered lampblack. These books average about 2 inches high and 8 inches wide and up to 11 or 12 inches thick, wound with string and generally protected in colored cloth.

old soul: One who has reincarnated many times, experienced much and is therefore further along the path. Old souls may be recognized by their qualities of compassion, self-effacement and wisdom. See: evolution of the soul, soul.

Om: "Yes, verily." The most sacred mantra of Hinduism. An alternate transliteration of Aum. See: Aum.

omnipotent: All-powerful. Able to do anything.

omnipresent: Present everywhere and in all things.

omniscient: Possessing infinite knowledge, all-knowing.

oneness: Quality or state of being one. Unity, identity, especially in spite of appearances to the contrary -- e.g., the oneness of soul and God. See: monism.

opinionated knowledge: A faculty of memory stored in the memory gridwork of the subconscious mind which provides a platform for the intellect, developing an ego. Knowledge gained through the study, hearing and quoting of opinions of others. Looking at the world through the eyes of others.

ordain (ordination): To confer the duties and responsibilities, authority and spiritual power of a religious office, such as priest, minister or satguru, through religious ceremony or mystical initiation. See: diksha.

orthodox: "Of right (correct) opinion." Conforming to established doctrines or beliefs. Opposite of heterodox, "different opinion."

pada: "Lotus posture." The most famous hatha yoga asana, the optimum pose for sustained meditation. The legs are crossed, the soles of the feet upward, resembling a lotus flower. Sitting in this pose balances and quiets the intellectual-emotional energies. See: lotus pose, raja yoga, yoga.

pagan: The pre-Christian religion of Europe, akin to shamanism and other of the world's indigenous faiths, which have survived to this day despite organized persecution. Pagans are gradually surfacing again, and have acknowledged a kinship with Hinduism. The term pagan is used negatively by Semitic faiths to indicate a follower of another religion, or of no religion. See: mysticism, shamanism.

pancha nitya karma(s): "Five constant duties." A traditional regimen of religious practice for Hindus: 1) dharma (virtuous living), 2) upasana (worship), 3) utsava (holy days), 4) tirthayatra (pilgrimage) and 5) samskaras (sacraments.) See: dharma, pilgrimage, samskara.

Panchakshara Mantra: "Five-lettered chant." Saivism's most sacred mantra. See: Namah Sivaya.

panchanga: "Five limbs, or parts." (Tamil: panchangam) The name of the traditional Hindu almanac, so named because of its five basic elements -- tithi, nakshatra, karana, yoga and vara (or vasara). It provides information about unseen astrological factors, which influence the subtle environment. Panchangams are used to determine the optimum times for all activities. See: jyotisha, lunar calendar.

pandara: An informal order of independent priests, often self-taught and self-appointed, who emerge within a community to perform pujas at a sacred tree, a simple shrine or a temple.

pandit (pandita): A Hindu religious scholar or theologian, a man well versed in philosophy, liturgy, religious law and sacred science.

pantheon: All the Gods of a religion together.

papa: "Wickedness; sin, crime." 1) Bad or evil. 2) Wrongful action. 3) Demerit earned through wrongdoing. Papa includes all forms of wrongdoing, from the simplest infraction to the most heinous crime, such as premeditated murder. Each act of papa carries its karmic consequence, karmaphala, "fruit of action," for which scriptures delineate specific penance for expiation. Papa is the opposite of punya (merit, virtue). See: evil, karma, penance, punya, sin.

Parabrahman: "Supreme (or transcendent) God." A synonym for Nirguna Brahman, Absolute Reality, beyond time, form and space. Same as Parashiva. See: Brahman, Parashiva.

paramaguru: "Senior (superior) preceptor." The guru of a disciple's guru.

Paramatman: "Supreme Self," or "transcendent soul." Parashiva, Absolute Reality, the one transcendent Self of every soul. Contrasted with atman, which includes all three aspects of the soul: Parashiva, Parashakti and anandamaya kosha. See: atman, kosha, soul.

Parameshvara: "Supreme Lord or Ruler."God Siva in the third perfection as Supreme Mahadeva, Siva-Shakti, mother of the universe. In this perfection as Personal, father-mother God, Siva is a person -- who has a body, with head, arms and legs, etc. -- who acts, wills, blesses, gives darshana, guides, creates, preserves, reabsorbs, obscures and enlightens. In Truth, it is Siva-Shakti who does all. The term Primal Soul, Paramapurusha, designates Parameshvara as the original, uncreated soul, the creator of all other souls. Parameshvara has many other names and epithets, including those denoting the five divine actions: Sadashiva, the revealer; Maheshvara, the obscurer;Brahma, the creator; Vishnu the preserver; and Rudra the destroyer. See: Nataraja.

parampara: "Uninterrupted succession." A lineage. See: guru parampara.

parartha puja: "Public liturgy and worship." See: puja.

Parashakti: "Supreme power; primal energy." God Siva's second perfection, which is impersonal, immanent, and with form -- the all-pervasive Pure Consciousness and Primal Substance of all that exists. There are many other descriptive names for Parashakti -- Satchidananda ("existence-consciousness-bliss"), light, silence, divine mind, superconsciousness and more. Parashakti can be experienced by the diligent yogi or meditator as a merging in, or identification with, the underlying oneness flowing through all form. The experience is called savikalpa samadhi. See: raja yoga, Shakti, Satchidananda.

Parashiva: "Transcendent Siva." The Self God, Siva in His first perfection, Absolute Reality. God Siva as That which is beyond the grasp of consciousness, transcends time, form and space and defies description. To merge with Him in mystic union is the goal of all incarnated souls, the reason for their living on this planet, and the deepest meaning of their experiences. Attainment of this is called Self Realization or nirvikalpa samadhi. See: samadhi, Siva.

pasha: "Tether; noose." (Tamil: pasham) The whole of existence, manifest and unmanifest. That which binds or limits the soul and keeps it (for a time) from manifesting its full potential. Pasha consists of the soul's three-fold bondage of anava, karma and maya. See: liberation, mala, Pati-pashu-pasha.

pasha-jnanam: "Knowledge of the world." That which is sought for by the soul in the first stage of the sakala avasthai, known as irul. See: irul, sakala avastha.

pashu: "Cow, cattle, kine; fettered individual." Refers to animals or beasts, including man. In philosophy, the soul. Siva as Lord of Creatures is called Pashupati. See: pasha, Pati-pashu-pasha.

pashu-jnanam: "Soul-knowledge." The object of seeking in the second stage of the sakala avasthai, called marul. See: marul, sakala avastha.

patala chakra: "Fallen" or "sinful region." The seventh chakra below the muladhara, centered in the soles of the feet. Corresponds to the seventh and lowest astral netherworld beneath the earth's surface, called Kakola ("black poison") or Patala. This is the realm in which misguided souls indulge in destruction for the sake of destruction, of torture, and of murder for the sake of murder. Patala also names the netherworld in general, and is a synonym for Naraka. See: chakra, loka, Naraka.

Patanjali: A Saivite Natha siddha (ca 200 BCE) who codified the ancient yoga philosophy which outlines the path to enlightenment through purification, control and transcendence of the mind. One of the six classical philosophical systems (darshanas) of Hinduism, known as Yoga Darshana. His great work, the Yoga Sutras, comprises some 200 aphorisms delineating ashtanga (eight-limbed), raja (kingly) or siddha (perfection) yoga. Still today it is the foremost text on meditative yoga. Different from the namesake grammarian. See: raja yoga, yoga.

Pati: "Master; lord; owner." An appellation of God Siva indicating His commanding relationship with souls as caring ruler and helpful guide. In Saiva Siddhanta the title is part of the analogy of cowherd (pati), cows (pashu, souls) and the tether (pasha -- anava, karma and maya) by which cows are tied. See: Pati-pashu-pasha, Siva.

Pati-jnanam: "Knowledge of God," sought for by the soul in the third stage of the sakala avasthai, called arul. See: arul, sakala avastha, shaktinipata.

Pati-pashu-pasha: Literally: "Master, cow and tether." These are the three primary elements (padartha, or tattvatrayi) of Saiva Siddhanta philosophy: God, soul and world -- Divinity, man and cosmos -- seen as a mystically and intricately interrelated unity. Pati is God, envisioned as a cowherd. Pashu is the soul, envisioned as a cow. Pasha is the all-important force or fetter by which God brings souls along the path to Truth. The various schools of Hinduism define the rapport among the three in varying ways. For pluralistic Saiva Siddhantins they are three beginningless verities, self-existent, eternal entities. For monistic Saiva Siddhantins, pashu and pasha are the emanational creation of Pati, Lord Siva, and He alone is eternal reality. See: pasha, Saiva Siddhanta, soul.

payasam: A cooked, milk-based, pudding dessert often served at special festive occasions, generally made from tapioca or rice.

penance: Prayashchitta. Atonement, expiation. An act of devotion (bhakti), austerity (tapas) or discipline (sukritya) undertaken to soften or nullify the anticipated reaction of a past action. Penance is uncomfortable karma inflicted upon oneself to mitigate one's karmic burden caused by wrongful actions (kukarma). It includes such acts as prostrating 108 times, fasting, self-denial, or carrying kavadi (public penance), as well as more extreme austerities, or tapas. Penance is often suggested by spiritual leaders and elders. Penitence or repentance, suffering regret for misdeeds, is called anutapa, meaning "to heat." -- bala tadayati prayashchitta: "Child-beating penance," performed to mitigate the papa, sometimes called sin, accrued by having beaten a child. First, the adult counts the number of slaps or hits -- with cane, stick, strap, hand, or fist -- that he (or she) administered to children in the past. Then he meditates on the extent of harm he caused and in what ways. He lets the reality of this live with him for a week or two. (He may, at first, deny it, rationalize it, explain it away to himself, tell himself that there are a dozen reasons why striking a child was necessary, useful, customary and therefore acceptable. But all is Siva, and no violence toward another human being, let alone our own flesh and blood, is acceptable.) Once acceptance is complete, while looking into a large mirror, he administers upon his own body five hits for each one he gave to a child, with hand, cane, belt, etc., in the exact area of the body where the hurt was felt by the child. This may take time, and it should be painful. Thus, looking in the mirror, he slaps himself five times for every slap he gave each child, pinches himself five times for every pinch given, etc.

After this phase of the prayashchitta has been completed and the abuser feels much relieved of the heavy karmas, the abuser must 1) apologize to all the children he has abused and assure them that he will no longer ever use corporal punishment, but instead use positive discipline. 2) Then he assures the children under his influence that he will protect them from such brutality at home and in school. 3) Next, he writes to his satguru or other mentor about his penance, indicating if the guilt has passed and inner peace has returned. He includes a handwritten pledge, vrata, stating: A) that he will never inflict such abuse ever again; and B) that he will notify the school that children must be treated with respect and kindness and receive no beating of any kind, and that any misbehavior by children under his care should be reported to him by teachers so that appropriate discipline can be administered at home. 4) Once the mentor responds, the penance is complete. -- pushpa prayashchitta: "Flower penance." Those who have been physically abused are as much in need of penance to mitigate the experience as are those who abused them. Each person -- child or adult -- who has been beaten at any time, no matter how long ago, is enjoined to put up in the shrine room a picture of the person or persons by whom they were beaten, be it a father, mother or teacher. Then, every day for thirty-one days, he or she places a flower in front of each picture and, while doing so, sincerely forgiving the person in heart and mind. If no picture is available then some symbol or possession can be substituted, or even a paper with the name written on it. -- krodha prayashchitta: "Anger penance." Anger arises from the second chakra below the muladhara, the vitala chakra, and when that force center begins to vibrate, it vibrates in many different ways, spinning counterclockwise, causing disturbance to the natural shanti that otherwise prevails. Below are the some of the various faces of anger that the vitala chakra gives rise to. For each, a monetary sum is paid to compensate, as a form of penance, for allowing oneself to sink into this hurtful, unwholesome state of mind. Angry emotions that are suppressed: US$.10. Raising one's voice to emphasize a point: $.25. Pouting and turning the head away: $.50. Saying unkind things, unnecessary snide remarks: $.75. Sharp comments uttered in a raspy voice: $1.00. Long, brooding silences (an expression of anger that appears peaceful but is a way of cutting a person out of one's life): $2.00. (Mental arguments happen during those silences, deafening silences, loud deafening silences, during which thought swirls around how to retaliate or refute the other person's point.) A deeply cutting remark or hurtful insinuation or criticism of a personal nature: $2.50. A long, angry dissertation as to how others are totally wrong and how matters cannot continue in this way any longer: $4.00. An angry rage in which the aura turns black-red, or a jealous outburst in which one emphasizes, "I am in command. You are the serfs. You obey me, because you fear me." Or "You are wrong, and I don't like you. You did something terrible, unforgivable, stupid...(and such hateful things)" $5.00. For the wealthy, each of these amounts can be doubled; for the very wealthy, quadrupled. A jar labeled "Krodha Prayashchitta" is established in the shrine room to receive the payments. The sum collected is sent to a charity on the first Sunday of each month. See: evil, kavadi, papa, prayashchitta, sin, tapas.

perfections: Qualities, aspects, nature or dimensions that are perfect. God Siva's three perfections are Parashiva (Absolute Reality), Parashakti (Pure Consciousness) and Parameshvara (Primal Soul). Though spoken of as three-fold for the sake of understanding, God Siva ever remains a one transcendent-immanent Being. See: Parameshvara, Parashakti, Parashiva, Siva.

perplexity: Puzzlement; the state of being confused, uncertain, befuddled.

pilgrimage: Tirthayatra, one of the five sacred duties (pancha nitya karmas) of the Hindu, is to journey periodically to one of the innumerable holy spots in India or other countries. Preceded by fasting and continence, it is a time of austerity and purification, when all worldly concerns are set aside and God becomes one's singular focus. Streams of devout pilgrims are received daily at the many ancient holy sites (tirthas) in India, and tens of thousands at festival times. See: pancha nitya karma.

pingala nadi: "Tawny channel." The masculine psychic current flowing along the spine. See: kundalini, nadi, raja yoga.

plexus: A structure consisting of interwoven parts; a network. Especially of nerves, blood vessels, or lymphatic nodes.

Plotinus: (205-270CE) Egyptian-born Greek philosopher who founded Neo-Platonism, a revival of Platonism, in the Roman Empire. He taught ahimsa, vegetarianism, karma, reincarnation and belief in an immanent and transcendent Supreme Being.

pluralism (pluralistic): Any doctrine that holds existence to be composed of three or more distinct and irreducible components, such as God, souls and world. See: dvaita-advaita.

polarize: To turn, grow, think, feel in a certain way as a result of attraction or repulsion. In The Master Course, often to consciously align individual spiritual forces with the higher cosmic forces, also to attract and sustain the presence of divine beings.

Polynesian: Referring a group of islands in the Pacific, east of Australia and the Philippines, or to its peoples, languages or cultures.

pornography: Pictures, writings, movies or other media that present sexual matters in a manner intended to incite lust.

positive discipline: A system of raising children with love, respect and dignity, as a compassionate alternative to traditional punitive methods. Based on the books by author Jane Nelsen ED.D., it offers practical guidelines for parents and teachers to help children develop self-discipline, responsibility through firm but kindly guidance and mutual respect.

potluck: Whatever is available, with little or no choice.

pradosha: The auspicious 3 -hour period, 1.5 hours before and after sunset. Pradosha especially refers to this period on the 13th (trayodashi) tithi of each fortnight, an optimum time of the month for meditation. Its observance, prepared for by fasting, is called pradosha vrata. See: fast, tithi.

prana: Vital energy or life principle. Literally, "vital air," from the root pran, "to breathe." The interrelated odic and actinic forces. The sum total of all energy and forces. Prana in the human body moves in the pranamaya kosha as five primary life currents known as vayus, "vital airs or winds." These are prana (outgoing breath), apana (incoming breath), vyana (retained breath), udana (ascending breath) and samana (equalizing breath). Each governs crucial bodily functions, and all bodily energies are modifications of these. Usually prana refers to the life principle, but sometimes denotes energy, power or the animating force of the cosmos.

prana chakravala: "Energized circle or assembly." See: chakravala.

Pranava: "Humming." The mantra Aum, denoting God as the Primal Sound. It can be heard as the sound of one's own nerve system, like the sound of an electrical transformer or a swarm of bees. The meditator is taught to inwardly transform this sound into the inner light which lights the thoughts, and bask in this blissful consciousness. Pranava is also known as the sound of the nadanadi shakti. See: Aum.

pranayama: "Breath control." See: raja yoga.

pranic body: The subtle, life-giving sheath called pranamaya kosha. See: kosha.

prarabdha karma: "Action that has been unleashed or aroused." See: karma.

prasada: "Clarity, brightness; grace." 1) The virtue of serenity and graciousness. 2) Food offered to the Deity or the guru, or the blessed remnants of such food. 3) Any propitiatory offering. See: sacrament.

prayashchitta: "Predominant thought or aim." Penance. Acts of atonement. See: penance.

prayopavesha: "Resolving to die through fasting." Self-willed death by fasting. See: suicide.

precept: A commandment meant as a rule of action or conduct.

preceptor: Highly respected teacher and head of a spiritual order and clan; the equivalent of the word satguru.

Pretaloka: "World of the departed." The realm of the earth-bound souls. This lower region of Bhuvarloka is an astral duplicate of the physical world. See: loka.

Primal Soul: The uncreated, original, perfect soul -- Siva Parameshvara -- who emanates from Himself the inner and outer universes and an infinite plurality of individual souls whose essence is identical with His essence. God in His personal aspect as Lord and Creator, depicted in many forms: Nataraja by Saivites, Vishnu by Vaishnavites, Devi by Shaktas. See: Nataraja, Parameshvara.

Primal Substance: The fundamental energy and rarified form from which the manifest world in its infinite diversity is derived. See: Parashakti.

processed sugar: See: sugar, processed.

procrastination: Postponing or needless delaying.

promiscuity: Engaging in sex indiscriminantly or with many partners. Not confining one's sexual relationship to one person.

prostitute: A person who solicits and accepts payment for sexual acts.

prostrate: Lying face down, as in submission or adoration. See: prostration.

prostration: pranama: "Obeisance; bowing down." Reverent salutation in which the head or body is bowed. -- ashtanga pranama: "Eight-limbed obeisance." The full body form for men, in which the hands, chest, forehead, knees and feet touch the ground. (Same as shashtanga pranama.) -- panchanga pranama: "Five-limbed obeisance." The woman's form of prostration, in which the hands, head and legs touch the ground (with the ankles crossed, right over the left). A more exacting term for prostration is pranipata, "falling down in obeisance." See: bhakti, namaskara.

protocol (cultural): A code of correct conduct for any procedure. A code of correct etiquette and cultured behavior among the members of a particular ethnic, religious or social group, often unwritten and passed on by example from generation to generation. For instance, there is a protocol for properly and humbly approaching a guru, swami or other holy person. Likewise, there is a protocol for respectfully receiving an important foreign diplomat.

pseudo: A prefix meaning false, sham, pretended.

psyche: The soul.

psychiatrist: A medical specialist who treats mental and emotional disorders.

psychic: "Of the psyche or soul." Sensitive to spiritual processes and energies. Inwardly or intuitively aware of nonphysical realities; able to use powers such as clairvoyance, clairaudience and precognition. Nonphysical, subtle; pertaining to the deeper aspects of man. See: mysticism, odic.

psychic entanglements: See: psychic tubes.

psychic tubes: Channels of astral matter which connect a man and woman who have had sexual intercourse. Such connections persist for a 12-year period, though they are greatly diminished after 6 years. Psychic tubes also persist between child and mother up until age 24. Through the process of brahmacharya all such connections are gradually dissolved and a new connection established with the guru. See: brahmacharya.

psychoanalyze: To interpret mental and emotional processes as results of unconscious impulses, repressed experiences and conflicts, etc.

psychologist: A person schooled in understanding of mental and emotional processes and behavior and treating disorders according to one or another of the various modern theories of human behavior.

psychology: The intellectual study of mental processes and behavior. The emotional and behavioral characteristics of an individual, or an activity.

psychometry: The ability of one's nervous system or psychic faculty to register and interpret vibrations from objects.

puberty: The stage of adolescence at which one becomes physiologically capable of sexual reproduction.

puja: "Worship, adoration." An Agamic rite of worship performed in the home, temple or shrine, to the murti, shri paduka, or other consecrated object, or to a person, such as the satguru. Its inner purpose is to purify the atmosphere around the object worshiped, establish a connection with the inner worlds and invoke the presence of God, Gods or one's guru.

pujari: "Worshiper." A general term for Hindu temple priests, as well as anyone performing puja. Pujari (sometimes pujari) is the Hindi form of the Sanskrit pujaka; pusari in Tamil. Archaka is another term for the officiant priest used in the southern tradition. Purohita is a Smarta brahmin priest who specializes in domestic rites. See: puja.

punarjanma: "Reincarnation." From punah, "again and again," and janma, "taking birth." See: reincarnation.

punjabi: A woman's outfit of India, a term derived from Punjab, a northern state in India. In current form it is a modest pant suit for women with a kurta upper garment with a widened bottom designed to sit on.

punya: "Holy; virtuous; auspicious." 1) Good or righteous. 2) Meritorious action. 3) Merit earned through right thought, word and action. Punya includes all forms of doing good, from the simplest helpful deed to a lifetime of conscientious beneficence. Each act of punya carries its karmic consequence, karmaphala, "fruit of action" -- the positive reward of actions, words and deeds that are in keeping with dharma. (Opposite of papa.) See: karma, papa, penance.

Pure Consciousness: See: mind (universal), Parashakti, Satchidananda.

purity-impurity: Shaucha-ashaucha. Purity and its opposite, pollution, are a fundamental part of Hindu culture. While they refer to physical cleanliness, their more important meanings extend to social, ceremonial, mental, emotional, psychic and spiritual contamination. Freedom from all forms of contamination is a key to Hindu spirituality, and is one of the yamas. Physical purity requires a clean and well-ordered environment, yogic purging of the internal organs and frequent cleansing with water. Mental purity derives from meditation, right living and right thinking. Emotional purity depends on control of the mind, clearing the subconscious and keeping good company. Spiritual purity is achieved through following the yamas and niyamas, study of the Vedas and other scriptures, pilgrimage, meditation, japa, tapas and ahimsa. See: dharma, papa, penance, punya, yama-niyama.

purusha: "The spirit that dwells in the body/in the universe." Person; spirit; man. Metaphysically, the soul, neither male nor female. Also used in Yoga and Sankhya for the transcendent Self. A synonym for atman. Purusha can also refer to the Supreme Being or Soul, as it often does in the Upanishads.

purusha dharma: "A man's code of duty and conduct." See: dharma.

Radhakrishnan, Dr. S. (Radhakrishnan): (1888-1975) President of India from 1962 to 1967, a scholar, philosopher, prolific writer, compelling speaker and effective spokesman of Hinduism. Along with Vivekananda, Tagore, Aurobindo and others, he helped stimulate the current Hindu revival by making Hinduism better known and appreciated at home and abroad, especially in the intellectual world. He was a foremost proponent of pantheism.

raja yoga: "King of yogas." Also known as ashtanga yoga, "eight-limbed yoga." The classical yoga system of eight progressive stages to Illumination as described in various yoga Upanishads, the Tirumantiram and, most notably, in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The eight limbs are: 1) -- yama: "Restraint." Virtuous and moral living, which brings purity of mind, freedom from anger, jealousy and subconscious confusion which would inhibit the process of meditation. 2) -- niyama: "Observance." Religious practices which cultivate the qualities of the higher nature, such as devotion, cognition, humility and contentment -- inducing the refinement of nature and control of mind needed to concentrate and ultimately plunge into samadhi. 3) -- asana: "Seat" or "posture." A sound body is needed for success in meditation. This is attained through hatha yoga, the postures of which balance the energies of mind and body, promoting health and serenity, e.g., padmasana, the "lotus pose," for meditation. 4) -- pranayama: "Mastering life force." Breath control, which quiets the chitta and balances ida and pingala. Science of controlling prana through breathing techniques in which the length of inhalation, retention and exhalation is modulated. Pranayama prepares the mind for deep meditation. 5) -- pratyahara: "Withdrawal." The practice of withdrawing consciousness from the physical senses first, such as not hearing noise while meditating, then progressively receding from emotions, intellect and eventually from individual consciousness itself in order to merge into the Universal. 6) -- dharana: "Concentration." Focusing the mind on a single object or line of thought, not allowing it to wander. The guiding of the flow of consciousness. When concentration is sustained long and deeply enough, meditation naturally follows. 7) -- dhyana: "Meditation." A quiet, alert, powerfully concentrated state wherein new knowledge and insight pour into the field of consciousness. This state is possible once the subconscious mind has been cleared or quieted. 8) -- samadhi: (contemplation/God Realization) "Enstasy," which means "standing within one's self." "Sameness, contemplation." The state of true yoga, in which the meditator and the object of meditation are one. See: asana, enlightenment, enstasy, samadhi, yoga.

rajas: "Passion; activity." See: guna.

Ramakrishna (Ramakrishna): (1836 -- 1886) One of the great saints and mystics of modern Hinduism, and a proponent of monistic theism -- fervent devotee of Mother Kali and staunch monist who taught oneness and the pursuit of nirvikalpa samadhi, realization of the Absolute. He was guru to the great Swami Vivekananda (1863 -- 1902), who internationalized Hindu thought and philosophy.

Ramana Maharshi: ukz kfhp=p (1879-1950) Hindu Advaita renunciate renaissance saint of Tiruvannamalai, South India.

Rama Tirtha (Rama Tirtha): One of the first Indian monks (1873-1906) to bring yoga and Vedanta to the West, he lectured throughout Japan and America, spreading "practical Vedanta."

Ramayana: "Life of Rama." One of India's two grand epics (Itihasa) along with the Mahabharata. It is Valmiki's tragic love story of Rama and Sita, whose exemplary lives have helped set high standards of dignity and nobility as an integral part of Hindu Dharma. Astronomical data in the story puts Rama's reign at about 2015 bce.

rasatala chakra: "Subterranean region." The fifth chakra below the muladhara, centered in the ankles. Corresponds to the fifth astral netherworld beneath the earth's surface, called Rijisha ("expelled") or Rasatala. Region of selfishness, self-centeredness and possessiveness. Rasa means "earth, soil; moisture." See: chakra, Naraka.

realm: A kingdom, region, area or sphere. See: loka.

reconcile: To settle or resolve, as a dispute. To make consistent or compatible, e.g., two conflicting ideas.

reconciliation: Harmonization of quarrels or mending of differences.

reincarnate: To take birth in another body, having lived and died before.

reincarnation: "Re-entering the flesh." Punarjanma; metempsychosis. The process wherein souls take on a physical body through the birth process. The cycle of reincarnation ends when karma has been resolved and the Self God (Parashiva) has been realized. This condition of release is called moksha. Then the soul continues to evolve and mature, but without the need to return to physical existence. See: evolution of the soul, karma, moksha, samsara, soul.

relative: Quality or object which is meaningful only in relation to something else. Not absolute.

relative reality: Maya. That which is ever changing and changeable. Describes the nature of manifest existence, indicating that it is not an illusion but is also not Absolute Reality, which is eternal and unchanging. See: absolute, maya.

religion: From Latin religare, "to bind back." Any system of belief in and worship of suprahuman beings or powers and/or a Supreme Being or Power. Religion is a structured vehicle for soul advancement which often includes theology, scripture, spiritual and moral practices, priesthood and liturgy. See: Hinduism.

remorse: Deep, painful regret or guilt over a wrong one has done. Moral anguish. See: penance.

renunciation: See: sannyasa.

repressions: Experiences, desires or inner conflicts residing in the subconscious mind and hidden from the conscious mind. Suppressed desires.

resent (resentment): A feeling of ill-will, indignation or hostility from a sense of having been wronged.

retaliate: To pay back an injury like for like, to get even.

righteous indignation: A standing up for dharma, a show of angry displeasure on personal moral or religious principles, accompanied in its lower forms by a vain sense of superiority.

rishi: "Seer." A term for an enlightened being, emphasizing psychic perception and visionary wisdom. In the Vedic age, rishis lived in forest or mountain retreats, either alone or with disciples. These rishis were great souls who were the inspired conveyers of the Vedas. Seven outstanding rishis (the sapta rishis) mentioned in the Rig Veda are said to still guide mankind from the inner worlds.

Rishi from the Himalayas: The first known satguru of the Kailasa Parampara in recent history (ca 1770-1840) famous for having entered a teashop in a village near Bangalore where he sat down, entered into deep samadhi and did not move or speak for seven years. Streams of devotees came for his darshana. Their unspoken prayers and questions were mysteriously answered in dreams or in messages on paper that manifested in the air and floated down to the floor. One day he suddenly arose and left the village, later to pass his power to Siddhar Kadaitswami (1804-1891).

rite (or ritual): A religious ceremony. See: sacrament, samskara.

rites of passage: Sacraments marking crucial stages of life. See: samskara.

rites of passage, not attending: As the Nandinatha Sutras indicate, rites of passage, sacraments or samskaras are special moments in life that are preciously guarded by all members of the community. Thus, tradition indicates certain restrictions as to who may attend, though those who do not attend may participate in preparations and receptions afterwards. Those who refrain from attending rites of passage include widows and widowers, brahmacharis and brahmacharinis and anyone who has been divorced. The reason is to protect the impressionable subconscious mind of those receiving the sacrament from the impressions of the possibilities of renunciation, widowhood and divorce. Funeral rites, however, are open to everyone, though a couple just married within the past year will stay away. Other important funeral customs are: 1) a son who would normally light the pyre for his parents will not if his wife is pregnant. Instead, a cousin or brother will take his place; 2) when a widow is at her husband's funeral rites, the other widows of the village gather around her, not the married couples. Note that if a widowed person remarries, he or she is no longer considered a widow or widower and may attend rites of passage with his or her new spouse. See: samskaras.

ritual: A religious ceremony conducted according to some prescribed order.

Rudra: "Controller of terrific powers;" or "red, shining one." The name of Siva as the God of dissolution, the universal force of reabsorption. Rudra-Siva is revered both as the "terrifying one" and the "lord of tears," for He wields and controls the terrific powers which may cause lamentation among humans. See: Nataraja, Siva.

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