Living with Siva Glossary, A-I
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Glossary, A-I

Sabda Kosah

Glossary


aadheenakarthar: The aadheenam head, or pontiff, also called the Guru Mahasannidhanam. See: aadheenam, monastery.

aadheenam: Endowment, foundation, institution, establishment, estate, property. A Saivite Hindu monastery and temple complex in the South Indian Saiva Siddhanta tradition. The aadheenam head, or pontiff, is called the Guru Mahasannidhanam or Aadheenakarthar. See: monastery.

abjure: To give up or renounce, often under oath; to abstain from.

abortion: Any deliberate procedure that removes or induces the expulsion of an embryo or fetus before it is viable. Not condoned in Hinduism except to save the mother's life.

Abrahamic religions: The religions descending from Abraham, a biblical patriarch regarded by Jews as the founder of the Hebrew people through his son Isaac and by Muslims as the founder of the Arab people through his son Ishmael; thus, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Absolute: Lower case (absolute): real, not dependent on anything else, not relative. Upper case (Absolute): Ultimate Reality, the unmanifest, unchanging and transcendent Parashiva -- utterly nonrelational to even the most subtle level of consciousness. It is the Self God, the essence of man's soul. See: Parashiva.

absolution (to absolve): Forgiveness. A freeing from guilt so as to relieve someone from obligation or penalty. -- atone: to compensate or make up for a wrongdoing. Atonement can only be done by the person himself, while absolution is granted by others, such as a family head, judge or jury. Exoneration, the taking away of all blame and all personal karmic burden, can only be given by God Siva. Society would naturally acknowledge and accept this inner transformation by forgiving and forgetting. See: penance, sin.

abstinence: Voluntary restraint from something undesirable or harmful.

acharya: "Going toward;" "approaching." A highly respected teacher. The wise one who practices what he preaches. A title generally bestowed through diksha and ordination, such as in the Sivacharya priest tradition. In the context of this book, a senior swami of the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order, founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1949. Having completed at least 24 years of service under Gurudeva while observing brahmacharya sadhana, these specially ordained swamis are the acknowledged examples for younger monks. -- adi acharyas: Four acharyas of the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order ordained as an ongoing, self-perpetuating group chosen from among the acharyas to determine the course of the future of the Order and lay membership of Saiva Siddhanta Church. Their major duty is to exemplify the Saiva ideals and keep the teaching programs and publications purely in line with those of the parampara and sampradaya.

actinic: Spiritual, creating light. Adjective derived from the Greek aktis, "ray." Of or pertaining to consciousness in its pure, unadulterated state. Actinic force is the superconscious mind and not a force which comes from the superconcious mind. Commonly known as life, spirit, it can be seen as the light in man's eyes; it is the force that leaves man when he leaves his odic physical body behind. It is not opposite to odic force, it is different than odic force as light is different than water but shines through it. Actinic force flows freely through odic force. See: kosha, odic.

acupuncture: An essential component of traditional Chinese medicine consisting of the practice of puncturing the body with very thin needles, or applying consistent massage pressure (called acupressure) at specific points along established pathways of subtle energy, called meridians, to cure disease, balance energies or relieve pain. Ayurveda has its own system of acupuncture. See: meridian.

adharma: Negative, opposite of dharma. Deeds, thoughts or words that transgress divine law. Unrighteousness, irreligiousness; demerit. See: dharma, sin.

adultery: Sexual intercourse between a married man or a woman who is not one's own wife or husband. Adultery is spoken of in Hindu shastras as a serious breach of dharma. See: sexuality.

advaita: "Non dual; not twofold." Nonduality or monism. The philosophical doctrine that Ultimate Reality consists of a one principal substance, or God. Opposite of dvaita, dualism. See: dvaita-advaita, Vedanta.

Advaita Ishvaravada: "Nondual and Personal-God-as-Ruler doctrine." The Sanskrit equivalent of monistic theism. A general term that describes the philosophy of the Vedas and Saiva Agamas, which posits simultaneously the ultimate oneness of all things and the reality of the personal Deity. See: Advaita, Advaita Siddhanta, monistic theism.

Advaita Siddhanta: "Nondual ultimate conclusions." Saivite philosophy codified in the Agamas which has at its core the nondual (advaitic) identity of God, soul and world. This monistic-theistic philosophy, unlike the Sankara, or Smarta view, holds that maya (the principle of manifestation) is not an obstacle to God Realization, but God's own power and presence guiding the soul's evolution to perfection. While Advaita Vedanta stresses Upanishadic philosophy, Advaita Siddhanta adds to this a strong emphasis on internal and external worship, yoga sadhanas and tapas. Advaita Siddhanta is a term used in South India to distinguish Tirumular's school from the pluralistic Siddhanta of Meykandar and Aghorashiva. This unified Vedic-Agamic doctrine is also known as Shuddha Saiva Siddhanta. It is the philosophy on which this text is based. See: Advaita Ishvaravada, dvaita-advaita, monistic theism, Saiva Siddhanta.

Advaita Vedanta: "Nondual end (or essence) of the Vedas." The nondual final conclusions of the Vedas. Commonly names the various Indian monistic schools, most prominently that of Sankara, that arose from the Upanishads and related texts. See: Vedanta.

affectionate detachment: The power and wisdom of love born of understanding. Not becoming engrossed in the problems or negative attachments of others. As opposed to "running away" from the world or being insensitively aloof, affectionate detachment allows for more genuine, wholesome relationships with people and things.

affirmation: Dridhavachana. "Firm statement." A positive declaration or assertion. A statement repeated regularly while concentrating on the meaning and mental images invoked, often used to attain a desired result.

affirmation of faith: A brief statement of one's faith and essential beliefs. See: Anbe Sivamayam Satyame Parasivam.

Agama: The tradition that has "come down." An enormous collection of Sanskrit scriptures which, along with the Vedas, are revered as shruti (revealed scripture). Dating uncertain. The Agamas are the primary source and authority for ritual, yoga and temple construction. See: Saiva Agamas, shruti.

agni: "Fire." 1) One of the five elements, panchabhuta. 2) God of the element fire, invoked through Vedic ritual known as yajna, agnikaraka, homa and havana. See: havana, homa.

ahimsa: "Noninjury," nonviolence or nonhurtfulness. Refraining from causing harm to others, physically, mentally or emotionally. Ahimsa is the first and most important of the yamas (restraints). It is the cardinal virtue upon which all others depend. See: yama-niyama.

ajna chakra: "Command wheel." The third-eye center. See: chakra.

akasha: "Space." The sky. Free, open space. Ether, the fifth and most subtle of the five elements -- earth, air, fire, water and ether. Empirically, the rareified space or ethereal fluid plasma that pervades the universes, inner and outer. Esoterically, mind, the superconscious strata holding all that potentially or actually exists, wherein all transactions are recorded and can be read by clairvoyants. It is through psychic entry into this transcendental akasha that cosmic knowledge is gathered, and the entire circle of time -- past, present and future -- can be known.

all-pervasive: Diffused throughout or existing in every part of the universe. See: Satchidananda.

amends: Recompensation, making up for injury or loss caused to another. This is done through sincere apology, expressing regrets, contrition, public penance, such as kavadi, and ample gifts. See: penance.

anabhidroha: "Absence of injuriousness."

ananda: "Bliss." The pure joy -- ecstasy or enstasy -- of God-consciousness or spiritual experience. See: God Realization, Satchidananda.

anandamaya kosha: "Bliss body." The body of the soul, which ultimately merges with Siva. See: soul, kosha.

Anandamayi Ma (Anandamayi Ma): Godly yogini and mystic Bengali saint known for her purity and sadhanas, including not eating unless fed by her devotees (1896-1982).

anava: "Fragment; atom; minuteness, individuality." The veiling power that provides individualness, or individual ego, to each soul, making the soul seem separate and distinct from God and the universe. See: anava mala, evolution of the soul, grace, mala, soul.

anava mala: "Impurity of smallness; finitizing principle." The fetter or individualizing veil of duality that enshrouds the soul. It is the source of finitude and ignorance, the most basic of the three bonds (anava, karma, maya) which temporarily limit the soul. The presence of anava mala is what causes the misapprehension about the nature of God, soul and world, the notion of being separate and distinct from God and the universe. See: anava, evolution of the soul, grace, mala, soul.

anava marga: "Path of ignorance ." The path of egoity, separateness, self-indulgence, self-interest and selfishness. See: anava mala.

Anbe Sivamayam Satyame Parasivam: Tamil for "God Siva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality." The affirmation of faith which capsulizes the entire creed of monistic Saiva Siddhanta. In Sanskrit it is Premaiva Sivamaya, Satyam eva Parashivah.

anchorite: "Hermit." A monk or aspirant who lives alone and apart from society, as contrasted with cenobite, a member of a religious order living in a monastery or convent. See: monk.

animate-inanimate: From the Latin animatus, "to make alive, fill with breath." These terms indicate the two poles of manifest existence, that which has movement and life (most expressly animals and other "living" beings) and that which is devoid of movement (such as minerals and, to a lesser degree, plants). From a deeper view, however, all existence is alive with movement and possessed of the potent, divine energy of the cosmos.

ankusha: Goad, symbol of Lord Ganesha's power to remove obstacles from the devotee's path, and to spur the dullards onward.

anna dana: "Giving food." The Hindu tradition, also called yajna, of holding mass feedings for guest and for the poor. It is a source of great merit, especially if an exceptionally great soul happens to partake of the meal and his hunger is satisfied. See: yama-niyama.

annaprashana: "Feeding." The childhood sacrament of first solid food. See: samskaras of childhood.

Antarloka: "Inner plane," or "in-between world." The astral plane, or Second World. See: astral plane.

Antoinette, Marie (1755-1793): Queen of France from 1774, wife of Louis XVI, and daughter of Maria Theresa and Francis I of Austria. During the French Revolution she and her husband were accused of treason. She was guillotined on October 16, 1793.

anugraha shakti: "Graceful or favoring power." Revealing grace. God Siva's power of illumination, through which the soul is freed from the bonds of anava, karma and maya and ultimately attains liberation, moksha. Specifically, anugraha descends on the soul as shaktipata, the diksha (initiation) from a satguru. Anugraha is a key concept in Saiva Siddhanta. It comes when anava mala, the shell of finitude which surrounds the soul, reaches a state of ripeness, malaparipaka. See: anava, grace, Nataraja, shaktinipata.

aphorism: A terse and well-qualified, easy-to-remember statement of a truth placed in the subconscious mind.

arati: "Light." The circling or waving of a lamp -- usually fed with ghee, camphor or oil -- before a holy person or the temple Deity at the high point of puja. The flame is then presented to the devotees, each passing his or her hands through it and bringing them to the eyes three times, thereby receiving the blessings. Arati can also be performed as the briefest form of puja. See: archana, puja.

arbitrate: To give a judgment or decision in a dispute; mediate.

archana: A special, personal, abbreviated puja done by temple priests in which the name, birthstar and family lineage of a devotee are recited to invoke individual guidance and blessings. Archana also refers to chanting the names of the Deity, which is a central part of every puja. See: puja.

ardha-Hindu: "Half-Hindu." A devotee who has adopted Hindu belief and culture to a great extent but has not formally entered the religion through ceremony and taking a Hindu first and last name. Also refers to Easterners born into the faith who adopt non-Hindu names.

arjava: "Steadfastness." See: yama-niyama.

Arjuna: A hero of the Mahabharata and the central figure of the Bhagavad Gita. See: Bhagavad Gita.

artha: "Goal" or "purpose;" wealth, substance, property, money. See: four traditional goals.

artificial perpetuation of life: See: heroic measures.

arul: mUs; "Grace." The third of the three stages of the sakala avasthai when the soul yearns for the grace of God, shaktinipata. At this stage the soul seeks pati-jnanam, knowledge of God. See: pati-jnanam, sakala avastha, shaktinipata.

asana: "Seat; posture." In hatha yoga, any of numerous poses prescribed to balance and tune up the subtle energies of mind and body for meditation and to promote health and longevity. See: hatha yoga, raja yoga, yoga.

ascetic: A person who leads a life of contemplation and rigorous self-denial, shunning comforts and pleasures for religious purposes. See: monk.

ashtanga yoga: "Eight-limbed union." The classical raja yoga system of eight progressive stages or steps as described in the Yoga Sutras of Sage Patanjali (often termed raja yoga) and in numerous Hindu scriptures including various Upanishads and the Tirumantiram by Saint Tirumular. The eight limbs are: restraints (yama), observances (niyama), postures (asana), breath control (pranayama), sense withdrawal (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana) and contemplation (samadhi/Self Realization). See: raja yoga, yoga, yama-niyama, asana, pranayama, samadhi.

aspirant: A person who strives for some high achievement.

aspiration: A desire for some high achievement.

ashrama: "Place of striving." From shram, "to exert energy." Hermitage; order of the life. Holy sanctuary; the residence and teaching center of a sadhu, saint, swami, ascetic or guru; often includes lodging for students. Also names life's four stages. See: ashrama dharma, sadhana.

ashrama dharma: Religious solitary, from 72 onward. See: dharma, grihastha dharma, sannyasa dharma.

asteya: "Nonstealing." See: yama-niyama.

astikya: "Faith." See: faith, shraddha, yama-niyama.

astral body: The subtle, nonphysical body (sukshma sharira) in which the soul functions in the astral plane, the inner world also called Antarloka. The astral body includes the pranic sheath (pranamaya kosha), the instinctive-intellectual sheath (manomaya kosha) and the cognitive sheath (vijnanamaya kosha) -- with the pranic sheath discarded at the death of the physical body.

astral entity: Any being in the astral plane. See: astral plane.

astral plane: From the word astral, meaning "of the stars." Belonging to the subtle, non-physical dimension also known as the Antarloka, or Second World. "Astral forces" exist in the Second World but can be felt psychically in the First. See also: loka, three worlds.

astral projection: The practice of consciously directing one's activities when out of the physical body and functioning in the astral body, including the ability to direct attention to and visit other people who are also in their astral body, or visit a remote location, experiencing the activities there and retaining knowledge of such experiences after returning to the state of wakeful, physical consciousness. See: astral plane.

astral shell: The odic astral form which a soul leaves behind in the astral plane when it enters into a new physical birth. The astral shell soon disintegrates as creative forces generate a new physical and astral body.

astrology: Science of celestial influences. See: jyotisha.

ashubha: "Inauspicious," "gloomy." See: shubha.

asura: "Evil spirit; demon." (Opposite of sura: "deva; God.") A being of the lower astral plane, Naraka. Asuras can and do interact with the physical plane, causing major and minor problems in people's lives. Asuras do evolve and do not remain permanently in this state. See: Naraka.

asuric: Of the nature of an asura, "not spiritual."

atala chakra: "Bottomless region." The first chakra below the muladhara, at the hip level. Region of fear and lust. See: chakra, Naraka.

atheism: The rejection of all religion or religious belief, or simply the belief that God or Gods do not exist. See: materialism.

atman: "The soul; the breath; the principle of life and sensation." The soul in its entirety -- as the soul body (anandamaya kosha) and its essence (Parashakti and Parashiva). One of Hinduism's most fundamental tenets is that we are the atman, not the physical body, emotions, external mind or personality. See: Paramatman, kosha, soul.

atmartha puja: "Personal worship rite." Home puja -- Sanskrit liturgy performed in the home shrine. See: puja.

atura sannyasa: "Renunciation while suffering." See: sannyasa.

attachments: That which one holds onto or clings to with the energy of possessiveness, which is a natural function of the inner and outer ego of an individual. As one unfolds through the chakras, the force of attachment naturally diminishes through sadhana, tapas and the grace of the guru.

Aum: Often spelled Om. The mystic syllable of Hinduism, placed at the beginning of most sacred writings. As a mantra, it is pronounced aw (as in law), oo (as in zoo), mm. Aum represents the Divine, and is associated with Lord Ganesha, for its initial sound "aa," vibrates within the muladhara, the chakra at the base of the spine upon which this God sits. The second sound of this mantra, "oo," vibrates within the throat and chest chakras, the realm of Lord Murugan, or Kumara. The third sound, "mm," vibrates within the cranial chakras, ajna and sahasrara, where the Supreme God, Siva, reigns.

aura: The luminous colorful field of subtle energy radiating within and around the human body, extending out from three to seven feet. The colors of the aura change constantly according to the ebb and flow of one's state of consciousness, thoughts, moods and emotions. Higher, benevolent feelings create bright pastels; base, negative feelings are darker in color. The aura consists of three aspects, the prana-aura, the outer aura and the inner aura. The prana-aura is the reflection of the physical body, the life force. The outer aura extends beyond the physical body and changes continuously, reflecting the individual's moment-to-moment panorama of thought and emotion.

Aurobindo Ghosh: A prolific Bengali writer and poet, pantheistic philosopher and yoga mystic, widely known as Sri Aurobindo ( 1872-1950 ). He perceived the modern global crisis as marking a period of transition from a dark age to a more enlightened one, when Hinduism will play a preponderant role. He founded the Auroville community in Pondichery, based on purna (integral) yoga and contributed much to this century's Hindu revival.

auspicious: Mangala. Favorable, of good omen, foreboding well. One of the central concepts in Hindu life. Astrology defines a method for determining times that are favorable for various human endeavors. See: jyotisha.

austerity: Self-denial and discipline, physical or mental, performed for various reasons, including acquiring powers (siddhis), attaining grace, conquering the instinctive nature and burning the seeds of past karmas. Ranging from simple deprivations, such as foregoing a meal, to severe disciplines, called tapas, such as always standing, never sitting or lying down, even for sleep. See: penance, tapas.

Auvaiyar: A woman saint of Tamil Nadu (ca 800 ce), a contemporary of Saint Sundarar, devotee of Lord Ganesha and Karttikeya, or Murugan, and one of the greatest literary figures in ancient India. (See Chapter 17 .) Among the most famous are Atti Chudi, Konrai Ventan, Ulaka Niti, Muturai and Nalvali. Her Tamil primer is studied by children to this day. An earlier traditional date for Auvaiyar of 200 bce is from a story about her and Saint Tiruvalluvar.

avastha: (Tamil: avasthai.) "Condition or state" of consciousness or experience. 1) Any of three stages of the soul's evolution from the point of its creation to final merger in the Primal Soul. 2) The states of consciousness as discussed in the Mandukya Upanishad: jagrat (or vaishvanara), "wakefulness;" svapna (or taijasa), "dreaming;" sushupti, "deep sleep;" and turiya, "the fourth" state, of superconsciousness. A fifth state, "beyond turiya," is turiyatita. See: kevala avastha, sakala avastha, shuddha avastha.

avatara: "Descent." A God born in a human (or animal) body. A central concept of Shaktism, Smartism and Vaishnavism. See: incarnation, Ishta Devata.

awareness: Sakshin, or chit. Individual consciousness, perception, knowing; the witness of perception, the "inner eye of the soul." The soul's ability to sense, see or know and to be conscious of this knowing. When awareness is indrawn (pratyak chetana), various states of samadhi may occur. Awareness is known in the Agamas as chitshakti, the "power of awareness," the inner self and eternal witness. See: consciousness.

ayanamsha: "Portion" (amsha) of the solstice (ayana), meaning the deviation of the zodiac from the equinoctial position of zero degrees Aries -- or the amount of the precession of the equinoxes since the zero degrees Aries vernal equinox, which defines the difference between the Vedic and Western (or tropical) zodiacs. The Western system marks zero degrees Aries at the vernal equinox. The Vedic system adjusts for the precession and marks the (current) vernal equinox at about 6 degrees of the sign of Pisces, or roughly 23 degrees. The exact ayanamsha is not known, so a number of ayanamshas are put forth by various astronomers and well known astrologers. Lahiri created the official ayanamsha approved by the government of India. It counts the beginning of the zodiac as exactly 180 degrees opposite the star Chitra (Alpha Virgo in the Western system, the star Spica). Most older ayanamshas are Revati-paksha, or relating to the star Revati.

ayurveda: "Science of life," "science of longevity." A holistic system of medicine and health native to ancient India. The aims of ayurveda are ayus, "long life," and arogya, "diseaselessness," which facilitate progress toward ultimate spiritual goals. Health is achieved by balancing energies (especially the doshas, bodily humors) at all levels of being.

Being: Upper case: God's essential divine nature -- Pure Consciousness, Absolute Reality and Primal Soul (God's nature as a divine Person). Lower case: the essential nature of a person, that within which never changes; existence. See: Siva.

beta testing: The final testing of new computer software, performed by persons other than software developers, before it is released for sale.

Bhagavad Gita: "The Lord's Song." One of the most popular of Hindu writings, a conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the brink of the great battle at Kurukshetra. In this central episode of the epic Mahabharata (part of the Sixth Book), Krishna illumines the warrior-prince Arjuna on yoga, asceticism, dharma and the manifold spiritual path. See: Mahabharata.

bhajana: Spiritual song. Individual or group singing of devotional songs, hymns and chants.

bhakta: (Tamil: Bhaktar.) "Devotee." A worshiper. One who is surrendered to the Divine. See: bhakti, bhakti yoga, devotee, guru bhakti.

bhakti: "Devotion." Surrender to God, Gods or guru. Bhakti extends from the simplest expression of devotion to the ego-decimating principle of prapatti, which is total surrender. Bhakti is the foundation of all sects of Hinduism, as well as yoga schools throughout the world. See: bhakti yoga, darshana, prasada.

bhakti yoga: "Union through devotion." Bhakti yoga is the practice of devotional disciplines, worship, prayer, chanting and singing with the aim of awakening love in the heart and opening oneself to God's grace. Bhakti may be directed toward God, Gods or guru. Bhakti yoga is embodied in Patanjali's Yoga Darshana in the second limb, niyamas (observances), as devotion (Ishvarapranidhana).

bhikku: A Buddhist monk, or any of the first disciples of Buddha.

Bhojana Mantra: "Food-blessing chant." As each meal is served, reciting the food-blessing chant, silently or aloud as a group, is an expression of gratitude, an acknowledgement of food's ultimate source and an invocation of spiritual benefits. Its recitation prepares one for partaking of the Supreme Lord's abundance, which should occur in the right state of mind and emotion. Food, the magical source of prana, is an umbilical connection to the cosmos, the lifeline of embodied souls, nature's means of nourishment. This chant is given in the spirit of a beggar humbly seeking alms. Water -- a pranic bridge between the subtle and physical universes -- is used in four ways in preparing to eat. First the mouth is rinsed. Then water is used to rinse the banana leaf or plate. Water from one's drinking cup is poured into the right hand to rinse it, as food is, whenever possible, taken with the hand, rather than with chopsticks or fork and spoon. Finally, water is sprinkled in a circle around the food with the right hand, creating a force field of purification and protection and invoking harmony of all five bodily pranas. In the South of India, a little bit from each food item is placed on the upper left corner of the plate as an offering to Ganesha before taking one's first bite.

bilva: Wood-apple (or bael) tree, Aegle marmelos, sacred to Lord Siva. Its leaves, picked in threes, are offered in the worship of the Sivalinga. The delicious fruit when unripe is used medicinally.

bindu: "A drop, small particle, dot." Small dot worn on the forehead between the eyebrows, or in the middle of the forehead, made of red powder (kunkuma), sandalpaste, clay, cosmetics or other substance. The bindu is known as pottu in Tamil, and as bindi in Hindi. Bindu is also a term for semen. See: tilaka.

blackmail: Payment extorted to prevent disclosure of information that would bring disgrace or ruin if made public.

boon: Varadana. A welcome blessing, a gracious benefit received. An unexpected gift or bonus. See: grace.

brahmachari: An unmarried male spiritual aspirant who practices continence, observes religious disciplines, including sadhana, devotion and service and who may be under simple vows. Names also a young man in the student stage, age 12-24, or until marriage. See: ashrama dharma, monk.

brahmacharya: See: yama-niyama.

brahmacharya ashrama: See: ashrama dharma.

brahmacharya vrata: "Celibacy vow." The verbal pledge given before members of one's religious community to remain chaste until marriage, for a specified period of time, or for life. It also includes restraining the base instincts of anger, jealousy, greed, selfishness, etc.

brahmacharini: Feminine counterpart of brahmachari.

Brahmadhvara: The door to the seven chakras and the Narakaloka just below the muladhara. In order for the higher chakras to come into power, this door must be shut, making it impossible for fears, hatreds, angers and jealousies to arise. Sadhana and right thought, word and deed are among the aids in this accomplishment. See: Naraka.

Brahman: "Supreme Being; Expansive Spirit." From the root brih, "to grow, increase, expand." Name of God or Supreme Deity in the Vedas, where He is described as 1) the Transcendent Absolute, 2) the all-pervading energy and 3) the Supreme Lord or Primal Soul. These three correspond to Siva in His three perfections. Thus, Saivites know Brahman and Siva to be one and the same God: -- Nirguna Brahman, God "without qualities" (guna), i.e., formless, Absolute Reality, Parabrahman, or Parashiva -- totally transcending guna (quality), manifest existence and even Parashakti,all of which exhibit perceivable qualities; -- Saguna Brahman, God "with qualities;" Siva in His perfections of Parashakti and Parameshvara -- God as superconscious, omnipresent, all-knowing, all-loving and all-powerful. The term Brahman is not to be confused with 1) Brahma, the Creator God; 2) Brahmana, Vedic texts, nor with 3) brahmana, Hindu priest caste (English spelling: brahmin). See: Parashakti, Parashiva.

Brahmarandhra: See: door of Brahman.

brahmin (brahmana): "Mature or evolved soul." The class of pious souls of exceptional learning. From Brahman, "growth, expansion, evolution, development, swelling of the spirit or soul." See: caste.

bhashya: "Speech, discussion." Commentary on a text. Hindu philosophies are largely founded upon the interpretations, or bhashyas, of primary scripture. Other types of commentaries include: vritti, a brief commentary on aphorisms; tippani, like a vritti but less formal, explains difficult words or phrases; varttika, a critical study and elaboration of a bhashya; and tika or vyakhyana, an explanation of a bhashya or shastra in simpler language.

birthstar: See: nakshatra.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: One of the major Upanishads, part of the Shatapatha Brahmana of the Yajur Veda. Ascribed to Sage Yajnavalkya, it teaches modes of worship, meditation and the identity of the individual self with the Supreme Self. See: Upanishad.

Buddha: "The enlightened." Usually refers to Siddhartha Gautama (ca 624-544 bce), a prince born of the Shakya clan -- a Saivite Hindu tribe that lived in eastern India on the Nepalese border. He renounced the world and became a monk. After his enlightenment he preached the doctrines upon which followers later founded Buddhism. See: Buddhism.

Buddhism: The religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha (ca 624 -- 544 BCE). He refuted the idea of man's having an immortal soul and did not preach of any Supreme Deity. Instead he taught that man should seek to overcome greed, hatred and delusion and attain enlightenment through realizing the Four Noble Truths and following the Eightfold Path. See: Buddha.


caste: A hierarchical system, called varna dharma (or jati dharma), established in India in ancient times, which determined the privileges, status, rights and duties of the many occupational groups, wherein status is determined by heredity. There are four main classes (varnas) -- brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya and shudra -- and innumerable castes, called jati. The four varnas are as follows. -- brahmin (brahmana): "Mature, evolved soul." Scholarly, pious souls of exceptional learning. Hindu scriptures traditionally invest the brahmin class with the responsibility of religious leadership, including teaching and priestly duties. -- kshatriya: "Governing; endowed with sovereignty." Lawmakers and law enforcers and military, also known as rajanya. -- vaishya: "Landowner, merchant." Businessmen, financiers, industrialists; employers. Those engaged in business, commerce and agriculture. -- shudra: "Worker, servant." Skilled artisans and laborers.

Catholicism: The doctrine, system and practice of the Catholic Church; a major Christian denomination.

celibacy: Complete sexual abstinence. Also the state of a person who has vowed to remain unmarried. Celibacy is abstinence from the eight degrees of sexual activity: fantasy (smarana), glorification (kirtana), flirtation (keli), glances (prekshana), secret talk (guhya bhashana), longing (kama samkalpa), rendezvous (adhyavasaya) and intercourse (kriya nivritti). See: brahmachari, ojas, tejas, transmutation, yama-niyama.

cenobite: A member of a monastery community.

cenobitic: Belonging to a monastery community.

ceremony: From the Latin caerimonia, "awe; reverent rite." A formal rite established by custom or authority as proper to special occasions.

chakra: "Wheel." Any of the nerve plexes or centers of force and consciousness located within the inner bodies of man. In the physical body there are corresponding nerve plexuses, ganglia and glands. The seven principal chakras can be seen psychically as colorful, multi-petaled wheels or lotuses. They are situated along the spinal cord from the base to the cranial chamber. The seven principle chakras, from lowest to highest, are: 1) muladhara (base of spine): memory, time and space; 2) svadhishthana (below navel): reason; 3) manipura (solar plexus): willpower; 4) anahata (heart center): direct cognition; 5) vishuddha (throat): divine love; 6) ajna (third eye): divine sight; 7) sahasrara (crown of head): illumination, Godliness.

Additionally, seven chakras, barely visible, exist below the spine. They are seats of instinctive consciousness, the origin of jealousy, hatred, envy, guilt, sorrow, etc. They constitute the lower or hellish world, called Naraka or patala. From highest to lowest they are 1) atala (hips): fear and lust; 2) vitala (thighs): raging anger; 3) sutala (knees): retaliatory jealousy; 4) talatala (calves): prolonged mental confusion; 5) rasatala (ankles): selfishness; 6) mahatala (feet): absence of conscience; 7) patala (located in the soles of the feet): murder and malice.

Seven chakras, or conglomerates of nadis, exist within and above the sahasrara, as the seven levels of the rarified dimensions of paranada, the first tattva and the highest stratum of sound. From lowest to highest they are: 1) vyapini: "all-pervasive;" 2) vyomanga: "space-bodied;" 3) ananta: "infinity;" 4) anatha: having "no master;" 5) anashrita: "independent;" 6) samana: "uniform, synchronous;" 7) unmana: "ecstatic, trans-mental." See: Naraka (also: individual chakra entries).

chakravala: "Circle," "an assembly." A circle or gathering of devotees, seated clockwise according to age or seniority in their fellowship. This clear acknowledgement of heirarchy by all parties helps keeps associations and interactions harmonious, as the lines of responsibility, respect or elders and nurturing of those young are clear. When such a group sit together, they send their pranas, positive energies, clockwise around the circle for the upliftment of all.

Chhandogya Upanishad: One of the major Upanishads, it consists of eight chapters of the Chhandogya Brahmana of the Sama Veda. It teaches the origin and significance of Aum, the importance of the Sama Veda, the Self, meditation and life after death. See: Upanishad.

channeling: the practice of serving as a medium through which a spirit guide communicates with living persons.

charya: "Conduct stage." Stage of service and character building. See: pada, Saiva Siddhanta, Saivism.

chat room: A virtual place to participate in a real-time computer-to-computer teletype conversation over a network.

chela: "Disciple." (Hindi.) A disciple of a guru; synonym for Sanskrit shishya. The feminine equivalent is chelina or cheli.

Chellappaswami: "Wealthy father." (Also known as Chellapaguru.) Reclusive siddha and 160th satguru (1840-1915) of the Nandinatha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara. Lived on Sri Lanka's Jaffna peninsula near Nallur Kandaswami Temple in a small hut where today there is a small samadhi shrine. Among his disciples was Sage Yogaswami, whom he trained intensely for five years and initiated as his successor. See: Kailasa Parampara, Natha Sampradaya.

Chettiar: The name of the merchant caste of South India and Sri Lanka.

Chidambaram: "Hall of Consciousness." A very famous South Indian Siva Nataraja temple. See: Nataraja.

chiropractic: A modern health system which holds that disease results from a lack of normal nerve function and which employs adjustment of body structures, such as the spinal column, as the means of restoration, thus relieving pain, discomfort and disease which result from improper skeletal alignment.

chlorofluorocarbons: A substance used in refrigeration and air conditioning appliances that is known to deplete Earth's stratospheric ozone layer and is, in some countries, now illegal and being phased out.

choga: (Bengali) A long loose men's shirt, similar to the kurta or kafni.

Christ: See: Jesus Christ.

Christian-Judaic: See: Judaic-Christian.

circadian rhythm: The natural cycle of biological activity or function over an approximate 24-hour period, as well as the movement of subtle energy throughout the body as it is influenced by the rising and setting of the sun. Traditional Chinese medicine establishes that chi, or vital energy, moves from one major meridian to another every two hours, repeating every 24 hours: 11PM-1AM: gall bladder; 1-3AM: liver (during the time of deepest sleep, the liver is most actively cleansing the blood); 3-5AM: lung (in traditional cultures, people wake up and take the first breath of the day during this period); 5-7AM: large intestine (depending upon the quantity of food taken during the day, the first bowel movement usually occurs during this period); 7-9AM: stomach (breakfast is usually taken during this period); 9-11AM: spleen; 11AM-1PM: heart; 1-3PM: small intestine (lunch is usually digested during this period); 3-5PM: bladder; 5-7PM: kidney; 7-9PM: pericardium; 9-11PM: san jiao ("triple warmer"). See: acupuncture, meridian.

clairaudience: "Clear-hearing." Psychic or divine hearing, divyashravana. The ability to hear the inner currents of the nervous system, the Aum and other mystic tones. Hearing in one's mind the words of inner-plane beings or earthly beings not physically present. Also, hearing the nadanadi shakti through the day or while in meditation.

clairvoyance: "Clear-seeing." Psychic or divine sight, divyadrishti. The ability to look into the inner worlds and see auras, chakras, nadis, thought forms, non-physical people and subtle forces. See: akasha, clairaudience.

clear white light: See: light.

clemency: A disposition to show mercy or leniency, especially towards an offender or enemy.

cloistered: Secluded, as in a monastery.

cognition: Knowing; perception. Knowledge reached through intuitive, superconscious faculties rather than through intellect alone.

cognizant: Informed or aware of something.

cognize: To take notice of something.

communism: The social and economic system which emerged around the turn of the 20th century in present-day Russia as "a hypothetical stage of socialism, as formulated by Marx, Engels, Lenin and others, to be characterized by a classless and stateless society and the equal distribution of economic goods and to be achieved by revolutionary and dictatorial, rather than gradualistic, means" (Webster's Dictionary). Communism is proudly atheistic and seeks to liberate mankind from superstition and "spiritual bondage."

complacent: Self-satisfied and unconcerned.

conception: Power to imagine, conceive or create. Moment when a pregnancy is begun, a new earthly body generated.

confession: An admission, acknowledgement; as of guilt or wrongdoing.

Confucius: Chinese philosopher and teacher (552-479 BCE), founder of the Confucianist faith, whose Analects contain a collection of his sayings and dialogues. His teachings on social ethics are the basis of Chinese education, and religion.

conscience: The inner sense of right and wrong, sometimes called "the knowing voice of the soul." However, the conscience is affected by the individual's training and belief patterns, and is therefore not necessarily a perfect reflection of dharma. It is the subconscious of the person -- the sum total of past impressions and training -- that defines the credal structure and colors the conscience and either clearly reflects or distorts superconscious wisdom. See: creed, dharma, mind (individual).

conscious mind: The external, everyday state of consciousness. See: mind.

consciousness: Chitta or chaitanya. 1) A synonym for mind-stuff, chitta; or 2) the condition or power of perception, awareness, apprehension. There are myriad of gradations of consciousness, from the simple sentience of inanimate matter to the consciousness of basic life forms, to the higher consciousness of human embodiment, to omniscient states of superconsciousness, leading to immersion in the One universal consciousness, Parashakti. See: awareness, mind.

consensualocracy: Government or management by intelligent cooperation, based on a shared vision and adherence to dharma. Ahimsa, nonhurtfulness -- spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally -- is the keynote of this tribal/family system of rule.

consummate: Perfect; complete in every way.

contemplation: Religious or mystical absorption beyond meditation. See: raja yoga, samadhi.

contention: Strife, dispute, quarrel.

contentious: Likely to cause or involving intense debate; quarrelsome.

Cook, Captain James: British navigator and explorer (1728-1779) who commanded major voyages exploring and claiming many islands of the Pacific Ocean for England in her Christian Colonialist campaign.

cosmic: Universal; vast. Of, or relating to, the cosmos or entire universe.

Cosmic Soul: Purusha or Parameshvara. Primal Soul. The Universal Being; Personal God. See: Parameshvara, Primal Soul, purusha, Siva.

cosmos: The universe, or whole of creation, especially with reference to its order, harmony and completeness. See: loka, three worlds.

creation: The act of creating, especially bringing the world into ordered existence. Also, all of created existence, the cosmos. Creation, according to the monistic-theistic view, is an emanation or extension of God, the Creator. It is Himself in another form, and not inherently something other than Him. See: damaru.

Creator: He who brings about creation. Siva as one of His five powers. See: creation, Nataraja, Parameshvara.

creed: Shraddhadharana. An authoritative formulation of the beliefs of a religion. See: conscience.

cremation: Dahana. Burning of the dead. Cremation is the traditional manner of disposing of bodily remains, having the positive effect of releasing the soul most quickly from any lingering attachment to the earth plane. Note that the remains of enlightened masters are sometimes buried or sealed in a special tomb called a samadhi. This is done in acknowledgement of the extraordinary attainment of such a soul, whose very body, having become holy, is revered as a sacred presence, sannidhya, and which not infrequently becomes the spiritual seed of a temple or place of pilgrimage. See: reincarnation.

crown chakra: Sahasrara chakra. The thousand-petaled cranial center of divine consciousness. See: chakra, sahasrara chakra.

crux: The essential, deciding or difficult point. Latin "cross." Originally a mark indicating a difficult textual problem in books.

crystal: A mineral, especially a transparent form of quartz, having a crystalline structure.

crystal-gazing: An occult practice for divining the future by gazing into a crystal ball.

culminate: To bring to the highest point, to the greatest intensity, or to completion.

Curie, Madame (Marie Sklodowska Curie, 1867-1934): a Polish chemist and physicist, born in Warsaw. In France, she and her husband Pierre discovered polonium and radium, jointly earning the 1903 Nobel prize in Physics. In 1911 she received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, becoming the first person to be awarded a second Nobel Prize.

cyberspace: the electronic medium of computer networks in which online communication takes place; the Internet or Web.

cynical: Scornful of others' motives or integrity.

dakshina: "South-facing form." Lord Siva depicted sitting under a pipala (bo) tree, silently teaching four rishis at His feet.

Dalai Lama: The traditional high priest of Tibetan Buddhism, or Lamaism, a spiritual and political authority. The term is Mongolian: dalai, ocean + blama, chief, "preceptor with oceanic wisdom." An honorary title bestowed by the Mongolian prince Altan Khan on the third head of the Gelukpa school in 1578.

dana: Generosity, giving. See: yama-niyama.

Dancing with Siva: The first book in Gurudeva's Master Course trilogy. Subtitled Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism, Dancing is a remarkable sourcebook expounding the Saivite Hindu outlook on life in the form of questions and answers. It covers every subject on Saivism, especially the philosophical depths, answers seekers' questions on the nature of God and the Gods, the soul, dharma, life's ultimate goal, Hindu denominations, theology, the satguru, temple worship, karma, spiritual unfoldment, the inner worlds, good and evil, the duties of family life, monastic life and more. It is clearly written and lavishly illustrated, expertly woven with 600 verses from the Vedas, Agamas and other holy texts, 165 South Indian paintings, 40 original graphics, a 40-page timeline of India's history and a 190-page lexicon of English, Sanskrit and Tamil. Released in 1997.

darshana: "Vision, sight." Seeing the Divine. Beholding, with inner or outer vision, a temple image, Deity, holy person or place, with the desire to inwardly contact and receive the grace and blessings of the venerated being or beings. Even beholding a photograph in the proper spirit is a form of darshana. Not only does the devotee seek to see the Divine, but to be seen as well, to stand humbly in the awakened gaze of the holy one, even if for an instant, such as in a crowded temple when thousands of worshipers file quickly past the enshrined Lord. Gods and gurus are thus said to "give" darshana, and devotees "take" darshana, with the eyes being the mystic locus through which energy is exchanged. This direct and personal two-sided apprehension is a central and highly sought-after experience of Hindu faith. Also: "point of view," doctrine or philosophy.

dashama bhaga vrata: "One-tenth-part vow." A promise that tithers make before God, Gods and their family or peers to tithe regularly each month, for a specified time, or for life. See also: dashamamsha.

dashamamsha: "One-tenth sharing." The traditional Hindu practice of tithing, giving one-tenth of one's income to a religious institution. It was formerly widespread in India. In ancient times the term makimai was used in Tamil Nadu. See also: dashama bhaga vrata.

Dashanami: "Ten names." Ten monastic orders organized by Adi Sankara (ca 800): Aranya, Vana, Giri, Parvata, Sagara, Tirtha, Ashrama, Bharati, Puri and Sarasvati. Also refers to sannyasins of these orders, each of whom bears his order's name, with ananda often attached to the religious name. For example, Ramananda Tirtha. Traditionally, each order is associated with one of the main Shankaracharya pithas. See: Sankara, Smartism.

daya: "Compassion." See: yama-niyama.

death: The soul's detaching itself from the physical body and continuing on in the subtle body (sukshma sharira) with the same desires, aspirations and occupations as when it lived in a physical body. See: reincarnation.

decadence: Decay. A condition, process or period of declining morals.

deceit (deception): The act of representing as true what is known to be false. A dishonest action.

degraded oils: See: oils, degraded.

Deism: From the Latin, Deus, "God." A rationalist tradition dating back to English Lord Herbert of Cherbury (d. 1648), who defined the Five Articles of English Deists as: belief in a single supreme God; humanity's duty to revere God; linkage of worship with practical morality; that God will forgive us if we repent and abandon our sins; good works will be rewarded (and punishment for evil) both in life and after death. Deism rejects reliance on revealed religion, on religious authority and on the infalibility scriptures such as the Bible and the Koran. Deism has no special places of worship, no priesthood and no heirachy of authority. Deism was greatly influential among politicians, scientists and philosophers during the later 17th century and 18th century in England, France, Germany and the United States. Many of America's founding fathers were Deists, including John Quincy Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and George Washington. Deists were instrumental in creating the principle of separation of church and state, and the religious freedom clauses of the First Amendment. Source: www.religioustolerance.org/deism.

Deity: "God." The image or murti installed in a temple or the Mahadeva the murti represents. See: puja.

delinquent: Failing to do what law or duty requires.

demon: See: asura.

deterrent: Something that prevents or discourages action; frightens away.

detractor: One who takes away from the positive qualities of a group.

deva: "Shining one." An angelic being living in the higher astral plane, in a subtle, nonphysical body. Deva is also used in scripture to mean "God" or "Deity." See: Mahadeva.

Devaloka: "Plane of radiant beings." A synonym of Maharloka, the higher astral plane, realm of anahata chakra. See: loka.

Devaram: The collected devotional hymns composed by Saints Tirujnana Sambandar (ca 600) Tirunavakarasu (Appar), a contemporary of Sambandar, and Sundaramurti (ca 800). These make up the first seven books of the Tirumurai. See: Tirumurai.

devonic: Angelic, heavenly, spiritual. Of the nature of the higher worlds, in tune with the refined energies of the higher chakras or centers of consciousness. Of or relating to the devas. Implies that something is divinely guided. See: deva.

devotee: A person strongly dedicated to something or someone, such as to a God or a guru. The term disciple implies an even deeper commitment. See: bhakta, bhakti, guru bhakti.

devout: Strongly attached to religion or religious obligations. See: bhakti.

dharma: "Righteousness." From dhri, "to sustain; carry, hold." Hence dharma is "that which contains or upholds the cosmos." Dharma, religion, is a complex and comprehensive term with many meanings, including divine law, law of being, way of righteousness, ethics, duty, responsibility, virtue, justice, goodness and truth. Essentially, dharma is the orderly fulfillment of an inherent nature or destiny. Relating to the soul, it is the mode of conduct most conducive to spiritual advancement, the right and righteous path. There are four principal kinds of dharma, known collectively as chaturdharma: "four religious laws:" 1 ) rita: "Universal law." The inherent order of the cosmos. 2 ) varna dharma: "Law of one's kind." Social duty. 3 ) ashrama dharma: "Duties of life's stages." Human or developmental dharma. The natural process of maturing from childhood to old age through fulfillment of the duties of each of the four stages of life -- brahmachari (student), grihastha (householder), vanaprastha (elder advisor) and sannyasa (religious solitaire). 4 ) svadharma: "Personal path, pattern or obligation." One's perfect individual pattern through life, according to one's own particular physical, mental and emotional nature. See: four traditional goals.

dharmashala: "Abode of righteousness." A monastery or ashrama, offering religious training for monks and in some cases lay persons on pilgrimage or religious retreat. In Living with Siva, it specifically refers to branch monasteries of Kauai Aadheenam.

dhoti: (Hindi) A long, unstitched cloth wound about the lower part of the body, and sometimes passed between the legs and tucked into the waist. A traditional Hindu apparel for men.

dhriti: "Steadfastness." See: yama-niyama.

diaphragm: The muscular partition between the abdomen and chest cavity, instrumental in breathing.

diaphragmatic breathing: Deep regulated breathing from the diaphragm, at the solar plexus region, as opposed to the upper chest.

diaspora: From the Greek, "scattering." A dispersion of religious or ethnic group(s) to foreign countries, such as the scattering of Jews when driven out of the land of Israel, or Hindus driven from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

difi: (Shum) The space aspect of the mind. The perspective of space travel, devas and Gods; inner communication. Pronounced dee-fee. See: Shum, Shum perspectives.

diksha: "Initiation." Solemn induction by which one is entered into a new realm of spiritual awareness and practice by a teacher or preceptor through the transmission of blessings. Denotes initial or deepened connection with the teacher and his lineage and is usually accompanied by ceremony. Initiation, revered as a moment of awakening, may be conferred by a touch, a word, a look or a thought. See: grace, shaktinipata.

Dipavali: "Row of Lights." A very popular home and community festival during which Hindus of all denominations light oil or electric lights and set off fireworks in a joyful celebration of the victory of good over evil, light over darkness. It is a Hindu solidarity day and is considered the greatest national festival of India. In several countries, including Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Trinidad and Tobago, it is an inter-religious event and a national holiday. It occurs in October-November.

disincarnate: Having no physical body; of the astral plane; astral beings. See: astral body, astral plane.

dissipate: Here, to let loose more than often the vital sexual energies, which must be transmuted in order to make progress in spiritual life. Dissipation occurs through excessive talk, and through loss of the vital fluids, such as through masturbation or excessive intercourse only for pleasure, with no intention of conceiving a child. See: actinic, odic, transmutation.

dissolution: Dissolving or breaking up into parts. An alternative term for destruction. See: Nataraja.

Divine: Godlike; supremely good or beautiful.

Divinity: A God, or Deity. Also the spiriuality or holiness that pervades the universe and is most easily felt in the presence of a holy man or in a temple.

dogma: An authoritative principle, belief, or statement of ideas or opinion, especially one considered to be absolutely true.

door of Brahman: Brahmarandhra; also called nirvana chakra. A subtle or esoteric aperture in the crown of the head, the opening of sushumna nadi through which kundalini enters in ultimate Self Realization, and the spirit escapes at death. Only the spirits of the truly pure leave the body in this way. Samsaris take a downward course. See: jnana, kundalini.

dosai: An Indian crepe, a crisp, paper-thin pancake, generally made with soaked, slightly fermented ground rice and urad dal, water and spices.

dowry: Money or property brought by a bride to her husband at marriage. A tradition that exists in most cultures in some form, but which in India has been carried to abusive extremes, where the bride's family must pay exorbitant sums of money to the groom's family to buy a husband for their daughter. Dowry is outlawed now in India.

dross: Rubbish, waste matter; useless byproduct.

drudgery: Work that may be tedious, menial, hard or unpleasant.

Druid: An ancient Celtic priest, magician or soothsayer of Britain, Ireland and Gaul (ancient region corresponding roughly to modern-day France and Belgium).

dual: Having or composed of two parts or kinds.

dualism: See: dvaita-advaita.

duality: A state or condition of being dual.

dvaita-advaita: "Dual-nondual; twoness-not twoness." Among the most important categories in the classification of Hindu philosophies. Dvaita and advaita define two ends of a vast spectrum. -- dvaita: The doctrine of dualism, according to which reality is ultimately composed of two irreducible principles, entities, truths, etc. God and soul, for example, are seen as eternally separate. -- dualistic: Of or relating to dualism, concepts, writings, theories which treat dualities (good-and-evil, high-and-low, them-and-us) as fixed, rather than transcendable. -- pluralism: A form of nonmonism which emphasizes three or more eternally separate realities, e.g., God, soul and world. -- advaita: The doctrine of nondualism or monism, that reality is ultimately composed of one whole principle, substance or God, with no independent parts. In essence, all is God. -- monistic theism: A dipolar view which encompasses both monism and dualism. See: monistic theism.

dysfunctional: Abnormal, impaired, not functioning completely.

ego: The external personality or sense of "I" and "mine." Broadly, individual identity. In Saiva Siddhanta and other schools, the ego is equated with the tattva of ahamkara, "I-maker," which bestows the sense of I-ness, individuality and separateness from God. See: anava mala.

egocentric: Placing one's own ego in the center of all values and experiences.

egoism: The tendency to be self-centered; egotism, conceit.

egoity: Self-interest, selfishness See: anava mala.

egotist: One who is selfish, conceited or boastful.

Eckhart, Meister Johannes: German theologian (1260-1327) regarded as the founder of Catholic mysticism in Germany. His influential works concern the union of the individual soul with God.

elastic: Flexible, able to stretch and immediately return to an original length or shape.

elemental temples: Five temples in South India, each enshrining one of the Panchatattva Lingas, five sacred emblems of Lord Siva representing the five basic elements: earth (prithivi), water (apas), fire (tejas), air (vayu) and ether (akasha). 1) The Earth Linga is enshrined in the Ekambareshvara Temple at Kanchipuram. 2) The Water Linga is worshiped at Jambukeshvara Temple in Trichy. 3) The Fire Linga is venerated at the Arunchaleshvara Temple in Tiruvannamalai. 4) The Air Linga is venerated at the Shri Kalahasti Temple, north of Tirupati. 5) The Akasha Linga is enshrined at the stunning Shri Nataraja Temple of Chidambaram.

emanation: "Flowing out from." Abhasa. Shining forth from a source, emission or issuing from. A monistic doctrine of creation whereby God issues forth manifestation like rays from the sun or sparks from a fire.

embryo: The early development of a human/animal within the womb, up to the end of the second month. An undeveloped plant within a seed.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo: American poet, essayist and philosopher (1803-1882), a central figure of American transcendentalism. Enamored of Indian thought, he was instrumental in popularizing the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads in the US.

eminent: High; above others in stature, rank or achievement. Renowned or distinguished; prominent, conspicuous. Not to be confused with: 1) imminent, about to happen; 2) emanate, to issue from; 3) immanent, inherent or indwelling.

emkaef: (Shum) No awareness, state beyond that of singular awareness. Not a word for Self Realization, but the entry into that nonexperience. Pronounced eem-kaw-eef. See: Shum.

emotional body: See: kosha.

enlightened: Having attained enlightenment, Self Realization. A jnani or jivanmukta. See: jnana, Self Realization.

enlightenment: For Saiva monists, Self Realization, samadhi without seed (nirvikalpa samadhi); the ultimate attainment, sometimes referred to as Paramatma darshana, or as atma darshana, "Self vision" (a term which appears in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras). Enlightenment is the experience-nonexperience resulting in the realization of one's transcendent Self, Parashiva, which exists beyond time, form and space. Each tradition has its own understanding of enlightenment, often indicated by unique terms. See: God Realization, kundalini, Self Realization.

enmity: Active or aggressive, deep-seated hatred or ill will, often mutual between two parties.

equivocal: Uncertain; undecided; doubtful.

esoteric: Hard to understand or secret. Teaching intended for a chosen few, as an inner group of initiates. Abtruse or private.

essence (essential): The most important, ultimate, real and unchanging nature of a thing or being. -- essence of the soul: See: atman, soul.

eternity: Time without beginning or end.

ether: Akasha. Space, the most subtle of the five elements. See: akasha.

ethereal: Highly refined, light, invisible.

etheric: Having to do with ether or space.

ethics: The code or system of morals of a nation, people, philosophy, religion, etc. See: dharma, yama-niyama.

ethnic: Pertaining to, or designating a large group or groups of people with the same culture, race, religion, or national heritage.

evil: That which is bad, morally wrong, causing harm, pain, misery. In Western religions, evil is often thought of as a moral antagonism to God. Hindus hold that evil, known in Sanskrit as papa, papman or dushta, is the result of unvirtuous acts (papa or adharma) caused by the instinctive-intellectual mind dominating and obscuring deeper, spiritual intelligence. The evil-doer is viewed as a young soul, ignorant of the value of right thought, speech and action, unable to live in the world without becoming entangled in maya. -- intrinsic evil: Inherent, inborn badness. Hinduism holds that there is no intrinsic evil, and the real nature of man is his divine, soul nature, which is goodness. See: hell, karma, papa, sin.

evolution of the soul: Adhyatma prasara. In Saiva Siddhanta, the soul's evolution is a progressive unfoldment, growth and maturing toward its inherent, divine destiny, which is complete merger with Siva. The soul is not created at the moment of conception of a physical body. Rather, it is created in the Sivaloka. It evolves by taking on denser and denser sheaths -- cognitive, instinctive-intellectual and pranic -- until finally it takes birth in physical form in the Bhuloka. Then it experiences many lives, maturing through the reincarnation process. There are young souls just beginning to evolve, and old souls nearing the end of their earthly sojourn. See: mala, moksha, reincarnation, samsara, vishvagrasa.

excruciating: Intensely painful, agonizing.

existence: "Coming or standing forth." Being; reality; that which is.

existentialism: A philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one's acts.

existentialist: Pertaining to, or believing in, the philosophy of existentialism.

exuberant: Full of unrestrained enthusiasm or joy.

faith: Trust or belief. Conviction. From the Latin fidere, "to trust." Faith in its broadest sense means "religion, dharma." More specifically, it is the essential element of religion -- the belief in phenomena beyond the pale of the five senses, distinguishing it sharply from rationalism. Faith is established through intuitive or transcendent experience of an individual, study of scripture and hearing the testimony of the many wise rishis speaking out the same truths over thousands of years. This inner conviction is based in the divine sight of the third eye center, ajna chakra. Rightly founded, faith transcends reason, but does not conflict with reason. Faith also means confidence, as in the testimony and reputation of other people. The Sanskrit equivalent is shraddha. Synonyms include astikya, vishvasa, dharma and mati.

family life: See: grihastha ashrama, extended family, joint family.

family practices: See: five family practices.

fast: To abstain from all or certain foods, as in observance of a vow or holy day. Hindus fast in various ways. A simple fast may consist of merely avoiding certain foods for a day or more, such as when vegetarians avoid tamasic or rajasic foods or when nonvegetarians abstain from fish, fowl and meats. A moderate fast would involve avoiding heavier foods, or taking only juices, teas and other liquids. Such fasts are sometimes observed only during the day, and a normal meal is permitted after sunset. Serious fasting, which is done under supervision, involves taking only water for a number of days and requires a cessation of most external activities.

fetus: A human/animal embryo more than eight weeks after conception until birth.

First World: The physical universe, called Bhuloka, of gross or material substance in which phenomena are perceived by the five senses. See: loka.

five family practices: Pancha kutumba sadhana, or five parenting guidelines. 1) Good Conduct -- Dharmachara: Loving fathers and mothers, knowing they are the greatest influence in a child's life, behave the way their dear children should when adults. They never anger or argue before young ones. Father in a dhoti, mother in a sari at home, all sing to God, Gods and guru. 2) Home Worship -- Dharma Svagriha: Loving fathers and mothers establish a separate shrine room in the home for God, Gods and guardian devas of the family. Ideally it should be large enough for all the dear children. It is a sacred place for scriptural study, a refuge from the karmic storms of life.3) Talking About Religion -- Dharma Sambhashana: Loving fathers and mothers speak Vedic precepts while driving, eating and playing. This helps dear children understand experiences in right perspective. Parents know many worldly voices are blaring, and their dharmic voice must be stronger. 4) Continuing Self-Study -- Dharma Svadhyaya: Loving fathers and mothers keep informed by studying the Vedas, Agamas and sacred literature, listening to swamis and pandits. Youth face a world they will one day own, thus parents prepare their dear children to guide their own future progeny. 5) Following a Spiritual Preceptor -- Dharma Sanga: Loving fathers and mothers choose a preceptor, a traditional satguru, and lineage to follow. They support their lineage with all their heart, energy and service. He in turn provides them clear guidance for a successful life, material and religious.

five states of mind: The conscious, subconscious, sub-subconscious, subsuperconscious and superconscious mind. See: mind (five states).

forbearance: Self-control; responding with patience and compassion, especially under provocation. Endurance; tolerance. See: yama-niyama.

forehead marks: See: tilaka.

force field: A region of space through which a force, for example, an electric current, is operative. Here the term is used in reference to psychic energies, both positive and negative, that are generated by the emotions, the mind, the higher or lower chakras or emanate from the inner higher or lower worlds. Positive psychic force fields, such as those surrounding and protecting a temple, an ashram or harmonious home, are built up by worship, invoking of the Deities, sadhana, tapas and disciplined living, attracting divine spirits, or devas. Negative force fields, such as found in the worst areas of a city or within an inharmonious home, are built up by anger, violence, lust and outbursts of such lower emotions, attracting evil spirits, or asuras. See: odic, actinic, prana.

formless: Philosophically, atattva, beyond the realm of form or substance. Used in attempting to describe the wondersome, indescribable Absolute, which is "timeless, formless and spaceless." God Siva has form and is formless. He is the immanent Pure Consciousness or pure form. He is the Personal Lord manifesting as innumerable forms; and He is the impersonal, transcendent Absolute beyond all form. Thus we know Siva in three perfections, two of form and one formless. See: Parashiva, Satchidananda.

four traditional goals: Chaturvarga, "four-fold good," or purushartha, "human goals or purposes." The four pursuits in which humans may legitimately engage, a basic principle of Hindu ethics. 1) dharma ("Righteous living"): The fulfillment of virtue, good works, duties and responsibilities, restraints and observances -- performing one's part in the service and upliftment of society. This includes pursuit of truth under a guru of a particular parampara and sampradaya. See: dharma. 2) artha ("Wealth"): Material welfare and abundance, money, property, possessions. Artha is the pursuit of wealth, guided by dharma. It includes the basic needs -- food, money, clothing and shelter -- and extends to the wealth required to maintain a comfortable home, raise a family, fulfill a successful career and perform religious duties. See: yajna. 3) kama ("Pleasure, love; enjoyment"): Earthly love, aesthetic and cultural fulfillment, pleasures of the world (including sexual), the joys of family, intellectual satisfaction. Enjoyment of happiness, security, creativity, usefulness and inspiration. 4) moksha ("Liberation"): Freedom from rebirth through the ultimate attainment, realization of the Self God, Parashiva. The spiritual attainments and superconscious joys, attending renunciation and yoga leading to Self Realization. Moksha comes through the fulfillment of dharma, artha and kama in the current or past lives, so that one is no longer attached to worldly joys or sorrows.

fundamentalism: Any religious creed or philosophical persuasion marked by extreme dogmatism and intolerance. There are fundamentalist denominations within many religions, believing in a literal interpretation of their scripture as the exclusive truth, the one and only way which all souls must follow to attain salvation. Historically, fundamentalism, especially when coupled with evangelical zeal, has led to aggression, even violence, against nonbelievers.

Ganapati: "Leader of the ganas." A surname of Ganesha.

Gandhi: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), the Hindu nationalist leader whose strategy of nonviolent resistance won India's freedom from British colonial rule. Often honored as Mahatma ("great soul").

Ganesha: "Lord of Categories." (From gan, "to count or reckon," and Isha, "lord.") Or: "Lord of attendants (gana)," synonymous with Ganapati. Ganesha is a Mahadeva, the beloved elephant-faced Deity honored by Hindus of every sect. He is the Lord of Obstacles (Vighneshvara), revered for His great wisdom and invoked first before any undertaking, for He knows all intricacies of each soul's karma and the perfect path of dharma that makes action successful. He sits on the muladhara chakra and is easy of access. See: gana, Ganapati, Mahadeva.

Ganesha Chaturthi: Birthday of Lord Ganesha, a ten-day festival of August-September that culminates in a spectacular parade called Ganesha Visarjana. It is a time of rejoicing, when all Hindus worship together.

Ganga sadhana: A practice for unburdening the mind, performed by releasing the energy of unwanted thoughts. An internal cleansing sadhana of sitting quietly by a river or stream and listening to the Aum sound as the water flows over the rocks. When a thought arises, it is mentally placed into a leaf held in the right hand, then gently tossed into the water. Then a flower is offered to thank the water for carrying away the thought. This is a subconscious cleansing process of letting go of hurts, anger, problems or whatever it is that rises in the mind to disturb the meditation.

Ganges (Ganga): India's most sacred river, 1,557 miles long, arising in the Himalayas above Haridwar under the name Bhagiratha, and being named Ganga after joining the Alakanada (where the Sarasvati is said to join them underground). It flows southeast across the densely populated Gangetic plain, joining its sister Yamuna (or Jumna) at Prayaga (Allahabad) and ending at the Bay of Bengal.

Gangetic: Near to or on the banks of the Ganges river in North India.

Gangetic abodes of Siva: Ancient pilgrimage places that devotees strive to visit at least once in a lifetime, including the sacred Vishvanatha Temple of Varanasi (on the banks of the Ganga between the Varana and Asi Rivers); Garigotri Temple at the source of the Ganga (near Kedarnath), and the sacred temples in the cities of Hardwar and Rishikesh.

garbhagriha: The "innermost chamber," sanctum sanctorum, of a Hindu temple, where the primary murti is installed. It is a small, cave-like room, usually made of granite stone, to which only priests are permitted access. Esoterically it represents the cranial chamber. See: temple.

gauche: Someone lacking grace or social tack; awkward, clumsy.

ghee: Hindi for clarified butter; ghrita in Sanskrit. Butter that has been boiled and strained. An important sacred substance used in temple lamps and offered in fire ceremony, yajna. It is also used as a food with many ayurvedic virtues. See: yajna.

Gibran, Kahlil: Lebanese mystic, poet, dramatist and artist (1888-1931), best known for The Prophet.

Gita: "Song." Foreshortened title of Bhagavad Gita. See: Bhagavad Gita.

gluttony: Excessiveness in eating or drinking.

God Realization: Direct and personal experience of the Divine within oneself. It can refer to either 1) savikalpa samadhi ("enstasy with form") in its various levels, from the experience of inner light to the realization of Satchidananda, the pure consciousness or primal substance flowing through all form, or 2) nirvikalpa samadhi ("enstasy without form"), union with the transcendent Absolute, Parashiva, the Self God, beyond time, form and space. In The Master Course trilogy, the expression God Realization is used to name both of the above samadhis, whereas Self Realization refers only to nirvikalpa samadhi. See: raja yoga, samadhi, Self Realization.

Gods: Mahadevas, "great beings of light." The plural of God refers to extremely advanced beings existing in their self-effulgent soul bodies in the causal plane. The meaning of Gods is best seen in the phrase, "God and the Gods," referring to the Supreme God -- Siva -- and the Mahadevas, who are His creation. See: Mahadeva.

grace: "Benevolence, love, giving," from the Latin gratia, "favor," "goodwill." God's power of revealment, anugraha shakti ("kindness, showing favor"), by which souls are awakened to their true, Divine nature. Grace in the unripe stages of the spiritual journey is experienced by the devotee as receiving gifts or boons, often unbidden, from God. The mature soul finds himself surrounded by grace. He sees all of God's actions as grace, whether they be seemingly pleasant and helpful or not. See: shaktinipata.

gratification: Indulging in what is desired.

Great Oath: The Saiva sannyasin's vow of renunciation, the mahavrata of the Saivite pathfinders. It is the relinquishment of the world, desire and ego. It is detachment founded in knowledge of the magnetic nature of body, mind and emotion, a knowledge which inclines the soul toward noninvolvement with external forms and, in time, summons forth realization of Parashiva, Absolute Reality. See: sannyasa.

grihastha: "Householder." Family man or woman. Family of a married couple and other relatives. Pertaining to family life. The purely masculine form of the word is grihasthin, and the feminine grihasthi. Grihasthi also names the home itself. See: ashrama dharma.

grihastha ashrama: "Householder stage." See: ashrama dharma.

grihastha dharma: "Householder law." The virtues and ideals of family life. See: ashrama dharma.

gross: Dense, coarse, unrefined, crude; carnal, sensual; lacking sensitivity.

guarantor: A person or corporation that makes or gives assurance or pledge.

guna: "Strand; quality." The three constituent principles of prakriti, primal nature. The three gunas are: -- sattva: "Purity," quiescent, rarified, translucent, pervasive, reflecting the light of Pure Consciousness. -- rajas: "Passion," inherent in energy, movement, action, emotion, life. -- tamas: "Darkness," inertia, density, the force of contraction, resistance and dissolution. The gunas are integral to Hindu thought, as all things are composed of the combination of these qualities of nature, including ayurveda, arts, environments and personalities. See: ayurveda.

guru: "Weighty one," indicating an authority of great knowledge or skill. A title for a teacher or guide in any subject, such as music, dance, sculpture, but especially religion. According to the Advayataraka Upanishad (14-18), guru means "dispeller (gu) of darkness (ru)."

See: guru-shishya system, satguru.

guru bhakti: Devotion to the teacher. The attitude of humility, love and ideation held by a student in any field of study. In the spiritual realm, the devotee strives to see the guru as his higher Self. By attuning himself to the satguru's inner nature and wisdom, the disciple slowly transforms his own nature to ultimately attain the same peace and enlightenment his guru has achieved. Guru bhakti is expressed through serving the guru, meditating on his form, working closely with his mind and obeying his instructions. See: guru, satguru, guru-shishya system.

Gurudeva: "Divine" or "radiant preceptor." From guru, "teacher" and deva, "angel." An affectionate, respectful title for the satguru. See: guru, satguru, deva.

Guru Mahasannidhanam: Spiritual head of a traditional aadheenam. See: aadheenakartar.

guru parampara: "Preceptorial succession" (literally, "from one teacher to another"). A line of spiritual gurus in authentic succession of initiation; the chain of mystical power and authorized continuity, passed from guru to guru. See: sampradaya.

Guru Purnima: Occurring on the full moon of July, a day of rededication to all that the guru represents. It is occasioned by padapuja -- ritual worship of the guru's sandals, which represent his holy feet. See: guru-shishya system.

guru-shishya system: "Master-disciple" system. An important educational system of Hinduism whereby the teacher conveys his knowledge and tradition to a student. Such knowledge, whether it be Vedic-Agamic art, architecture or spirituality, is imparted through the developing relationship between guru and disciple. See: guru, guru bhakti, satguru.

guruthondu: "Service to the guru." In Living with Siva, guruthondu refers to the period of service that all young men of Gurudeva's Saiva Church are expected to fulfill in a monastery, at least six months and ideally two years, prior to marriage. It also refers to the three-hour period that monastics devote in specific projects, working under the guru's direction, performed as a personal vigil, preceded and ended with a ceremony in the temple.

harmonize: To bring about agreement or harmony.

hatha yoga: "Forceful yoga." Hatha yoga is a system of physical and mental exercise developed in ancient times as a means of rejuvenation by rishis and tapasvins who meditated for long hours, and used today in preparing the body and mind for meditation. In the West, hatha yoga has been superficially adopted as a health-promoting, limbering, stress-reducing form of exercise, often included in aerobic routines. Esoterically, ha and tha, respectively, indicate the microcosmic sun (ha) and moon (tha), which symbolize the masculine current, pingala nadi, and feminine current, ida nadi, in the human body. See: asana, kundalini, nadi, yoga, raja yoga.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika: "Light on hatha yoga." A 14 th-century text of 389 verses by Svatmarama Yogin which describes the philosophy and practices of hatha yoga. It is widely used in yoga schools today.

havana: "Making oblations through fire." The Vedic fire ritual. Same as homa. Can also refer to the offering place, or kunda. Havis and havya name the offerings. See: homa.

havana kunda: "Offering pit." The fire pit, usually lined with bricks, into which offerings are placed during havana, or homa, rites.

heart chakra: Anahata chakra. Center of direct cognition. See: chakra.

heaven: The celestial spheres, including the causal plane and the higher realms of the subtle plane, where souls rest and learn between births, and mature souls continue to evolve after moksha. Heaven is often used by translators as an equivalent to the Sanskrit Svarga. See: loka.

hedonist: Dedicated to or obsessed with the pursuit of pleasure.

heinous: Grossly wicked or reprehensible; abominable.

hell: Naraka. An unhappy, mentally and emotionally congested, distressful area of consciousness. Hell is a state of mind that can be experienced on the physical plane or in the sub-astral plane (Naraka) after death of the physical body. It is accompanied by the tormented emotions of hatred, remorse, resentment, fear, jealousy and self-condemnation. However, in the Hindu view, the hellish experience is not permanent, but a temporary condition of one's own making. See: asura, Naraka.

heresy: An opinion or belief that is strongly at variance with beliefs, customs within an established religion.

heroic measures: Medical intervention that provides breathing or heart function for someone whose body cannot sustain these processes on its own. Such measures today include cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and artificial respiration by human or by machine. Heroic measures span the gammut from emergency intervention, such as in an auto accident or a near drowning, to applying mechanical devices to the body of an elderly person who has suffered organ failure who would expire without such intrusion. Such heroic measures are welcomed in the event of accident or disease as temporary measures when recovery is likely, but they are not advised as long-term life support with little or no hope of recovery, especially in advanced years when death is immanent. It is the latter artifical extension of life beyond the natural capacity of the body to sustain itself or recover from an injury that Living with Siva advises against.

higher-nature, lower nature:Expressions indicating man's refined, soulful qualities on the one hand, and his base, instinctive qualities on the other. See: kosha, mind (five states), soul.

Himalayan abodes of Siva: These renowned pilgrimage sites include Mount Kailasha (in Tibet) and Lake Manasarovar at its base; Kedarnath (in Garhwal, Uttara Pradesh) and Amarnath, the ice Linga cave temple in Kashmir.

Himalayan Academy: An educational and publishing institution of Saiva Siddhanta Church founded by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1957. The Academy's objective is to spread the teachings of Sanatana Dharma through the monthly magazine HINDUISM TODAY, Innersearch travel-study programs, The Master Course trilogy of Dancing with Siva, Living with Siva and Merging with Siva, as well as other publications and web resources, all as a public service to Hindus worldwide. See: Hinduism Today, Subramuniyaswami.

Himalayas: "Abode of snow." The mountain system extending along the India-Tibet border and through Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan.

himsa: "Injury;" "harm;" "hurt." Injuriousness, hostility -- mental, verbal or physical. See: ahimsa.

Hindu: A follower of, or relating to, Hinduism. Generally, one is understood to be a Hindu by being born into a Hindu family and practicing the faith, or by professing oneself a Hindu. Acceptance into the fold is recognized through the name-giving sacrament, a temple ceremony called namakarana samskara, given to born Hindus shortly after birth, and to Hindus by choice who have proven their sincerity and been accepted by a Hindu community. Full conversion is completed through disavowal of previous religious affiliations and legal change of name. While traditions vary greatly, all Hindus rely on the Vedas as scriptural authority and generally attest to the following nine principles: 1) There exists a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both creator and unmanifest Reality. 2) The universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution. 3) All souls are evolving toward God and will ultimately find moksha: spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny. 4) Karma is the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds. 5) The soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved. 6) Divine beings exist in unseen worlds, and temple worship, rituals, sacraments, as well as personal devotionals, create a communion with these devas and Gods. 7) A spiritually awakened master or satguru is essential to know the transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, self-inquiry and meditation. 8) All life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore one should practice ahimsa, nonviolence. 9) No particular religion teaches the only and exclusive way to salvation above all others. Rather, all genuine religious paths are facets of God's pure love and light, deserving tolerance and understanding. See: Hinduism.

Hindu Heritage Endowment: A publicly supported charitable foundation established by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in December, 1993, as a public service. Its philanthropic mission is to set up and maintain secure, professionally managed endowments to offer financial support for individuals, religious leaders and institutions of all lineages of Sanatana Dharma. www.HHEonline.org

Hindu solidarity: Hindu unity in diversity. A major contemporary theme according to which Hindu denominations are mutually supportive and work together in harmony, while taking care not to obscure or lessen their distinctions or unique virtues. The underlying belief is that Hinduism will be strong if each of its sects, and lineages is vibrant. See: Hinduism.

Hinduism (Hindu Dharma): India's indigenous religious and cultural system, followed today by nearly one billion adherents, mostly in India, but with large diaspora in many other countries. Also called Sanatana Dharma (Eternal religion) and Vaidika Dharma (Religion of the Vedas.) Hinduism is the world's most ancient religion and encompasses a broad spectrum of philosophies ranging from pluralistic theism to absolute monism. It is a family of myriad faiths with four primary denominations: Saivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. These four hold such divergent beliefs that each is a complete and independent religion. Yet, they share a vast heritage of culture and belief -- karma, dharma, reincarnation, all-pervasive Divinity, temple worship, sacraments, manifold Deities, the guru-shishya tradition and a reliance on the Vedas as scriptural authority. From the rich soil of Hinduism have sprung other traditions, including Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism, which rejected the Vedas and thus emerged as completely distinct religions, dissociated from Hinduism, while still sharing many philosophical insights and cultural values with their parent faith. See: Hindu.

HINDUISM TODAY: The Hindu family magazine founded by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1979, published bi-monthly by Himalayan Academy to affirm Sanatana Dharma and record the modern history of a billion-strong global religion in renaissance, reaching 150,000 readers in over 100 countries. See: Himalayan Academy.

Hispanic: Latin American; relating to their culture.

holy ash: See: vibhuti.

holy feet: The feet of God, a God, satguru or any holy person, often represented by venerable sandals, called shri paduka in Sanskrit and tiruvadi in Tamil. The feet of a Divinity are considered especially precious as they represent the point of contact of the Divine and the physical, and are thus revered as the source of grace. The sandals or feet of the guru are the object of worship on his jayanti (birthday), on Guru Purnima and other special occasions. See: satguru.

Holy Kural: See: Tirukural.

holy orders: A divine ordination or covenant, conferring religious authority. Vows that members of a religious body make, especially a monastic body or order, such as the vows (holy orders of renunciation) made by a sannyasin at the time of his initiation (sannyasa diksha), which establish a covenant with the ancient holy order of sannyasa. See: sannyasa diksha.

homa: "Fire-offering." A sacred ceremony in which the Gods are offered oblations through the medium of fire in a sanctified fire pit, homakunda, usually made of earthen bricks. Homa rites are enjoined in the Vedas, Agamas and Dharma and Grihya Shastras. See: agni.

Homo sapiens: Human beings, man; the species including all existing races of mankind.

hosting guests: Hospitality toward special guests in Hindu homes is extraordinary. It follows the Vedic edict that the guest is God in one of many forms. Therefore, greetings and hospitality are offered as if to a God.

While each visitor, whether close or distant, is treated with love and generosity, a protocol is observed on special occasions for honored guests in the South Indian/Sri Lankan Hindu tradition. The house is decorated with tombais (ornaments made from palm leaves) and mango leaves above the front door. Outside the front door on the porch are set a kuttuvilaku (standing oil lamp) and kumbha (water pot with five mango leaves and a decorated coconut, representing Lord Ganesha). Kolams (floor decorations made from colored rice flour) are drawn at the threshold or gate of the home.

Guests are greeted at the door with offerings of vibhuti, kunkuma and chandana, then sprinkled lightly with rose water and given a small candy. They then enter the home and are led into the shrine room where the elder man of the house performs arati to Ganesha, Murugan and Siva. Following the arati, everyone goes into the communal room of the house and arranges themselves in a chakravala, or a circle according to age, first the men, then the ladies, each younger sitting to his or her elder's left. The most senior male leads everyone in a peaceful invocation, then bhajanas are led and sung by all. Other activities follow.

For meals, mats are laid on the floor in two lines, one side for men and another for ladies. Banana leaves are placed before each person, sometimes on top of plates. The lady of the house and the youngest women serve everyone. Salt is first placed at the top right corner of each leaf, followed by the curries and rice with sambar. Seconds are offered until everyone is satisfied. After the initial rice with sambar, rice is served with rasam and then with curd, or yogurt, as well as more salt, if necessary, and pickles. Tumblers of water and rasam are available for each guest (although usually water only is served nowadays). Kesari, payasam or other sweets and tea are served after the meal. When the meal is concluded, very special guests would be offered a bowl of water to wash their hands where they sit. Hands are never washed in the kitchen sink, but the bathroom is okay. In Asia a special sink is most often located in the room where meals are taken. The hostess, standing and facing East, gives each married lady kunkuma and all guests a gift upon their departure, often as simple as a few betel leaves or a candy. Friends, relatives and casual guests are treated according to a more informal protocol.

hri: "Remorse; modesty." See: yama-niyama.

humility: Modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful.

hundi: "Offering box," from hun, "to sacrifice." A strong box inside Hindu temples into which devotees place their contributions.

hymns: Songs of praise to God, Gods or guru.

hypocrisy: Professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; false pretensions.

icchha shakti: "Desire; will."

ice: See: methamphetamine.

ida nadi: "Soothing channel." The feminine psychic current flowing along the spine. See: kundalini, nadi, odic, pingala.

ideology: A set of doctrines or beliefs that form the basis of a system of thought, often used to mean narrow-minded or uncritical adherence to such a system.

immanent: Indwelling; inherent and operating within. Relating to God, the term immanent means present in all things and throughout the universe, not aloof or distant. Not to be confused with imminent, about to happen; emanate, to issue from; eminent, high in rank.

immemorial (from time immemorial): From a time so distant that it extends beyond history or human memory.

imminent: Threatening to happen without delay; impending.

impetus: A push that stimulates activity. Driving force; motive, incentive.

impulse: A sudden wish or urge that prompts an unplanned act or feeling.

impurity: A state of immorality, pollution or sin. Uncleanliness.

inanimate: See: animate-inanimate.

inauspicious: Not favorable. Not a good time to perform certain actions or undertake projects. Ill-omened.

incantation: Japa or mantraprayoga. The chanting of prayers, verses or formulas for magical or mystical purposes. Also such chants (mantra). See: mantra.

incarnation: From incarnate, "made flesh." The soul's taking on a human body. -- divine incarnation: The concept of avatara. The Supreme Being's (or other Mahadeva's) taking of human birth, generally to reestablish dharma. This doctrine is important to several Hindu sects, notably Vaishnavism, but not held by most Saivites. See: avatara, Vaishnavism.

indigent: Impoverished; poor; needy; destitute.

indomitable: Not easily discouraged, defeated or subdued. Unconquerable.

Indra: "Ruler." Vedic God of rain and thunder, warrior king of the devas. A great, inner-plane being who is invoked in hundreds of Vedic hymns.

I-ness: The conceiving of oneself as an "I," or ego, which Hinduism considers a state to be transcended. See: anava mala, mind (individual).

infidel: One who has no religious beliefs, or who rejects a particular religion.

infiltrate: To gradually penetrate so as to counteract or seize control from within.

infinitesimal: Infinitely small; too small to be measured.

inhibit: To hold back, restrain, prohibit or forbid. To suppress.

initiation (to initiate): Entering into; admission as a member. In Hinduism, initiation from a qualified preceptor is considered invaluable for spiritual progress. See: diksha, shaktinpata, sannyasa diksha.

innate: Naturally inborn; not acquired. That which belongs to the inherent nature or constitution of a being or thing.

inner light: A moonlight-like glow that can be seen inside the head or throughout the body when the vrittis, mental fluctuations, have been sufficiently quieted. To be able to see and bask in the inner light is a milestone on the path. See: vritti.

inner planes: Inner worlds or regions of existence.

innerversity: Learning from within. A word coined by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami which indicates turning inward, through yoga concentration and meditation, to the vast superconscious state of mind; whence knowledge can be unfolded.

insignia: Plural of the Latin insigne. Signs or symbols of identity, rank or office, such as a badge, staff or emblem.

instinctive: "Natural" or "innate." From the Latin instinctus, participle of instingere, "impelling," pricking," "instigating." The drives and impulses that order the animal world and the physical and lower astral aspects of humans -- for example, self-preservation, procreation, hunger and thirst, as well as the emotions of greed, hatred, anger, fear, lust and jealousy. See: mind, yama-niyama.

instinctive mind: Manas chitta. The lower mind, which controls the basic faculties of perception, movement, as well as ordinary thought and emotion. Manas chitta is of the manomaya kosha. See: kosha, yama-niyama, mind.

instinctive-intellectual mind: The mind in ordinary consciousness, when actions are based either upon instinctive emotional desires and fears or intellectual concepts and reason. See: astral body, instinctive mind, kosha, odic force, soul, subtle body, vasana.

intellect: The power to reason or understand; power of thought; mental acumen. See: intellectual mind, mind.

intellectual mind: Buddhi chitta. The faculty of reason and logical thinking. It is the source of discriminating thought, rather than the ordinary, impulsive thought processes of the lower or instinctive mind, called manas chitta. Buddhi chitta is of the manomaya kosha. See: mind.

internalize: To take something inside of oneself.

internalized worship: Yoga. Worship or contact with God and Gods via meditation and contemplation rather than through external ritual. This is the yogi's path, preceded by the charya and kriya padas. See: meditation, yoga.

intimacy: Privacy; closeness marked by informaliity.

intone: To speak with a singing tone or with a particular intonation.

intrinsic: Inward; essential; inherent. Belonging to the real nature of a being or thing.

intuit: To know or sense without resorting to rational processes.

intuition (to intuit): Direct understanding or cognition, which bypasses the process of reason. Intuition is a far superior source of knowing than reason, but it does not contradict reason. See: cognition, mind (five states).

Iraivan: "Worshipful one; divine one." One of the most ancient Tamil epithets for God. See: Iraivan Temple.

Iraivan Temple: A chola-style white-granite Iraivan Temple, hand-carved in Bangalore, India, established on Hawaii's Garden Island of Kauai. In the sanctum sanctorum, the Supreme God, Siva (Parameshvara-Parashakti-Parashiva), will be enshrined as a massive 700-pound, single-pointed earthkeeper quartz crystal. See: San Marga Sanctuary.

irul: "Darkness." The first of three stages of the sakala avasthai where the soul's impetus is toward pasha-jnanam, knowledge and experience of the world. See: pasha-jnanam, sakala avastha.

iruvinaioppu: "Balance." The balance which emerges in the life of a soul in the stage of marul, or pashu-jnanam, the second stage of the sakala avasthai, when the soul turns toward the good and holy, becomes centered within himself, unaffected by the ups and downs in life. See: marul, pashu-jnanam, sakala avastha.

Ishta Devata: "Cherished" or "chosen Deity." The Deity that is the object of one's special pious attention. Ishta Devata is a concept common to all Hindu sects. See: Shakti, Siva.

Islam: The religion founded by Prophet Muhammed in Arabia about 625 CE. Islam connotes submission to Allah, the name for God in this religion. Adherents, known as Muslims, follow the "Five Pillars" enjoined in their scripture, the Koran: faith in Allah, praying five times daily facing Mecca, giving of alms, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and pilgrimage. Islam has over one billion followers, mostly in the Middle East, Pakistan, Africa, Indonesia, China, Russia and neighboring countries.

island abode of Siva: A renowned pilgrimage site that devotees strive to visit at least once in a lifetime. Iraivan Temple is situated on the banks of the historically famous Wailua River on the Garden Island of Kauai in the Hawaii island chain. See: Iraivan Temple, San Marga Sanctuary.

Ishvara: "Highest Lord." Supreme orPersonal God. See: Parameshvara.

Ishvarapujana: "Worship." See: yama-niyama.

Itihasa: "So it was." Epic history, particularly the Ramayana and Mahabharata (of which the Bhagavad Gita is a part). This term sometimes encompasses the Puranas, especially the Skanda Purana and the Bhagavata Purana (or Shrimad Bhagavatam). See: Mahabharata, Ramayana, Smriti.

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