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A

Amrit: (Also: Amrut) Holy water. Giver of life, youthfulness and hence immortality. Nectar. Something sweet.

Adharam: Opposite of Dharam. See understanding dharma.

Aakashvani: (Also: Akashvani, Akas Vani) Voice from sky. Celestial voice. Divine voice.

Ashwamedh Yagya:

B

Bhagwan: A generic term for God, Devas, gods, great sages, etc.

Bhakti: Devotion.

Bhram: Doubt, confusion.

Bajpae:

C

Crore: (Also: Karore) 10^7. 10 millions.

D

Devtas: (Also: Devs) Personification of forces of nature. At times, it is used to personify any divine being and at times to refer to a very respected personality.

Devi: Female who resides in heaven. One who is so good, that she will go to heaven. Godess. Way to respectfully address a female.

Daas: Servant. Slave. Used by devotee to express immense devotion.

Danav: Demons.

E

F

G

Gandharva:

Gulal: Pink colored powder. Used in festivity. Used in Holi festival too. Is considered very auspicious.

Gayatri: See gayatri mantra.

H

Hari: (Also: Govind, Madhav) Name of Sri Krishna

Hari Sharnam: (Also: Harihi Sharnam) A mantra. In the Sharan of Hari

I

J

Ji: Suffix added to a name to show respect.

K

Katha: Tale, story.

Kalikaal: (Also: Kal yug, Kliyug, Kaljug) The fourth age. One in which there is lot of violence and falsehood. The current age is Kalyug. It started with demise of Sri Krishna. See yug.

Kalpvriksh: A tree which grants all wishes.

Kirtan: (Also: Keertan)

Kaal:

L

M

Muni: A sage

Mukhti: (Also: Mukti, Moksha, Nirvana) Deliverance from cycle of birth and death.

Maya: Illusion. Illusion of peace generated by wealth.

Mahatma: Maha – Great, Atma – Soul. A sage. One who has done lot of good Karmas

N

Namaskar: Formal way to greet some one. Way to show respect to all living creatures as beings of God.

O

Omkaar:

P

Pandit: A learned person.

Param Gati:

Purush Sootra:

Q

R

Raja: King

Rishi: Sage

S

Shastra: A book of knowledge

Satchitanand: Sat – Truth, Chit – State, Anand – Bliss. A blissful state due to following truth

Sri: Prefix added to a name to show respect.

Satsang: Right company. Gathering of people who do good deeds. Gathering where Sages come and share knowledge. Such gathering can be musical or oratory.

Siddha: Those who have attained Siddhi. See siddhi

Siddhi: Those who have gained self-realization. The stage of knowledge after which every person leaves the body at will and attains Moksha.

Sadhu: A learned person. A sage. A way to address some one when the person has shared something very sensible with you.

Sharan: (Under) protection, guidance, watch, tutelage.

Shalok: (Also: Shlok, Shrlok) A unit of text from a Sanskrit texts.

Shetra: (Also: Kshetra) Area, location, site.

Sanyasi: Those who have taken Sanyas. Given up worldly attachment to follow the path of Self-Realisation.

Surya: Personification of the Solar Forces, the Sun Devta.

T

Tapodhan: Fruit (in form of blessing, meeting a very learned saint, freedom from worldly problems, boon, etc) of austere aesthetic practices.

U

Upanayana: See Yagnopavith.

Uvach: Said.

V

Vaisnav: Religion of followers of Vishnu. (Hinduism is not a religion but a social setup or a way of life. Inside it, lie many way to realise the true nature of God. One of the way is the way of religion. There are many religions one can follow while being a hindu.) Vegetarian people.

Vimaan: Air Plane. Aerial transportation referred to in ancient Hindu books.

W

X

Y

Yagnopavith: (Also: Upanayana) Thread ceremony. Start of student life. Three threads are grouped together and one wears it. They are symbol of set of three guidelines. One of them is the loan. One loan is to God for creating this universe. We repay that loan by respecting the universe and all the creatures. The second loan is to all learned people who came before us for the knowledge they gave us. We repay their load by reading their books and learning what they have taught. The third load is of our parent for giving us birth and rearing us. We can not repay that loan, such great is their act. We can do our best by being good parent when our time comes. See Understanding Dharma.

Yug: Era. Each universe under goes four eras. Sat Yug (when truth and peace reins), Treta Yug, Dwapar Yug and Kal Yug. All Kal You the cycle begins.

Yogi: Practicer of yoga. One who has achieved a high level of spirituality.

Yagya: Method. Technique. Ceremony where offerings are made to fire