Glossary Page

Dear Sisters and Brothers, like this blog itself which is written for absolute beginners and non-experts, this Glossary is not designed for experts. Experts may consider many definitions and explanations not only unorthodox but prosaic and wanting in exactitude and or oversimplified. But this Glossary, as per my staunch conviction, will serve the purpose of this blog which is lovingly crafted to effectively serve absolute beginners who may not know anything, or only some basic things, about Hinduism and the ancient Indian scriptures like The Bhagavad Gita and The Upanishads.

Agni – Fire worshiped as a god.

Anandam – unalloyed and everlasting bliss.

Aswamedha – Horse sacrifice. King of kings alone can perform this sacrifice. Private people cannot perform this sacrifice. But in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, an internalised version of the Horse-sacrifice is described, which can be performed by private people.

Atman – Soul or Self.

Bhakti – Devotion to God.

Brahma – Brahma is different from Brahman or God. Brahma is one of the Trinity of Godhood responsible for Creation. Vishnu is responsible for sustenance and Siva responsible for dissolution.

Brahmaloka – Brahma the Creator’s world.

Brahman – The Non-dualistic Ultimate Entity which is Absolute and Immortal.

Brahmana – One of the four sections of the Vedas.

Varnas – The four divisions or Castes of the Society. Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra are others.

Brahmin – The elite caste. The other three are Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra.

Dharma – That Order or Law which upholds everything in the Universe. That is in the macroeconomic context. Also understood as duty and righteousness in its microcosmic context.

Gandharvas – The musicians of heaven. Their plane of existence is higher than our world. They are also considered as demigods.

Gayatri (Gayatri Mantra) – Mantra or Verse very sacred to the orthodox Hindus who daily recite it with devotion.

Guna – Every human being irrespective of his/her religion has a personal inclination and tendency which go into the making of his/her basic character. There are three Gunas, Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. Sri Krishna declares in The Bhagavad Gita that the Nature or prakriti is made of these three gunas. Every human being is a unique combination of these three gunas, Satva, Rajas and Tamas. In the West it is understood as humour. Every person has his own humour. But “Guna or tri-gunas” is much more elaborate and scientific. Gunas form the basic character of a human being. Every one has a unique combination of these three Gunas in varying proportion. Every one acts according to his/her Guna.

Guru – The Teacher who teaches the scriptural Truth to, besides guiding, the disciple. The disciple must show utmost veneration to his Guru. It is the guru who infallibly guides the disciple and teaches him the ultimate “gnana” or highest Wisdom. Obtaining gnana from the Guru is the only means to become immortal and beat the inexorable cycle of births.

Hiranyagarbha – When Brahman creates, at the onset of every cycle of time and the Yuga or Age, the cosmos Hiranyagarbha (literally means the Golden Egg) is created before other things and beings. It is the first manifestation.

Jagat – The World, which according to Vedanta, is not real but only relative.

Jiva – Man. The microcosmic Soul which shares a strong bond with the Universal Soul. Man is a Jiva and when he obtains self-emancipation his individual soul, after shedding the corporal body, rises up to entirely mingle with the universal soul.

Jivanmukta – When a Jiva or Man attains self-emancipation while still living here on earth, he is considered as a jivanmukta. Of course, he will continue to live here till death, for as long as his prarabdha karma lasts. But he, a realized soul, will not be subjected to the pulls of this illusory world. He will continue to live performing actions without any expectation of the fruits of his actions. So further binding samskaras will not arise. After his bodily death, his soul will rise up to mingle with Brahman and become one with Him or It.

Karma – Ritual or action.

Kshatriya – A person belonging to the warrior caste. It is a varna or caste. There are Four Varnas or Castes in Hinduism. They are Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras. According to Sri Krishna, He is the originator of the Four Varnas or Castes.

Mantra – Sloka or Verse. In the Vedic parlance, Mantra is a section. Vedas are divided into Mantra, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishad.

nama rupa – Name and form.

Nirguna Brahman – Brahman in His native state is Nirguna Brahman without any inclinations, attributes, name or form.

Prakriti – The World or Nature.

Rajas – One of the three Gunas. The others are Satva and Tamas. Rajas is identified with passion and restless activities.

Rishi – Sage or Saint or Seer.

Saguna Brahman – When the attributeless (Nirguna) Brahman manifests as Saguna Brahman with nama rupa (name and form) and attributes, He is known as Saguna Brahman. For example, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva or Siva.

Samhita – The same as Mantra. One of the broad divisions of the Vedas. The others are Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishad.

Siva (or Shiva) – Dissolver of the Universe. One of the Trinity of Hindu Gods. The others being Brahma (Creator) and Vishnu (Sustainer).

Sudra – One of the four Varnas or Castes. The others are Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaisya. Sudras, in ancient India, extended service to the other three Varnas Castes, besides indulging in agriculture.

Sutra – Verse or Sloka.

Vaisya – One of the four Castes or Varna. A Vaisya indulges in trade and commerce. The other Varnas or Castes are Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Sutas.

Vishnu – The sustainer. Brahma is creator and Siva dissolves.

Yajna – Sacrifice.