Hinduism words

Brahma

One of the Hindu gods: the Creator deity

Vishnu

One of the Hindu gods: the sustainer of the universe

Vaishnava

The name of a follower of Vishnu

Shiva

One of the Hindu gods: the destroyer of the deity

Shavaite

The name for a follower of shiva

Dharma

Duty, right action, righteousness

Varna

Social class

Ashrama

A stage of life

Shruti

A group of Hindu scriptures that have been 'heard' or revealed by God

Smriti

A group of scriptures that have been remembered that tell us about God

Karma

The law of cause and effect that says your actions have consequences

Samsara

The cycle of rebirth or re-incarnation (transmigration)

Moksha

Liberation or escape from the cycle or rebirth

Brahman

The soul of the universe. An immaterial spirit that is in all things.

Atman

The soul or self, the part of you that transmigrates

Maya

Illusion, a false way of seeing the world

Antaryami

The controller within. God residing in the hearts of all beings

Prakriti

Matter, the name given for the material world

Varnashramadharna

The code of conduct that is prescribed according to your social class and stage of life

Avatar

An incarnation or descent of a deity, mostly Vishnu

Krishna

An avatar of Vishnu

Bhagavan

The personal side of God that can be worshipped

Murti

An image of a deity that is worshiped in the home or temple

Trimurti

The three major aspects of Brahman: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva

Saguna

Describes Brahman as having qualities (so he can be described

Nirguna

This describes Brahman as not having qualities (so we can say nothing about Brahman)

Shakta

A follower of Shakti

Shakti

The feminine power of the universe of goddess

Bhakti

The name for Hindu devotional worship (singing, dancing, reciting mantras)

Monism

Non-dualism. The idea that all exists is made up of one thing: spirit (Brahman)

Vedanta

The name for one of the philosophical schools of Hinduism that explores the relationship between Atman and Brahman

Advaita

Non-dualism (monism). A branch of Vedanta that claims there, ‘all is Brahman’ including the atman

Dvaita

Dualism. A branch of Vedanta that claims that the soul is separate from Brahman

Kama

One of the four aims of life: enjoyment and worldly or sensual pleasure

Artha

One of the four aims in life: to be fulfilled in work and gain property wealth and power

Ahisma

One of the virtues: non violence , non injury to living things

Yuga

An age or time period that the universe cycles through

Vaikuntha

Vishnu’s eternal heaven. Where he lives and where vaishnavites hope to go to

Guna

Quality or strand

Sattva

One of the gunas: purity, light, goodness

Rajas

One of the gunas: passion, dynamism, energy

Tamas

One of the gunas: dullness, heaviness, solidity

Triguna

The three strange/qualities of the universe

Brahmin

One of the varnas: the top, priestly class

Kshatriya

One of the varnas: the second class of rules, landed gentry, soldiers

Vaishya

One of the varnas: the third class of merchants, businessmen and traders

Shudra

One of the varnas: the bottom level of workers

Sannyasin

A holy ascetic - someone who has stepped out of the system of varna and dharma in order to seek moksha

Vedas

The earliest Hindu scriptures made up pf hymns

Gita

One of the most important Hindu scriptures seems as revelation from Krishna

Upanishad

The name for Hindu philosophical scriptures

Sanatana Dharma

Word that Hindus would use for their religion

ISKCON

A western branch of Hinduism that sees Krishna as the supreme deity: the international society for Krishna consciousness