Hinduism

Ramayana

one of two classical Hindu epics telling of the banishment of Rama from his kingdom and the abduction of his wife by a demon and Rama's restoration to the throne

Prema

divine love

Bhava

Spiritual states describing the traits of how the soul can relate to God

Valmiki

author of the Ramayana, "the first poet." Valmiki converted from a life of a brigand to a worshipper of Rama. Lived around 2200 BCE near Ayodhya.

Nataraja

"Lord of the Dance"; an incarnation of Shiva who will appear at the end of the present age to destroy ignorance through dancing.

Avatar

A representation of a Hindu god or goddess in human or animal form.

Abishekam

Ritual bathing of a statue with milk

Linga

in Hindu art, the depiction of Shiva as a phallus or cosmic pillar (penis). Shiva's male spirit

Dharma

In Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties

Kalki

Vishnu's final incarnation, who will arrive at the end of this age, riding a white horse.

Yoni

Symbol probably of the human female genitalia representing the feminine power of the cosmos, represents the Shakti or female power, conceptualized as his consort, the Goddess. Womb (the circular space around linga)

Diwali (Hinduism)

a Hindu festival of lights, held in the period October to November. It is particularly associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and marks the beginning of the fiscal year in India.

Murti

an image or statue of a Hindu god in which the god is thought to actually be present

Linga Purana

The Myth of the Origins of the Lingam

Vaishnavism

System of beliefs and rituals for the worship of the god Vishnu.

Pancharata

accepts the "separate reality" of God. Pancharata doctrine - the Supreme Vishnu, who in his transcendent nature (spiritual) becomes "ACCESSIBLE" to humans.

Sati (Hinduism)

The "daughter of Daksha," one of Brahma's sons who helped to populate the universe. When Daksha verbally abused Sati and Shiva (exalted husband), she donned a saffron cloth, meditated on the "fire element" and burned her body to ashes. The Indian custom of a wife immolating herself on the funeral pyre of her dead husband

Vishnu

A Hindu god considered the preserver of the world

Darshan

worship through simultaneously seeing and being seen by a deity in the presence of its image. "God" sees the devotee and the "Devotee" sees God.

Nagas

Shaiva group that go to extremes in showing their disdain for "normal life." Nagas go completely naked, their bodies besmeared with ashes.

Agoris

Shaiva group that go to extremes in showing their disdain for "normal life." Aghoris live near cremation grounds and are even reported to eat corpses

Vamana

Dwarf form; he tricked a demon king into giving him heaven and earth in three steps. 5th avatar of Vishnu

Tulasi

tulasi-plant (sacred basil) as a "holy image." An earthly embodiment of the Goddess Tulasi, a "devoted" follower of Krishna. It is a gateway between heaven and earth.

Siddhis

Siddhis are material, paranormal, supernatural powers or magical powers and abilities that are the product of advanced yoga. Eight traditional yogic mystical powers

Prahlada

Son of Hiranyakasipu, devoted to Vishnu

Prasada

a gift from the deity, especially food that has been presented to the god's temple image, blessed, and returned to the devotee

Shaiva Siddhanta

Shaivite theology, similar to Samkhya but theistic, positing Shiva as the architect of the physical world and one who allows embodied souls (pashu-s) to progress towards the realization of their divine nature (a realization said to be simultaneous with moksha)

Narasimha

The fourth avatar of Vishnu; the man-lion.

Arati

Worship with light, involving the waving of a lamp in front of the deity.

Shivatva

A state of mind. The nature of Shiva. The concealed God-nature "in" humans.

Bhakti

love, attachment, and participation in the worship of personal God. Moving from desire (kama) to divine love (Prema).

Janmashtami

Celebrates the birth of Krishna, the incarnation of the god Vishnu, the protector and preserver.

Shiva Nilakanta

God's salvific intervention and his willingness to sacrifice himself in order to save the world.

Puja

Hindu devotional worship of deities at home or in a temple

Kirtan

the singing of hymns from the scriptures in worship

Shaktism

The worship of Shakti as the wife of Shiva

Buddha

The 9th avatar of Vishnu

Varaha

The third avatar of Vishnu; the boar.

Devi

Mother goddess within Hinduism; widely spread following collapse of Guptas; encouraged new emotionalism in religious ritual

Krishna

one of the most popular gods, the eighth and most important avatar or incarnation of Vishnu.

Shaivism

The worship of Shiva, including beliefs and rituals.

Shakti

the female principle of divine energy, especially when personified as the supreme deity.

Yogamaya

The divine power of illusion: Supreme Being can appear as a mere human. God covers his majesty so "his devotees" can interact with him as equals.

Shiva

A Hindu god considered the destroyer of the world.

Tantra

system of ideas and practices that potentiates sudden liberation from samsara; also a form of sacred text detailing the ideas and practices. The "liberation of energy" and "expansion of consciousness" from its gross form within the body.

Gopis

milkmaids and young wives; their love trysts with Krishna in the Bhagavata Purana are paradigms of a believer's bhakti relationship to God

Pashupati

Sanskrit: "Lord of the Beasts. Another name for the Hindu god Shiva

Ardhanari

The Lord whose half woman. The Supreme is non-dual (not separate). The unity of opposites: purusha (spirit) and prakriti (matter)

Radha

consort of Krishna

Yogi

practitioner of yoga

Yantra

Sanskrit word that can be translated as "instrument of thought." In Hinduism, a linear cosmic symbol used as an aid to spiritual concentration

Durga

"Awe-inspiring," "distant"; a mother-goddess, a form of Devi

Kali

"Dark," a form of Devi; a goddess associated with destruction and rebirth

Chakras

Concentrated areas of energy aligned vertically in the body that relate to each other as well as to specific areas of the body, mind , and spirit.

Kundalini

Energy that lies dormant at the base of the spine until it is activated, as by the practice of yoga, and channeled upward through the chakras in the process of spiritual perfection.

Moksha

The Hindu concept of the spirit's 'liberation' from the endless cycle of rebirths. Liberation is to become one with Shiva or one realizes one is Shiva

Rudra-Shiva

The Vedic dread mountain god. He is both destroyer of goods and persons, and healer. The "howler" who shoots arrows of death and disease and must be implored not to harm. (destructive)