DEVOTEE'S VISION

swamisuryadevananda

The bhakta is blissful at all times. His mind cannot think of anything for everything is God. "Yatra yatra mano yati tatra tatra samadhayah - Wherever the mind goes there it experiences samadhi" - for it does not find any object of enjoyment. God fills every speck of space and the whole world is clothed in the glory of God.

The saint and the sinner, the virtuous and the vicious, the good and the bad, the man and the animal - all are forms of God. How can the mind deal with them in any undivine way? There, the mind experiences samadhi - it has consciousness but no object. Samadhi is thoughtless consciousness, objectless consciousness - this is para bhakti. This is the same as vedantic realisation. The effect is the annihilation of the ego or the destruction of the mind.

God, who is supremely powerful, supremely wise and supremely blissful, pervades the entire atmosphere and the earth. He is the earth and the heaven; He is father, mother, brother, sister; He is the consummation of all love and aspiration, of all desire and ambition; He is the stoppage of all mental vrttis and He is the ideal to be attained.

Control the mind and annihilate the ego - this is the essence of all yogas. It is the ideal of bhakti yoga, which is a very sweet and easy method or procedure. One has not got to curb one's emotions and one has not to run away to the forests. He has to direct his emotions towards God. He has to see God as present in the world. This is the essence of bhakti sadhana (practice).

Bhakti is thus only a reflection of the love for the self which the Upanishads declare. Only the names are different: one calls it self and the other calls it God. Names do not matter; it is the feeling that counts, and that is the same in both.

Self-surrender is the highest form of bhakti. It is surrender of the ego or individuality. What remains after that is the `absolute' of the vedantins. Bhakti surrenders the ego and a vedantin disintegrates the ego. In both the ego is not there - their ideals are the same. Whether one eats rice or wheat, it is all the same - the purpose of both is to appease the hunger. So whether you follow bhakti or vedanta, the effect is the annihilation of the ego. This is the truth.

http://hindustt.blogspot.com/2009/06/devotees-vision.html

Why do Hindus offer food to the Lord before eating it?

SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA

Indians make an offering of food to the Lord and later partake of it as Prasaada - a holy gift from the Lord. In our daily ritualistic worship (pooja) too we offer Naivedyam (food) to the Lord. The Lord is omnipotent and omniscient. Man is a part, while the Lord is the totality. All that we do is by His strength and knowledge alone. Hence what we receive in life as a result of our actions is really His alone. We acknowledge this through the act of offering food to Him. This is exemplified by the Hindi words "Tera Tujko Arpan"- I offer what is Yours to You.

Thereafter it is akin to His gift to us, graced by His divine touch. Knowing this, our entire attitude to food and the act of eating changes. The food offered will naturally be pure and the best. We share what we get with others before consuming it. We do not demand, complain or criticise the quality of the food we get. We eat it with cheerful acceptance (Prasaada Buddhi). Before we partake of our daily meals we first sprinkle water around the plate as an act of purification. Five morsels of food are placed on the side of the plate acknowledging the debt owed by us to the Divine forces (Devta runa) for their benign grace and protection; our ancestors (pitru runa) for giving us their lineage and a family culture; the sages (Rishi runa) as our religion and culture have been "realised" ,maintained and handed down to us by them; our fellow beings (Manushya runa) who constitute society without the support of which we could not live as we do and other living beings (Bhuta runa) for serving us selflessly. Thereafter the Lord, the life force, who is also within us as the five life-giving physiological functions, is offered the food. This is done with the chant

Praanaaya swaahaa,

Apaanaaya swaahaa,

Vyaanaaya swaahaa,

Udaanaaya swaahaa

Samaanaaya swaahaa,

Brahmane swaahaa

After offering the food thus, it is eaten as prasaada-blessed food.

http://hindustt.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-do-offer-food-to-lord-before-eating.html

Why Be A Hindu: The Advantages of the Vedic Path

Written as a short guide to promote and preserve the genuine purpose, values and understanding of Hinduism, the Vedic spiritual process.
Stephen Knapp

This is a free "e-book," or electronic booklet. It is published as an "e-book" on the internet to more appropriately reach as many people as possible, and enable anyone to read it and pass it along in as many ways as necessary. You can read it on the internet on my website, or direct other people to do the same, or download it onto a floppy disk, park it on your computer hard drive for later use, email it to others, or print it out to send to friends, or re-typeset it as you see fit and print it in booklets for distribution. It does not matter. I am giving permission to anyone to use it in anyway you want, providing the content remains the same. Anyone who has this booklet can reproduce it in any form you want, as many times you want. In this way, it is a tool you can use for your own inspiration or to send to others, as well as to send to the media or those who need further understanding of what is Hinduism and the Vedic culture, and the advantages that this spiritual path has to offer.

Copies of this booklet can also be acquired as a Microsoft Word document, an Ascii Dos Text file, or an Acrobat Reader .pdf file. I can email it to you. Simply request it by email at: Srinandan@aol.com. This e-book is found at: http:// www.stephen-knapp.com

Preface

This book is my response to the fact that sometimes I get a little concerned, as I was when I took my latest tour of India (June, 2001), when I see the efforts of those who try to demean and unnecessarily promote serious misunderstandings about Hinduism, the Vedic culture. This often times is done in the attempt to convince others of the greatness of some of the minority religions there. This is something that is increasingly going on in India. It is also increasing in other parts of the world in what is called "Hindu bashing." I have also witnessed young Hindus who have moved to the West and sometimes exhibit confusion or disregard in their attitude toward their own culture, some of which is a result of the Western attitudes and misunderstandings toward Hinduism. So this booklet is written in response to that confusion, trouble, and the unnecessary campaigns for conversion. All of this is merely due to a lack of a clear understanding of Vedic culture and what it offers. So I wanted to bring out some simple yet important points, in the form of this booklet, that I thought people should consider in their view of the Vedic spiritual path.

One point to understand while reading this book is that the name Hinduism is, basically, a relatively modern term for the ancient Vedic spiritual path. So when I say "Hindu," I mean the Vedic philosophy, otherwise known as Sanatana-Dharma, and someone who is following that direction. I know there are many distinctions and specific schools of thought within the umbrella term of "Hinduism." However, I am writing this for a wide and general audience. So I am using the term in a liberal and collective way to include all people who follow the Vedic process or portions of it.

Hinduism, or Vedic culture, is not merely a religion. It is a spiritual path and way of life. Quite honestly, nothing compares with it. And I know. I grew up in the West as a Christian, studying the Bible from cover to cover due to my own curiosity. However, when I was about 19 years old, I still had many questions that were not and could not be answered within the Christian philosophy. So, I made great studies of the various religions and civilizations throughout the world, finally finding the Vedic culture as perhaps the most profound tradition of all. It is one that offers more insights into life and the purpose of it, especially the spiritual aspects, than any other culture one can find today. In this way, I found the kind of answers I needed in the Vedic literature, especially in the Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavat Purana and others. Only then did things of this world begin to make sense to me. I went on studying the Vedic philosophy and spiritual science and became an initiated disciple of His Divine Grace Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and was given the spiritual name of Sri Nandanandana dasa. I have continued practicing and studying the principles of Vedic philosophy ever since, as well as researching other religions of the world.

So what's so great about Vedic culture and its philosophy? This booklet describes some of the elementary details that differentiates Hinduism, the Vedic path, over all others. And I am glad to share this with my fellow human beings who are open-minded enough to consider the various avenues that can help us understand more about our spiritual identities and the purpose of life. This is not an attempt to say that the Vedic path is better than anything else for everyone, but there are distinct advantages worth considering from which a person can benefit. These are just a few of them.

Why Be A Hindu: The Advantages of the Vedic Path

Points of Consideration

1. WHAT DOES HINDUISM STAND FOR?

Hinduism is, basically, the modern name for the Vedic way of life, especially the spiritual path usually associated with India. Previously, those who followed the Vedic system were also called Aryans. It is often considered that the Vedic Aryans were a race of people. However, Aryan actually means a standard of living, an ideal. It was the Sanskrit speaking people of thousands of years ago that gave the word arya to signify a gentleman, an ideal person, someone on the path of purity. It was a term meant for those who were on the cutting edge of social evolution. Another way of interpreting the word aryan is that ar also means white or clear. Ya refers to God. Ya also refers to Yadu, or Krishna. Thus, aryan means those who have, or are developing, a clear path or a clear consciousness toward God.

In this way, we can understand that Aryanism, Vedic culture, or modern Hinduism, is a way of life. It is not a race of people or merely a sectarian creed or religion. It belongs to no particular country or race. It is a path that upholds a code of conduct which values peace and happiness and justice for all. Thus, it is a path open for all who want to be trained to be happy with simple living and high thinking, while engaged in proper conduct, a moral life, and selfless service to humanity and God. Therefore, anyone who wants to live in such a manner may be called an Aryan, a member or follower of the Vedic culture, no matter from which race or country a person may come.

So what does it mean to follow this Vedic Aryan path? It generally means to learn the ways of a spiritually progressed person. This includes understanding one's spiritual identity, knowing that he or she is not the temporary body but is spirit soul, that there is karma or reactions for one's activities, and rebirth in another life after death in which one reaps the reward or punishment for his or her own good or evil thoughts, words, and deeds. By having a solid understanding of such spiritual knowledge, there is automatically a respect for all others regardless of race, sex, position, or species. This brings a moral and peaceful social behavior in everybody toward everyone. By having respect for everyone's spiritual identity, this also brings an innate happiness in us all. We can understand that we are only visiting this planet for a short time, and that we are all in this together. In other words, my contribution to your well-being, especially spiritual well-being, will be an automatic contribution to my own existence. In this way, society at large is in a state of constant improvement. Thus, together we all work toward attaining a clean mind and a pure heart. That is the goal of the Vedic Aryan way of life, and all those who seriously follow it.

Not everyone, however, wants to reach this stage of life or follow this path. That is why the Vedic system installs rules for moral behavior and regulatory sacraments and practices beginning from the prenatal stage all the way through death. Of course, many of these moralistic rules are also quite common in other forms of religion and behavior. However, anybody who is unwilling to follow such rules for a balanced moral standard is dubbed a non-Aryan, which simply indicates one who is not so civilized. Such a person is not on the spiritual path of life, regardless of what other standards or principles of etiquette he may follow. So a person who lacks spiritual tendencies and acts on the bodily platform of existence, willing to do whatever he likes, or who thinks he is a white body, or a black body, or from this country or that, and who holds loyalty only to that conception and shows it by criticizing everyone who is not like him, is a non-Aryan. He is one who works against the standards of Hinduism, even he if calls himself a Hindu, or anything else for that matter. In this way, we can see the need to return to the Vedic standards of life through authentic spiritual education.

Therefore, the Sanskrit word Aryan means a way of life that aims at the elevation of everyone in society to a higher level of consciousness, as we find in the broadest foundation within Hinduism. It means to assist ourselves through a disciplined and godly life to understand the purpose of our existence as well as to become a spiritually realized person. It means to recognize the divinity in each of us. It means to perceive the divine energy that permeates the creation, knowing that we and all others are but manifestations of the Divine, the same Supreme Creator, Father of all. It also means that we help every other individual soul understand this, because by helping others we help ourselves. That itself is a natural state of being when we can perceive God as the Supersoul, Paramatma, within everyone. All of this is encouraged by, and increases, a natural faith in an all-pervading Supreme Being. Such faith and focus on the Supreme can elevate us to return to our real spiritual home after death, that one infinite and eternal existence, which is one of the most important goals of the Vedic lifestyle. Once we are relieved of the body, or the bodily concept of life, then there is no longer any question as to what and who we really are. Offering this opportunity to society for reaching that level of understanding is one of the most important purposes of the Vedic path. This is the essence of what Hinduism stands for. Now let's consider the following points as to the advantages of the Vedic path.

2. HINDUISM IS THE OLDEST LIVING CULTURE IN THE WORLD.

Look around. Do you find any other culture that has lasted as long as the Hindu or Vedic culture? Do you see any other culture that after no less than 5,000 years, if not much longer, is still thriving and dynamic, practicing many of the same traditions as it did from thousands of years ago? Sure, you have other old cultures, like the Egyptian, the Inca, Maya, Aztec, all of which go back about 5,000 years, but none of these are still living cultures. They are all gone, leaving us but remnants and artifacts to figure out what really was their culture.

For the Vedic civilization, it is not something that we really need to decipher from old remnants. The traditions and practices that you presently see have been going on for many thousands of years. Its history is well documented in the Puranas, much of which even historians have not researched as well as they should. Through such study it is obvious that the Vedic society has a prehistoric origin. While most of the "living" cultures that we find today, and the most popular religions, are a modern creation in the sense that they have only come about within the past 1400, 2000, and 2500 years with the advent of the Muslim, Christian, or Buddhist religions. However, the Vedic culture goes back much farther. Many scholars have noted the antiquity of the Vedic civilization. For example, in his Discourse on Sanskrit and Its Literature, given at the College of France, Professor Bournouf states, "We will study India with its philosophy and its myths, its literature, its laws and its language. Nay it is more than India, it is a page of the origin of the world that we will attempt to decipher."

In this same line of thinking, Mr. Thornton, in his book History of British India, observed, "The Hindus are indisputably entitled to rank among the most ancient of existing nations, as well as among those most early and most rapidly civilized. . . ere yet the Pyramids looked down upon the Valley of the Nile. . . when Greece and Italy, these cradles of modern civilization, housed only the tenants of the wilderness, India was the seat of wealth and grandeur."

The well-known German philosopher Augustus Schlegel in his book, Wisdom of the Ancient Indians, noted in regard to the divine origin of Vedic civilization, "It cannot be denied that the early Indians possessed a knowledge of the God. All their writings are replete with sentiments and expressions, noble, clear, severely grand, as deeply conceived in any human language in which men have spoken of their God. . ."

Max Mueller further remarked in his India--What It Can Teach Us (Page 21), "Historical records (of the Hindus) extend in some respects so far beyond all records and have been preserved to us in such perfect and legible documents, that we can learn from them lessons which we can learn nowhere else and supply missing links."

On the antiquity of the Vedic society, we can respect the number of philosophies, outlooks on life, and developments in understanding our purpose in this world that has been imbibed and dealt with during the course of its existence. Through all of this, it has formed a commentary and code on all aspects of life and its value, the likes of which can hardly be found in any other culture today. Thus, with age comes wisdom. And the nature and depth of the Vedic wisdom can hardly be compared with anything else that is presently available. Anyone who has taken a serious look at it will agree. It is universally applicable to all.

3. THE VEDIC LITERATURE IS THE OLDEST AND MOST COMPLETE SCRIPTURES FOUND ANYWHERE. It is agreed by any scholar of history or religion that the earliest spiritual writings that can be found are the Vedic samhitas, such as the Rig-veda. In History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature (page 557), Max Mueller observed, "In the Rig-veda we shall have before us more real antiquity than in all the inscriptions of Egypt or Ninevah. . . the Veda is the oldest book in existence. . ."

In the same book (page 63) Max Mueller also noted, "The Veda has a two-fold interest: It belongs to the history of the world and to the history of India. In the history of the world the Veda fills a gap which no literary work in any other language could fill. It carries us back to times of which we have no records anywhere."

The Rig-veda, as old and profound as it, nonetheless, represents only a portion of Vedic thought and wisdom. It was further expanded and explained in numerous other portions of Vedic literature. The whole library of ancient Vedic texts covers a wide range of contemplation, experience and learning in regard to an extraordinarily diverse number of topics.

To explain briefly, we first find the most ancient four Vedic samhitas, namely the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas. Then there is the Brahmanas, treatises explaining the techniques of the rituals in the Vedas, and the Aranyakas, further explanations for those renunciants who live in the forest. After this we find hundreds of Upanishads, the foremost of which are 108, out of which eleven are the most famous, such as the Katha, Mundaka, Brihadaranyaka, Shvetashvatara, Prashna, Chandogya, and others. These continue to elaborate on the Vedic spiritual truths. The Vedanta Sutras are also codes that contain the essence of spiritual truths that require fuller explanations by a spiritual teacher.

Beyond these are the Itihasas, or the histories, which are contained in such large volumes as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, of which the famous Bhagavad-gita is a chapter. These contain not only an immense library of stories and moral principles, but some of the loftiest spiritual teachings that anyone can find. Furthermore, they can act as guidebooks for one's life, as well as explain the step by step processes for achieving one's own spiritual enlightenment. This is also true of the Puranas, out of which there are 18 greater or Maha Puranas and another 18 lesser or Upa Puranas. There are also many regional or Sthala Puranas. All of these give many stories of the past histories of the world, and even the universe, as well essential spiritual teachings that are universal in nature that everyone could benefit by studying.

We also find additional Sutras, books of codes that explain such things as rules for householders, as in the Griha-Sutras, or codes of duty and other topics. The Vedangas contain the auxiliary sciences, such as phonetics, grammar, astronomy, etc. Then there are the Upavedas, or lesser Vedas, which deal with the arts and sciences such as dancing and music (Gandharva-veda), holistic health (Ayur-veda), or the art of war, and even architecture. Beyond this there are thousands more books that are the books of great spiritual masters and Vedic teachers that are commentaries on the original Vedic texts. All of these are in pursuance of the Vedic path.

In this way, within the Vedic scripture, one can find music, dance, art, biographies on great saints and personalities, and stories that contain every level of emotion. They also exhibit lessons of truth, etiquette, philosophy, and examples of how others have lived and attained the heights of spiritual consciousness and freedom from further material birth.

The most important books for spiritual instruction, as most everyone will agree, are the Bhagavad-gita and Srila Vyasadeva's own commentary on the Vedic texts, the Bhagavat Purana. He was the original author of the essential Vedic scriptures. These will bring anyone to various levels of spiritual knowledge, the likes of which surpass conventional religious principles. The Bhagavat Purana brought out everything that Vyasadeva neglected to explain in his previous writings. Therefore, anyone who studies Vedic knowledge should not neglect reading the Bhagavat Purana, also called the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Through this short review of the Vedic texts, one can get an idea of how thorough and comprehensive is this science. These scriptures reveal the form of God, His personality, the loving nature of God, His greatness, mercy and compassion like no other scripture available. It also shows the unique paths to God in ways that are far more detailed and beyond anything that other scriptures present. Everyone, no matter whether they are religionists, philosophers, politicians, artists, celebrities, or renounced swamis, will appreciate and benefit from the continued study of this most ancient, sacred, and most complete of all spiritual literature. Therefore, those who are devoted Hindus and practitioners of the Vedic system never give up the reading and study of the Vedic literature, knowing that newer and loftier levels of understanding and perceptions into the secrets of life are awaiting them.

Naturally, there is wisdom and understanding available through all of the great books and religions. But to fathom the vast depths of Vedic knowledge is to flow through such a grand gallery of realizations and levels of consciousness that a person can merely get a glimpse of the innumerable considerations that have been made within the development of the Vedic lifestyle regarding all aspects of life. It has been said that the Vedic scripture remains ever fresh with newer and newer realizations, insights and wisdom. Thus, it could be advised that a person can spend a lifetime reading and studying the Vedic scripture and never end in finding newer and higher levels of understanding.

4. THE VEDIC PATH HAS A MOST DEVELOPED AND COMPLETE SPIRITUAL PHILOSOPHY.

As we can see from the previous description of the Vedic scripture, the Vedic philosophy is the most extensive you can find anywhere. It covers so many aspects of life, both material and spiritual, that it is more comprehensive than any other philosophy or lifestyle that you can find. So many viewpoints on life, the material manifestation, God, and our spiritual nature have already been thoroughly considered and thought out that there is little, if anything, that the Vedic philosophy has not already dealt with and spoke about. Everything is there, more of which than most people are aware. Because of this it has attracted thinkers and philosophers from all over the world and from all points in time. The West in particular has, and still does, look to India for the loftiest spiritual knowledge, and for what the churches or synagogues have not delivered. This may include practical spiritual guidance in self-discovery, an integrated world view, spiritual and emotional fulfillment, and even true mystical or spiritual experiences. The spiritual processes that are explained in the Vedic teachings go far beyond the conventional idea, as presented by most religions, that people should merely have faith and pray to God for forgiveness of their sins in order to be delivered to heaven. Naturally, we all have to be humble before God. That is what is encouraged and developed. This is especially in the loving devotional path, wherein a person can purify his or her consciousness through the spiritual practices that are fully explained in the Vedic teachings, even though this takes time and serious dedication and sincerity.

The point is that the Vedic process does not discourage one from having his or her own spiritual realizations, which are often minimized, neglected or even criticized in other religions, which often teaches that the church alone is what maintains your connection with God. But in the Vedic system it is taught that we are all spiritual and loving parts of God, and automatically have a relationship with Him. Therefore, such experiences are considered a proof that the process is successful at helping one elevate his or her consciousness. One's consciousness resonates at various frequencies, depending on the level of one's thoughts, words, and actions, as well as the images and sounds that one absorbs through contact with objects and activities. By learning how to undergo the proper training, one can include the practices that will bring one's consciousness to a level in which one can perceive that which is spiritual. The more spiritual you become, the more you can perceive that which is spiritual. The whole idea is to bring one to perceive his or her spiritual identity and relationship with God. Thus, it must be a scientific process, used under the guidance of a spiritual master, for it to be successful. If the process is not complete, or if the student is not serious, then of course the results will not be as expected. Yet, if the proper spiritual process is explained correctly, and the student is sincere in his or her efforts, the effects will be there. This is why for thousands of years philosophers and spiritual seekers from around the world have come to India, or have been influenced by the Vedic system: It gives practical results when properly performed.

5. THE VEDIC LITERATURE OFFERS MORE INFORMATION ON THE SCIENCE OF LIFE AFTER DEATH, KARMA AND REINCARNATION.

Sure, all religions indicate there is life after death. However, they normally offer only the most basic understanding that if you are good and a believer, maybe you will go to heaven. And if you are predominantly bad, you will go to hell. But only the Vedic philosophy offers detailed information on how exactly this works, and how we create our future with every thought, word and deed. And how that future may not only be in a heavenly world or on a hellish planet, but how it can be another life similar to what we are experiencing now on this earthly globe.

After all, we can look around this planet Earth and see that some people live a nice heavenly existence. They may live in beautiful weather and landscapes, in pleasant surroundings, and in a lovely house, with plenty of money, etc. While someone else may live in a country torn by war, with famine and drought all around, dealing with disease and poverty, and so on. Or we can see that even within the same family, someone may be born and become educated, wealthy and accomplished, while a sister or brother may be born blind, deformed, uneducated, and grow to have a hellish life filled with difficulty. Why is there such a difference? The fundamental religions may give only basic answers, like it is the will of God. Yet the Vedic knowledge can go into great details to explain how such occurrences are arranged by nature to provide the necessary facilities for each individual to have what he or she desires and deserves according to their past actions, words and consciousness.

6. THE VEDIC PHILOSOPHY OFFERS A MOST COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF GOD AND THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSION.

In all of the religious books one can gather, you will find nowhere else but in the Vedic texts such a complete description of the Supreme Being and the spiritual dimension. Nowhere else is the understanding given that God is an impersonal force (the Brahman effulgence, in which God displays His potency of existence/eternality), as well as Paramatma, the localized incarnation known as the Supersoul in everyone's heart (in which God displays His potency of existence and knowledge), and, ultimately, Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality who creates this world and overlooks all things (in which God displays His potencies of existence, knowledge and pleasure pastimes). Nowhere else is there offered such a complete understanding of all aspects of God, from His impersonal characteristics to His individual and supreme nature.

Nowhere else can you find such details of God's personality, what He looks like, how He lives and sports with His friends, or that He even DOES have friends and sports with them. Nowhere else can you find that God has devotees who play the parts of parents and relatives, but in a perfect spiritual family. Nowhere else but in the Vedic texts, especially in the likes of the Bhagavat and Vishnu Puranas or Mahabharata, can you see how God takes care of His friends and devotees, how He reveals Himself, how He engages in the most loving pastimes with those who love Him most, or even that you CAN engage in loving pastimes with God. Nowhere else is it explained how God, through His causeless mercy, descends into this world to exhibit His pastimes in order to give us a chance to learn how to become attracted to Him.

Furthermore, nowhere else are there such elaborate explanations of the spiritual world and what goes on there, or how we can truly enter that region, and what the areas are that surround the cosmic creation. Also, nowhere else can you find such detailed descriptions of how the universe was created. Often you will find in a scripture a simple allegory for people to believe that gives only the slightest ideas of how the worlds were created. But in the Vedic literature, there are complex explanations of how and when things took place in order to manifest the universe as we see it now. [My book, "How the Universe was Created," gives these details.]

For these reasons, anyone of any religion can study the Vedic scripture to add to whatever spiritual understanding they already have. Or if they don't have any spiritual understanding, then you just found the mother lode, the main vein of spiritual knowledge of which all others are but portions.

7. HINDUISM AND THE VEDIC LITERATURE HAS MANY DIRECT WORDS AND INSTRUCTIONS FROM GOD.

The Vedic literature is filled with stories and conversations of instruction, and many of those instructions are given directly by God or one of His many incarnations. Other spiritual paths may provide a few commandments that are said to be given by God, or books given by His representatives or prophets. And these certainly can be helpful for the guidance of mankind. However, no where else but in the Vedic scripture do we find such a collection of direct instructions given by Lord Krishna, Lord Vishnu, or the Lord's other forms that direct us in explicit methods of reaching spiritual realizations and perfection.

No where else can you find such lofty and spiritual advice as that related in books like the Bhagavad-gita, or the Bhagavat Purana and other numerous Vedic texts. No culture or religion has anything that compares, or that go far beyond basic moralistic rules to provide the higher principles of direct spiritual realization. These instructions are a scientific process in which the results are assured to cleanse our minds and purify our hearts, if we sincerely follow the formula. Therein lies the doorway through which we can perceive our own spiritual identity and then the numerous aspects of the Absolute Truth.

8. THE VEDIC PATH OFFERS THE MOST LOVING AND BEAUTIFUL FORMS OF GOD.

Not only does the Vedic literature describe the innumerable aspects of God, but also relates the knowledge of the numerous incarnations and forms of God. In these incarnations He performs innumerable pastimes for multiple purposes. Out of all these, which are completely spiritual in nature, we find such beautiful attributes and forms as Lakshmi and Vishnu, or Sita and Rama, and Sri Sri Radha and Krishna as the most sublime. In fact, the forms of Radha and Krishna have been described at length for Their superb qualities and features of incomparable beauty. Plus, the depth of Lord Krishna's loving nature and pastimes with His closest associates is like none found elsewhere. There is no other culture or spiritual path that has any such knowledge of God, or that can present such loving and beautiful forms of God who displays such deep and nectar-like pastimes and personality. Therefore, the Vedic process offers the deepest insights into the most confidential forms and loving disposition of the Supreme Lord. These pastimes often cannot be understood by those who view the Supreme as an angry and jealous God, as some religions do. They do not know the more sublime nature of spiritual relations with the Supreme because there is no information about it found elsewhere.

9. THE VEDIC CULTURE HAS SOME OF THE GREATEST SPIRITUAL TEACHERS AND MASTERS THAT YOU CAN FIND.

In any of the authorized sampradayas, or lines of disciplic succession, you can find greatly learned and fully realized spiritual masters. These lines of gurus and disciples include the Brahma, Sri, Shiva or Kumara sampradayas. In these lines, the highest levels of spiritual knowledge has been carefully handed down from person to person, guru to disciple. Therein we have received the blessings and elaborate instructions from such teachers, as well as witnessed their lifestyle and numerous miracles, as some people would call them. The histories and biographies of such saints and teachers show their ability to affect others, and provide examples of how some have entered directly into the spiritual dimension, or even communed with God on a regular basis.

http://hindustt.blogspot.com/2009/06/why-be-hindu-advantages-of-vedic-path.html

THE POWER OF PRAYER

Prayer elevates the mind. It fills the mind with purity. It is associated with praise of God. It keeps the mind in tune with God.

Prayer can reach a realm where reason dare not enter. Prayer can work miracles. Prayer frees the devotee from the fear of death. It makes him feel nearer to God; it makes him feel the divine presence everywhere. Prayer awakens the divine consciousness in him and makes him feel his essential immortal and blissful nature.

Prayer has a tremendous influence. If the prayer is sincere and if it proceeds from the bottom of your heart (antarika), it will at once melt the heart of the Lord. Sri Krishna had to run bare-foot from Dwaraka on hearing the heart-felt prayer of Draupadi. You all know this. Lord Hari, the mighty ruler of this universe apologised before Prahlada for coming a little late, when the latter prayed. How merciful and loving is the Lord.

Say even once, from the bottom of your heart: "O Lord, I am thine. Thy will be done. Have mercy on me. I am thy servant and devotee. Forgive. Guide. Protect. Enlighten." Have a meek, receptive attitude of mind. Have bhava in your heart. Your prayer is at once heard and responded to. Do this in the daily battle of life and realise for yourself the high efficacy of prayer.

Prayer is the first important limb of yoga. Preliminary spiritual sadhana or practice is prayer. God helps even a dacoit (robber) when he prays. Pray to God for purity, devotion, light and knowledge. You will get all these things.

Get up early in the morning and repeat some prayers for getting mental and physical brahmacarya (purity). Pray in any manner you like. Become as simple as a child. Freely open the chambers of your heart. Sincere devotees know well the high efficacy of prayers.
Pray fervently, right now, from this very second. Do not delay friend; that `tomorrow' may never come.

"O Lord, I do not know what I should ask thee. Thou only knowest what I want. I surrender myself unto thee. I open my heart unto thee. Thou art merciful and omniscient. Thou knowest the interior of my heart. Let me accomplish thy will. Make me a fit instrument for thy unhampered play (lila). Prostrations unto thee."

http://hindustt.blogspot.com/2009/06/power-of-prayer.html

The Holy Rudraksha - The Super Seed

The seed of the Rudraksha tree (Elaeocarpus granitrus) holds a very special place in Hinduism, and is credited to possess mystical and divine properties. Necklaces made of Rudraksha beads are considered auspicious as well as powerful, and are supposed to have profound astrological and ayurvedic benefits. It is believed that one who wears Rudraksha is untouched by sins, and is protected from all impious deeds or thoughts.

Origin & Myths
Rudraksha has its etymological origin in the Sanskrit words, Rudra and Aksha. Rudra is another name for Lord Shiva, and aksha means teardrop. Mythological tales have it that the Rudraksha plant was born out of Lord Shiva's tear drops. Ancient scriptures, such as Shiva Purana, Padma Purana and Srimad Bhagavad mention the greatness and wonderful powers of the Rudraksha.

For thousands of years, they have adorned the bodies of sages and saints leading a fearless life in far-flung frontiers seeking enlightenment and liberation.

Medicinal Value & Biomedical Properties
According to the Ayurvedic medical system, wearing Rudraksha can have a positive effect on the heart and nerves, and relieve you from stress, anxiety, depression, palpitations and lack of concentration. It is also known for its anti ageing effect, and electromagnetic and inductive properties. People with high blood pressure have been found have benefited from the use of Rudraksha seeds.

Types of Rudraksha
There are different varieties of Rudraksh available, and these are classified according to the number of grooves in the Rudraksh: Pachamukhi (5 faces), Dwi Mukhi (2 faces), Eka mukhi (1 face) etc. Each one has its own particular properties when worn by an individual. Rudraksh is capable of holding the energy of the person who is wearing it, unlike Spadika (which has only a cooling effect on the body) or any other seed. There is a prevalent myth that Rudraksh should not be worn by consuming non-vegetarians, couples, or women during menstruation - but this is spurious.

Anyone can wear it any time..
The Rudraksh seeds are brittle in nature and so it should be protected from chemicals and toileteries. Wearing Rudraksha mala cleanses a person's aura.

http://hindustt.blogspot.com/2009/08/holy-rudraksha-super-seed.html

Prayer before meals

Before starting a meal, Hindus offer food to God and thank God for the meal they are about to receive.

Traditional Hindus tell a prayer before food. basically, the prayer means this:

"The food is God. The plates, spoon, etc are God. The eater is God. The fire of hunger is God. The act of eating is God."

It implies that I don't eat for my sake; eating is an activity ordained by Nature. The order of Nature is such that one organism lives at the cost of another. Life to one being is death to another. It is impossible to maintain the life of this body without taking the life of millions of germs, food grains, fruits, leaves, seeds, plants, animals, etc. So the prayer before food implies that life is being offered to life. It is not for mere enjoyment that you eat, but as a necessary action to keep the body alive. This attitude is applicable to almost all actions in life.

We should partake food with a Sathwic mind. Our ancestors recommended the offering of food to God before partaking. Food so partaken becomes "Prasad" (consecrated offering). Prayer cleanses the food of the three impurities; caused by the absence of cleanliness of the vessel, cleanliness of the food stuff, and cleanliness in the process of cooking. It is necessary to get rid of these three impurities to purify the food; for, pure food goes into the making of a pure mind. It is not possible to ensure the purity of the cooking process, since we do not know what thoughts rage in the mind of the man who prepares the food. Similarly, we cannot ensure the cleanliness of the food ingredients as we do not know whether it was acquired in a righteous way by the seller who has sold it to us. Hence, it is essential on our part to offer food to God in the form of prayer, so that these three impurities do not afflict our mind.

Hindus recite the following prayers before meals.
BHAGAVAD GITA 4:24

brahmarpanam brahma havir
brahmagnau brahmana hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyam
brahma-karma-samadhina


BRAHMAN is the oblation; BRAHMAN is the clarified butter etc; constituting the offerings; by BRAHMAN is the oblation poured into the fire of BRAHMAN; BRAHMNA verily shall be reached by him who always sees BRAHMAN in all actions.

Ramanuja's Commentary

Here the word brahmarpanam means the paraphernalia used to offer oblations in yagna or offering of worship to propitiate the Supreme Lord. All the accessories used in yagna are also considered to be Brahman or the spiritual substratum pervading all existence, along with the offerings of ghee and grain seeds, the fire they are offered through as well as the performer of the offering. Lord Krishna is explaining that everything used in yagna can be considered as part of the Brahman. One who realises that the Brahman or the spiritual substratum pervading all existence is actually abiding in all actions reaches the Brahman which is becoming cognisant of the spiritual substratum of reality underlying and pervading all existence. This is the consciousness of the actions from an aspirant for moksa or liberation where the atma or soul is understood to be non-different from the Brahman. Consequently actions performed in this consciousness are all known to be spiritual and thus realised is in itself a means for achieving atma tattva or soul realisation thus precluding any further need to practice jnana yoga or cultivation of Vedic knowledge.


Another interpretation:

The whole creation being the gross projection of Bramham, the Cosmic Consciousness itself; the food too is Bramham, the process of offering it is Bramhan; it is being offered in the fire of Brahman. He who thus sees Brahman is action, reaches Bramham alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bhagavad Gita 15:14

aham vaisvanaro bhutva
praninam deham asritah
pranapana-samayuktah
pacamy annam catur-vidham

SYNONYMS

aham--I; vaisvanarah--by My plenary portion as the digesting fire; bhutva--becoming; praninam--of all living entities; deham--body; asritah--situated; prana--outgoing air; apana--down-going air; samayuktah--keep balance; pacami--digest; annam--foodstuff; catuh-vidham--four kinds of.

TRANSLATION

I am the fire of digestion in every living body, and I am the air of life, outgoing and incoming, by which I digest the four kinds of foodstuff.


PURPORT

This sloka is a sort of acknowledgement and assurance to us from Brahman. "I am Vaishnavara, existing as fire God in the bodies of living beings. Being associated with ingoing (prana) and outgoing (apaana) life breaths, I will digest all the four different types of food (that which we bite and chew; that which we masticate with the tongue; those which we gulp; that which we swallow) and purify them."

----

According to Ayur-vedic sastra, we understand that there is a fire in the stomach which digests all food sent there. When the fire is not blazing, there is no hunger, and when the fire is in order we become hungry. Sometimes when the fire is not going nicely, treatment is required. In any case, this fire is representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedic mantras also confirm that the Supreme Lord or Brahman is situated in the form of fire within the stomach and is digesting all kinds of foodstuff. Therefore since He is helping the digestion of all kinds of foodstuff, the living entity is not independent in the eating process. Unless the Supreme Lord helps him in digesting, there is no possibility of eating. He thus produces and digests foodstuff, and, by His grace, we are enjoying life. In the Vedanta-sutra this is also confirmed: sabdadibhyo 'ntah pratisthanac ca. The Lord is situated within sound and within the body, within the air and even within the stomach as the digestive force. There are four kinds of foodstuff, some are swallowed, some are chewed, some are licked up, and some are sucked, and He is the digestive force for all of them.

http://www.asitis.com/15/14.html


Another translation and interpretation:

I, the Supreme Spirit, abiding in the body of living beings as the Fire (Vaiswanara) in their stomach I am associated with their Praana and Apaana, digest the four type of foods (solids, fluids, semi-fluid and liquid) which they eat.

--------------

Another prayer

Harir Daatha Harir Bhoktha
Harir Annam Prajaapatih
Harir Vipra Shareerastu
Bhoonkte Bhojayathe Harih.

Oh Lord Hari, You are the food, You are the enjoyer of the food, You are the giver of food. Therefore, I offer all that I consume at Thy Lotus Feet.

http://hindustt.blogspot.com/2009/08/prayer-before-meals.html

Pratyangira Song Lyrics

Om pratyangiraayai vidmahi

Shatru rishuthanyai theemahi

Thanno thevi prachotayathu…

Om pramantra yantra tantra agharshanayai namaha

Om sarvathustha prathustha sirac cheathinyai namaha

Om maha mantra, yantra, thantra akchinyai namaha

Om Maha Bathrakaalee pratyangiraayai namaha… music…

Pratyangkara endru anbodalaithaale pratyaksha maaga varuvaal

Amma nearile urai aaduval…music

Aangara roobamayai anbaane vadivamai, annaiyaai kaakka varuvaal,

Kodum vinai yaavum mithithaduvaal…

Om shakthi thaaye pratyanggara…

Sarabeswaram shakti emai kaakka vaa, 2×

Nalam yaavum perugha vendum…

Amma nee endrum kaakka vendum…2×

Om shakthi thaaye pratyanggara…

Emmodu pesidea nerile vaa… times 2

Pratyangkara endru anbodalaithaale pratyaksha maaga varuvaal

Amma nearile urai aaduval…music

Isanaam sarabeswaran iru sakthigalil ondraane shakti neeye…

Ondrane un roobam visvaroobam kaadhi ongaara vadivaagi vaa…

Canthira kalaiyudan aayiram singgamugham un moondru kangal kondea…

Neela vasthram tharithu, panjaayutham thaanggi, singgathin miitheri vaa…

Thaaye un tharisanam kodi punyam..kandale pothume intha jenmam…, 2×

Oru pushpam poaddahlume…engal veedenggum un vaasame…, 2× male

Om shakthi thaaye pratyanggara…

Emmodu pesidea…nerile vaa…

Om shakthi thaaye pratyanggara…

Sarabeswaram shakti emai kaakka vaa,

Pratyangkara endru anbodalaithaale pratyaksha maaga varuvaal

Amma nearile urai aaduval…music

Sevvarili. senthaamarai, ell, pushpathaal manamurughi poojai seithoam...ayiram naamangal architthu aavarana poojaiyil unnai alaithoam…

Amma…

Artharudhan javvaathu santhana poochile..yantramaai vaazhum thaayea….

Vaazhai pazahtilea…maalaigal soodhiyea..manathaare unnai poathrinoam…

Uppilaa vadai seithu thean oothriyea…vennaiyum tharugirom neiveithyame… times 2

Amma nee earkka vendum…engal thadai yaavum paranthodanum…

Amma nee earkka vendum…thadai yaavum paranthodanum…

Om shakthi thaaye pratyanggara…

Emmodu pesidea…nerile vaa…

Om shakthi thaaye pratyanggara…

Sarabeswaram shakti emai kaakka vaa,

Pratyangkara endru anbodalaithaale pratyaksha maaga varuvaal

Amma nearile urai aaduval…music

Paghaivanjam, seiyvinaiyum, pollathe thristhighalum, emmai viddhu oadha vendum…

Pollaathe karma vinai thiyoarin ennalai anughamal kaarkka vendum…

Siiraana valam perugha, manai yellam nee niraiya ennaalum arula vendum…

Atharvana kaaliyea…Sri Bathra Kaliyea…unnai yendrum thutikka vendum…

Hriinggaram seitha padi neril varuvaai…oonggaaram seitha padu sulandraaduvaai…times 2

Amma un arul kolame…kaana ellame jeyam aaghume…times 2 male

Om shakthi thaaye pratyanggara…

Emmodu pesidea…nerile vaa…

Om shakthi thaaye pratyanggara…

Sarabeswaram shakti emai kaakka vaa,

Amma pratyanggara…

endru anbodalaithaale pratyaksha maaga varuvaal

Amma nearile urai aaduval…

Om shakthi thaaye pratyanggara…

Sarabeswaram shakti emai kaakka vaa,

Amma…pratyanggara thaayea…ennai endrum kaarthu arula venum thayea…

Behind chorus:

Om shakthi thaaye pratyanggara…

Sarabeswaram shakti emai kaakka vaa…

WHAT IS POOJA?

Puja is ritualistic worship of the Divine performed to keep us in harmony with cosmic forces, thereby removing and overcoming the sorrows of life and bringing spiritual upliftment. By doing puja, thoughts and vibrations of spiritual forces are created around us.

The Significance Of 108

By Linda Johnsen
It is amazing how much Western science has taught us. Today, for example, kids in grammar school learn that the sun is 93 million miles from the earth and that the speed of light is 186,000 miles per hours. Yoga may teach us about our Higher Self, but it can't supply this kind of information about physics or astronomy.

Or can it?

Professor Subhash Kak of Louisiana State University recently called my attention to a remarkable statement by Sayana, a fourteenth century Indian scholar. In his commentary on a hymn in the Rig Veda, the oldest and perhaps most mystical text ever composed in India, Sayana has this to say: "With deep respect, I bow to the sun, who travels 2,202 yojanas in half a nimesha."

A yojana is about nine American miles; a nimesha is 16/75 of a second. Mathematically challenged readers, get out your calculators!

2,202 yojanas x 9 miles x 75 - 8 nimeshas = 185,794 m.p.s.

Basically, Sayana is saying that sunlight travels at 186,000 miles per second! How could a Vedic scholar who died in 1387 A.D. have known the correct figure for the speed of light? If this was just a wild guess it's the most amazing coincidence in the history of science!

The yoga tradition is full of such coincidences. Take for instance the mala many yoga students wear around their neck. Since these rosaries are used to keep track of the number of mantras a person is repeating, students often ask why they have 108 beads instead of 100. Part of the reason is that the mala represent the ecliptic, the path of the sun and moon across the sky. Yogis divide the ecliptic into 27 equal sections called nakshatras, and each of these into four equal sectors called padas, or "steps," marking the 108 steps that the sun and moon take through heaven.

Each is associated with a particular blessing force, with which you align yourself as you turn the beads.

Traditionally, yoga students stop at the 109th "guru bead," flip the mala around in their hand, and continue reciting their mantra as they move backward through the beads. The guru bead represents the summer and winter solstices, when the sun appears to stop in its course and reverse directions. In the yoga tradition we learn that we're deeply interconnected with all of nature. Using a mala is a symbolic way of connecting ourselves with the cosmic cycles governing our universe.

But Professor Kak points out other coincidences: The distance between the earth and the sun is approximately 108 times the sun's diameter. The diameter of the sun is about 108 times the earth's diameter. And the distance between the earth and the moon is 108 times the moon's diameter.

Could this be the reason the ancient sages considered 108 such a sacred number? If the microcosm (us) mirrors the macrocosm (the solar system), then maybe you could say there are 108 steps between our ordinary human awareness and the divine light at the center of our being. Each time we chant another mantra as our mala beads slip through our fingers, we are taking another step toward our own inner sun.

As we read through ancient Indian texts, we find so much the sages of antiquity could not possibly have known-but did. While our European and Middle Eastern ancestors claimed that the universe was created about 6,000 years ago, the yogis have always maintained that our present cosmos is billions of years old, and that it's just one of many such universes which have arisen and dissolved in the vastness of eternity.

In fact the Puranas, encyclopedias of yogic lore thousands of years old, describe the birth of our solar system out of a "milk ocean," the Milky Way. Through the will of the Creator, they tell us, a vortex shaped like a lotus arose from the navel of eternity. It was called Hiranya Garbha, the shining womb. It gradually coalesced into our world, but will perish some day billions of years hence when the sun expands to many times it present size, swallowing all life on earth. In the end, the Puranas say, the ashes of the earth will be blown into space by the cosmic wind. Today we known this is a scientifically accurate, if poetic, description of the fate of our planet.

The Surya Siddhanta is the oldest surviving astronomical text in the Indian tradition. Some Western scholars date it to perhaps the fifth or sixth centuries A.D., though the text itself claims to represent a tradition much, much older. It explains that the earth is shaped like a ball, and states that at the very opposite side of the planet from India is a great city where the sun is rising at the same time it sets in India. In this city, the Surya Siddhanta claims, lives a race of siddhas, or advanced spiritual adepts. If you trace the globe of the earth around to the exact opposite side of India, you'll find Mexico. Is it possible that the ancient Indians were well aware of the great sages/astronomers of Central America many centuries before Columbus discovered America?

Knowing the unknowable

To us today it seems impossible that the speed of light or the fate of our solar system could be determined without advanced astronomical instruments. How could the writers of old Sanskrit texts have known the unknowable? In searching for an explanation we first need to understand that these ancient scientists were not just intellectuals, they were practicing yogis. The very first lines of the Surya Siddhanta, for of the Golden Age a great astronomer named Maya desired to learn the secrets of the heavens, so he first performed rigorous yogic practices. Then the answers to his questions appeared in his mind in an intuitive flash.

Does this sound unlikely? Yoga Sutra 3:26-28 states that through, samyama (concentration, meditation, and unbroken mental absorption) on the sun, moon, and pole star, we can gain knowledge of the planets and stars. Sutra 3:33 clarifies, saying: "Through keenly developed intuition, everything can be known." Highly developed intuition is called pratibha in yoga. It is accessible only to those who have completely stilled their mind, focusing their attention on one object with laser-like intensity. Those who have limited their mind are no longer limited to the fragments of knowledge supplied by the five senses. All knowledge becomes accessible to them.

"There are [those] who would say that consciousness, acting on itself, can find universal knowledge," Professor Kak admits. "In fact this is the traditional Indian view."

Perhaps the ancient sages didn't need advanced astronomical instruments. After all, they had yoga.

Source: http://www.yimag.org

http://hindustt.blogspot.com/2009/07/significance-of-108.html

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Hinduism Dictionary

Aalvar: Meaning, “one immersed in God consciousness.” It is the affectionate title given to the 12 Tamil Vaishnavite saints who lived between the fifth and ninth centuries. These saints revitalized the devotional worship of God Vishnu throughout India. They travelled extensively, composing devotion-inspiring poems to God Vishnu. Their collective works of about 4000 verses are compiled in the Scripture, Divya Prabhandam. Aarati: The camphor light presented to the deity at the end of the puja ceremony. The light is then presented to devotees present at the puja as a sacrament. Abhaya Mudra: Mudras are hand gestures that are given specific meaning. Abhaya mudra signifies that, 'all is well' or 'fear not.' The gesture is made by showing the palms of the hand with the fingers outstretched and can be pointing upward or downward. There are many types of mudras. They are often seen on deities and used by traditional Indian dancers during their performances, priests doing the puja ceremony or yogis while meditating. Abishegam: The bathing of a deity during the puja ceremony. Many natural substances such as milk, honey, rose water and sacraments are used to bathe the deity. Abishegam is a gesture of appreciation of God. Adi Shankara: One of Hinduism’s most renown monk and scholar. Sri Adi Shankara (788-820) is the preeminent guru of the Smarta Hindu sect. He pioneered the creation of monastic orders in Hinduism. Monks under Adi Shankara’s lineage are called Shankarachariyars. Adi Shankara is known for his erudite exposition of the Vedas. Among the many Scriptures he wrote are Viveka Choodamani, Atma Bodha, Atma-Anatma and Ananda Lahiri. Adi Shankara’s teachings are based on the monistic philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. Adivasi: It means “original settlers,” and refers to the aboroginal community in India. They include hill tribes and forest dwellers. Agama: Pronounced Aa-gema. Agamas are Hindu sectarian Scriptures that are regarded as highly as the Vedas. Like the Vedas the Agamas are sruti (revealed directly by God) Scriptures. Each of the Hindu sects has their own set of Agamas. They are called the Saiva Agamas, Shakta Agamas and Vaishanva Agamas. The Smarta Hindu sect considers the Vedas as their Agamas. Agni / Lord Agni:Agni is fire in Sanskrit. Fire is an important element for worship of God in Hinduism. Apart from providing the light to enable sight, agni is the chief element among the five elements of fire, water, earth, air and ether (space) as the provider of energy. Agni is also able to transform one element to the other while remaining unchanged itself, such as turning liquid to gas. In worship Lord Agni, the Mahadeva who controls the fire element is the conduit between the devotee and God. During agnihotra (homa) fire ceremony the burnt offerings of the devotee are transported spiritually to reappear in the heavens in their etheric forms. Agni in the form of light is also used as a representation of God as Parashakti, The Second Aspect of God, as the Divine Light of Omniscience. Ahimsa: Nonviolence. One of the cardinal virtues of Hinduism. Ahimsa is practicing love toward all by refraining from hurtful thoughts, words or actions. The practice also includes being vegetarian. Ahimsa is known as the most important virtue to uphold on the path to moksha. ( Moksha: Liberation. In Hinduism the salvation of the soul is defined as freedom from the cycle of reincarnation on the physical plane, or Earth. After moksha the soul abides eternally in heaven. Before moksha the soul will enter heaven or hell temporarily between births, depending on the merits or demerits it accrues in the form of karmas during it’s life on Earth. Moksha is in a sense a graduation from having to live life on Earth anymore. It is achieved after the soul has fulfilled all of it’s desires for life on Earth and has Realized God. It is synonymous with mukti.) All-Pervasive: The quality of being present everywhere and through all things and beings. One of the divine qualities of God, Who is simultaneously present in the entire universe. Amends: To correct mistakes made by asking for fogiveness and, or improving the situation that had gone wrong. Amman, Godddess: Short for Mariamman, She is a form of Goddess Shakti as the healer. She is especially attributed to healing devotees with the deadly small pox disease. Temples to Mariamman are usually built by farmers next to their farms. The neem tree is closely attributed to Her worship. Bunches of neem branches with leaves are usually part of Her worship and neem trees are sometimes used in place of a Mariamman deity to worship Her in outdoor shrines. Amorphous: A state of being without a clearly defined shape or form. Used to describe God’s forms as Divine Energy, Pure Love, Light and Truth. Ananda Tandava: God Shiva’s dance of bliss which He performed thousands of years ago to an audience of preists and sages at the hallowed Shiva temple of Chidambaram. God Shiva danced through 108 poses. Bharata Muni, one of the sages who witnessed the ananda tandava, compiled these poses and used them to create the traditional Indian dance bharata natyam. God Shiva’s form of Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, is God Shiva doing the pose of Grace during the ananda tandava. Anava: Pronounced with a long 'a' as in 'ark' on the first 'a,' anava is 'the individuating principle.' It is one of the three bonds that bind the soul to the world. The three bonds are anava, karma and maya. Loosely translated as ego, anava is the principle that gives the soul individuality and creates a sense of seperation between the soul and God. Anava is the last bond to dissolve when the soul finally merges in total union with God (vishvagrasa). Animal-like forms: In the context of these lessons, animal-like forms refer to forms of God as Paramatma that are partly or entirely based on an animal. There are a few forms like this such as in the avatars of Lord Vishnu where he appears at different times as a fish, a turtle and a boar. Lord Shiva too in a story has appeared as a boar to suckle a litter of piglets that lost their mother. The animal forms of Paramatma are seldom used for worship. They are more often depicted in the wall carvings of temples, or as ornaments of elaborate temple towers. The most worshipped animal like form of Paramatma is Lord Vishnu as Narasimha, who is part animal and part human. Narasimha has the head of a lion and body of a human with multi-arms holding weaponry. He is worshipped as the protector of the virtuous. Anugraha: God's Action of Revealing Grace: This is God’s activity of teaching and discovery of knowledge (spiritual and material). It is through anugraha that God grants boons and propels the the spiritual evolution of the soul. Anugraha is embodied in the forces of karma and dharma. There are no deities that specifically represent anugraha. The symbol that represents revealing grace are God’s Feet. Archana: Supplications. Archana is part of the puja ceremony. During the archana the devotee presents offering to God. These offerings are taken by the priest and the name, nakshatra (birth star) and gotra (lineage or sect) of the devotee is chanted by the priest as he places the offerings at the deities feet. After the archana the priest returns some of the offerings back to the devotee as blessed by God along with sacrements (vibhuti - holy ash, tilak - red powder, tirtham - holy water). Archana's are usually done to mark special occasion in the devotees life, such as anniversaries, as thanks giving for prayers answered and or as part of a prayer. Ardhanarishwara, Lord: The Half-Female Lord. The form of Ardhanarishwara, is the conjoined forms of God Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. God Shiva on the right side of the body and Goddess Parvathi on the left side of the body. This is a purely symbolic form of God. It is a mystical representation of God as Parashakti, whose amorphous forms include Pure Love, Divine Consciousness, Truth and Bliss. Ardharishwara is also a meditative representation of the perfectly balanced state of being. When such a state of balance, that is when the dualities of life are in equilibrium, is achieved, the meditator experiences God as Sat-Chit-Ananda (Truth-Pure Consciousness-Bliss). This meditative state is called Savikalpa Samadhi and is one of the states of God Realization or enlightenment. Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga Yoga, is a structured step by step system of God Realization. Ashtanga yoga defines eight steps that gradually trains a yoga practioner to realize God. These steps are yama–moral restraints, niyama–religious observances, asana–hatha yoga exercises, pranayama–breath control, pratyahara–sense withdrawal, dharana–concentration, dhyana–meditation and samadhi–God Realization. Hindu culture and practices (irrespective of the sects) are contained within the steps of ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga yoga is the same as raja yoga or kundalini yoga. Aspects / The Three Aspects: The different perspectives of understanding something. In this case it refers to The Three Aspects of God. By understanding God as The Three Aspects, all the different experiences of God a devotee can have is explained. The Three Aspects of God are Paramatma–The Primal Soul, Parashakti–God's Pure Consciousness and Parabrahman–God's Transcendent Ultimate Reality. Astral / Astral Plane:Anything astral is related to nonphysical realms or states ofexistence. In Hinduism the astral world is divided in to many realmsfrom the very gross (hell) to the very subtle or fine (heaven). Theserealms are divided according to levels of consciousness. In a human,our astral existence is more durable and longer lasting than thephysical. The astral bodies include the most subtle being the soul oratma, which was created out of the likeness of God to the astral bodythat contains our personality and emotions. As for the world, HinduCosmology defines three main divisions to the levels of existence. 1.Bhuloka-the entire physical universe 2. Devaloka-the astral plane orthe realm of the ancestors and devas 3. Brahmaloka-the highestheaven-the realm of God and the Mahadevas. Asura: Demonic beings that inhabit hellish realms of the lower astral plane. Their actions are not guided by virtue and they are given to mischief making. In Hindu myths asuras are depicted as greedy and tyrannical beings who oppose the positive and good forces of the devas who live in heavenly realms. (Devas: Angles. They are mostly discarnate souls living and resting in the heavens between births on earth. Devasare helpful and loving beings guided by virtue. They are given toperforming service for others without the need of reward.) Atheists: Person who do not believe or deny the existence of God. Even in ancient times Hinduism has recognized atheism as a philosophy of life. However Hinduism does not encourage its practice. The Sanskrit term for atheism is naastika. Some Buddhists will claim that they are atheists because they do not believe in a Supreme Godhead who created the universe. Atma: Sanskrit for soul. The atma is our immortal spiritual being that lives and reincarnates on earth. It is our true and undying being that was created by God. The process of creation of the atma is akin to a spark (the atma) emitting from fire (God). The body of the atma is luminous and filled with blissful vibrations. It is not harmed nor affected in anyway by sorrow, injury or disease. The atma grows in strength with each life lived on earth. The goal of the atma is to reunite with God, just as a drop of rain returns to it’s source the ocean. Aum: Same as Om. It is a mystic syllable or mantra of Hinduism, placed at the beginning of most sacred writings and hymns. Aum represents the divine and is known as the first vibration to be issued forth from God in the creation of the Universe. Aum is also an important mantra that is used for meditation. Awareness: An individual’s ability to perceive an object, subject, situation or fact. The sanskrit word for awareness is saakshin (the witness). In Hindu mystical texts, saakshin is described as the perceptive ability of the soul. Awareness is the witness because it perceives all physical and mental activities in the body and mind. When teaching Hindu mysticism in english, gurus will often use the word awareness instead of consciousness to define an individuals ablitity to perceive. Awareness has the power to control the mind and emotions, or it may be controlled by the mind and emotions. According to Hindu mysticism, spiritual growth or evolution is the result of the gradual ability of an individual’s awareness to gain mastery over the mind and emotions. (Consciousness: To be conscious. The ability to be aware of oneself and one's surroundings. In mystical Hindu writings, there are two main levels of consciousness. One is the awareness of an individual, through which a person is able to maintain indviduality or personality. This conciousness is usually translated into english as individual consciousness or awareness. The sanskrit word for this consciousness is saakshin, which means witness. The second level of consciousness, is the All-Pervasive consciousness of God. This is God's Omniscient mind that forms the foundation of Creation. In sanskrit, this level of consciousness is called chit, as in Sat-Chit-Ananda. In english it is often translated as universal consciousness, divine consciousness or pure consciousness. Awareness or individual consciousness (saakshin) arises from the universal consciousness (chit) as part of God's creation of an individual.) Ayurvedic: From Ayurveda. It is the Hindu (or traditional Indian) medical system. Bad Karma / Karma: The law of cause and effect. The law of karma governs situations in our life. It states that whatever the consequences to an action one performs, he or she will recieve similar consequences in return in the present life or a future life. A simple way to understand karma is, if you do good, you get good. If you do bad, you get bad. Karma is our creation. If our actions are good we create good karma, or punniyam (in Tamil) for oneself. Bad action begets bad karma or pavam for oneself. We may reap our good or bad karmas in the present lifetime, or we may face them in a future lifetime. It is through creating karmas that we shape our future. Benevolence: To give joyously without thought of reward, said of God’s giving nature. Bhagavad Gita: A central Scripture for Vaishnavites. It is part ot the epic story Mahabharata. It is a conversation between Lord Krishna and the Pandava Prince Arjuna at the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna about the goals of life and the importance of performing one’s duty, or dharma. Bhairava, Lord: A form of Lord Shva as the destroyer. Lord Bhairava is seen as a protector and He is often worshiped in temples in the outskirts of villages or in forests. Bhajan: A style of devotional singing and songs. Usually sung in groups with a leader leading groups usually during festivals or religious events to stir devotion among devotees. A percussion ensemble is often used in bhajans. The music and tunes are lively and the lyrics and their meanings are simple so everyone can easily participate in the singing. Bhakti: Love of God. It also means expression of pure dedication or devotion toward God or a person, community or a cause. In the context of this site it mainly refers to God. Bhakti is a state of pure devotion. Pure or sincere devotion can be described as one of the highest expressions of love. It is unconditional love that involves care and affection but does not in anyway bind the object of love to any preconditions or contract. It is love for the sake of love. Parent's love for their children, a devotees love for God, God's love for all Creation are examples of bhakti. The expression of bhakti cannot be faked, feigned or forced. A devotee cultivates bhakti for God by living a virtuous life, through worship and realizing that God is the source of his or her life and is the compassionate Master and Creator of the Universe. One is able to express sincere devotion for God when one is free from the fear of God and realizes that God is love. Bhakti also names a stage of evolution of the soul toward God as in Bhakti Marga, the path of Bhakti. This state is a corner stone of the spiritual evolution of the soul. It a point in the evolution of the soul when its relationship with God is no more motivated by fear of God or the fear of unfortuante events in life. At this point the soul has an unshakable footing in dharma, or virtuous living and is seeking closeness to God propelled by the strong spiritual motivations of the soul. Bhumidevi, Goddess: Mother Earth. A form of Goddess Shakti who represents Earth. Bhutas: Astral beings that are connected to the natural elements of earth, including plants or animals. They are also known as nature spirits. Generally good beings, they are sometimes summoned to create mischief by unscrupulous black magicians. Animal sacrifices in temples attract bhutas to the worship. Scriptures do not recommend such worship. Bilva: Cannon-ball fruit (or bael) tree, Aegle marmelos, sacred to Lord Shiva. Its leaves, naturally arranged in threes, are offered in the worship of the Shivalingam. The delicious fruit which tastes like a cross between an orange and a mango is used medicinally. Brahma, Lord: In the Vedic Trinity, Lord Brahma is God as the Creator. Brahma is the four-faced Lord. Each of His faces gaze at the four directions, that are north, east, south and west. He holds in His hands Scriptures (for learning), a conch (for creation), a water vessel (for asceticism) and gestures the 'fear not' abhaya mudra. His vehicle is a white swan, Hamsa the wise. He wears white and is usually pictured seated or standing on a white lotus. In Hindu myth, Goddess Gayatri, who is also Goddess Saraswati is an emanate of Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma is not to be mistaken for Brahman, Who in the Vedas is descriped as the One Supreme Godhead. Lord Brahma is a reflection of Brahman as the Creator. Brahman, God: In the Vedas, God in His or Her entirety, which includes The Three Aspects is Brahman. He is often addressed just as Brahman and sometimes as Ishwara. The word Brahman is not to be confused with Brahma, who is an attribute of Brahman as the Lord of Creation (Part of the Vedic Trinity–Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva). Brahmin: The classification of people who are pious and of exceptional learning in religious scriptures and matters. They are generally the priest caste in a traditional Indian society. Brihadeeshwarar Temple: The Big Temple of Tanjavur (Tanjavur Periya Koyil), is among the popular pilgrimage desitnation for Hindus. It is a majestic temple built in the 9th century by King Raja Raja Chola. The temple is an imposing edifice in the Tanjavur city landscape. The architectural beauty of this temple is awe inspiring as is the tangible spiritual vibrations that can be felt within this temple. The main deity of Brihadeeshwarar temple is the Shivalingam. It is also the biggest Shivalingam to be ever installed in a temple. This temple is maintained and protected by UNESCO as an ancient architectural wonder. One of the wonderment of this temple, among its other features, is the top stone or capstone (sthupi) that sits on the 200 feet temple tower, the vimanam. The single piece granite structure is estimated to weigh in at about a colossal 80 tons. Chakra: Literally 'wheel' or 'disc'. In spiritual context chakras usually refer to psychic or spiritual force centers that are situated along the length of the spine and in the brain, though there are also chakras below the base of the spine to the feet and also above the head in the body of the soul. In all there are 21 main chakras, however for spiritual progress on earth gurus mainly teach about the development of the seven chakras along the spine and in the brain. These seven chakras, from the base of the spine are: Muladhara Chakra (base chakra), Svdhishtana Chakra (navel), Manipura Chakra (solar plexus), Anahatha Chakra (the heart), Vishuddha Chakra (throat), Ajna Chakra (third eye) and Sahasrara Chakra (crown of the head). These chakras control functions of the mind, the nervous system and endocrine system. Chidambaram: One of the holiest shrine to God Shiva. Chidambaram is a large temple complex dedicated to God Shiva, especially to His form as Nataraja, the Lord of Dance. It is situated in the southern state of Tamilnadu in India. Chin mudra: A hand gesture, where the index finger and thumb are touching, while the other three fingers are outstretched. This pose is commonly used during meditation. It signifies perfect concentration and peace. Chola: Chola is the name of the largest ancient Tamil empire of South India. At its height the Chola dynasty’s empire covered the whole of South India and Sri Lanka and stretched northward following the Eastern coast of India until present day Myanmar and covered a big area of Southeast Asia. The Pandiyans, Pallavas and Cheras were rival dynasties to the Cholas. Circumambulation: Meaning to go around. In a Hindu temple it refers to the practice of walking around the temple’s main sanctum a few times on a designated path. It is done before entering the temple’s sanctum for worship. The practice serves as a walking meditation to help concentrate the mind on God. Pradakshina in Sanskrit or Tamil. Clairvoyantly: The faculty of perceiving things beyond normal sensory perception. Such as seeing visions while meditating. Consciousness: To be conscious. The ability to be aware of oneself and one's surroundings. In mystical Hindu writings, there are two main levels of consciousness. One is the awareness of an individual, through which a person is able to maintain indviduality or personality. This conciousness is usually translated into english as individual consciousness or awareness. The sanskrit word for this consciousness is saakshin, which means witness. The second level of consciousness, is the All-Pervasive consciousness of God. This is God's Omniscient mind that forms the foundation of Creation. In sanskrit, this level of consciousness is called chit, as in Sat-Chit-Ananda. In english it is often translated as universal consciousness, divine consciousness or pure consciousness. Awareness or individual consciousness (saakshin) arises from the universal consciousness (chit) as part of God's creation of an individual. Dakshina: Gifts or contributions given to a guru or a priest in appreciation of their services rendered. Dakshinamurthi, Lord: Pronounced Dakshinaamurthi, is a form of Lord Shiva as the Guru. He is usually depicted sitting on a platform under a banyan tree with the saptarishis (the seven celebrated exponents of the Vedas–Maharishis Vasishta, Vishvamitra, Jamadagni, Gotama, Bharadvaaja, Gungu, Agastya and Kashyapa). Dakshinamurthi holds Scriptures in one hand, on another He displays the chin mudra hand gesture, the other hands hold implements of creation–the damaru drum and fire–symbol of dissolution. Dakshinamurthi is usually carved as an inset in the outer wall of the main sanctum of Saivite temples facing south, as Dakshinamurthi means the South facing Lord. Damaru: A traditional hand drum. The drum is usually small enough to be held and played using one hand. The damaru is often assosciated to God Shiva as an implement that he holds to symbolize God's power of creation or srishti. Darshan: Seeing the Divine. Receiving the Grace of God through the sight of the devotee of a temple deity, a holy person or a meditative vision. Darshan is a highly sought after experience in Hinduism. It is the blessings one gets from seeing God through the temple deity, visions during meditation or dreams or through a holy person. When a devotees is asked, "Have you had darshan?" The devotee is being asked wether he has seen a particular deity in a temple or shrine or met a particular holy person of the place. The Scriptures extol darshan as one of the most potent medium for receiving blessings from God. Thus in Hinduism followers are urged to cultivate the desire to see God's Holy Form. The most sought after darshan is the psychic sight of God through meditation or through visions in dreams. Deepam: Oil lamp. Deepams are used at homes and in temples for light and also presented to the deity during the puja ceremony. Deity: A representation of God, such as a statue or carving that is used for worship. Devaloka: The spiritual realm of the departed souls from earth. It is divided into heaven, or swarga, the abode of the devas, and hell or naraka, the abode of the asuras. Devas: Angles. They are mostly discarnate souls living and resting in the heavens between births on earth. Devas are helpful and loving beings guided by virtue. They are given to performing service for others without the need of reward. Dharma: God’s Divine Laws. Dharma includes laws of nature that govern the physical universe, such as gravity or electro-magnetism and laws that govern the spiritual universe such as karma or reincarnation. Living according to dharma is living according to God’s laws. That is living according to righteousness and ethics. Dhyana / Dhyanam: Same as meditation. It is a goal in the practice of yoga. Dhyana is a state of consciuosness that is achieved through sustained concentration of the mind on a specific subject such as God, upon which new knowledge and insights on the subject are revealed from within oneself. The Patanjali Yoga Sutras (a Scripture written by Sage Patanjali, which is a definitive guide to the mystical processes of the mind) describes dhyana as a point in concentration when the yogi and the his/her subject of dhyana become one. When this happens the yogi's awareness is lifted into the plane of God Consciousness, which is Omniscient. From this plane of superconsciousness intricate knowledge of yogi's subject flows into the meditators mind. It is through this process that much of the Truths in Hinduism were discovered by the gurus, the ardent meditators. When the yogi's subject is God and the state of dhyana is achieved, the meditator is then said to realize God and thus achieve enlightenment. In the Patanjali Yoga Sutras this state is called samadhi. Samadhi is the most sought after goal of the Hindu spiritual seeker. Dissolution: To dissolve or disintegrate from existence. Dissolution is part of God’s power or function of reabsorbing Creation into Himself. Sometimes the word destroy is used instead of dissolution. Divine Light: Divine Light is a description of God as Parashakti; God's Second Aspect. The light in this context refers to the 'light of wisdom' as opposed to the 'darkness of ignorance'. However, this light is not merely a symbol of God's Omniscience or wisdom, it is also the inspiring mystical light that is seen by meditators when they attain Parashakti in the state of savikalpa samadhi. When this state is attained, the meditator's mind is literally lit up by the bright white light of Parashakti, even if he or she is meditating with eyes closed in a dark room. Divine Light is synonymous with Pure Light, The Light of Intelligence and God's Omniscience. They all refer to God's All-Knowing Intelligence. Divine Mother: Goddess. God in any female form, such as Lakshmi, Amman, Sarawati, Durga or Kali. Doomsday: In Judaic, Christian and Islamic faiths this is the last day of the worlds existence. After this day the world is destroyed and the day of the Last Judgment begins. On this day souls are judged according to their merits and faith while they lived on earth and then sent to either heaven or hell eternally. In Hinduism, we do not have the concept of Doomsday, though there is the concept of Mahapralaya–The Great Dissolution. This is the time when the entire creation (the physical universe as well as the spiritual universe) are reabsorbed back into God. After mahapralaya only God exists until He issues forth creation again. According to traditional Hindu calculations of the yugas, there is yet billions of years before the next Mahapralaya. Last Judgement does not occur in Mahapralaya because all the souls reunite with God. Dualism / Dualistic: The theology of two-ness. Any philosophy that teaches separation between man and God, or soul and God. Dualistic (which is in accordance to dualism) philosophies state that God and man or the soul are distinct and separate beings. There are many levels to dualistic philosophies: Pure dualism are philosophies that expound absolute separation between man or the soul and God. That the only connection between them can be that God created man or the soul; and man’s faith in God. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are theologies of pure dualism. Hinduism and most Eastern religions ascribe to qualified dualism. These theologies teach of the separation of God and the soul, however this separation is not absolute because God is also known to exist within the soul. Therefore in qualified dualism, while a separation between the soul and God is acknowledged, a simultaneous state of unity or ‘oneness’ between God and the soul also exists. Durga, Goddess: A Goddess form of Paramatma as The Protector. She the Dispeller of ignorance and Protector of the virtuous. She hold many weapons on Her multi-hand form and rides on a tiger. Elemental-like form: In the Vedas God is sometimes referred to as the Ruler of the elementals. In such forms He is addressed as the element. The most common reference to God in an elemental-forms are Lord Agni (fire) and Lord Varuna (Water). Enlightened / Enlightenment: The state of being after achieving enlightenment or God Realization. Enlightenment changes the perspective of the enlightened devotee to a wisdomful and spiritual one. After enlightenment the existence of God becomes experiential reality for the devotee. (God Realization: The meditative experience of the meditator’s awareness merging into God’s Being. At the point of God Realization the meditator's awareness and God's Pure Consciousness are One. There are many levels or experiences in God Realization, such as experiencing God as Divine Light, or Pure Love, or Infinite Vastness, or as Absolute Reality–the experience most yearned after by ardent spiritual seekers. The ultimate goal of the practice of Hinduism is to guide its devotees to the experience of God Realization. After the seeker has achieved God Realization he or she is said to be enlightened. According to Hinduism, God Realization is a required experience for each soul in order to achieve moksha. Hinduism also recommends that a seeker be under the guidance of a guru to learn to achieve God Realization. The Sanskrit word equivalent to God Realization is samadhi.) Emanating: To issue forth, be produced by or to emit out of.

Ganesha, Lord: A Mahadeva created by God. Lord Ganesha has an elephant head and a body of a man with a fat tummy. Lord Ganesha is the most worshipped deity among Hindus. Hindu scriptures instruct that Lord Ganesha be worshipped first before the start of any endeavour including the worship of another deity. He is the Gate Keeper of the Heavens and the Remover of Obstacles. His Elephant Face indicates that His existence is connected closely to Earth. Mythologically Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva, though His worship is not limited to Saivism. In fact the worship of Lord Ganesha is universal among Hindus. Thus His worship unifies all Hindus. Ganesha's other common names are Ganapati, Vinayagar and Pillayar.

Ganesha Chaturthi: A festival honouring Lord Ganesha, generally regarded as his birthday. It falls at the end of August or early September. Ganesha Chaturthi is celebrated by all Hindu communities. It is especially grand in the state of Maharashtra in India where it is a 10 day carnival like celebration.

God Realization: The meditative experience of the meditator’s awareness merging into God’s Being. At the point of God Realization the meditator's awareness and God's Pure Consciousness are One. There are many levels or experiences in God Realization, such as experiencing God as Divine Light, or Pure Love, or Infinite Vastness, or as Absolute Reality–the experience most yearned after by ardent spiritual seekers. The ultimate goal of the practice of Hinduism is to guide its devotees to the experience of God Realization. After the seeker has achieved God Realization he or she is said to be enlightened. According to Hinduism, God Realization is a required experience for each soul in order to achieve moksha. Hinduism also recommends that a seeker be under the guidance of a guru to learn to achieve God Realization. The Sanskrit word equivalent to God Realization is samadhi. (Moksha: Liberation. In Hinduism the salvation of the soul is defined as freedom from the cycle of reincarnation on the physical plane, or Earth. After moksha the soul abides eternally in heaven. Before moksha the soul will enter heaven or hell temporarily between births, depending on the merits or demerits it accrues in the form of karmas during it’s life on Earth. Moksha is in a sense a graduation from having to live life on Earth anymore. It is achieved after the soul has fulfilled all of it’s desires for life on Earth and has Realized God. It is synonymous with mukti. Samadhi: Literally it means, “to hold together completely.” Samadhi is the goal of the practice of yoga, wherein the state of oneness or undifferentiated union is achieved between the meditator and the object of his meditation. There are two levels of samadhi. The first is savikalpa samadhi, in which the meditator’s awareness becomes one with pure consciousness, or God’s mind, also known as Satchitananda. The second is nirvikalpa samadhi, in which oneness with God as Parabrahman, who transcends all modes of consciousness, time, form and space is experienced. The aftermath of both states of samadhi creates a new spiritual perspective in the mind of the meditator–one that is imbued with the experiential reality of God. The meditator becomes more enlightened each time he achieves samadhi. However of the two samadhis, nirvikalpa samadhi is the highest or ultimate state. It brings in its aftermath a complete transformation of consciousness. This transformation is what is required by the soul to achieve liberation or moksha.)

God Realized Gurus: These are gurus who have achieved spiritual enlightenment. They are usually recognized by the title Satguru, Maharishi or Brahmarishi preceeding their name. There are two main states of God Realization–Nirvikalpa Samadhi and Savikalpa Samadhi. A God Realized guru is a master of both of these states and is able to guide his disciples to both of them. The titles Satguru, Maharishi or Brahmarishi cannot be self-proclaimed, they must be conferred to the guru by his guru or by a body of spiritual adepts, usually a formal or informal society of Hindu gurus, priests and pundits as a recognition of his God Realized status. One can recognize a God Realized guru mainly by the spiritual energies that he or she emanates or by the wisdom by which they guide their devotees. God Realized gurus are also usually renunciates–though there can aslo be God Realized gurus who are married though they wont be given the titles Satguru, Maharishi or Brahmarishi–and so can also be recognized by their natural lack of desire for ownership or material gratification.

God's Consciousness: It is Parashakti, God's Second Aspect. God's Conciousness, is the All-Pervasive universal consciousness that is the foundation of Creation. God's consciousness is also the foundation of our individual consciousness. Spiritual evolution is the result of the ability of an individual to merge his or her individual consciousness with God's Consciousness. This merging is called savikalpa samadhi, which is a meditative attainment.

God’s Love: Life. Hinduism teaches that God’s love is life itself. A guru once quipped, “if there is one thing God cannot do, it is to take Himself out of us.” The experience of our life energy, that is, the impulses that makes us breathe, that makes our heart beat or our mind to think and so forth is God’s love. Thus God is a silent but an intricate and intimate part of our lives. When meditating to achieve God Realization, the inital step is to concentrate on one of our life impulses such as the breath or heartbeat.

Godhead: Another word for God, however this word also indicates the deepest adoration and the highest admiration for God.

Good Karma / Karma: The law of cause and effect. The law of karma governs situations in our life. It states that whatever the consequences to an action one performs, he or she will recieve similar consequences in return in the present life or a future life. A simple way to understand karma is, if you do good, you get good. If you do bad, you get bad. Karma is our creation. If our actions are good we create good karma, or punniyam (in Tamil) for oneself. Bad action begets bad karma or pavam for oneself. We may reap our good or bad karmas in the present lifetime, or we may face them in a future lifetime. It is through creating karmas that we shape our future.

Gopuram: The entrance tower of South Indian style temples. Usually the tallest towers of the temple. It is ornately decorated by many images of God.

Grace: When God intervenes in our life, whether to give or restrict, it is called Grace. In Hinduism God animates the worlds through the five actions of Creation, Preservation, Destruction, Revealing Truth and Obscuring Truth. Grace is part of God's power of Revealing Truth or Obscuring Truth. This power is mainly related to the transference of wisdom and knowledge though not limited to them, but also includes spiritual and material boons. While God's revealing and benevolent Grace is easily understood, God's hiding and limiting Grace is often misunderstood. Obscuring Grace has to do with the protection of a devotee from bad, ill-timed or dangerous decisions. In such cases God will put obstructions on a devotees path to change his or her direction.

Guru: A teacher. In Hindu culture, a teacher of any subject is called a guru. However in the context of the lessons in this site, a guru is a spiritual master. An enlightened person who has the spiritual authority and knowledge to accept devotees and guide them toward God Realization. They are also sought for their wisdom and advice in matters of religion and life in general. To be a guru a devotee must seek training under an established guru of a spiritual lineage (sampradaya) and later if qualified receive intiation and authority to take on the leadership of the sampradaya by his or her guru. However the position of a guru is never an ambition of a devotee when seeking a guru, rather it is a responsibiity that is bestowed upon a devotee who is spiritually qualified and able. It is not a position that is sought after through a democratic voting process or by any type of popular consensus. There are gurus who are not connected to any particular traditional lineage, but are recognized by their devotees as gurus because of their spiritual abilities. These gurus may claim initiation through dreams by a guru who has past on or by God Himself. These gurus are considered self-proclaimed gurus. Examples of self-proclaimed gurus are Amritanandamayima and Satya Sai Baba among others. Often when they pass on their devotees and successor who carry on their work will create a new sampradaya that will carry on for generations to come in the traditional way.

Gurudeva: An affectionate title given by disciples to address their spiritual guru. In these lessons it refers to the author’s guru, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami.

Gurukulam: The Hindu school system. Gurukulams that still exist today are priest training centers. Before the modern school system, gurukulams existed on all areas of study, such as religion, government, politics, business, ayurveda (Hindu medical system), warfare, astronomy and astrology and so forth. It is based on artisan and apprenticeship training. It was common for students attending gurukulams to live with their master’s family for a specified number of years or until they master their learning and practice.

Hatha Yoga: Yoga exercises. The Hindu art of physical exercise. Yoga exercises are designed to keep the physical body healthy and prepare the mind for spiritual disciplines such as meditation. The oldest known text on yoga exercises, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, written by Sage Gorakshanatha more than 2,000 years ago, is an instruction manual that has all the yoga poses and their benefits.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika: A Scripture written over 2,000 years ago by Satguru Gorakshanatha. It is the first Scripture to detail all the poses and benefits of different yoga asanas or yoga exercise poses. Apart from yoga asanas the Scripture also describes breath control techniques known as pranayama.

Heaven / Heavens: The upper Devaloka and Brahmaloka. In Hindu Cosmology, the spiritual dimensions are divided into three main level. The first level is the Bhuloka–the material plane; the second level is the Devaloka–the subtle world of the ancestors; the third level is the Brahmaloka–the causal world of the God and the Mahadevas. The upper Devaloka and Brahmaloka are heavenly worlds. The Devaloka is divided into a heavenly upper plane–Svarga, and a hellish nether plane–Naraka.

Hindu / Hinduism: Of or pertaining to the Hindu religion. The Hindu religion is the most ancient religion in the world. It is estimated that Hinduism is over 5,000 years old. The word Hindu was said to have been created by the Persian Muslims who invaded India in the 16th century. They named the ancient religion of the Indian people after the mighty Indus river that they had to cross in order to get to the Indian Subcontinent from present day Pakistan. After the Persians who became the Moghuls, the British formalized the name Hindu for the ancient religion of India. Before the word Hindu followers of the religion's many sects called their common belief structure Sanatana Dharma. Sanatana Dharma is not as much a name of a religion for Hindus as it is a term that encapsulated their common beliefs that tied the various Hindu sects together. Sanatana Dharma means the Eternal Truths of Life. There are about a billion adherents of Hinduism mostly living in the Indian Subcontinent, though the Hindu diaspora from India has made the religion a global religion. Hindu temples and organizations can be found in most countries in the world. Hindu teaching has also been spreading out of India to other communities mainly in the West since the late 19th century. Hindu swamis such as Swami Vivekananda created Hindu missions in the West that still function today. Apart from philosophy the Hindu spiritual exercise system or Hatha Yoga has been adapted as an universal practice and has been accepted by the global community for its health benefits. (Sanatana Dharma: In the simplest explanation, it is the ancient or original name of the Hindu religion. It means the “Eternal Truthsof Life.” When God revealed Sanatana Dharma to the rishis, theyrealized that these truths or spiritual laws were universal andapplicable to all peoples, no matter by what name they call God or bywhat form He is worshipped. Thus the name Sanatana Dharma came to be.Sanatana Dharma is Sanskrit. In Hindi it is pronounced, Sanatan Dharm).

Homa: “Fire offerings.” The worshipful Vedic fire ceremony. Also known as agnihotra. Homa preceed the puja ceremony and is usually performed on important festival days in temples and also as part of certain domestic rites such a home blessings and marriages.

Human-like forms: In the context of these lessons, human-like forms refers to forms that God, as Paramatma, can take on to appear to devotees. Human-like means, looking like a human instead of an animal. In most human-like forms, Paramatma is usually depicted with four arms. The multi-arms in God's forms is the main distinguishing part of God's form from humans and other beings. God can also appear to have many faces, such as Mahavishnu or Brahma. If Paramatma is depicted in the form of an avatar, such as Krishna or Rama, He will look like a human with two hands instead of four. A few forms of Paramatma are half-human and half-animal, such as Lord Vishnu's avatar as Narasimha.

Illupai Tree: Java plum tree, syzygium cumini. A hardy tree that grows wild all over India and the tropics. It produces small juicy red-purple edible fruits and the tree provides wide shade area. Its wood is widely used in homas (fire ceremony) and funeral pyres as it is easily gathered.

Immortality: Deathless or indestructible. A quality of God and the soul.

Inherent: Existing in something as a permanent or essential characteristic attribute. It is said of God existing within the soul.

Innate: The natural quality of a person or an element. It is similar to the word inherent and is often used to describe God’s existence as the substratum of the universe. (Substratum: The underlying layer or substance that is the foundation of something. It is said of God as Parashakti, being the all-pervasive underlying foundation of all creation.)

Inner Experience: Inner in this context refers to within a person or in his or her mind. Any experience one has in their mind, including visualizations, thoughts, emotions and so forth are inner experiences. In most cases inner experience refers to spiritual experience one has during meditation, prayers or religious ceremony.

Intensely Peaceful: This phrase is an oxymoron, as it has two words with seemingly contradictory words together. Intense generally refers to acute or extreme activity, where as peaceful refers to calm and quite conditions. Intensely peaceful is used to describe the experience of Parashakti in savikalpa samadhi. This is because the in this this state a meditator experiences absolute peacefulness yet is filled with intense, vibrant and rejuvenating energy from God.

Internal Worship: Prayer. Worshipping God within oneself. It is also a form of meditation. It is an essential form of prayer in Hinduism, as the physical body is seen as a mystical temple to God.

Ishta Devata: The preferred deity. Ishta Devata is central belief in Smarta theology. In Smartism a devotee may choose his or her central deity of worship from any of the deities withing Hinduism. Their choice is their Ishta Devata. In general practice a devotee usually chooses only one deity as their Ishta Devata, rarely does a devotee have two Ishta Devatas though this is not contrary to the theology, where all forms of God represent a singular Godhead.

Ishwara: In the Vedas, God in his entirety, which includes all The Three Aspects is Ishwara. He is often addressed as Brahman and sometimes as Ishwara in Vedic texts.

Jain: Jainism. A religion that was founded in India about 2,500 years ago by Sage Mahavira. Its beliefs are closely related to Hinduism. Jains also believe in karma, moksha and Self Realization. A foremost ideal in Jainism is ahimsa and Jainism enjoins its devotees to be strict vegetarians. There are about six million Jains in the world. They mainly live in South and Central India, especially in Mumbai.

Japa: The practice of repetitious chanting of a mantra. It is a form of prayer and an aid in the practice of meditation. Japa is also done as a supplication to God for specific purposes. The purpose is outlined in the meaning of the mantra. Though chiefly used to achieve spiritual attainments, the practice of japa is also used to cleanse oneself of sin, to gain material wealth and also to improve health. Performing japa involves concentrated chanting of the mantra along with mental visualizations. Each mantra has a unique purpose and a unique set of visualizations. It is best to learn japa from a guru who can instruct on the proper pronunciation, rhythm of chanting and visualizations.

Jiva: The soul, or atma, embodied in a physical body.

Jnana: Pronounced nyaa-na, it means spiritual wisdom. It also names the state of being and the knowledge gained after samadhi or God-Realization. In the four fold progressive path toward moksha: chariya, kriya, yoga and jnana; jnana is the final step.

Jnani: Pronounced nyaa-ni. A spiritually enlightened person. Jnanis are usually gurus. However any meditator who has realized God through their meditation and is able to maintain this realization can be considered a jnani, though they may not be recognized as Hindu gurus. Being a jnani is the highest achievement of human life according to Hindu belief. A jnani lives with the reality of his or her oneness with God as a constant experience instead of merely intellectual knowledge. Any jnani will be able to guide a meditator in their quest for enlightenment as a jnani can draw from his own experiences and through a strong sense of intuition that comes from his closeness to God's Omniscient Pure Consciousness (the result of his enlightenment).

Kali, Goddess: The form of Goddess as the Destroyer. Kali has a gruesome form, with Her mouth open showing fanged teeth and tongue stuck out, often holding decapitated head of demons and wearing a necklace of skulls. Same as the male representation of God as the Destroyer, Rudra, Goddess Kali is worshipped as a protector and an annihilator of ignorance and hatred.

Kamandalu: A vessel that is usually used to carry water. It can usually hold between two to four cups of water. Sages and itenerant monks usually carry their water supply in kamandalus. It is also used to contain religious sacrements such as vibhuti or holy ash. Some kamandalus are made with a decorative water spout. These kamandalus are specific for performing abhishegams and the sandhya vandanam ritual.

Karma: The law of cause and effect. The law of karma governs situations in our life. It states that whatever the consequences to an action one performs, he or she will recieve similar consequences in return in the present life or a future life. A simple way to understand karma is, if you do good, you get good. If you do bad, you get bad. Karma is our creation. If our actions are good we create good karma, or punniyam (in Tamil) for oneself. Bad action begets bad karma or pavam (in Tamil) for oneself. We may reap our good or bad karmas in the present lifetime, or we may face them in a future lifetime. It is through creating karmas that we shape our future.

Kavadi: A wooden structure used to carry pots of milk for abishegam to Lord Murugan on His festival days such as Thaipusam. It consists of a piece of wood to which pots of milk is tied to at either end and is decorated with a wooden arch, flowers and peacock’s tail feathers. Devotees carry the kavadi on their shoulders over a prescribed distance, usually a few miles from the temple, as an act of penance. ( Penance: The deliberate act of performing spiritual disciplines that cause hardship on oneself. These disciplines include fasting, carrying kavadi, prostrating before God 108 times and so forth. The reason for doing penance is to beseech God’s Grace to help rid bad karmas that we may be facing or that we may face in the future. Gurus explain that God absorbs the effort we put out and devotion we express during the penance, and uses it to dissolve or reduce the impact of bad karmas.)

‘Know God from personal experience’: To have direct experiences of God, such as seeing God's Holy form through worship or experiencing God's presence or form through meditation. Such experience affirms a devotees belief of God's existence, thus creating a profound change in the devotees life. The perspective of the devotee changes from a materialistic base to a spiritual one. The ultimate goal of Hinduism is to guide its devotees to have personal experiences of God. Hindu Scriptures and gurus urge devotees to strive for such experiences. The Scriptures explain that the soul is born on Earth countless times until it experiences God or in other words achieves God realization It is the experience required for the soul to achieve moksha. Knowledge of God from personal experience is differentiated from understanding the nature of God through the process of study or learning, which is academic and not personal. It is however helpful to first have an understanding of God academically before seeking God Realization. ( God Realization: The meditative experience of the meditator’s awareness merging into God’s Being. At the point of God Realization the meditator's awareness and God's Pure Consciousness are One. There are many levels or experiences in God Realization, such as experiencing God as Divine Light, or Pure Love, or Infinite Vastness, or as Absolute Reality–the experience most yearned after by ardent spiritual seekers. The ultimate goal of the practice of Hinduism is to guide its devotees to the experience of God Realization. After the seeker has achieved God Realization he or she is said to be enlightened. According to Hinduism, God Realization is a required experience for each soul in order to achieve moksha. Hinduism also recommends that a seeker be under the guidance of a guru to learn to achieve God Realization. The Sanskrit word equivalent to God Realization is samadhi. Moksha: Liberation. In Hinduism the salvation of the soul is defined as freedom from the cycle of reincarnation on the physical plane, or Earth. After moksha the soul abides eternally in heaven. Before moksha the soul will enter heaven or hell temporarily between births, depending on the merits or demerits it accrues in the form of karmas during it’s life on Earth. Moksha is in a sense a graduation from having to live life on Earth anymore. It is achieved after the soul has fulfilled all of it’s desires for life on Earth and has Realized God. It is synonymous with mukti.)

‘Knowing your Self by yourself’: A popular saying of Sage Yogaswami. He often uses this phrase to urge his devotees to strive for God Realization. Self with the capital S, stands for God within oneself. God realized gurus teach that at the core of our being we are one with God. Therefore God Realization is sometimes substituted with Self Realization.

Kodi Yeatram: “Flag raising,” it refers to the 10 day annual festival of a temple that marks the anniversary of the temple’s consecration or kumbha abishegam. This festival is a South Indian tradition and it is marked by grand and elaborate ceremonies and deity parades around the city or village of the temple.

Kolam: Intricate geometric designs drawn on the floor infront of the entrance of homes or temples. Kolams are signs of auspiciousness. It is part of Hindu culture that the womenfolk of the household draw simple kolams at the entrance to their homes every morning. On festival days, or happy occasions in the household such as marriage or birthdays, more intricate and colourful kolams are drawn. Kolam is a Tamil word. In Hindi it is called ranggoli.

Krishna, Lord: A form of Lord Vishnu, also affectionately called Kannan, the Child Lord, in His form as Krishna the toddler. Lord Krishna is the Lord who expounded the Bhagavad Gita which is part of epic Mahabharata. Lord Krishna was the charioteer for Arjuna, a Pandava prince, one of the heros in the battle of the Mahabharata.

Kumbha: A type of vessel used to hold water. When a kumbha is arranged a certain way with a coconut and mango leaves, it is used to represent God. Kumbhas are usually used in prayer ceremonies conducted by priests outside the temple, or when they perform kumbha abishegams. Kumbhas are also setup at the entrance to religious or cultural events as a sign of auspiciousness and also to represent Lord Ganesha. (Maha Kumbha Abishegam: The conseceration ceremony done to open a new, or newly renovated temple for public worship. The ceremony energizes the temple and the deity within it through forging connections between the temple and the heavens. A temple’s maha kumbha abishegam can last anywhere between two weeks to a month, depending on how many deities are enshrined within the temple. It involves many priest who perform long hours of elaborate homas–fire ceremonies. On the final day, the kumbhas that were setup for the homas to represent the different deities in the temple are dismantled and the sanctified water within them are poured over the deities and the temple towers to empower them with spiritual energy. The final day of the ceremony is considered the most auspicious and devotees throng to the temple on this day to be sprinkled by the water from the kumbhas especially as it flows down from the temple towers.)

Kungkumum: Red powder made from mixing turmeric powder with lime juice and other substances. It is used as a religious sacrement. It is the main substance used for the pottu or tilak.

Kurukshetra: One of the holy cities in India. It is about 160km North of New Delhi. It is the scene of many Hindu epics, most notably, it is the battlefield where the major war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas took place in the epic Mahabharata.

Lakshmi, Goddess: One of the forms of Goddess Shakti. She is the Goddess of wealth and 'mangalam' or auspiciousness. Lakshmi is often pictured sitting or standing on a lotus flower on a lake flanked by two white elephants holding lotus flowers with their trunks. From one of her hands an unlimited shower of gold coins pours. Goddess Lakshmi is paired with God Vishnu as His Consort in the depiction of the Trinity.

Leela: The Divine Dance, or the Dance of God. It is said of the constant and interconnected processes of God’s functions of creation, preservation and dissolution. From a mystical perspective this unceasing flow of activity is seen as a dance. This dance is also called the tandava. In Vaishnavite theology, leela is also used to describe Lord Krishna’s plays, pranks or adventures that allude to spiritual teachings.

Lekhana Sadhana: The practice of writing a mantra over and over again for a period of time or until a certain number of the mantra has been written. It is a form of penance. For instance writing the mantra “Om Namasivaya,” 108 times daily for one week.

Luminous: Full of light, shinning, bright. A quality of the body of God and the soul.

Kumbha Abishegam: The consecration ceremony done to open a new, or newly renovated temple for public worship. The ceremony energizes the temple and the deity within it through forging connections between the temple and the heavens. A temple’s maha kumbha abishegam can last anywhere between two weeks to a month, depending on how many deities are enshrined within the temple. It involves many priest who perform long hours of elaborate homas–fire ceremonies. On the final day, the kumbhas that were setup for the homas to represent the different deities in the temple are dismantled and the sanctified water within them are poured over the deities and the temple towers to empower them with spiritual energy. The final day of the ceremony is considered the most auspicious and devotees throng to the temple on this day to be sprinkled by the water from the kumbhas especially as it flows down from the temple towers.

Mahadevas: Great devas. They live in the highest heaven and are God’s closest helpers in the governance of the universe. They may be equated to Archangles, or angles of the highest rank. They include Lords Ganesha, Murugan, Hanuman, Indra, Varuna.

Mahapralaya: The great dissolution. This is the time when the entire creation (the physical universe as well as the spiritual universe) is reabsorbed back into God. After mahapralaya only God exists until He issues forth creation again. According to traditional Hindu calculations of the yugas, there is yet billions of years before the next mahapralaya.

Mahasamadhi: Samadhi is a meditative state that is achieved when the awareness of the meditator merges with God. It is through this state that the meditator gains God Realization and enlightenment. Mahasamadhi is a term used to address the physical death of a spiritually enlightened person such as a guru. It denotes that the soul of the guru has achieved moksha and has realised its goal of total union with God.

Mantra: Mystic formula. A sound, syllable, word or phrase endowed with special power, usually drawn from Scripture.

Mariamman, Goddess: A form of Goddess Shakti, who is commonly worshipped in small village temples in South India. She is a Healer and used to be the main deity worshipped to cure incidence of small pox (now a successfully eradicated disease.)

Materialistic: Of or to do with materialism. Materialism is a philosophy of life much like the philosophy of a religion or social-structure-philosophies like democracy or communism. The philosophy of materialism stems from the belief that the physical world is probably the only real world, and the materialistic goal of life is to gather as much worldly wealth and enjoy as much worldly pleasure as one can before death. Materialism does not necessarily deny the existence of God or spiritual worlds or experiences, instead it prioritizes material wealth and worldly position over all other goals in life. Therefore a materialist may still belong to a religion and be quiet an ardent devotee, however his motivations for prayer is to seek God's help solely to attain his or her materialistic goals. To a certain extent even the most spiritual devotee does pray to God for help to meet their material needs. This is not considered unspiritual or wrong. The difference between a spiritually minded devotee praying to God for material fulfillment compared to a materialistic devotee's prayer is in the conduct of their life. A spiritually minded devotee always leads a life in line with dharma and his conscience. Whereas a materialistic devotee, while he prays to God will not limit his conduct to a moral code of ethics to achieve his ends. Some examples of materialistic devotees are like corrupt politicians who may even think that they can bribe God to cleanse them off their sins by giving a portion of their corrupt earnings for charity. Unfortunately God's law of karma will not be on their side!

Mauna: Silence. It is the practice of remaining silent or not speaking for a specific period of time as a form of penance.

Maya: “The principle of manifestation.” It is the energy from Parashakti that evolves into all forms spiritual and physical elements and laws within Creation. It is also one of the three bonds that binds the soul to the world. The three bonds are anava, karma and maya. Maya is God’s creative substance that forms the spiritual and physical worlds. It is sometimes erroneously translated as illusion. However according to Hindu teachings the world and experiences within it are not an illusion. It is instead defined as being a relative reality that is subject to change. This is compared to God, who is absolute reality and not subject to change. Maya however has the illusionary effect of making the world seem permanent and not subject to change, therefore causing the soul to form attachments in the world.

Meditation: Dhyana in Sanskrit. It is a goal in the practice of yoga. Meditation is a state of consciuosness that is achieved through sustained concentration of the mind on a specific subject such as God, upon which new knowledge and insights on the subject are revealed from within oneself. The Patanjali Yoga Sutras (a Scripture written by Sage Patanjali, which is a definitive guide to the mystical processes of the mind) describes dhyana as a point in concentration when the meditator and his/her subject of meditation become one. When this happens the meditator's awareness is lifted into the plane of God Consciousness, which is Omniscient. From this plane of superconsciousness intricate knowledge of meditator's subject flows into the meditators mind. It is through this process that much of the Truths in Hinduism were discovered by the gurus, the ardent meditators. When the meditator's subject is God and the state of meditation, dhyana is achieved, the meditator is then said to realize God and thus achieve enlightenment. In the Patanjali Yoga Sutras this state is called samadhi. Samadhi is the most sought after goal of the Hindu spiritual seeker.

Mind’s Eye: The third eye, or the soul’s eye. Situated between the eyes on the forehead is a mystical eye. It allows us to see images we visualize as well as to see when we dream or meditate–that is with our eyes closed.

Moksha: Liberation. In Hinduism the salvation of the soul is defined as freedom from the cycle of reincarnation on the physical plane, or Earth. After moksha the soul abides eternally in heaven until vishvagrasa when the soul achieves undifferentiated union with God. Before moksha the soul will enter heaven or hell temporarily between births, depending on the merits or demerits it accrues in the form of karmas during it’s life on Earth. Moksha is in a sense a graduation from having to live life on Earth anymore. It is achieved after the soul has fulfilled all of it’s desires for life on Earth and has Realized God. It is synonymous with mukti.

Monism / Monistic: The theology of oneness. Any philosophy that teaches inherent unity between man or the soul and God. Monistic philosophies–which is of monism, state that there exists a dimension within man or the soul that is God. There is generally two types of monism. Pure monism, that is known as Vedanta in Hinduism, teaches that God is the only true existence and that other realities such us the world and the existence of the soul and man are ultimately an illusion. Qualified monism, that is known as Siddhanta in Hinduism, accepts both the oneness of God and creation and also the reality of a distinct albeit temporary identiy between the soul and God. It also does not deny the realities of the existence or experience of the world. Hinduism and most Eastern religions are basically qualified monism or have elements of monism in their theology.

Monotheistic: The belief in One Supreme Godhead, who is the Creator of the Universe. Most of the major religions of the world today including Hinduism are monotheistic, though Hinduism is sometimes mistaken to be a polytheistic religion.

Muktas: Plural for mukta. A mukta is a person who has achieved moksha while still living his or her final life on Earth.

Murthi: A respectful way to address the deity or statue of God or the Mahadevas in a temple. Mainly used by Tamil speaking Hindus.

Murugan, Lord: Murugan is a Mahadeva (akin to an arch angle) who is worshipped among devotees of the Saivite sect. He is also known as Kartikkeya, Senadipathi, Palani, Arumugam and Subramaniam. In the Hindu mythical pantheon Lord Murugan is the youngest son of Lord Shiva (the elder being Lord Ganesha). In the Hindu myths, Lord Murugan was born from a seed that issued from God Shiva's third eye. Thus Lord Murugan's duty as the remover of ignorance and the Lord of the Kundalini shakti. He is seen as the warrior of righteousness and special Lord for yogis, mystics and monks. His special weapon is the vel, a lance that has a leaf shaped tip which symbolizes the power to discern between right action and wrong action and the dispeller of darkness or ignorance. In some temples Lord Murugan is worshipped as the vel.

Muyalakan: The demon that is under the foot of Lord Nataraja. Often mistaken for a child, the demon is actually a dwarf with immense power that had set out to destroy Lord Shiva. The demon is actually representative of the lower or animalistic natures of man such as anger, hatred, malice and so forth. The symbol is a teaching that if mankind suppresses the lower natures, then divinity will arise within them.

My guru: Refers to Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami who is the guru of the author. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami was an American born Hindu spiritual leader (1927-2001). Affectionately addressed by his disciples as Gurudeva, he was recognized as a Jagadaacharya, or world teacher by the World Hindu Federation, for his outstanding missionary work in promoting, preserving and protecting Hinduism globally. Gurudeva was an enlightened spiritual master who taught his devotees the path to Self Realization. He was the founder of Kauai Aadheenam, a monastery and temple complex on the Hawaian Island of Kauai. He was also the founder and publisher of the global Hindu magazine, Hinduism Today. For more information on Gurudeva and his publications visit the following website: www.gurudeva.org

Namaalvar: One of the twelve aalvar Vaishnavite saints. (Aalvar: Meaning, “one immersed in God consciousness.” It is the affectionate title given to the 12 Tamil Vaishnavite saints who lived between the fifth and ninth centuries. These saints revitalized the devotional worship of God Vishnu throughout India. They travelled extensively, composing devotion-inspiring poems to God Vishnu. Their collective works of about 4000 verses are compiled in the Scripture, Divya Prabhandam).

Namaskaram: A hand gesture that is a symbol of welcome and supplication. It is the palms of the hands pressed together and held at the level of the chest. This gesture is also used while in prayer. It is also called anjali mudra.

Nakshatras: Asterisms or star constellations along the ecliptic or path of the sun. There are 27 nakshatras in all.

Narasimha, Lord: One of God Vishnu's fearsome avatars as the half beast-half man Lord. He has a lion's head and the body of a man. He took on this form to save a child devotee of His from tyrant King, who happens to be the childs father. Narasimha is worshipped as a protector of the virtuous and the destroyer of evil.

Narayana, Lord: Another name for God Vishnu in His original form, where He is generally portrayed as standing on a lotus, or lying on the coils of Shesha Naga, the nine-headed serpent, who floats on the Ocean of Bliss.

Nataraja, Lord: A form of God Shiva as the King of Dance. God Shiva first appeared as Lord Nataraja to a group of priests and sages in the temple of Chidambaram in Tamilnadu and performed the Ananda Tandava dance–the Dance of Bliss. The common form of Lord Nataraja that is worshipped is when He holds the Pose of Grace. The Dance that God Shiva performed is the percursor to the classical Indian dance, Bharata Natyam.

Natchintanai: Devotional songs and writings of Sage Yogaswami of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. (Yogaswami: A renowned guru of Jaffna, Sri Lanka (1872-1964). He is the guru of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami and the author of Natchintanai).

Nayanar: “Teacher.” The honourific title given to the 63 Tamil saints of South India. These 63 saints were worshippers of God Shiva. They are recognized as saints for their outstanding and examplary lives of devotion to God. Their devotional literature are part of the Tamil Saivite scriptures called Tirumurai. Their works include the Tirumantiram, Tiruvasakam and Thevaram devotional hymns. Other nayanars who did not contribute any written works left behind their life story of examplary devotion to God Shiva, such as Saint Pusalar.

Nirvana: Same as moksha. It is mainly used by Buddhists as their word for the state of spiritual liberation. Nirvana is also used by Buddists to describe a similar state God Realization that Hindu gurus know as Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

Nothingness: A word often used to define the transcendental experience of God in His third Aspect of Parabhraman. In this Aspect, God is beyond all or any description. Yet a mystic can experience God in this state of mysterious “nothingness.” This experience of God is known as the deepest experience of God that is possible, and it is the ultimate goal of meditators seeking moksha. This experience of God is known as Nirvikalpa Samadhi in Hinduism and Nirvana in Buddhism.

Nirguna Brahman: God who who is formless and transcendent. This term for God was first coined by Sri Adi Shankara. In his analysis of the Vedas, he organized the understanding of God into two distinct natures. They are Nirguna Brahman and Saguna Brahman. Nirguna Brahman is God in His indescribable form that is beyond all or any comprehension in any capacity of the finite mind. In the Vedas this aspect of God is described by the rishis in the sanskrit phrase: neti-neti, which can be translated into english as 'not this, not that'. Nirguna Brahman is akin to Parabrahman in the understanding of God as The Three Aspects.

Nirvikalpa Samadhi / Samadhi: Samadhi, literally means, “to hold together completely.” Samadhi is the goal of the practice of yoga, wherein the state of oneness or undifferentiated union is achieved between the meditator’s awareness and God. There are two levels of samadhi. The first is savikalpa samadhi, in which the meditator’s awareness becomes one with pure consciousness, or God’s mind, also known as Satchitananda. The second is nirvikalpa samadhi, which is oneness with God as Parabrahman, who transcends all modes of consciousness, time, form and space. The aftermath of both states of samadhi creates a new spiritual perspective in the mind of the meditator–one that is imbued with the experiential reality of God. The meditator becomes more enlightened each time he achieves samadhi. Of the two samadhis, nirvikalpa samadhi is the highest or ultimate state. It brings in its aftermath a complete transformation of consciousness. This transformation is what is required for the soul to achieve liberation or moksha.

Om: Sometimes also spelled Aum. It is the mystic syllable or mantra of Hinduism, placed at the beginning of most sacred writings and hymns. Om represents the divine and is known as the first vibration to be issued forth from God in the Creation of the Universe. Om is also an important mantra that is used for meditation.

Padmasana: “The lotus pose.” One of the poses of Hatha Yoga that is highly recommended for the practice of meditation. It is sitting cross-legged with the right foot placed on the left tigh and the left foot on the right tigh. It takes practice to be able to sit in this way. It is best to learn to sit in padmasana under the guidance of a Hatha Yoga teacher.

Pallava Dynasty: One of the ancient Tamil royal lineages. Their Kingdom covered a big part of present day Tamilnadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh of South India. They were avid temple builders. The capital of the Pallavas, Kanchipuram that is near Chennai is well known for it’s magnificent Pallava style temples. The temple complexes at Mahabalipuram, also near Chennai, is a tourist attraction that was built by the Pallavas about 2,000 years ago.

Pandava: In the epic Mahabharata, the Pandavas are the heroes. They are six brothers–Yudishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva and Karna. The Pandavas (except for Karna) are allied to Lord Krishna. They fight their cousins the Kauravas in the epic battle of the Mahabharata at the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

Pandiyan: The name of one of the ancient empires of Tamilnadu. Their capital was the city of Madurai. The Pandiyans were known for developing Tamil language and culture.

Parabrahman:The Third and Ultimate Aspect of God. Parabrahman is God as theTranscendent being beyond all limits of Creation. Parabrahman cannot beadequately described in anyway, however Parabrahman can be experiencedexclusively through the meditative state of nirvikalpa samadhi. Thisrequires mastery of meditation to a high degree that can be achievedwith the careful guidance of and enlightened guru. After attaining theexperience of Parabrahman the devotees begins the process of becomingenlightened. By practicing the attainment of Parabrahman over and overagain, the devotee will eventually become fully enlightened. When thisstate is achieved the devotee will have achieved moksha while stillliving on earth and becomes a guru to others. Parabrahman is theultimate spiritual experience to be had in the path of spiritualevolution on earth.

Paramatma: The Uncreated Primal Soul, First Soul or Original Soul. This is God in His or Her first of Three Aspects. As Paramatma God is the Creator, Preserver, Destroyer, Revealer of Grace and Obscurer of Grace. Paramatma can take on any form He or She pleases. Paramatma will appear to a devotee in the form of God the devotee is most accustomed with. Paramatma is also the Personal Lord, as he listens to prayers and fulfills them and guides devotees toward spiritual enlightenment.

Parameshwara, Lord: Para-Ishwara. The Great Lord. Parameshwara is a name of God that is often referred to in the Vedas as just Ishwara. Ishwara is synonymous in the Vedas with Brahman. Both names of God is used to refer to God in his entirety, that includes all The Three Aspects. In Saivite Scriptures such as the Saiva Agamas, Parameshwara refers to Lord Nataraja, the Primal Soul.

Parashakti: The Great Power, or The Ultimate Power. God in the Second Aspect is Parashakti. Parashakti can be described as Pure Consciousness, Pure Love and Pure Intelligence. Parashakti is also Sat-Chit-Ananda, or Truth-Consciousness-Bliss. As Parashakti God takes on amorphous forms such as Divine Light, Blissful expansive inner space, the feelings of spiritual bliss and peace among other universal forms. Parashakti is mainly experienced through the meditative state of savikalpa samadhi. A devotee can also experience Parashakti through spiritual ecstasy one can attain through sincere worship, performing selfless service, while deeply engaged in artistic or scientific endeavours or when enjoying the beauty of nature.

Parvathi, Goddess: The consort of Lord Shiva, She is also worshipped in the form of Mariamman and Shakti. She is the Supreme Godhead of followers of the Shakta sect. According to the Shakta philosophy, Lord Shiva is the silent formless form of God. Whereas Goddess Shakti or Parvathi, Who is equal to and inseparable from Lord Shiva is the manifest energy or the active form of God. Shaktas worship three main forms of Goddess Parvathi. They are Saraswathi, the Goddess of knowledge, arts and culture; Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and abundance; and Durga, the Destroyer of sins and the Protector.

Patanjali Yoga Sutras: One of the most famous Hindu Scripture. It is a treatise on the path of God Realization written by sage Patanjali of ancient lore. His erudite work comprises of terse aphorisms on the path of yoga that he coined as ashtanga yoga. In the Scripture, Patanjali intricately details the processes of meditation until samadhi. He also describes challenges a meditator will face and give methods to overcome them. His work is a popular study of mysticism among Hindus and non-Hindus alike. It has been translated into many languages. ( Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga Yoga, is a structured step by step system of God Realization. Ashtanga yoga defines eight steps that gradually trains a yoga practioner to realize God. These steps are yama–moral restraints, niyama–religious observances, asana–hatha yoga exercises, pranayama–breath control, pratyahara–sense withdrawal, dharana–concentration, dhyana–meditation and samadhi–God Realization. Hindu culture and practices (irrespective of the sects) are contained within the steps of ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga yoga is the same as raja yoga or kundalini yoga).

Penance: The deliberate act of performing spiritual disciplines that cause hardship on oneself. These disciplines include fasting, carrying kavadi, prostrating before God 108 times and so forth. The reason for doing penance is to beseech God’s Grace to help rid bad karmas that we may be facing or that we may face in the future. Gurus explain that God absorbs the effort we put out and devotion we express during the penance, and uses it to dissolve or reduce the impact of bad karmas.

Perfections: A word coined by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami to describe the different Aspects of God. By understanding God as the three Perfections, all the different experiences of God a devotee may have can be explained. (Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami: An American born Hindu spiritual leader (1927-2001). Affectionately know by his disciples as Gurudeva, he was recognized as a Jagadaacharya, or world teacher by the World Hindu Federation, for his outstanding missionary work in promoting, preserving and protecting Hinduism globally. Gurudeva was an enlightened spiritual master who taught his devotees the path to Self Realization. He was the founder of Kauai Aadheenam, a monastery and temple complex on the Hawaian Island of Kauai. He was also the founder and publisher of the global Hindu magazine, Hinduism Today. For more information on Gurudeva and his publications visit the following website: www.gurudeva.org)

Periya Puranam: A Tamil Scripture written by the nayanar, Saint Sekkilar. It is a biography of the nayanars.

Personal Lord / God: God as a person with who a devotee can communicate with through prayer. God is also able to respond to the devotee as the Personal Lord through a variety of ways such as appearing to the devotee in a vision, appearing as an apparition, materializing as a person on earth or by indirect means such as by giving signs or providing brilliant ideas to the devotees in disguised ways. God as the Personal Lord is an attribute of the First Aspect of God, Paramatma and is a dualistic experience of God.

Peruman: In Tamil, this is an honourific title given to God or the Mahadevas. It means “great person.”

Pervading: Exisiting everywhere and in everything. (All-Pervasive: The quality of being present everywhere and through all things and beings. One of the divine qualities of God, Who is simultaneously present in the entire universe).

Polytheistic: The belief in many Supreme Godheads. Many Western scholars mistakenly describe Hinduism as a polytheistic religion when it is actually monotheistic, that is believing in one Supreme Godhead.

Prabhandam: Short for Divya Prabhandam. It is a Scripture that is a compilation of the poetic works of the 12 Tamil Vaishnavite saints, the aalvars. Their writings were compiled into the Divya Prabhandam by the scholar and saint, Sri Nathamuni. See aalvar.

Pradakshina: The practice of circumambulating in the Hindu temple. See circumambulation. (Circumambulation: Meaning to go around. In a Hindu temple it refers to the practice of walking around the temple’s main sanctum a few times on a designated path. It is done before entering the temple’s sanctum for worship. The practice serves as a walking meditation to help concentrate the mind on God. Pradakshina in Sanskrit).

Prasadam: Blessed sacrements given to devotees after a puja ceremony. These sacrements include vibhuti (holy ash), chandanam (sandalwood paste), kungkumum (red powder), teertham (blessed water), food and flowers that were presented to the deity duirng the puja.

Prayaschittam: Tamil word for penance. Prayaschitta in Sanskrit. (Penance: The deliberate act of performing spiritual disciplines that cause hardship on oneself. These disciplines include fasting, carrying kavadi, prostrating before God 108 times and so forth. The reason for doing penance is to beseech God’s Grace to help rid bad karmas that we may be facing or that we may face in the future. Gurus explain that God absorbs the effort we put out and devotion we express during the penance, and uses it to dissolve or reduce the impact of bad karmas).

Puja: Puja means adoration. It is also the name of the ceremonial worship performed for the deity in the temple or home shrine. The procedures of the puja ceremony are drawn from the Agamic Scriptures. They procedures contain instructions for the formats of different types of pujas, chanting rules, mystical visualizations and usage of puja implements. The high points of a puja occur whenever the bell is rung duriing the showing of oil and camphor flames, during the ceremonial bathing–abhishegam–of the deity, the unveiling of the dressing and decorations on the deity–alankaram, and the final showing of the camphor flame–aarati. There are two main types of puja. The first is the atmartha puja, which is the puja that is prescribed as a devotee's personal worship ritual; it is usually performed in the home shrine. The second is the more elaborate Parartha Puja, which is performed in temples or by temple priests in public functions; this puja is done for the benefit of the worshipping devotees.

Pure Consciousness: The Consciousness of God, or God's Mind. It is a description of God that refers to Parashakti, the Second Aspect of God. Pure Consciousness is the substratum or the most essential nature of all the elements in Creation, even space. The experience of Pure Consciousness through savikalpa samadhi in meditation is the experience of the force of God–Parashakti, thus Pure Energy is sometimes used as a synonym of Pure Consciousness.

Pure Light: Pure Light is a description of God as Parashakti; God's Second Aspect. The light in this context refers to the 'light of wisdom' as opposed to the 'darkness of ignorance'. However, this light is not merely a symbol of God's Omniscience or wisdom, it is also the inspiring mystical light that is seen by meditators when they attain Parashakti in the state of savikalpa samadhi. When this state is attained, the meditator's mind is literally lit up by the bright white light of Parashakti, even if he or she is meditating with eyes closed in a lightless room. Pure Light is synonymous with Divine Light, The Light of Intelligence and God's Omniscience. They all refer to God's All-Knowing Intelligence.

Pure Love: The condition of love that is God. It is one of the the descriptions for the Second Aspect of God, Parashakti. As Parashakti, God is the feeling of love itself. The word Pure with love indicates that it is of God and is universal, unbounded, inclusive of all, equal to all and non-judgmental. The experience of Pure Love through the meditative state of savikalpa samadhi include the feeling of expansive spiritual bliss and peace (ananda).

Pure Sound: It refers to one of the forms of Parashakti, the Second Aspect of God. Pure Sound is the impulse of all creation. It is the most primordial form of energy that was issued from God at the beginning of creation. It is the precursor to energy as heat and light and gradually the elements. It is described in mystical texts as sound because it is a causal vibration and is sometimes called the soundless sound as it cannot be heard by the physical ears. This vibration is the mantra Aum.

Purified Intellect: Buddhi in Sanskrit. It is the condition of the intellect that has matured in wisdom. Its thoughts are in line with moral principles and its beliefs are qualified with real experiences instead of blindly following opinions of others.

Purusharthas: The four legitimate goals of life. They are: 1) Dharma–The pursuit of a virtuous and noble life. 2) Artha–The pursuit of wealth by honest means. 3) Kama–The pursuit of happiness and pleasures in life. 4) Moksha–The pursuit of God Realization and spiritual liberation.

Pusalar: One of the 63 nayanars. His story is often used to teach devotees about the greatness of internal worship. (Nayanar: “Teacher.” The honourific title given to the 63 Tamil saints of South India. These 63 saints were worshippers of God Shiva. They are recognized as saints for their outstanding and examplary lives of devotion to God. Their devotional literature are part of the Tamil Saivite scriptures called Tirumurai. Their works include the Tirumantiram, Tiruvasakam and Thevaram devotional hymns. Other nayanars who did not contribute any written works left behind their life story of examplary devotion to God Shiva, such as Saint Pusalar).

Rajarajeswari, Goddess: A benevolent form of Goddess Shakti. She represents motherliness.

Rajas: One of the three conditions of nature, which are sattva, rajas and tamas. Rajas is a state of being that is active, unsettled, intellectual and full of action. It is given to either spirituality or materialism, it can be kind or hateful in life and exhibit virtuousness or violence in action.

Rama, Lord: A form of Lord Vishnu. He was an avatar of Vishnu who and the hero in the epic Ramayana. In the Ramayana, Lord Rama fights King Ravana or ancient Sri Lanka to recover his wife Sita. In this epic Lord Rama's most loyal assistant Hanuman is introduced. Lord Rama and Hanuman are popular deities of the Vaishnavite sect.

Ramalinga Swamigal / Vallalar: The late Ramalingam Swamigal, 1823-1874 was a Tamil poet who is respected for his saintliness. Affectiionately addressed as Vallalar, he is the founder of the Suddha Sanmarga Sangam. Which is a Saivite Hindu following that worships Supreme Godhead as the Divine Light (Arutperum Jyothi). Vallalar stresses a high degree of purity in and charity as vital to the attainment of Jnana (Wisdom) and enlightenment. His teachings also emphasizes the centrality of love in all aspects of human life and in this regard, Vallalar devotees abhor non-vegetarianism and caste practices. Ramalingam Swamigal's samadhi temple/shrine is in the city of Vadalur in Tamilnadu and not far away from Swamigal's favourite temple to Lord Shiva, that is Chidambaram. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Nataraja.

Reality: That which is real or within a real realm that can be experienced. It is opposed to imagination and false truths (that do not exist). The perception of reality is not necessarily the same from one person to another. Its base is the philosophical beliefs of a person; and at times the mental health of a person. For instance a person who beliefs in the existence of God will also believe in the reality of spiritual dimensions, where as an atheist might only believe in the reality that he can experience with his five physical senses. In the context of this website, when Reality is spelled with a capital 'R' it indicates God.

Realize God: To become aware of God's Presence within oneself. Same as God Realization. (God Realization: The meditative experience of the meditator’s awareness merging into God’s Being. At the point of God Realization the meditator's awareness and God's Pure Consciousness are One. There are many levels or experiences in God Realization, such as experiencing God as Divine Light, or Pure Love, or Infinite Vastness, or as Absolute Reality–the experience most yearned after by ardent spiritual seekers. The ultimate goal of the practice of Hinduism is to guide its devotees to the experience of God Realization. After the seeker has achieved God Realization he or she is said to be enlightened. According to Hinduism, God Realization is a required experience for each soul in order to achieve moksha. Hinduism also recommends that a seeker be under the guidance of a guru to learn to achieve God Realization. The Sanskrit word equivalent of God Realization is samadhi).

Reincarnation: To be reborn on earth after death. Hinduism teaches that the true identity of each person is the immortal soul or the atma. The soul was created by God and is born on earth to live it’s life in a physical body so it can evolve spiritually. After the physical body dies the soul returns to heaven from whence it came. In heaven it continues its spiritual learning and prepares for another life on earth. When the right time comes, which is determined by the karmas the soul will face in the next life on earth, the soul is reborn on earth. Thus the cycle of birth, death and rebirth repeats itself. When moksha, which is salvation or spiritual liberation is achieved, the soul is freed from the cycle of reincarnation and lives eternally in heaven until it reunites completely with God.

Rishi: “Seer.” An enlightend person and spiritual visionary. In the ancient Vedic times, rishis lived simple lives while meditating on God, often living alone or with disciples in forest or mountain retreats. They were the inspired conveyers of the Vedas to mankind.

Rudra: A form of God Shiva. Usually described as the form of God as the Destroyer.

Rudraksha: Literally, the tears of God. It is a name given to a tree. The rudraksha tree produces a blue spherical fruit that contains a woody seed pod. This seed pod is patterned with grooves and is strung as beads to to form a rosary. It is especially sacred to devotees of Lord Shiva. In Ayurvedic medicine rudraksha fruit is used to make concoctions that is said to be good for the heart. The english name for the tree is the blue marble tree, which is representative of the abundance of bright blue fruits that the tree produces.

Tamas: One of the three conditions of nature, which are sattva, rajas and tamas. Tamas is a state of being that is dull or slow, unrefined, materialistic and inconsiderate. It is given to materialism, uncaringness or apathy in life and base or unrefined in action. Tamilnadu: A state in South India, population 55 million. Land of countless Scriptures, saints, sages and over 40,000 magnificient temples. Tandava: The Divine Dance, or the Dance of God. It refers to the constant and interconnected processes of God’s functions of creation, preservation and dissolution that animate life in the universe. From a mystical perspective this unceasing flow of activity is seen as a dance. This dance is also called the leela. The Tandava which is usually short for 'Ananda Tandava' which means the 'dance of bliss,' is often related to God Shiva. As Lord Nataraja, God Shiva is the King of Dance. The Ananda Tandava comprises of 108 dance poses strung together. According to the legend Sage Bharata recorded these poses of Lord Nataraja as He danced the Tandava in Chidambaram temple many thousands of years ago. From these poses Sage Bharata created the Bharata Natyam, the classical Indian dance that is the precursor to all other traditional Indian classical dances. Tanjavur: Tanjavur is a city in the South Indian State of Tamilnadu. It is located about 350km south of Chennai. Tanjavur used to be the capitol of ancient Chola Kingdom and later the royal city of the Marathas and the Nayaks (Other South Indian dynasties). It is a city steeped in history and is a center for traditional Tamil arts, music and dance. The Tanjavur painting style which is a style of art using gold leaf and gem embroidery originates from here. Tanjavur is also the home of the famed Brihatheeswarar Temple, that was built in the 9th century by King Raja Raja Chola. The temple, whose main deity is a large Shivalingam, is a pilgrimage destination for Hindus especially of the Saivite sect. Tattva: The principles of creation. Tattvas explain how every everything in nature evolved from God. All together there are 36 tattvas. The first being God as Pure Energy and Consciousness, known as Satchitananda tattva which is the foundation of all creation. The final or the 36th tattva is the prithivi tattva or the element earth, which is the densest element of God’s creation. The other tattvas include the soul, anava, karma, maya, time, the five senses and so forth. The knowledge of the tattvas helps gurus and ayurvedic doctors to provide remedies for difficult karmas or diseases their devotees or patients may have. Tayumanavar: A Tamil yogi. He was a devotional mystic and poet who lived around the 17th century. He places himself in the lineage of Saint Tirumular. Teertham: Holy water or any liquid that has been blessed through abhishegam or the ritual bathing of a deity. Teertam is a sacrement of puja that is offered for devotees to drink after the ceremony. Three Conditions of Nature: According to the tattva system of Hindu cosmology, the three conditions of nature form the secondary foundation of all creation, the primary one being God as Parashakti. The three conditions of nature are sattva–the spiritual and positive nature; rajas–the intellectual nature and the forces of will; tamas–the instinctive or gross nature and the lethargic forces of nature. Thevaram: Devotional songs to God Shiva sung by some of the 63 SaivaSaints. Thevarams are part of the Tamil Scriptural collection known asthe Tirumurai. These songs are still very much part of Tamil culture. Thiagaraja, Lord: A form of Lord Shiva. In this form He appears with His Consort, Goddess Parvathi, both seated on a pedestal side by side. Often used as a parade deity (ustava murthi) in temples. Tilak: In Tamil it is pottu. It is the either a round dot or vertical line applied at the center of the forehead. The shape of the tilak or pottu identifies the Hindu sect the devotee belongs to. The tilak is a symbol of the third-eye or the spiritual eye which is situated within the forehead of one’s spiritual body. The third-eye is also known as the soul’s eye and is the seat of one’s conscience. Tirobhava: God's Action of Obscuring Grace. This is God’s activity of covering or limiting knowledge of spiritual truths from the soul. This action of Paramatma is necessary for the soul to enable the soul to go through it’s process of spiritual evolution. For instance, through tirobhava, we forget our past lives so we can live the current one without interfering memories from past lives. Tirobhava is embodied in the forces of anava and maya. There are no deities that specifically represent tirobhava. The symbols that represent obscuring grace are holding a lotus flower upside down or standing on a lotus flower. Tirumantiram: 'Holy Mantras.' One of the oldest Tamil Scripture, written over 2,000 years ago by Saint Tirumular. It is also know as the Tamil Vedas, as it was written by Tirumular for the benefit of the Tamils who had no access to the Sanskrit Vedas. It is part of the Tirumurai collection. It contains the entire philosophy and mystical processes of the Saiva Siddhanta school of Saivite Hinduism. Tirumular, Saint: One of the 63 nayanars. He wrote the comprehensive Tamil Scripture on the Saiva religion, the Tirumantiram. Tirumular's legend has it that he was a saint who was sent by his Guru, Maharishi Nandinatha from the Himalayas to South India on a mission to teach Saivite philosophy and mysticism. In a miraculous turn of events that involved the transmigration of Tirumular's soul, he ended up in a body of a Tamil cowherd. Tirumular's original body was destroyed by flames in a divine play orchestrated by God. With his new body came the knowledge of the Tamil language. With this knowledge he composed the Tirumantiram. The Tirumantiram is a 3,333 poems Scripture that detail Saivite beliefs, practices and myticism. It is a deeply profound and esoteric Scripture, with many of its poems coded in metaphors from Hindu myths. It is hailed as a distillate of Vedic and Agamic (core Hindu Scriptures) wisdom. Tiruvannamalai: Is a city about 180km north of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is home to one of the most holy of Saivite shrine. The Tiruvannamalai temple that houses Lord Arunachaleswara in the form of a Shivalingam. Known as the temple that represents God Shiva as the element fire or light, it is a large temple complex that covers an area of 24 acres. The city of Tiruvannamalai is also famous for the ashram of the late Saint Sri Ramana Maharishi, the silent sage of Arunachala. Tiruvasagam: A Tamil Scripture that is the compilation of all the songs sung by Saint Manickavasagar. The arrangement of the songs in the Tiruvasagam provide a chronological framework for the events in Saint Manickavasagar’s life and his travels. Trance: A state of being when an individual displays a personality that is radically not himself or herself, so as to suggest a different person altogether. Trance state includes possession by disincarnate beings or spirits and split personality or schizophrenia. Transcending: To surpass or exist beyond all limits. It is a quality of God, as Absolute Reality, that is beyond all limits of manifestation and experience. It is said of God beyond time, form and space. Trimurthi / Trinity: God as the Trinity of Brahma–the Creator, Vishnu–the Preserver and Rudra–the Destroyer.

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Upanishads: The Upanishads are the philosophical section of the Vedas. Upanishad means, “sitting near devotedly.” It refers to disciples sitting around their guru while he expounds his realizations and answers their queries. Undifferentiated Union: A merging of two subjects to become one that is so perfect that the original two are indistinguishable one from another. It is used to describe the type of union that occurs when the awareness of a meditator merges with God within him or herself in the state of samadhi. (Awareness: An individual’s ability to perceive an object, subject, situation or fact. The Sanskrit word for awareness is saakshin. In Hindu mystical texts, saakshin is described the perceptive ability of the soul. The word translates to witness in English. Awareness is known as the witness because it perceives all physical and mental activities in the body and mind. When teaching Hindu mysticism in English, gurus will often use the word awareness to define an individuals ablitity to perceive. Awareness has the power to control the mind and emotions, or it may be controlled by the mind and emotions. According to Hindu mysticism, spiritual growth or evolution is the result of the gradual ability of an individual’s awareness go gain mastery over the mind and emotions. Samadhi: Literally it means, “to hold together completely.” Samadhi is the goal of the practice of yoga, wherein the state of oneness or undifferentiated union is achieved between the meditator and the object of his meditation. There are two levels of samadhi. The first is savikalpa samadhi, in which the meditator’s awareness becomes one with pure consciousness, or God’s mind, also known as Satchitananda. The second is nirvikalpa samadhi, in which oneness with God as Parabrahman, who transcends all modes of consciousness, time, form and space is experienced. The aftermath of both states of samadhi creates a new spiritual perspective in the mind of the meditator–one that is imbued with the experiential reality of God. The meditator becomes more enlightened each time he achieves samadhi. However of the two samadhis, nirvikalpa samadhi is the highest or ultimate state. It brings in its aftermath a complete transformation of consciousness. This transformation is what is required by the soul to achieve spiritual liberation or moksha). Unmanifest Reality: A plane or dimension of reality that transcends any kind of description. Also known as Absolute Reality, it is said of God as Parabrahman. Bottom of Form

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Vahana: Vehicle. It refers to the animal mount or vehicle of a Hindu deity. In Hinduism each image of God is designated an animal mount. Often the animal represents one of the characteristics or special ability of the deity. For instance Lord Ganesha’s vahana is the mouse named Mushika. Mushika represents Lord Ganesha’s ability to help devotees overcome challenges, even the ones that are seemingly unsurmountable, just as it seems impossible for a small creature like a mouse to be carrying Lord Ganesha around. Vaikuntha: The Vaishnavite name of the highest level of heaven. Vaishnavism: One of the four primary sects of Hinduism that worships any form of God Vishnu as the Supreme Godhead. These forms include the avatars of God Vishnu such as Krishna, Rama, Narasimha and so forth. Vaishnavite: A follower of the Vaishnava sect of Hinduism. A Vaishnavite worships God Vishnu as Supreme Godhead. Among the forms of God Vishnu commonly worshipped are Maha Vishnu, Krishna, Rama and Venkateswara. Vedas: The Vedas are Hinduism’s most ancient and central scriptures. They are of divine origin, being revealed to man directly by God. The Vedas are written in Sanskrit and are the worlds oldest scripture, written over 4,000 years ago. The Vedas comprise of four books: The Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. Veena: A string instrument that is central to the Hindu ensembleof music instruments. The comparatively modern sitar is based on theveena. The veena is often held by forms of God or Goddess to signifylearning, culture and arts; and more indirectly the powers of creationor srishti. Vel: The lance carried by Lord Murugan. The vel itself is a representative of Lord Murugan. It symbolises His power of wisdom and love over ignorance and arrogance. The very shape of the vel’s spearhead being unusually wide in the middle and then coming to a sharp point at its tip and set on a long shaft has symbolic significance. It smybolises how wisdom is harnessed to make virtuous decisions. That is by being deeply imbedded in the foundation of love and virtue (the long shaft) and by being broad-minded and understanding (the wide spearhead) one will naturally be guided by dharma to make decisive and right decisions (the sharp tip). Venkateshwara, Lord: A form of God Vishnu, He is also affectionately called Lord Perumal. He is the Lord of the famed Tirupathi temple in Andhra Pradesh, India. He is worshipped as the Lord of Abundance and Wealth. In fact the Tirupati temple which is frequented by Hindus of all sect is the richest Hindu temple in the world. Vidya Rambha Samskara: A ceremonious rite of passage before a child begins formal study with a teacher. It is usually done during the Navaratri days of Saraswati Puja for children entering school or kindergarten the following year. A respected school teacher will be invited to the ceremony and he or she will feed the child a little sweet after the puja and then ceremoniously help the child write the first letter of the alphabet and numbers in a plate of yellow rice. Vimanam: The ornate tower that is above the sanctum of the deities enshrined within a temple. Vishnu, God: The original form of Supreme Godhead of the Vaishnavite sect of Hinduism. He is often pictured lying on the 9 headed coiled serpent Seshanaga, floating on a mythical ocean–Pall-Kadal–The Ocean of Elixir, that is representative of Satchitananda. His Consort is Goddess Lakshmi. The Vaishnavite philosophy teaches that God takes birth on earth as an avatar. Thus Lord Vishnu's avatars are also worshipped as His forms. His most notable avatars that are worshipped are Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Lord Narashimha among others. Visualizations: Mental images or imaginations. Visualizations are used in some meditation techniques to concentrate the mind. They are usually done with the eyes closed, though some meditators prefer to do them with their eyes opened

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