Hinduism: A Short History (61 page)

classical work of etymology.

without part; undivided, complete.

eternal.

withdrawal.

man-lion; one of the
avatāras
of Visnu.

rule, method; motto; logic; syllogism.

foot; verse, part of a text.

category (in Vaiśeṣika system).

lotus.

five; e.g.,
pañcāgni
is five fires.

the traditional Indian calendar.

branch of Vaiṣṇavism.

worship of five gods.

learned man; honorific title.

path, way; e.g.,
Kabīr-pantha
is the religious sect founded by Kabir.

sin.

beyond; supreme; liberation.

that which concerns ultimate reality.

tradition.

Rama with the battle-ax; one of the
avatāras
of Visnu.

daughter of the mountains; name of Śiva’s consort.

fetter.

animal; cattle; in Śaivasiddhanta: unliberated person.

“lord of the cattle,” name of Śiva.

small ball of rice which is offered to ancestors as oblation.

imp; ogre.

place sacred to Śāktas

ancestor, forefather;
pitṛyāna
is the path of the ancestor.

splendor.

respect shown through certain actions.

head; source; in Sāṁkhya system, ground from which everything develops.

Lord of creatures; creator.

splendor.

matter; nature.

dissolution of the world.

error.

logical proof; means of cognition.

life breath.

the mantra OM.

breath-control.

one who has surrendered to God.

(formal) act of surrender to God.

remainder of karma from former births.

prayer.

grace, share of food offered to deity.

triad of authorities
(Upaniṣads, Bhagavadgītā, Brahmasūtras)
.

reflection; mirror-image.

recognition; proposition.

dissolution of the universe.

forbidden action or ritual.

recognition.

withdrawal of the senses

immediate (sense) perception.

inclination; active liberation.

atonement (through certain prescribed acts).

effort.

love; used as technical term for spiritual love.

soul of a deceased who has not (yet) received offerings.

amity; love.

earth.

(image) worship.

rebirth.

redeath.

merit.

old; proper name of class of authoritative scriptures.

class of Vedic priests.

man; person; supreme being; spirit.

aim of human life.

supreme person.

flower.

special form of
bhakti
.

son.

way of the son; third rank in Śaiva-siddhānta.

passion; in music, basic tune.

“passionate love”; special form of
bhakti
.

excitement; one of the basic three
guṇas
.

“royal way” name of Patañjali’s
yoga
system.

splendor.

goblin.

main hero of the
Rāmayāṇa;
general name for God.

Rāma’s rule; “kingdom of God.”

“Rama’s Adventures”, a large epic poem, ascribed to Vālmīki. There are many vernacular re-creations of this original work like Tulsīdās’
Rāmcaritmānas
.

juice; sentiment.

theatrical reenactment of scenes from the life of Kṛṣṇa.

pleasure; proper name of consort of god of Love.

jewel; pearl; often used as honorific title.

night.

hymn.

seer; wise man.

(Vedic) law of the world (moral and cosmic).

reddish; name of Vedic god; name of Śiva especially in his frightful aspect.

“Rudra’s eye”; rough, round seed of an Indian shrub, used in garlands by Śaivites.

Kṛṣṇa’s spouse.

sound; word; scriptural authority.

the Supreme Being (being, consciousness, bliss).

morality; good behaviour.

the six orthodox systems.

means (to gain liberation).

one who practices a
sādhana
.

common law; religion common to humankind.

“holy man”; mendicant.

a female ascetic.

sea; great mass of things.

with qualities.

brahman with attributes.

natural; in-born.

the way of the companion; the second rank in Śaiva- siddhānta.

“thousand names,” litany with 1000 names and titles of a deity.

branch; a school of thought or practice.

bodily vision of the supreme.

witness; the Supreme as present in humans.

follower of Śakti cult.

power; name of Śiva’s consort.

ammonite; symbol under which Viṣṇu is present.

sharing the same world; one of the stages of liberation.

deep concentration; death; memorial.

Vedic tune.

equality; category in
Vaiśeṣika
.

similarity.

togetherness.

enjoyment.

twilight; dusk and dawn; prayers recited at dawn.

words with double meaning.

collection; name of class of authoritative scriptures.

nearness; stage of liberation.

understanding.

figure, number; proper name of philosophical system.

congregational singing.

renunciation.

ascetic, homeless mendicant.

a religious order or sect.

world; connoting constant cyclic change.

rites; “sacraments.”

artfully composed, refined, name of old Indian high language.

concentration.

eternal law; “Hinduism.”

conch shell.

“the true way”; highest stage in Śaiva-siddhānta.

peace.

contentment.

seeking refuge.

creation; emanation.

bowstring.

body.

of equal form.

doctrine; treatise, authoritative teaching.

one who knows the traditional doctrine; Bachelor of Arts.

being, truth.

“faithful,” wife who (voluntarily) dies with deceased husband.

“gathering of the righteous,” religious meeting.

being; nature; virtue; one of the three
guṇas
.

truth; reality.

purity.

benevolence.

kindness.

sun God.

togetherness.

“endless,” world-serpent upon which Viṣṇu rests.

service.

accomplished; saint.

accomplishment; in
yoga
, extraordinary faculties.

tuft on the crown of the head.

spire-like elevation over central sanctuary.

instruction.

good behavior; morality.

furrow; proper name of Rama’s consort.

“propitious,” proper name of major Hindu deity.

double verse.

cremation ground.

what has been committed to memory; proper name for a certain class of scriptures.

intoxicating drink used in vedic sacrifices.

treatise of vibrations, branch of Kāśmīr Śaivism.

boil; idea; connection between letter and meaning.

faith.

last rites.

ritual texts dealing with public Vedic sacrifices.