Reverse words Flashcards
(370 cards)
1
Q
“City of the elephants,” an important city in ancient India, located about sixty miles northeast of the modern Delhi. It was the capital of the Pāndavas and their line.
A
Hastināpura [EG]
2
Q
“Conduct leading to God,” self-control, purity.
A
brahmacharya [EG]
3
Q
“Giver of peace,” a name of Shiva.
A
Shankara [EG]
4
Q
“Having a bright chariot,” the king of Gandharvas.
A
Chitraratha [EG]
5
Q
“He who stirs up the people,” name of Krishna.
A
Janārdana [EG]
6
Q
“Highest Person,” Supreme Being, God.
A
Purushottama [EG]
7
Q
“Lord of offspring,” the creator of all beings. Indian myth encompasses many creation stories, and sometimes one great Father, or Prajāpati, is mentioned; sometimes there are seven or more fathers or sages who created all living creatures.
A
Prajāpati [EG]
8
Q
“Nirvana in Brahman,” the final state of spiritual fulfillment: eternal union with Brahman, the ground of all being.
A
brahmanirvāna [EG]
9
Q
“Not dharma.” Injustice, evil, anything which goes against moral laws.
A
adharma [EG]
10
Q
“Prince of Joy,” name of the son of Dasharatha, who was king of Ayodhyā. Rāma was the famous prince who killed the evil demon Rāvana to reclaim his wife Sītā. He is regarded as an incarnation of Vishnu.
A
Rāma [EG]
11
Q
“Self”; the innermost soul in every creature, which is divine.
A
Ātman [EG]
12
Q
“Slayer of Madhu,” a name for Krishna, who killed the demon Madhu.
A
Madhusūdana [EG]
13
Q
“Son of Prithā,” a name for Arjuna - or for his brothers Bhīma and Yudhishthira.
A
Pārtha [EG]
14
Q
“The cow of wishes,” who in legend fulfills all desires.
A
Kāmadhuk [EG]
15
Q
“The field of the Kurus,” where the Mahābhārata battle takes place. It is north of the modern city of Delhi.
A
Kurukshetra [EG]
16
Q
“The noble one,” a Vedic god, revered as an ancestor of mankind.
A
Aryaman [EG]
17
Q
“The purifier,” a name for the god of fire.
A
Pāvaka [EG]
18
Q
“The Royal Path”; the path of meditation taught especially by Patañjali in the Yoga Sūtras.
A
rāja yoga [EG]
19
Q
“The serpent power,” spiritual or evolutionary energy. In yoga literature, kundalinī is described as a force coiled at the base of the spine. Kundalinī may be aroused through meditation and the practice of yoga; then it rises up through the subtle body, awakening the higher centers of consciousness.
A
kundalinī [EG]
20
Q
“The Song,” a shorter title for the Bhagavad Gītā.
A
Gītā [EG]
21
Q
“The sons of Kuru,” Duryodhana and his brothers, who are the enemies of the Pāndava brothers.
A
Kauravas [EG]
22
Q
“The sons of Pāndu,” a collective name for Arjuna and his four brothers, Yudhishthira, Bhīma, Nakula, and Sahadeva. The Pāndavas are in conflict with the Kauravas; both claim the ancient throne of Hastināpura. The Gītā is set on the eve of the battle that will decide this conflict. The Pāndavas are looked upon as forces for good and the Kauravas as wicked usurpers.
A
Pāndavas [EG]
23
Q
A body of disciplines or way of life, which leads to the supreme goal of Self-realization.
A
sādhana [EG]
24
Q
A brave warrior who plays an important role in the larger epic, but is only mentioned in passing in the Gītā.
A
Karna [EG]
25
A chapter or section of a composition. The eighteen books of the Mahābhārata are referred to as parvans.
Parvan [SG]
26
A charioteer; considered to be of lower birth.
Suta [SG]
27
A collective term for the final three stages of the eight limbs of Yoga, dhāranā, dyhana, and samādhi.
Samyama [SS]
28
A deity; a term that can be applied either to the one Supreme Deity or any of the lesser divine beings.
Deva [SG]
29
A demon prince who was greatly devoted to Vishnu.
Prahlāda [EG]
30
A descent of the Supreme Deity to earth, as, for example, Krishna or Rāma.
Avatāra[SS]
31
A devotee of Shiva who regards Shiva as the Supreme Deity.
Shaivite [SG]
32
A devotee of Vishnu who regards Vishnu as the one Supreme Deity.
Vaishnava [SG]
33
A devotional song performed to glorify a deity.
Bhajan [SG]
34
A difficulty, obstacle, or affliction.
Klesha [SS]
35
A divine being, a god. The devas of Hindu mythology resemble the Olympians of the ancient Greeks - extraordinary, immortal, yet not unlike mortal men and women in their behavior. The feminine is devī, "goddess."
deva [EG]
36
A drink used in Vedic ritual; the drink of the gods.
soma [EG]
37
A field; a place; a scared place or temple.
kshetra [EG]
38
A form of Yoga based primarily on physical exercises and postures.
Haṭha-yoga [SS]
39
A form of Yoga practice that is based on specific forms of action.
Kriya-yoga [SS]
40
A god of war, the son of Shiva; general of the divine forces when they go into battle against the demons.
Skanda [EG]
41
A great archer and warrior who is Drona's son.
Ashvatthāma [EG]
42
A group of eighteen Sanskrit works which, amongst other things, describe the actions performed by the Supreme Deity.
Puranas [SS]
43
A group of eighteen Sanskrit works, mostly composed after the Bhagavad-gītā, some of which describe the deeds performed by the Krishna and other avataras.
Puranas [SG]
44
A group of gods associated with storm and destruction. Sometimes the Rudras are mentioned as a group; at other times they are thought of as a single god, Rudra. In later Hinduism, Shiva is called Rudra.
Rudras [EG]
45
A group of powerful superhuman beings who are generally vicious in nature and who are the eternal enemies of the gods.
Asura [SG]
46
A group of religious and philosophical systems based on the teaching of the Upanishads, brahma Sūtras, and Bhagavad-gītā.
Vedanta [SG]
47
A holy man, sage.
sādhu [EG]
48
A holy name or phrase; a spiritual formula.
mantram (mantra) [EG]
49
A hymn, prayer, or sacred sound; often used in meditation.
Mantra [SG]
50
A hymn, prayer, or sacred sound; often used in meditation.
Mantra [SS]
51
A king of ancient times who was both an effective ruler and a holy sage.
Janaka [EG]
52
A latent impression, on the mind left by all thoughts, words, and deeds.
Samskara [SS]
53
A learned brahmin who became a warrior, and eventually general of the Kaurava army. The preceptor of the royal princes, he taught the heroes of the Mahābhārata the skills of war.
Drona [EG]
54
A learned scholar, or one who has achieved a state of enlightenment.
Pandita [SG]
55
A member of the third of the four social classes who is expected to live by trade and agriculture.
Vaishya [SG]
56
A meter used in Vedic hymns; a prayer to the sun composed in this meter.
gāyatrī [EG]
57
A mythical mountain said to stand at the center of the world or cosmos. The gods dwell on Meru in beautiful cities, amidst flowering gardens.
Meru [EG]
58
A part of the Yoga system that involves intense concentration on a single object.
Dhāranā [SS]
59
A part of the yoga system that involves regulation of the breathing process.
Pranayama [SG]
60
A part of the Yoga system that involves regulation of the breathing process.
Pranayama [SS]
61
A part of the Yoga system that involves restraining the senses from external perception.
Pratyahara [SS]
62
A passage from the Mahabharata which contains a range of religious teachings, including those on the practice of meditational Yoga.
Bhagavad-gītā [SS]
63
A period in cosmic time equaling one Day of Brahmā or 1,000 "great yugas" - a total of 4,320 million years.
kalpa [EG]
64
A period of creation from the time of the manifestation of the world until its withdrawal.
Kalpa [SG]
65
A person who practices spiritual disciplines.
yogī [EG]
66
A person who successfully engages in yoga practice.
Yogin [SG]
67
A person, a man; a synonym for ātman frequently used in Sāmkhya teachings.
Purusha [SG]
68
A person; frequently used as a synonym for ātman in Sāmkhya teachings.
Purusha [SS]
69
A practitioner of yoga.
Yogin [SS]
70
A revered elder of the Kaurava dynasty who allows himself to be killed by Arjuna in the Mahābhārata battle.
Bhīshmā [EG]
71
A revered teacher of the royal family who also serves as a warrior.
Kripa [EG]
72
A sage and poet who appears in the Vedas.
Ushanas [EG]
73
A sage famous in ancient legend.
Bhrigu [EG]
74
A sage or holy man; the rishis were the original recipients or 'hearers' of the Vedas.
Rishi [SG]
75
A scripture or teaching that has been handed down; one of the three means of knowing accepted by Patañjali.
Agama [SS]
76
A seed, or the source of an object.
Bījā [SS]
77
A sense of personal identity that tends towards individualism.
Asmitā [SS]
78
A short, pithy aphorism that seeks to convey its meaning with the minimum words possible.
Sūtra [SS]
79
A sitting posture, as in yoga practice.
Āsana [SG]
80
A sitting posture; especially as an element of Yoga practice.
Āsana [SS]
81
A spiritual teacher.
guru [EG]
82
A state of spiritual awareness in which there is no perception of duality; of inside or outside, of subject and object; merger in the impersonal Godhead.
nirvikalpa samādhi [EG]
83
A system of Indian religious thought which bases its ideas on the teaching of the Upinshads, Brahma Sūtras, and Bhagavad-gītā.
Vedanta [SS]
84
A system of spiritual thought and practice based on texts known as tantras; typically seeks a goal of transformation of matter into a spiritual form.
Tantra [SS]
85
A teacher or interpreter of scripture, typically revered by groups of followers.
Acharya [SG]
86
A text of scripture that gives instruction.
Shastra [SG]
87
A text that sets out the main precepts of the Sāmkhya system.
Sāmkhya Karika [SS]
88
A type of powerful evil being inimical towards the gods and said to roam the forests at night.
Rakshasa [SG]
89
A Vedic demigod. The name means "particle of light."
Marīchi [EG]
90
A warrior or prince; a member of the ruling class of traditional Hindu society.
kshatriya [EG]
91
A wise and holy person; often, a wandering mendicant who is capable of giving spiritual instruction.
Sādhu [SG]
92
A woman saint of medieval India remembered for her songs to her beloved Krishna.
Meerā [EG]
93
A work composed by Patañjali later than the Bhagavad-gītā which discusses the philosophy and practice of the yoga system.
Yoga-sūtras [SG]
94
Absolute surrender to the will of the Deity and complete dependence upon him.
Prapatti [SG]
95
Action and reaction.
Karma [SG]
96
Action that brings future reactions as destiny unfolds.
Karma [SS]
97
Acts of austerity undertaken in the hope of gaining some material or spiritual reward.
Tapas [SG]
98
Acts of austerity undertaken in the hope of gaining some material or spiritual reward.
Tapas [SS]
99
Aloneness, separation; a term for liberation used in Sāmkhya teachings to indicate the separation of the true self from matter.
Kaivalya [SG]
100
Aloneness, separation; a term used in Sāmkhya teachings to indicate the separation of the true self from matter.
Kaivalya [SS]
101
An accepted means through which true knowledge can be gained.
Pramana [SS]
102
An age or eon. In Hindu cosmology there are four yugas, representing a steady deterioration in the state of the world from age to age. The names of the yugas are taken from a game of dice. Krita Yuga is the age of perfection, followed by Tretā Yuga. The incarnation of Srī Krishna is said to mark the end of the third yuga, Dvāpara. We are living in the fourth and final yuga, Kali, in which the creation reaches its lowest point. The world goes through 1,000 such yuga-cycles during one kalpa or Day of Brahmā.
yuga [EG]
103
An ancient sect of skeptics who taught that knowledge came only from perception and denied the authority of the Veda.
Cārvākas [SS]
104
An early Hindu scripture that recounts the activities of the Rāma avatāra.
Ramayana [SS]
105
An early Hindu scripture that recounts the life and deeds of the Rāma avatāra.
Ramayana [SG]
106
An early system of Indian thought that emphasizes the absolute distinction between prakriti and purusha, matter and spirit, and liberation through the knowledge of that distinction.
Sāmkhya [SG]
107
An early system of Indian thought that emphasizes the absolute distinction between prakriti and purusha.
Sāmkhya [SS]
108
An early text compiled by Badarayana that purports to summarize the teachings of the Upanishads. Regarded as an authoritative source by acharyas of Vedanta.
Brahma Sūtras [SG]
109
An equivalent term for moksha; liberation from rebirth.
Nirvāna [SG]
110
An equivalent term for moksha; liberation from rebirth.
Nirvāna [SS]
111
An observance.
Niyama [SS]
112
Ancient mystical documents found at the end of each of the four Vedas.
Upanishads [EG]
113
Ancient sect that rejected the authority of the Vedas and taught a doctrine based on absolute determinism.
Ajivikas [SS]
114
Anger.
Krodha [SG]
115
Another name for Krishna, "of the Mādhava clan."
Mādhava [EG]
116
Another term used for the ātman, although it tends to apply to the ātman in its state of bondage in this world.
Jīva, Jīva-bhūta [SG]
117
Arjuna's bow, which was a gift from the god of fire.
Gāndīva [EG]
118
Arjuna's elder brother, famous for his adherence to dharma at all times.
Yudhishthira [EG]
119
Arjuna's mother (also called Kuntī). Arjuna is called Pārtha, "son of Prithā."
Prithā [EG]
120
Atheist, skeptics who believe there is nothing that exists beyond the world we perceive.
Lokāyatas [SS]
121
Austerity, control of the sense; the spiritual power acquired through self-control.
tapas [EG]
122
Beloved, one who is loved.
Priya [SG]
123
Bliss, joy; often referred to as the experience of spiritual awakening.
Ānanda [SS]
124
Breath; vital force.
prāna [EG]
125
Caste or class.
varna [EG]
126
Celibacy or sexual restraint.
Brahmacharya [SG]
127
Celibacy or sexual restraint.
Brahmacharya [SS]
128
Charity.
Dāna [SG]
129
Compassion.
Kripa [SG]
130
Conscious deliberation on a particular object or subject.
Vitarka [SS]
131
Darkness, ignorance; the lowest of the three guṇas, promoting indolence, stupidity, impurity, and disregard.
Tamas [SG]
132
Desire, lust.
Kāma [SG]
133
Detachment from material desires.
Vairāgya [SS]
134
Detachment from material desires; an important element in the practice of yoga.
Vairāgya [SG]
135
Devotion, worship, love.
bhakti [EG]
136
Devotion; one of the paths advocated by the Bhagavad-gītā to achieve spiritual perfection.
Bhakti [SG]
137
Direct perception through the senses; one of the accepted means through which knowledge is acquired.
Pratyakṣa [SS]
138
Discrimination, particularly the ability to discern the distinction between prakriti and purusha.
Viveka [SS]
139
Divine will; destiny.
daivam [EG]
140
Dualism; the understanding that the individual ātman and the Supreme Deity (Brahman) are absolutely and eternally distinct.
Dvaita [SG]
141
Eight-limbed; a name for the Yoga practice taught by Patañjali.
Ashtanga [SS]
142
energy, passion.
rājas [EG]
143
Faith.
shraddhā [EG]
144
Free of any seed; the form of meditation in which no object is used as a point of focus.
Nirbīja [SS]
145
Game; the divine play of the Lord disguising himself as the many beings of this world.
līlā [EG]
146
Glories, opulence or outstanding achievements.
Vibhūti [SS]
147
God as creator, one of the Hindu Trinity; the others are Vishnu, the Preserver, and Shiva, the Destroyer. Brahmā should not be confused with Brahman.
Brahmā [EG]
148
God of waters and the ocean; in the Vedas, the moral overseer of the world.
Varuna [EG]
149
God of wealth.
Kubera [EG]
150
Great soul; a term of respect used for those who are enlightened.
Mahatma [SG]
151
Happiness, joy.
Sukha [SG]
152
Hatred, aversion.
Dveṣa [SS]
153
Having no duality; the supreme Reality, which is the "One without a second." The word advaita is especially used in Vedanta philosophy, which stresses the unity of the Self (Ātman) and Brahman.
advaita [EG]
154
Heavenly musicians who are demigods, rather touchy and proud, handsome and amorous.
Gandharva [EG]
155
Ignorance, absence of knowledge.
Avidyā [SG]
156
Ignorance, the absence of true knowledge.
Avidyā [SS]
157
Illusion or divine power; used to denote the force that keeps living beings in a state of illusion about their own identity and that of the Supreme Deity.
Māyā [SG]
158
Illusion; appearance, as contrasted with Reality; the creative power of God.
Māyā [EG]
159
In Hindu cosmology, the present age, which is regarded as a period of decline and degradation amongst humanity.
Kali-yuga [SG]
160
In Hindu myth, a demon; figuratively, a being with an evil nature.
asura [EG]
161
In relation to the self; a form of knowledge that reveals the true nature of the self.
Adhyatma [SS]
162
In Sanskrit grammar, a kind of compound that combines two or more words as a pair or group.
dvandva [EG]
163
In the Bhagavad-gītā, a range of different religious practices. More specifically, the practice of mental restraint and inward meditation.
Yoga [SG]
164
Inability of the thought processes to reach a definite conclusion; uncertainty.
Vikalpa [SS]
165
Inertia, ignorance.
tamas [EG]
166
Inference; one of the three means of knowing accepted by Patañjali.
Anumāna [SS]
167
Intuitive rather than reasoned knowledge.
Prātibha [SS]
168
Knowledge, judgement, understanding.
Vijñāna [EG]
169
Knowledge, wisdom; a science or branch of study.
vidyā [EG]
170
Knowledge; either an understanding of mundane affairs or the realization that brings enlightenment and liberation.
Jñana [SG]
171
Knowledge; either an understanding of mundane affairs or the realization that brings enlightenment and liberation.
Jñana [SS]
172
Law, duty; the universal law which holds all life together in unity.
dharma [EG]
173
Law, harmony, purity, goodness.
sattva [EG]
174
Liberation, release; a term used to denote the state of liberation from the cycle of karma and rebirth.
Moksha [SG]
175
Liberation, release; a term used to denote the state of liberation from the cycle of karma and rebirth.
Moksha [SS]
176
Liberation, salvation, illumination.
moksha [EG]
177
Living being; the living soul; the finite, individual soul that is identified with separate existence, as opposed to Ātman, the eternal Self.
jīva [EG]
178
Matter in both its non-differentiated primeval form and in its evolved variegated form as well. In its non-differentiated state, it is also referred to as pradhāna and avyakta.
Prakriti [SG]
179
Matter in both its non-differentiated primeval form and in its evolved variegated form as well.
Prakriti [SS]
180
Meditation; controlling the mind and turning the vision inwards in order to gain direct perception of the ātman.
Dhyāna [SG]
181
Meditation; controlling the mind and turning the vision inwards in order to gain direct perception of the ātman.
Dhyāna [SS]
182
Memory or recollection.
Smriti [SS]
183
Mercy, grace, serenity.
Prasāda [SS]
184
Misapprehension, false knowledge, illusion.
Viparyaya [SS]
185
Mystical union with God; a state of intense concentration in which consciousness is completely unified.
samādhi [EG]
186
Name of a sage, first teacher of the Sānkhya philosophy
Kapila [EG]
187
Name of an important clan of ancient north India. According to legend the Vrishnis all perished at the end of Krishna's life when their city, Dvāraka, sank into the sea.
Vrishni [EG]
188
Name of the great Indian epic composed some 2,500 years ago, traditionally attributed to the sage Vyāsa. It relates the conflict between the descendants of Pāndu (forces of light) and those of Dhritarāshtra (forces of darkness).
Mahābhārata [EG]
189
Name of Vishnu or Krishna.
Hari [EG]
190
Non harming or non-violence.
Ahimsā [SS]
191
Non-dualism; a strand of Vedanta philosophy that teaches absolute unity of ātman and Brahman, the individual self and the absolute reality.
Advaita [SG]
192
Non-dualism; an expression of Vedanta philosophy that teaches absolute unity of ātman and Brahman, the individual self and the absolute reality.
Advaita [SS]
193
Non-manifest, invisible; a term applied to the state of existence before creation.
Avyakta [SG]
194
Offering, sacrifice, worship.
yajna [EG]
195
Offerings made on behalf of departed ancestors to ensure their well-being in the afterlife.
Pinda [SG]
196
One of the five Pāndava brothers and an important figure in Indian epic and legend. He is Srī Krishna's beloved disciple and friend in the Bhagavad Gītā.
Arjuna [EG]
197
One of the four ages in Indian cosmology; in the Bhagavad-gītā, the term is also used to indicate the total time period of all four yuga ages combined.
Yuga [SG]
198
One of the four Vedas.
Yajur [EG]
199
One of the junior Pāndava brothers.
Sahadeva [EG]
200
One of the junior Pāndava brothers.
Nakula [EG]
201
One of the six branches of Hindu philosophy. Sānkhya seeks to liberate the individual Purusha (spirit) from prakriti (mind and matter).
Sānkhya [EG]
202
One of the three guṇas, which is indicated by passion, energy, action, and achievement.
Rājas [SS]
203
One who crosses down; a manifestation of the Supreme Deity appearing in this world to restore the order of dharma set in place by the creation.
Avatāra [SG]
204
One who does not accept the authority of the Vedic revelation; a non-believer.
Nāstika [SS]
205
One who possesses knowledge; an enlightened person.
Jñanin [SG]
206
One's inherent nature that is formed by a particular configuration of the guṇas; it is shaped by previous actions and exists within an individual from the time of birth.
Svabhāva [SG]
207
Orthodox in the sense of accepting the authority and validity of the Vedic revelation.
Āstika [SS]
208
Pain, suffering, sorrow.
duhka [EG]
209
Passion, energy; one of the three guṇas, indicated by desire, passion, and intense activity for personal gain.
Rājas [SG]
210
Passion, longing, fierce attachment.
Rāga [SS]
211
Peace, tranquility; a state of consciousness achieved through yoga practice.
Shanti [SG]
212
Peace; the peace of deep meditation.
shama [EG]
213
Perfection, success; used to refer to the superhuman powers acquired through Yoga practice.
Siddhi [SS]
214
Piety, virtue; forms of action that lead to a favorable karmic result.
Puṇya [SG]
215
Piety, virtue; forms of action that lead to a favorable karmic result.
Puṇya [SS]
216
Power; God's feminine aspect; the Divine Mother.
Shakti [EG]
217
Practical knowledge, or knowledge that brings a higher form of realisation.
Vijñāna [SG]
218
Prakriti in its non-differentiated unevolved form; primal matter.
Pradhāna [SG]
219
Prakriti in its primal state before it evolves into the variegated universe.
Pradhāna [SS]
220
Prayer.
Anjali [SS]
221
Quality; specifically, the three qualities which make up the phenomenal world. The corresponding adjectives are sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic.
Guṇa [EG]
222
Quiet or silent recitation of a prayer or mantra.
Japa [SG]
223
Quiet or silent recitation of a prayer or mantra.
Japa [SS]
224
Regulated practice of a particular discipline.
Abhyāsa [SG]
225
Regulated practice of a particular discipline.
Abhyāsa [SS]
226
Renunciation of the world; often in relation to individuals who renounce their previous lives in pursuit of spiritual perfection.
Samnyāsa [SG]
227
Renunciation, as defined by Krishna in Chapter 18 of the Gītā.
Tyāga [SG]
228
Renunciation.
sannyāsa [EG]
229
Renunciation.
tyāga [EG]
230
Resolve, determination.
Dhriti [SG]
231
Restraint; avoiding unwanted action.
Yama [SS]
232
Reversing the flow; returning to the original state.
Pratiprasava [SS]
233
Right action; there are a number of other meanings for the word, but in the Gītā it means 'acting properly in accordance with pre-ordained rules or in relation to virtue.'
Dharma [SG]
234
Sacred texts from the Vedas that reflect on the true nature of the world and the individual.
Upanishads [SG]
235
Scriptures that do not form a part of the Vedas, being composed by human beings.
Smriti [SG]
236
Second in the Hindu Trinity; the Preserver who incarnates himself in age after age for the establishment of dharma and for the welfare of all creatures.
Vishnu [EG]
237
Seeing, or a philosophical system that claims to perceive the truth.
Darśana [SS]
238
Selfish desire, greed; sexual desire, sometimes personified as Kāmadeva.
kāma [EG]
239
Sin, wicked action that produces unwanted karmic results; may also refer to these results as well.
Papa [SG]
240
Sleep.
Nidra [SS]
241
Sometimes translated as 'integrated,' but more generally successful engagement in yoga practice.
Yukta [SG]
242
Sorrow, misery, suffering.
Duḥkha [SG]
243
Sorrow, misery, suffering.
Duḥkha [SS]
244
Space, sky; the most subtle of the five elements.
ākāsha [EG]
245
Study or recitation of the Vedas.
Svādhyāya [SS]
246
Sustained contemplation of a particular object.
Vicāra [SS]
247
That portion of the Vedas that contains revelations about the nature of the self and the world. Typically applied to the Upanishads.
Jñana-kanda [SG]
248
That which decays; the opposite of akshara; usually applied to anything that is material, although not to prakriti itself.
Kshara [SG]
249
That which does not decay; term applied to both the individual ātman and to the Supreme Deity.
Akshara [SG]
250
That which is heard; the Vedic texts, including the Upanishads.
Shruti [SG]
251
That which is seen or perceived; a term used to refer to the external world.
Dṛsya [SS]
252
That which should be known; typically applied to the ātman, the object of knowledge.
Jñeya [SG]
253
That part of our psychological makeup that gives us a sense of selfhood. Can also mean 'pride' and 'arrogance'.
Ahaṁkāra [SS]
254
That part of our psychological makeup that gives us a sense of selfhood. Can also mean 'pride' and 'arrogance'.
Ahaṁkāra [SG]
255
The air within the abdomen that is active in the process of digestion.
Samāna [SS]
256
The air within the body which rises upwards from the throat.
Udāna [SS]
257
The ancient ritual prescribed in the Vedas whereby offerings to the gods are made into the sacred fire.
Yajña [SG]
258
The author of the Yoga Sūtras, a classic description of the way to Self-realization through meditation. Patañjali lived around the second century B.C., and his method is sometimes referred to as rāja yoga.
Patañjali [EG]
259
The basic energy from which all mental and physical worlds take shape; nature.
prakriti [EG]
260
The controller; the Supreme Deity. The term is sometimes used for the ātman.
Īshvara (Isha) [SG]
261
The cosmic serpent on which Vishnu reclines in rest.
Ananta [EG]
262
The cosmic sound, heard in deep meditation; the Holy word, taught in the Upanishads, which signifies Brahman, the divine ground of existence.
Om (Aum) [EG]
263
The divine musician and sage who is a devotee of Srī Krishna.
Nārada [EG]
264
The divine potency by which the order of the universe is held in place and living beings are kept in a state of illusion.
Yoga-maya [SG]
265
The duty appropriate to a particular person, one's own individual dharma.
svadharma [EG]
266
The eternal, the changeless.
avyaya [EG]
267
The eternal; the syllable Om.
akshara [EG]
268
The exalted one, God; a term used for Krishna in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Bhagavān [SG]
269
The father of the human race, the Hindu equivalent of Adam or the first man.
Manu [EG]
270
The field; a Sāmkhya term for the body and the material manifestation.
Kshetra [SG]
271
The final state of yogic perfection, when the mind is absolutely tranquil and all thought processes are brought under control.
Samādhi [SG]
272
The final state of yogic perfection, when the mind is absolutely tranquil and all thought processes are brought under control.
Samādhi [SS]
273
The first of the three guṇas, indicated by truth, purity, light, goodness, and virtue. A term that is also used to refer to material manifestation.
Sattva [SS]
274
The form of the Deity that embodies the entire universe.
Vishva-rupa [SG]
275
The four original social classes, Brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas, and shūdras.
Varnas [SG]
276
The fourth Hindu caste; a worker or servant.
shūdra [EG]
277
The fourth of the varnas; a member of the social class that is duty bound to perform work in the service of others.
Shūdra [SG]
278
The god of storms and battle. In the Veda, Indra is the chief of the gods (devas) and an important deity; later his role is greatly diminished.
Indra [EG]
279
The great eagle that is Vishnu's vehicle.
Garuda [EG]
280
The guru or priest of the gods.
Brihaspati [EG]
281
The impression of any experience that remains unconsciously in the mind.
Vāsanā [SS]
282
The indweller; a term that can indicate either the ātman or the expansion of the Deity that is present in every being alongside the ātman.
Antaryamin [SG]
283
The intellect; that part of a person's mental composition that analyzes information and makes decisions based on that information.
Buddhi [SG]
284
The intellect; that part of a person's psychological makeup that analyzes information and makes decisions based on that information.
Buddhi [SS]
285
The inward breath; also used to denote life itself or the breath of life.
Prāna [SG]
286
The king of the Kurus. He has been blind since birth and has therefore never been enthroned as the rightful king, but he serves as de factor ruler. The entire Bhagavad Gītā is a narration told by Sanjaya to the blind king, whose sons are the Kauravas.
Dhritarāshtra [EG]
287
The king of the serpents, he lives in the underworld and balances the earth on his serpent hood.
Vāsuki [EG]
288
The knower of the field; a synonym for ātman and purusha.
Kshetrajña [SG]
289
The Lord; God.
Īshvara [EG]
290
The lunar month that falls in November-December.
Mārgashīrsha [EG]
291
The means of attaining a result; regulated spiritual practice.
Sādhana [SS]
292
The mind or thought processes; perhaps the combination of buddhi, manas, and ahaṁkāra.
Citta [SS]
293
The mind; specifically, the faculty which registers and stores sensory impressions.
manas [EG]
294
The mind; that part of our psychological makeup that receives and categorizes perceptions received through the senses.
Manas [SG]
295
The mind; that part of our psychological makeup that receives and categorizes perceptions received through the senses.
Manas [SS]
296
The oldest of the four Vedas, the most ancient and sacred Hindu scriptures.
Rig Veda [EG]
297
The oldest son of Dhritarāshtra and the chief enemy of the Pāndavas and Srī Krishna.
Duryodhana [EG]
298
The one that sees or perceives, a term used to indicate the ātman.
Draṣṭṛ [SS]
299
The original revelation of the sacred truth divided into four parts, the Rig, the Sāma, the Yajur, and the Atharva Veda.
Veda(s) [SG]
300
The outward breath.
Apana [SG]
301
The performance of action without attachment or desire for gain; a part of the path leading to liberation from the world.
Karma-yoga [SG]
302
The pipal tree, a kind of fig; it is regarded as holy and often grows in temple compounds.
ashvattha [EG]
303
The portion of the Vedas that gives instruction on ritual acts to worship the Vedic deities.
Karma-kanda [SG]
304
The proper universal order; the highest level of truth.
Ṛta [SS]
305
The royal princess who became the wife of each of the five Pāndava brothers.
Draupadī [EG]
306
The sacred syllable om.
Praṇava [SS]
307
The sage revered as the author of the Mahābhārata and the Gītā. He was the father of both Dhritarāshtra and Pāndu, and he gave Sanjaya the power of mystic vision so that he could behold the dialogue between Srī Krishna and Arjuna.
Vyāsa [EG]
308
The sage who divinely perceives what is taking place on the battlefield and reports it to the blind king Dhritarāshtra.
Sanjaya [EG]
309
The science of knowing Brahman.
Brahmavidyā [EG]
310
The second of the four varnas; the social class that includes warriors and rulers.
Kshatriya [SG]
311
The self or soul.
Ātman [SS]
312
The son of Manu and the founder of the Solar Dynasty of kings.
Ikshvāku [EG]
313
The spiritual entity that is present within every living being and which brings life to inert matter.
Ātman [SG]
314
The state of mind that exists prior to samadhi, when the movements of the mind have been stilled.
Samāpatti [SS]
315
The sun god, the father of Manu, the ancestor of mankind.
Vivasvat [EG]
316
The supernatural power that gives him the ability to bring others under one's control.
Vaśitva [SS]
317
The supernatural power that gives one the ability to achieve mastery over the world.
Īśitva [SS]
318
The supernatural power that gives one the ability to acquire objects from distant places.
Prāpti [SS]
319
The supernatural power that gives one the ability to act in any way without restriction.
Prākāmya [SS]
320
The supernatural power that gives one the ability to become heavy and immovable.
Garimā [SS]
321
The supernatural power that gives one the ability to become very light and to float through the air.
Laghimā [SS]
322
The supernatural power that gives one the ability to become large in size.
Mahimā [SS]
323
The supernatural power that gives one the ability to make oneself minutely small.
Animā [SS]
324
The Supreme Deity, God.
Īshvara [SS]
325
The Supreme Person; a term for the Supreme Deity which Krishna applies to himself.
Purushottama [SG]
326
The supreme reality underlying all life, the divine ground of existence, the impersonal Godhead.
Brahman [EG]
327
The Supreme Soul; sometimes used to indicate the individual living entity and sometimes for the expansion of the Deity accompanying the individual ātman through the cycle of rebirth.
Paramatman [SG]
328
The third of the three guṇas, which is indicated by darkness, illusion, inertia, and impurity.
Tamas [SS]
329
The third person of the Hindu Trinity, the other two being Brahmā, the Creator, and Vishnu, the Preserver. Shiva destroys, but he also conquers death.
Shiva [EG]
330
The three strands or qualities that pervade everything material and exert an influence over our lives, our mentality, and the manner in which we conduct ourselves.
Guṇas [SG]
331
The three strands or qualities that pervade everything material and exert an influence over our lives, our mentality, and the way we conduct ourselves.
Guṇas [SS]
332
The twelve most prominent among the Vedic gods; the sons of Aditi.
Ādityas [SG]
333
The ultimate reality that is the source of the world and is the world. Brahman is considered to be that which is all things, but for some acharyas, it is a term that dontes the Supreme Deity. In the Gītā, it is also used to mean 'the Vedic scriptures' and 'the basic substance of matter'.
Brahman [SG]
334
The vast Indian scripture of which the Bhagavad-gītā is one short passage.
Mahābhārata [SG]
335
The vast Indian scripture that includes the earliest extant teachings on Yoga.
Mahābhārata [SS]
336
The Veda of songs and chants. One of the four Vedas.
Sāma Veda [EG]
337
The Way of Action; the path of selfless service.
karma yoga [EG]
338
The Way of Love.
bhakti yoga [EG]
339
The Way of Wisdom.
jnāna yoga [EG]
340
The withdrawal of the intellect from material desires so that action is performed with no aspiration for personal gain.
Buddhi-yoga [SG]
341
The world of flux; the round of birth, decay, death and rebirth.
samsāra [EG]
342
Time.
Kāla [SG]
343
Transformation; the evolution of diverse elements from out of raw prakriti.
Parināma [SS]
344
Truth, goodness, light; the first of the three guṇas; that which inspires virtue, knowledge, and joy in individuals.
Sattva [SG]
345
Truth, truthful; good, the Good.
satya [EG]
346
Truthfulness, honesty.
Satyam [SS]
347
Understanding, intelligence; the faculty of discrimination; correct view, idea, purpose.
buddhi [EG]
348
Worship of a deity in the form of a sacred image.
Mūrti-pūjā [SG]
349
[aham "I"; kāra "maker"] Self-will, separateness.
ahaṁkāra [EG]
350
["black"; or from krish "to draw, to attract to oneself"] "The Dark One" or "He who draws us to Himself," name of an incarnation of Vishnu. Vishnu, the cosmic force of goodness, comes to earth as Krishna to reestablish dharma, or law. Krishna is the friend and advisor of the Pāndava brothers, especially Arjuna, to whom he reveals the teachings of the Bhagavad Gītā. He is the inner Lord, who personifies spiritual love and lives in the hearts of all beings.
Krishna [EG]
351
["not transcendent"] Lower knowledge; intellectual knowledge.
apara [EG]
352
["person"] The soul; the spiritual core of every person. In the Gītā, the terms Ātman and Purusha are virtually interchangeable.
Purusha [EG]
353
[a "not"; himsā "violence"] Nonviolence, doing no injury, wishing no harm.
ahimsā [EG]
354
[a "not"; sat "truth, goodness"] Untruth; anything unreal, untrue, or lacking in goodness.
asat [EG]
355
[a "not"; vidyā "wisdom"] Ignorance, lack of wisdom, want of knowledge.
avidyā [EG]
356
[ava "down"; tri "to cross"] The descent of God to earth; the incarnation of Vishnu on earth; the birth of divine consciousness in the human heart.
avatara [EG]
357
[Bhagavat "Lord"; gītā "song"] "The Song of the Lord," name of a Hindu scripture which contains the instructions of Srī Krishna.
Bhagavad Gītā [EG]
358
[from as "to be"] The Real; truth; goodness.
sat [EG]
359
[from budh "to wake up "] "The Awakened one," the title given to the sage Siddhārtha Gautama Shākyamuni after he obtained complete illumination. The Buddha lived and taught in North India during the sixth century B.C.
Buddha [EG]
360
[from jnā "to know"] a transcendental mode of knowing developed in deep meditation.
prajnā [EG]
361
[from jnā "to know"] Wisdom; higher knowledge.
jnāna [EG]
362
[from kri "to do"] Action; former actions which will lead to certain results in a cause-and-effect relationship.
karma [EG]
363
[from vid "to know"] "Knowledge"; the name of the most ancient Sanskrit scriptures, considered to be a direct revelation from God to the mystics of the past.
Veda [EG]
364
[from yuj "to unite"] Union with God, realization of the unity of all life; a path or discipline which leads to such a state of total integration or unity. Yoga is also the name of one of the six branches of Hindu philosophy, and as such is paired with Sānkhya.
yoga [EG]
365
[hima "snow"; ālaya "abode"] The great mountain range which stretches across the northern border of India, important in mythology as the home of Shiva and the other gods.
Himālaya [EG]
366
[nir "out"; vāna "to blow"] Complete extinction of self-will and separateness; realization of the unity of all life.
Nirvāna [EG]
367
[pronounced shrī] A title of respect originally meaning "auspicious" or "holy."
Srī [EG]
368
[sa-vikalpa "having distinctions" or "admitting separateness"] Samādhi in which some duality of subject and object remains, the devotee being absorbed in meditation without becoming completely identified with the object of contemplation; union with the personal God.
savikalpa samādhi [EG]
369
[Skt brāhmana] Literally, a person who strives to know Brahman; in traditional Hindu society, a person of the priestly or learned class.
brahmin [EG]
370
[Skt gangā] A major river of northern India, revered as a sacred symbol.
Ganges [EG]
