Glossary
Śabda Kośaḥ
शब्दकोशः
harmonize: To bring about agreement or harmony.§
haṭha yoga: हठयोग “Forceful yoga.” Haṭha yoga is a system of physical and mental exercise developed in ancient times as a means of rejuvenation by ṛishis and tapasvins who meditated for long hours, and used today in preparing the body and mind for meditation. In the West, haṭha yoga has been superficially adopted as a health-promoting, limbering, stress-reducing form of exercise, often included in aerobic routines. Esoterically, ha and ṭha, respectively, indicate the microcosmic sun (ha) and moon (ṭha), which symbolize the masculine current, piṅgalā nāḍī, and feminine current, iḍā nāḍī, in the human body. See: āsana, kuṇḍalinī, nāḍī, yoga, rāja yoga.§
Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā: हठयोगप्रदीपिका “Light on haṭha yoga. ” A 14 th-century text of 389 verses by Svatmarama Yogin which describes the philosophy and practices of haṭha yoga. It is widely used in yoga schools today.§
havana: हवन “Making oblations through fire.” The Vedic fire ritual. Same as homa. Can also refer to the offering place, or kuṇḍa. Havis and havya name the offerings. See: homa.§
havana kuṇḍa: हवन कुण्ड “Offering pit.” The fire pit, usually lined with bricks, into which offerings are placed during havana, or homa, rites.§
heart chakra: Anāhata chakra. Center of direct cognition. See: chakra .§
heaven: The celestial spheres, including the causal plane and the higher realms of the subtle plane, where souls rest and learn between births, and mature souls continue to evolve after moksha . Heaven is often used by translators as an equivalent to the Sanskrit Svarga. See: loka .§
hedonist: Dedicated to or obsessed with the pursuit of pleasure.§
heinous: Grossly wicked or reprehensible; abominable.§
hell: Naraka. An unhappy, mentally and emotionally congested, distressful area of consciousness. Hell is a state of mind that can be experienced on the physical plane or in the sub-astral plane (Naraka) after death of the physical body. It is accompanied by the tormented emotions of hatred, remorse, resentment, fear, jealousy and self-condemnation. However, in the Hindu view, the hellish experience is not permanent, but a temporary condition of one’s own making. See: asura, Naraka .§
heresy: An opinion or belief that is strongly at variance with beliefs, customs within an established religion.§
heroic measures: Medical intervention that provides breathing or heart function for someone whose body cannot sustain these processes on its own. Such measures today include cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and artificial respiration by human or by machine. Heroic measures span the gamut from emergency intervention, such as in an auto accident or a near drowning, to applying mechanical devices to the body of an elderly person who has suffered organ failure who would expire without such intrusion. Such heroic measures are welcomed in the event of accident or disease as temporary measures when recovery is likely, but they are not advised as long-term life support with little or no hope of recovery, especially in advanced years when death is immanent. It is the latter artifical extension of life beyond the natural capacity of the body to sustain itself or recover from an injury that Living with Śiva advises against.§
higher-nature, lower nature: Expressions indicating man’s refined, soulful qualities on the one hand, and his base, instinctive qualities on the other. See: kośa, mind (five states), soul.§
Himalayan abodes of Śiva: These renowned pilgrimage sites include Mount Kailāśa (in Tibet) and Lake Manasarovar at its base; Kedarnath (in Garhwal, Uttara Pradesh) and Amarnath, the ice Liṅga cave temple in Kashmir.§
Himalayan Academy: An educational and publishing institution of Saiva Siddhanta Church founded by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1957. The Academy’s objective is to spread the teachings of Sanātana Dharma through the monthly magazine HINDUISM TODAY, Innersearch travel-study programs, The Master Course trilogy of Dancing with Śiva, Living with Śīva and Merging with Śiva, as well as other publications and web resources, all as a public service to Hindus worldwide. See: Hinduism Today, Subramuniyaswami.§
Himālayas: हिमालय “Abode of snow.” The mountain system extending along the India-Tibet border and through Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan.§
hiṁsā: हिंसा “Injury;” “harm;” “hurt.” Injuriousness, hostility—mental, verbal or physical. See: ahiṁsā.§
Hindu: हिन्दु A follower of, or relating to, Hinduism. Generally, one is understood to be a Hindu by being born into a Hindu family and practicing the faith, or by professing oneself a Hindu. Acceptance into the fold is recognized through the name-giving sacrament, a temple ceremony called nāmakaraṇa saṁskāra, given to born Hindus shortly after birth, and to Hindus by choice who have proven their sincerity and been accepted by a Hindu community. Full conversion is completed through disavowal of previous religious affiliations and legal change of name. While traditions vary greatly, all Hindus rely on the Vedas as scriptural authority and generally attest to the following nine principles: 1) There exists a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both creator and unmanifest Reality. 2) The universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution. 3) All souls are evolving toward God and will ultimately find moksha: spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny. 4) Karma is the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds. 5) The soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved. 6) Divine beings exist in unseen worlds, and temple worship, rituals, sacraments, as well as personal devotionals, create a communion with these devas and Gods. 7) A spiritually awakened master or satguru is essential to know the transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, self-inquiry and meditation. 8) All life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore one should practice ahiṁsā, nonviolence. 9) No particular religion teaches the only and exclusive way to salvation above all others. Rather, all genuine religious paths are facets of God’s pure love and light, deserving tolerance and understanding. See: Hinduism.§
Hindu Heritage Endowment: A publicly supported charitable foundation established by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in December, 1993, as a public service. Its philanthropic mission is to set up and maintain secure, professionally managed endowments to offer financial support for individuals, religious leaders and institutions of all lineages of Sānatana Dharma. www.HHEonline.org§
Hindu solidarity: Hindu unity in diversity. A major contemporary theme according to which Hindu denominations are mutually supportive and work together in harmony, while taking care not to obscure or lessen their distinctions or unique virtues. The underlying belief is that Hinduism will be strong if each of its sects, and lineages is vibrant. See: Hinduism.§
Hinduism (Hindu Dharma): हिन्दुधर्म India’s indigenous religious and cultural system, followed today by nearly one billion adherents, mostly in India, but with large diaspora in many other countries. Also called Sanātana Dharma (Eternal religion) and Vaidika Dharma (Religion of the Vedas .) Hinduism is the world’s most ancient religion and encompasses a broad spectrum of philosophies ranging from pluralistic theism to absolute monism. It is a family of myriad faiths with four primary denominations: Śaivism, Vaishṇavism, Śāktism and Smārtism. These four hold such divergent beliefs that each is a complete and independent religion. Yet, they share a vast heritage of culture and belief— karma, dharma, reincarnation, all-pervasive Divinity, temple worship, sacraments, manifold Deities, the guru-śishya tradition and a reliance on the Vedas as scriptural authority. From the rich soil of Hinduism have sprung other traditions, including Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism, which rejected the Vedas and thus emerged as completely distinct religions, dissociated from Hinduism, while still sharing many philosophical insights and cultural values with their parent faith. See: Hindu.§
HINDUISM TODAY: The Hindu family magazine founded by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1979, published bi-monthly by Himalayan Academy to affirm Sanātana Dharma and record the modern history of a billion-strong global religion in renaissance, reaching 150,000 readers in over 100 countries. See: Himalayan Academy.§
Hispanic: Latin American; relating to their culture.§
holy ash: See: vibhūti .§
holy feet: The feet of God, a God, satguru or any holy person, often represented by venerable sandals, called śrī pādukā in Sanskrit and tiruvadi in Tamil. The feet of a Divinity are considered especially precious as they represent the point of contact of the Divine and the physical, and are thus revered as the source of grace. The sandals or feet of the guru are the object of worship on his jayantī (birthday), on Guru Pūrṇimā and other special occasions. See: satguru.§
Holy Kural: See: Tirukural.§
holy orders: A divine ordination or covenant, conferring religious authority. Vows that members of a religious body make, especially a monastic body or order, such as the vows (holy orders of renunciation) made by a sannyāsin at the time of his initiation (sannyāsa dīkshā), which establish a covenant with the ancient holy order of sannyāsa. See: sannyāsa dīkshā.§
homa: होम “Fire-offering.” A sacred ceremony in which the Gods are offered oblations through the medium of fire in a sanctified fire pit, homakuṇḍa, usually made of earthen bricks. Homa rites are enjoined in the Vedas, Āgamas and Dharma and Gṛihya Śāstras. See: agni .§
Homo sapiens: Human beings, man; the species including all existing races of mankind.§
hosting guests: Hospitality toward special guests in Hindu homes is extraordinary. It follows the Vedic edict that the guest is God in one of many forms. Therefore, greetings and hospitality are offered as if to a God. ¶While each visitor, whether close or distant, is treated with love and generosity, a protocol is observed on special occasions for honored guests in the South Indian/Sri Lankan Hindu tradition. The house is decorated with tombais (ornaments made from palm leaves) and mango leaves above the front door. Outside the front door on the porch are set a kuttuvilaku (standing oil lamp) and kumbha (water pot with five mango leaves and a decorated coconut, representing Lord Gaṇeśa). Kolams (floor decorations made from colored rice flour) are drawn at the threshold or gate of the home. ¶Guests are greeted at the door with offerings of vibhuti, kuṅkuma and chandana, then sprinkled lightly with rose water and given a small candy. They then enter the home and are led into the shrine room where the elder man of the house performs āratī to Gaṇeśa, Murugan and Śiva. Following the āratī, everyone goes into the communal room of the house and arranges themselves in a chakravāla, or a circle according to age, first the men, then the ladies, each younger sitting to his or her elder’s left. The most senior male leads everyone in a peaceful invocation, then bhājanas are led and sung by all. Other activities follow. ¶For meals, mats are laid on the floor in two lines, one side for men and another for ladies. Banana leaves are placed before each person, sometimes on top of plates. The lady of the house and the youngest women serve everyone. Salt is first placed at the top right corner of each leaf, followed by the curries and rice with sambar. Seconds are offered until everyone is satisfied. After the initial rice with sambar, rice is served with rāsam and then with curd, or yogurt, as well as more salt, if necessary, and pickles. Tumblers of water and rāsam are available for each guest (although usually water only is served nowadays). Kesari, payasam or other sweets and tea are served after the meal. When the meal is concluded, very special guests would be offered a bowl of water to wash their hands where they sit. Hands are never washed in the kitchen sink, but the bathroom is okay. In Asia a special sink is most often located in the room where meals are taken. The hostess, standing and facing East, gives each married lady kuṅkuma and all guests a gift upon their departure, often as simple as a few betel leaves or a candy. Friends, relatives and casual guests are treated according to a more informal protocol.§
hrī: ह्री “Remorse; modesty.” See: yama-niyama.§
humility: Modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful.§
huṇḍi: हुण्डि “Offering box,” from hun, “to sacrifice.” A strong box inside Hindu temples into which devotees place their contributions.§
hymns: Songs of praise to God, Gods or guru.§
hypocrisy: Professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; false pretensions.
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icçhā śakti: इच्छाशक्ति “Desire; will.”§
ice: See: methamphetamine.§
iḍā nāḍī: इडानाडी “Soothing channel.” The feminine psychic current flowing along the spine. See: kuṇḍalinī, nāḍī, odic, piṅgalā.§
ideology: A set of doctrines or beliefs that form the basis of a system of thought, often used to mean narrow-minded or uncritical adherence to such a system.§
immanent: Indwelling; inherent and operating within. Relating to God, the term immanent means present in all things and throughout the universe, not aloof or distant. Not to be confused with imminent, about to happen; emanate, to issue from; eminent, high in rank.§
immemorial ( from time immemorial): From a time so distant that it extends beyond history or human memory.§
imminent: Threatening to happen without delay; impending.§
impetus: A push that stimulates activity. Driving force; motive, incentive.§
impulse: A sudden wish or urge that prompts an unplanned act or feeling.§
impurity: A state of immorality, pollution or sin. Uncleanliness.§
inanimate: See: animate-inanimate.§
inauspicious: Not favorable. Not a good time to perform certain actions or undertake projects. Ill-omened.§
incantation: Japa or mantraprayoga. The chanting of prayers, verses or formulas for magical or mystical purposes. Also such chants (mantra). See: mantra.§
incarnation: From incarnate, “made flesh.” The soul’s taking on a human body. —divine incarnation: The concept of avatāra. The Supreme Being’s (or other Mahādeva’s) taking of human birth, generally to reestablish dharma. This doctrine is important to several Hindu sects, notably Vaishṇavism, but not held by most Śaivites. See: avatāra, Vaishṇavism.§
indigent: Impoverished; poor; needy; destitute.§
indomitable: Not easily discouraged, defeated or subdued. Unconquerable.§
Indra: इन्द्र “Ruler.” Vedic God of rain and thunder, warrior king of the devas. A great, inner-plane being who is invoked in hundreds of Vedic hymns.§
I-ness: The conceiving of oneself as an “I,” or ego, which Hinduism considers a state to be transcended. See: āṇava mala, mind (individual).§
infidel: One who has no religious beliefs, or who rejects a particular religion.§
infiltrate: To gradually penetrate so as to counteract or seize control from within.§
infinitesimal: Infinitely small; too small to be measured.§
inhibit: To hold back, restrain, prohibit or forbid. To suppress.§
initiation (to initiate): Entering into; admission as a member. In Hinduism, initiation from a qualified preceptor is considered invaluable for spiritual progress. See: dīkshā, śaktinpāta, sannyāsa dīkshā .§
innate: Naturally inborn; not acquired. That which belongs to the inherent nature or constitution of a being or thing.§
inner light: A moonlight-like glow that can be seen inside the head or throughout the body when the vṛittis, mental fluctuations, have been sufficiently quieted. To be able to see and bask in the inner light is a milestone on the path. See: vṛitti.§
inner planes: Inner worlds or regions of existence.§
innerversity: Learning from within. A word coined by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami which indicates turning inward, through yoga concentration and meditation, to the vast superconscious state of mind; whence knowledge can be unfolded.§
insignia: Plural of the Latin insigne. Signs or symbols of identity, rank or office, such as a badge, staff or emblem.§
instinctive: “Natural” or “innate.” From the Latin instinctus, participle of instingere, “impelling,” pricking,” “instigating.” The drives and impulses that order the animal world and the physical and lower astral aspects of humans—for example, self-preservation, procreation, hunger and thirst, as well as the emotions of greed, hatred, anger, fear, lust and jealousy. See: mind, yama-niyama .§
instinctive mind: Manas chitta. The lower mind, which controls the basic faculties of perception, movement, as well as ordinary thought and emotion. Manas chitta is of the manomaya kośa. See: kośa, yama-niyama, mind .§
instinctive-intellectual mind: The mind in ordinary consciousness, when actions are based either upon instinctive emotional desires and fears or intellectual concepts and reason. See: astral body, instinctive mind, kośa, odic force, soul, subtle body, vāsanā.§
intellect: The power to reason or understand; power of thought; mental acumen. See: intellectual mind, mind.§
intellectual mind: Buddhi chitta. The faculty of reason and logical thinking. It is the source of discriminating thought, rather than the ordinary, impulsive thought processes of the lower or instinctive mind, called manas chitta. Buddhi chitta is of the manomaya kośa. See: mind .§
internalize: To take something inside of oneself.§
internalized worship: Yoga. Worship or contact with God and Gods via meditation and contemplation rather than through external ritual. This is the yogī’ s path, preceded by the charyā and kriyā pādas. See: meditation, yoga.§
intimacy: Privacy; closeness marked by informality.§
intone: To speak with a singing tone or with a particular intonation.§
intrinsic: Inward; essential; inherent. Belonging to the real nature of a being or thing.§
intuit: To know or sense without resorting to rational processes.§
intuition (to intuit): Direct understanding or cognition, which bypasses the process of reason. Intuition is a far superior source of knowing than reason, but it does not contradict reason. See: cognition, mind (five states).§
Iraivan: இறைவன் “Worshipful one; divine one.” One of the most ancient Tamil epithets for God. See: Iraivan Temple.§
Iraivan Temple: A chola-style white-granite Iraivan Temple, hand-carved in Bangalore, India, established on Hawaii’s Garden Island of Kauai. In the sanctum sanctorum, the Supreme God, Śiva (Parameśvara-Parāśakti-Paraśiva), will be enshrined as a massive 700-pound, single-pointed earthkeeper quartz crystal. See: San Mārga Sanctuary.§
irul: இருள் “Darkness.” The first of three stages of the sakala avasthai where the soul’s impetus is toward pāśa-jñānam, knowledge and experience of the world. See: pāśa-jñānam, sakala avasthā.§
iruvinaioppu: இருவினையொப்பு “Balance.” The balance which emerges in the life of a soul in the stage of marul, or paśu-jñānam, the second stage of the sakala avasthai, when the soul turns toward the good and holy, becomes centered within himself, unaffected by the ups and downs in life. See: marul, paśu-jñānam, sakala avasthā.§
Ishṭa Devatā: इष्टदेवता “Cherished” or “chosen Deity.” The Deity that is the object of one’s special pious attention. Ishṭa Devatā is a concept common to all Hindu sects. See: Śakti, Śiva.§
Islam: The religion founded by Prophet Muhammed in Arabia about 625 ce. Islam connotes submission to Allah, the name for God in this religion. Adherents, known as Muslims, follow the “Five Pillars” enjoined in their scripture, the Koran: faith in Allah, praying five times daily facing Mecca, giving of alms, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and pilgrimage. Islam has over one billion followers, mostly in the Middle East, Pakistan, Africa, Indonesia, China, Russia and neighboring countries.§
island abode of Śiva: A renowned pilgrimage site that devotees strive to visit at least once in a lifetime. Iraivan Temple is situated on the banks of the historically famous Wailua River on the Garden Island of Kauai in the Hawaii island chain. See: Iraivan Temple, San Mārga Sanctuary.§
Īśvara: ईश्वर “Highest Lord.” Supreme or Personal God. See: Parameśvara.§
Īśvarapūjana: ईश्वरपूजन “Worship.” See: yama-niyama.§
Itihāsa: इतिहास “So it was.” Epic history, particularly the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata (of which the Bhagavad Gītā is a part) . This term sometimes encompasses the Purāṇas, especially the Skānda Purāṇa and the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (or Śrīmad Bhāgavatam). See: Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa, Smṛiti.
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jagadāchārya: जगदाचार्य “World teacher.”§
jaggery: A dark, crude sugar made from the sap of certain species of palm.§
Jainism: (Jaina) जैन An ancient non-Vedic religion of India made prominent by the teachings of Mahāvīra (“Great Hero”), ca 500 BCE. The Jain Āgamas teach reverence for all life, vegetarianism and strict renunciation for ascetics. Jains focus great emphasis on the fact that all souls may attain liberation, each by their own effort. Their great historic saints, called Tīrthaṅkaras (“Ford-Crossers”), are objects of worship, of whom Mahāvīra was the 24th and last. Jains number about six million today, living mostly in India.§
japa: जप “Recitation” or “incantation.” Practice of concentrated repetition of a mantra, often while counting the repetitions on a mālā or strand of beads. It may be done silently or aloud. Sometimes known as mantra yoga. A major sādhana in Hindu spiritual practice, from the simple utterance of a few names of God to extraordinary feats of repeating sacred syllables millions of times for years on end. See: mantra, yama-niyama, yoga .§
Jesus Christ: A teacher and prophet in the first century of this era whose teachings are the basis of Christianity.§
Jew: An adherent of Judaism, or descendant of such adherents. See: Judaism.§
jīva: जीव “Living, existing.” From jīv, “to live.” The individual soul, ātman, bound by the three malas (āṇava, karma and māyā). The individuated self (jīva-ātman) as opposed to the transcendental Self (parama ātman). The jīvanmukta is one who is “liberated while living.” See: ātman, evolution of the soul, purusha, soul.§
jñāna: ज्ञान “Knowledge; wisdom.” (Tamil: jñānam) The matured state of the soul. It is the wisdom that comes as an aftermath of the kuṇḍalinī breaking through the door of Brahman into the realization of Paraśiva, Absolute Reality. The repeated samādhis of Paraśiva ever deepen this flow of divine knowing which establishes the knower in an extraordinary point of reference, totally different from those who have not attained this enlightenment. Jñāna is sometimes misunderstood as book knowledge, as a maturity or awakening that comes from simply understanding a complex philosophical system or systems. Those who define jñāna in this way deny that the path is a progression of charyā-kriyā-yoga-jñāna or of karma-bhakti-rāja-jñāna. Rather, they say that one can choose one’s own path, and that each leads to the ultimate goal. See: God Realization, door of Brahman, Self Realization, samādhi .§
jñāna dāna: ज्ञानदान “Gifts of wisdom.” The karma yoga of printing, sponsoring and distributing Hindu religious literature, pamphlets and books, free of charge as a way of helping others spiritually. See: yama-niyama.§
jñāna mārga: ज्ञानमार्ग See: jñāna pāda.§
jñāna pāda: ज्ञानपाद “Stage of wisdom.” According to the Śaiva Siddhānta ṛishis, jñāna is the last of the four successive pādas (stages) of spiritual unfoldment. It is the culmination of the third stage, the yoga pāda. Also names the knowledge section of each Āgama. See: jñāna, pāda .§
jñānī: ज्ञानी “Sage.” One who possesses jñāna. See: jñāna .§
Judaic-Christian: Concerned with two of the three religions descended from Abraham, Judaism and Christianty, especially in the sense of their shared beliefs.§
Judaism: The religion of over 12 million adherents worldwide (over half in the United States), first of the Abrahamic faiths, founded about 3,700 years ago in Canaan (now Israel) by Abraham, who started the lineage, and in Egypt by Moses, who emancipated the enslaved Jewish tribes. Its major scripture is the Torah .§
jyotisha: ज्योतिष From jyoti, “light.” “The science of the lights (or stars).” Hindu astrology, the knowledge and practice of analyzing events and circumstances, delineating character and determining auspicious moments, according to the positions and movements of heavenly bodies. In calculating horoscopes, jyotisha uses the sidereal (fixed-star) system, whereas Western astrology uses the tropical (fixed-date) method.
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Kabala: A body of mystical teachings of rabbinical origin, partially based on an esoteric interpretation of the Hebrew scriptures.§
Kadaitswami: கடையிற்சுவாமி Marketplace swāmī.” A satguru of the Nandinātha Sampradāya’s Kailāsa Paramparā. Born ca 1804; died 1891. Renouncing his career as a judge in Bangalore, South India, Kadaitswami became a sannyāsin and trained under the “Rishi from the Himālayas,” who then sent him on mission to Sri Lanka. He performed severe tapas on an island off the coast of Jaffna, awakening many siddhis. For decades he spurred the Sri Lankan Śaivites to greater spirituality through his inspired talks and demonstration of siddhis. He initiated Chellappaswami as the next satguru in the paramparā. Kadaitswami’s name given at his initiation was Muthyanandaswami. See: Kailāsa Paramparā, Nātha Sampradāya.§
kadhi kavi: காதி காவ “Hand made saffron color.” Hand-spun, hand woven cloth, ocher in color, worn by Hindu renunciates. A Tamil term referring to the color taken on by robes of sādhus who sit, meditate or live on the banks of the Ganges. The Sanskrit equivalent is kāshāya.§
kahuna: “Deep one.” A priest in the Native Hawaiian religion: 1) Kahuna pule officiated in the temples (heiau) and performed rites for the inauguration of houses. 2) Healer kahunas were medicine men who, depending on their specialty, delivered babies, treated sick children, and plied the arts of magic, diagnosis with fingertips, psychic reading and contacting the spirits of illness. 3) Kaula kahunas were reclusive ascetic prophets who lived aloof from society. A rare few kahuna lineages are carried forth today.§
kaīf: (Shūm) The state of awareness being aware of itself. Pronounced kaw-eef. See: Shūm .§
Kailas (Kailāsa): कैलास “Crystalline,” or “abode of bliss.” The four-faced Himālayan peak (22,028 feet) in Western Tibet; the earthly abode of Lord Śiva. Associated with Mount Meru, the legendary center of the universe, it is an important pilgrimage destination for all Hindus, as well as for Tibetan Buddhists. Kailāsa is represented in Śāktism by a certain three-dimensional form of the Śrī Chakra yantra (also called kailāsa chakra). See: Śrī Chakra.§
Kailāsa Paramparā: कैलासपरंपरा A spiritual lineage of 162 siddhas, a major stream of the Nandinātha Sampradāya, proponents of the ancient philosophy of monistic Śaiva Siddhānta. The first of these masters that history recalls was Maharishi Nandinatha (or Nandikesvara) 2,250 years ago, satguru to the great Tirumular, ca 200 BCE, and seven other disciples (as stated in the Tirumantiram). The lineage continued down the centuries and is alive today—the first recent siddha is known as the Rishi from the Himalayas,” so named because he descended from those holy mountains. In South India, he initiated Kadaitswami (ca 1804–1891), who in turn initiated Chellappaswami (1840–1915). Chellappan passed the mantle of authority to sage Yogaswami (1872–1964), who in 1949 initiated the present satguru, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. See: Nātha Sampradāya, Patanjali, Tirumular, Yogaswami.§
kalaśa: कलश “Water pot; pitcher; jar.” In temple rites, a pot of water, kalaśa, topped with mango leaves and a husked coconut represents the Deity during special pūjās. Kalaśa also names the pot-like spires that adorn temple roofs.§
Kali Yuga: कलियुग “Dark Age.” The Kali Yuga is the last age in the repetitive cycle of four phases of time our solar system passes through. It is comparable to the darkest part of the night, as the forces of ignorance are in full power and many subtle faculties of the soul are obscured. See: mahāpralaya, yuga.§
kamaṇḍalu: कमण्डलु “Vessel, water jar.” Traditionally earthen or wooden, carried by sannyāsins, it symbolizes the renunciate’s simple, self-contained life. The tree from which kamaṇḍalus are traditionally made is the kamaṇḍalutaru. See: sannyāsa dharma, sannyāsin.§
Kane: The central, primary God of the Hawaiians, Lord of procreation, associated with dawn, sun and sky, creator of the three worlds (upper heaven, lower heaven and earth) and the beings within them.§
Kant, Immanuel: German philosopher (1724-1804) whose classic works include Critique of Pure Reason (1781) and Critique of Practical Reason (1788).§
karma: कर्म “Action,” “deed.” One of the most important principles in Hindu thought, karma refers to 1) any act or deed; 2) the principle of cause and effect; 3) a consequence or “fruit of action” (karmaphala) or “after effect” (uttaraphala), which sooner or later returns upon the doer. What we sow, we shall reap in this or future lives. Selfish, hateful acts (pāpakarma or kukarma) will bring suffering. Benevolent actions (puṇyakarma or sukarma) will bring loving reactions. Karma is threefold: sañchita, prārabdha and kriyamāna. — sañchita karma: “Accumulated actions.” The sum of all karmas of this life and past lives. — prārabdha karma: “Actions begun; set in motion.” That portion of sañchita karma that is bearing fruit and shaping the events and conditions of the current life, including the nature of one’s bodies, personal tendencies and associations. —kriyamāna karma: “Being made.” The karma being created and added to sañchita in this life by one’s thoughts, words and actions, or in the inner worlds between lives. Kriyamāna karma is also called āgāmi, “coming, arriving,” and vartamāna, “current, revolving, set in motion.” While some kriyamāna karmas bear fruit in the current life, others are stored for future births. See: āṇava, fate, mala, māyā, moksha, pāśa, sin, soul.§
karma yoga: कर्मयोग “Union through action.” Selfless service. See: yoga .§
karṇavedha: कर्णवेध “Ear-piercing.” See: saṁskāras of childhood.§
Kārttikeya: कार्त्तिकेय Child of the Pleiades, from Kṛittikā, “Pleiades.” Second son of Śiva, brother of Gaṇeśa. A great Mahādeva worshiped in all parts of India and the world. Also known as Muruga, Kumāra, Skanda, Shaṇmukhanātha, Subramaṇya and more, He is the God who guides that part of evolution which is religion, the transformation of the instinctive into a divine wisdom through the practice of yoga. See: Muruga, Pleiades, Veda.§
Kauai: Northernmost of the Hawaiian islands; 553 sq. mi., pop. 50,000.§
Kauai Aadheenam: Monastery-temple complex founded by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1970; international headquarters of Saiva Siddhanta Church.§
kavadi: காவடி A penance offered to Lord Murugan-Kārttikeya, especially during Tai Pusam, consisting of carrying in procession a heavy, beautifully decorated, wooden object from which pots of milk hang which are to be used for His abhisheka. The participant’s tongue and other parts of the body are often pierced with small silver spears or hooks. See: penance.§
kevala avasthā: केवल अवस्था “Stage of oneness, aloneness.” (Tamil: avasthai.) In Śaiva Siddhānta, the first of three stages of the soul’s evolution, a state beginning with its emanation or spawning by Lord Śiva as an etheric form unaware of itself, a spark of the Divine shrouded in a cloud of darkness known as āṇava. Here the soul is likened to a seed hidden in the ground, yet to germinate and unfold its potential. See: āṇava, avasthā, evolution of the soul, sakala avasthā, soul, śuddha avasthā.§
konrai: கொண்றை The Golden Shower tree, Cassia fistula; symbol of Śiva’s cascading, abundant, golden grace.§
kośa: कोश “Sheath; vessel, container; layer.” Philosophically, five sheaths through which the soul functions simultaneously in the various planes or levels of existence. They are sometimes compared to the layers of an onion. The kośas, in order of increasing subtlety, are as follows. —annamaya kośa: “Sheath composed of food.” The physical or odic body, coarsest of sheaths in comparison to the faculties of the soul, yet indispensable for evolution and Self Realization, because only within it can all fourteen chakras fully function. See: chakra. —prāṇamaya kośa: “Sheath composed of prāṇa (vital force).” Also known as the prāṇic or health body, or the etheric body or etheric double, it coexists within the physical body as its source of life, breath and vitality, and is its connection with the astral body. Prāṇa moves in the prāṇamaya kośa as five primary currents or vayus, “vital airs or winds.” Prāṇamaya kośa disintegrates at death along with the physical body. See: prāṇa. —manomaya kośa: “Mind-formed sheath.” The lower astral body, from manas, “thought, will, wish.” The instinctive-intellectual sheath of ordinary thought, desire and emotion. It is the seat of the indriyas, sensory and motor organs, respectively called jñānendriyas and karmendriyas. The manomaya kośa takes form as the physical body develops and is discarded in the inner worlds before rebirth. It is understood in two layers: 1) the odic-causal sheath (buddhi) and 2) the odic-astral sheath (manas). See: indriya, manas. —vijñānamaya kośa: “Sheath of cognition.” The mental or cognitive-intuitive sheath, also called the actinodic sheath. It is the vehicle of higher thought, vijñāna —understanding, knowing, direct cognition, wisdom, intuition and creativity. —ānandamaya kośa: “Body of bliss.” The intuitive-superconscious sheath or actinic-causal body. This inmost soul form (svarūpa) is the ultimate foundation of all life, intelligence and higher faculties. Its essence is Parāśakti (Pure Consciousness) and Paraśiva (the Absolute). S ee: actinic, actinodic, manomaya kośa, odic, soul, subtle body .§
Kṛishṇa: कृष्ण “Black.” Also related to kṛishṭiḥ, “drawing, attracting.” One of the most popular Gods of the Hindu pantheon. He is worshiped by Vaishṇavas as the eighth avatāra incarnation of Vishṇu. He is best known as the Supreme Personage celebrated in the Mahābhārata, and specifically in the Bhagavad Gītā. In Gauḍīya Vaishṇavism, Kṛishṇa is the Godhead.§
kṛishṇadāna: कृष्णदान “Black gifts.” Bad money, funds derived through adharmic activities, which should not be received as donations by institutions, temples or āśramas. Bad money can never do good. It has a curse upon it. See: yama-niyama.§
kriyā: क्रिया “Action.” 1) In a general sense, kriyā can refer to doing of any kind. Specifically, it names religious action, especially rites or ceremonies. 2) In yoga terminology, kriyā names involuntary physical movements occuring during meditation that are pretended or caused by lack of emotional self-control or by the premature or unharnessed arousal of the kuṇḍalinī. 3) Various traditional haṭha yoga techniques for cleansing the mucous membranes. 4) The second stage of the Śaiva path, religious action, or kriyā pāda. See: kriyā pāda .§
kriyā mārga: क्रियामार्ग See kriyā pāda.§
kriyā pāda: क्रियापाद “Stage of religious action; worship.” The stage of worship and devotion, second of four progressive stages of maturation on the Śaiva Siddhānta path of attainment. See: pāda .§
kriyā yoga: क्रियायोग “Action union.” A term for various schools of meditative yoga practice emphasizing prāṇāyāma, breathing techniques, to accelerate spiritual progress, aggressively breaking awareness free of day-to-day consciousness and arousing the kuṇḍalinī with the goal of expanded consciousness and self transformation. Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), who taught kriyā yoga, called it the “airplane route” to God. The modern revival of this ancient meditation system is said to have begun with the deathless avatāra Babaji in 1861.§
kriyamāna karma: क्रियमानकर्म “Actions being made.” See: karma.§
kshamā: क्षमा “Patience.” See: yama-niyama.§
kshatriya: क्षत्रिय “Governing; sovereign.” See: caste.§
Ku: The Hawaiian Deity worshiped for prosperity, good fishing, abundant crops, good will, noble offspring, righteous leaders and victory in battle. In the Hindu pantheon, Ku is known as Kumāra, Skanda or Kārttikeya .§
kukarma: कुकर्म “Unwholesome acts,” or the fruit therefrom. See: karma .§
kulaguru: कुलगुरु “Family preceptor” or “teacher.” The kulaguru guides the joint and extended family, particularly through the heads of families, and provides spiritual education. He may or may not be a satguru.§
kumbhābhisheka: कुम्भाभिषेक “Water pot ablution.” The formal consecration of a new temple and its periodic reconsecration, usually at twelve-year intervals, following renovation, extensive cleaning and renewal. The rites culminate with the priests’ pouring sanctified water over the temple spires, which resemble an inverted pot, or kumbha. Leading up to the consecration, during the construction of a temple, the following rituals are performed by the sthapati (architect) assisted by the temple priest: 1) pañcha silanyasa: setting five stones in the foundation at the northeast corner of the main sanctum; 2) prathama silanyasa: laying of first stone on foundation bed; 3) nilayasthapanam: placement of the door frame; 4) garbhanyasam: encasement of a cubical silver or gold box of gems, silver, gold and herbs; 5) sthupi sthapanam: placement of the tower capstone; 6) nethron meelanam: awakening the Deity by completing the chiseling of the eyes with a gold chisel dipped in milk and honey; 7) mulalinga sthapanam: installing the Deity.§
Kumbhalavalai: கும்பிழாவளை A large and popular temple to Lord Gaṇeśa located in Alaveddy, Northern Sri Lanka, near Gurudeva’s Sri Subramuniya Ashram.§
kuṇḍalinī: कुण्डलिनी “She who is coiled; serpent power.” The primordial cosmic energy in every individual which, at first, lies coiled like a serpent at the base of the spine and eventually, through the practice of yoga, rises up the sushumṇā nāḍī. As it rises, the kuṇḍalinī awakens each successive chakra . Nirvikalpa samādhi, enlightenment, comes as it pierces through the door of Brahman at the core of the sahasrāra and enters it. Kuṇḍalinī śakti then returns to rest in any one of the seven chakras. Śivasāyujya, perpetual Śiva consciousness, is complete when the kuṇḍalinī arrives back in the sahasrāra and remains coiled in this crown chakra. See: chakra, door of Brahman, samādhi, nāḍī, tantra.§
kuṇḍalinī śakti: कुण्डलिनीशक्ति The pure (neither masculine nor feminine) force that flows through the sushumṇā nāḍī. See: kuṇḍalinī, sushumṇā nāḍī.§
kuṇḍalinī yoga: कुण्डलिनीयोग “Uniting the serpent power.” Advanced meditative practices and sādhana techniques, a part of rāja yoga, performed to deliberately arouse the kuṇḍalinī power and guide it up the spine into the crown chakra, sahasrāra. In its highest form, this yoga is the natural result of sādhanas and tapas well performed, rather than a distinct system of striving and teaching in its own right.§
Kural: குறள் See: Tirukural.§
kurta shirt: Traditional men’s shirt of India, usually thigh length and collarless.§
kuttuvilaku: குத்துவிளக்கு A standing lamp found in the temple, shrine room or home. It is made of metal, with several wicks fed by ghee or special oils. Used to light the home and used in pūjā. Part of temple and shrine altars, the standing lamp is sometimes worshiped as the divine light, Parāśakti or Parajyoti. Returning from the temple and lighting one’s kuttuvilaku courts the accompanying devas to remain in the home and channels the vibration of the temple sanctum sanctorum into the home shrine. Called dīpastambha in Sanskrit.
§
Lahiri Ayanāṁśa: लहिति अयनांश See: ayanāṁśa.§
Lao Tzu: Chinese philosopher (6th century bce), author of Tao-te Ching, traditionally regarded as the founder of Taoism. See: Taoism.§
Lemurian Scrolls: A work like none other on the planet, Lemurian Scrolls came to Gurudeva in a series of clairvoyant revelations during 1973-1974 in answer to his need, inwardly expressed, for the ancient ideal pattern on which to begin molding his several Śaivite monasteries in the Western world. Thus, as a boon from the Gods, Gurudeva began developing the siddhi, or psychic ability, to perceive and read from a series of ancient manuscripts with his inner eye. These were presented to him by a librarian on the astral plane, and as Gurudeva read from them, he dictated them word by word to a scribe who recorded them on paper. The manuscripts, written some two million years ago, unfolded the nature of life in Śaivite monasteries in the Tretā and Dvāpara Yugas. This text, along with subsequent writings, gave Gurudeva the pattern of culture and administration that he sought for his own monasteries. In addition, they disclosed much new knowledge about how man came to this planet, journeying millions of years ago from the Pleiades and other planets to further the soul’s unfoldment. Lemurian Scrolls was for 25 years entrusted only to the resident monastics of Gurudeva’s monasteries, until 1998 when they were released to the world. These angelic prophecies, exquisitely illustrated, overwhelm the reader with a sense of his divine origin, purpose and destiny and have the power to motivate a profound rededication to anyone’s spiritual quest.§
liberal Hinduism: A synonym for Smārtism and the closely related neo-Indian religion. See: neo-Indian religion, Smārtism.§
liberation: Moksha, release from the bonds of pāśa, after which the soul is liberated from saṁsāra (the round of births and deaths). In Śaiva Siddhānta, pāśa is the three-fold bondage of āṇava, karma and māyā, which limit and confine the soul to the reincarnational cycle so that it may evolve. Moksha is freedom from the fettering power of these bonds, which do not cease to exist, but no longer have the power to fetter or bind the soul. See: mala, moksha, pāśa, reincarnation, Self Realization, soul.§
light: In an ordinary sense, a form of energy which makes physical objects visible to the eye. In a religious-mystical sense, light also illumines inner objects (i.e., mental images). —inner light: light perceived inside the head and body, of which there are varying intensities. When the karmas have been sufficiently quieted, the meditator can see and enjoy inner light independently of mental images.§
linchpin: A central, key element; a locking pin inserted in a hole at the end of an axle or other shaft to prevent a wheel from slipping off.§
lineage: A direct line of ancestors and descendants or predecessors and successors.§
liturgy: The proper, prescribed forms of ritual.§
loka: लोक “World, habitat, realm, or plane of existence.” From loc, “to shine, be bright, visible.” See: three worlds.§
Lono: The Hawaiian God of weather, worshiped to bring the rains and dispense fertility. One of four primary Gods, along with Ku, Kane and Kanaloa. Lono, also the God of harvest, is known as Gaṇeśa in the Hindu tradition.§
lotus flower: An aquatic plant (Nelumbo nucifera) native to southern Asia and Australia, with large leaves, fragrant, pinkish flowers, a broad, rounded, perforated seedpod, and fleshy rhizomes.§
lotus pose: Padmāsana. The most famous of haṭha yoga poses and the optimum position for meditation. The legs are crossed, turning the soles of the feet up, which then resemble a lotus flower. See: āsana, haṭha yoga, padmāsana.§
lucid dreaming: The practice of remaining conscious in the dream state and directing the course of one’s dream.§
lunar calendar: A calendar based primarily on the cycles of the moon rather than the sun. For example, a month is from one full moon to the next or from the new moon to the next new moon. There are both lunar and solar based calendars in India, though today the solar is becoming prevalent. See: ayanāṁśa, pañchāṅga.
§
macrocosm: “Great world” or “universe.” See: microcosm-macrocosm, three worlds.§
Madurai Meenakshi citadel: The labyrinthine Meenakshi-Sundareśvara temple, on the Vagai River in Madurai, the Athens of India. This edifice holds two temples, one to Śiva and one to Śakti. The tall gopuras, thousand-pillared hall, sacred tanks and shrines vibrate with thousands of years of worship at this seven-walled citadel.§
magnetized: Having been made magnetic. As certain physical elements are magnetized with actinodic power within a shrine through the chanting of mantras and by various other means.§
mahā: महा An adjective or prefix meaning “great.”§
Mahābhārata: महाभारत “Great Epic of India.” The world’s longest epic poem. It revolves around the conflict between two royal families, the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas, and their great battle of Kurukshetra near modern Delhi in approximately 1424 BCE. The Mahābhārata is revered as scripture by Vaishṇavites and Smārtas. See: Bhagavad Gītā, Itihāsa.§
Mahādeva: महादेव “Great shining one;” “God.” Referring either to God Śiva or any of the highly evolved beings who live in the Śivaloka in their natural, effulgent soul bodies . God Śiva in His perfection as Primal Soul is one of the Mahādevas, yet He is unique and incomparable in that He alone is uncreated, the Father-Mother and Destiny of all other Mahādevas. He is called Parameśvara, “Supreme God.” He is the Primal Soul, whereas the other Gods are individual souls. It is said in scripture that there are 330 million Gods. See: Gods, Parameśvara, Śiva, deva.§
mahāprasthāna: महाप्रस्थान “Great departure.” Death. See: transition.§
mahārāja: महाराज “Great king.” Indian monarch. Title of respect for political or (in modern times) spiritual leaders.§
Maharshi (or Maharishi): महर्षि “Great seer.” Title for the greatest and most influential of siddhas .§
mahāsamādhi: महासमाधि “Great enstasy.” The death, or giving up of the physical body, of a great soul, an event occasioned by tremendous blessings. Also names the shrine in which the remains of a great soul are entombed. See: cremation, death.§
Mahāśivarātri: महाशिवरात्रि “Śiva’s great night.” Śaivism’s foremost festival, celebrated on the night before the new moon in February-March. Fasting and an all-night vigil are observed as well as other disciplines: chanting, praying, meditating and worshiping Śiva as the Source and Self of all that exists.§
mahātala: महातल Sixth netherworld. Region of consciencelessness. See: chakra .§
mahā vāsanā daha tantra: महावासनादहतन्त्र “Great purification by fire.” See: vāsanā daha tantra.§
Maheśvara: महेश्वर “Great Lord.” In Śaiva Siddhānta, the name of Śiva’s energy of veiling grace, one of five aspects of Parameśvara, the Primal Soul. Maheśvara is also a popular epithet for Lord Śiva as Primal Soul and personal Lord. See: Naṭarāja, Parameśvara.§
makimai: மகிமை The Hindu tradition of regularly giving to a temple or āśrama a fixed percentage of one’s income. Fifteen percent, approximately one sixth, was the makimai established in South India by the Chettiar community around Palani Temple and now practiced by the Malaka Chettiars of Malaysia. See: tithe.§
mala: मल “Impurity.” An important term in Śaivism referring to three bonds, called pāśa—āṇava , karma, and māyā— which limit the soul, preventing it from knowing its true, divine nature. See: āṇava, karma, liberation, māyā, pāśa.§
mālā: माला “Garland.” A strand of beads for holy recitation, japa, usually made of rudrāksha , tulasī, sandalwood or crystal. Also a flower garland.§
malaparipakam: மலபரிபாகம் “Ripening of bonds.” The state attained after the three malas, āṇava, karma and māyā, are brought under control during marul, the second stage of the sakala avasthai. At this time, the Lord’s concealing grace, tirodhāna śakti, has accomplished its work, giving way to anugraha, His revealing grace, leading to the descent of grace, śaktinipāta. See: āṇava, anugraha, karma, mala, marul, māyā, sakala avasthā, śaktinipāta, tirodhāna śakti.§
manifest: To show or reveal. Perceivable or knowable, therefore having form. The opposite of unmanifest or transcendent. See: formless.§
maṇipūra chakra: मणिपूरचक्र “Wheel of the jewelled city.” Solar-plexus center of willpower. See: chakra.§
mankolam: மாங்கோலம் “Mango design.” The paisley, a stylized image of the mango, symbol of auspiciousness, associated with Lord Gaṇeśa.§
manomaya kośa: मनोमयकोश See: kośa.§
maṇḍapa: मण्डप From maṇḍ, “to deck, adorn.” Temple precinct; a temple compound, open hall or chamber. In entering a large temple, one passes through a series of maṇḍapas, each named according to its position, e.g., mukhamaṇḍapa, “facing chamber.” In some temples, maṇḍapas are concentrically arranged.§
mānsāhāra: मांसाहार “Meat-eating.”§
mānsāhārī: मांसाहारी “Meat-eater.” One who follows a nonvegetarian diet. See: vegetarian.§
mantra: मन्त्र “Mystic formula.” A sound, syllable, word or phrase endowed with special power, usually drawn from scripture. Mantras are chanted loudly during pūjā to invoke the Gods and establish a force field. Certain mantras are repeated softly or mentally for japa, the subtle tones quieting the mind, harmonizing the inner bodies and stimulating latent spiritual qualities. Hinduism’s universal mantra is Aum. To be truly efficacious, such mantras must be bestowed by the preceptor through initiation. See: Aum, incantation, japa, pūjā.§
Manu Dharma Śāstra: मनुधर्मशास्त्र “Sage Manu’s law book.” An encyclopedic treatise of 2,685 verses on Hindu law assembled as early as 600 bce. Among its major features are the support of varṇa dharma, āśrama dharma, strī dharma and seeing the Self in all beings. Despite its caste-based restrictions, which determine one’s life unrelentlingly from birth to death, it remains the source of much of modern Hindu culture and law. These “Laws of Manu” are the oldest and considered the most authoritative of the greater body of Dharma Śāstras. The text is widely available today in several languages. See: caste, dharma.§
Manu Saṁhitā: मनु संहिता “Verses of Manu.” Alternate term for Manu Dharma Śāstras .§
mārga: मार्ग “Path; way.” From mārg, “to seek.” See: pāda.§
marriage (or wedding) pendant: A gold ornament worn by the Hindu wife around the neck representing her vows of matrimony. Known as maṅgala sūtra in Sanskrit, and tali in Tamil. She reveres it as an image of her husband and ritually worships it during her morning devotions.§
marul: மருள் “Confusion.” The second of the three stages of the sakala avasthai when the soul is “caught” between the world and God and begins to seek knowledge of its own true nature, paśu-jñānam. See: paśu-jñānam, sakala avasthā.§
Masonic Lodge: A society or body of Freemasons. A fraternal, all-male order derived from the organized guilds of stoneworkers in the Middle Ages, who unlike other classes of people, were allowed to travel freely from country to country. In the 1700s, with the decline of stoneworking arts, fraternity lodges were opened to honorary Masons who were not stoneworkers. Freemasonry teaches moral philosophy and welcomes members of all faiths.§
Master Course, The: A trilogy of three masterful volumes by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami— Dancing with Śiva, Hinduism’s Contemporary Catechism; Living with Śiva, Hinduism’s Contemporary Culture; and Merging with Śiva, Hinduism’s Contemporary Metaphysics —constituting a daily study of 365 lessons, one for each day of the year, undertaken privately or as a correspondence study with Himalayan Academy. See: Dancing with Śiva, Merging with Śiva.§
masturbation: Manipulating one’s own genitals, or the genitals of another, for sexual gratification. See: celibacy, dissipation, ojas, tejas, transmutation.§
materialism (materialistic): The doctrine that matter is the only reality, that all life, thought and feelings are but the effects of movements of matter, and that there exist no worlds but the physical. Materialists usually hold that there is no God—a cosmic, material, prime mover perhaps, but no personal God. An Indian school of thought which propounded this view were the Chārvākas. See: atheism, worldly .§
maṭha: मठ “Monastery.” See: monastery.§
maṭhavāsi: मठवासि “Monastery dweller.” A monastic. See: monk.§
mati: मति “Cognition, understanding; conviction.” See: yama-niyama.§
maya: मय “Consisting of; made of,” as in manomaya, “made of mind.”§
māyā: माया “Artfulness,” “illusion,” “phantom” or “mirific energy.” The substance emanated from Śiva through which the world of form is manifested. Hence all creation is termed māyā. It is the cosmic creative force, the principle of manifestation, ever in the process of creation, preservation and dissolution. Māyā is a key concept in Hinduism, originally meaning “supernatural power; God’s mirific energy.” See: mala, mind (universal).§
Mayan: An advanced civilization that thrived 3,000 years ago in southern Mexico, Guatemala and northern Brazil. The Mayans were adept in astrology, mathematics and agriculture. They built great cities and temples out of stone and believed in many nature Gods.§
mayil: மயில் “Peacock.” See: mayūra.§
mayūra: मयूर “Peacock.” (Mayil in Tamil.) The vāhana, or mount, of Lord Kārttikeya, symbolizing effulgent beauty and religion in full glory. The peacock is able to control powerful snakes, such as the cobra, symbolizing the soulful domination of the instinctive elements—or control of the kuṇḍalinī, which is yoga. See: Kārttikeya.§
meditation: Dhyāna. Sustained concentration. Meditation describes a quiet, alert, powerfully concentrated state wherein new knowledge and insights are awakened from within as awareness focuses one-pointedly on an object or specific line of thought. See: internalized worship, rāja yoga, Satchidānanda .§
mendicant: A beggar; a wandering monk, or sādhu, who lives on alms. See: sādhu.§
medium: A person who communicates with the departed or with agents of another world or dimension. See: mediumship.§
mediumship: The phenomenon in which a person goes into a trance and allows a disincarnate, astral being to enter or take control of his body, often to convey verbal messages to others in attendance, as in a seance.§
menopause: The permanent cessation of menstruation, normally occurring between ages 40 and 55. The decline in ovarian hormones may result in unpleasant effects, such as hot flashes, and may be coupled with midlife emotional crises, leading to a variety of health problems.§
menopause, male: The male equivalent of female menopause, the mid-life passage also termed virapause and andropause, physiological, chemical and hormonal, changes, particularly the decrease in the body’s production of testosterone. Generally occurring in the late forties or early fifties, the timing is generally parallel, as for women, with the vāṇaprastha āśrama, the life stage of withdrawal into higher pursuits. Without proper psychological preparation, this can be a difficult passage, accompanied by mood swings, fatigue, depression, feelings of inadequacy and loss of purpose and direction in life. See: menopause.§
mental body (sheath): The higher-mind layer of the subtle or astral body in which the soul functions in Maharloka of the Antarloka or subtle plane. In Sanskrit, the mental body is vijñānamaya kośa, “sheath of cognition.” See: kośa, subtle body.§
mental plane: The refined strata of the subtle world. Here the soul is shrouded in the mental or cognitive sheath, called vijñānamaya kośa.§
Merging with Śiva: The third book in Gurudeva’s Master Course trilogy, this tome is aptly subtitled Hinduism’s Contemporary Metaphysics. It explores the metaphysics of the soul, written directly, intimately, to the seeker on the path of enlightenment. Merging with Śiva consists of 365 daily lessons comprising Gurudeva’s inspired talks, dictations and writings on yoga and mysticism from 1950 to 2001. It’s about God, about the mystical realm of the fourteen chakras, the yogic path, the human aura, karma, force fields, thought and the states of mind, the two paths, living a pure life, clearing the subconscious, meditation and Self Realization. Released in 1999, it is custom illustrated with 71 original South Indian paintings.§
meridian: The passageways of vital energy, known as chi in Chinese and prāṇa in Sanskrit, as well as blood flow through the body. It is an important component of traditional Chinese medicine. Meridians act as the route for circulating chi and blood, connecting viscera with extremities and for communication between the upper/lower and interior/exterior parts of the body. Most of the major meridians are subtly governed by a physical organ. The major meridians of the human body are: governing vessel, large intestine, conception vessel, pericardium, heart, stomach, kidney, spleen, liver, lung, gall bladder, bladder, small intestine, and san jiao (“triple warmer”). See: acupuncture, circadian rhythm.§
metaphysics: The philosophy that examines the nature of reality, especially those aspects of reality beyond the realm of physical perception, or impossible to investigate by intellectual scientific study.§
methamphetamine: A highly toxic, synthetic chemical often used illicitly as a stimulant. Also called crystal meth, ice, methedrine and speed. This drug of abuse is one of the most addictive and popular on the streets today. An average dose causes a rush of energy and sense of euphoria that, unlike other drugs, can easily be hidden from observers. Consistent abuse of this drug is known to result in inability to hold a job, alienation of family and friends, violent crime, domestic abuse, stealing and other illegal acivities to support the habit, excessive persistent insomnia lasting from a couple of days to a week and causes permanent damage to the brain. Clandestine “meth” laboratories are exceedingly dangerous. Police officers and drug enforcement agents must exercise extreme caution when entering a suspected methamphetamine laboratory, often in a home, due to the volatile and lethal nature of the chemicals used in the drug’s production. At such sites, chemicals are usually airborne in life-threatening quantities. They contaminate clothing, especially footwear, and often cause spontaneous explosions.§
microcosm-macrocosm: “Little world” or “miniature universe” as compared with “great world.” Microcosm refers to the internal source of something larger or more external (macrocosm). In Hindu cosmology, the outer world is a macrocosm of the inner world, which is its microcosm and is mystically larger and more complex than the physical universe and functions at a higher rate of vibration and even a different rate of time. The microcosm precedes the macrocosm. Thus, the guiding principle of the Bhūloka comes from the Antarloka and Śivaloka. Consciousness precedes physical form. In the tantric tradition, the body of man is viewed as a microcosm of the entire divine creation.§
mind (five states): A view of the mind in five parts. —conscious mind: Jāgrat chitta (“wakeful consciousness”) . The ordinary, waking, thinking state of mind in which the majority of people function most of the day. —subconscious mind: Saṁskāra chitta (“impression mind”) . The part of mind “beneath” the conscious mind, the storehouse or recorder of all experience (whether remembered consciously or not)—the holder of past impressions, reactions and desires. Also, the seat of involuntary physiological processes. —subsubconscious mind: Vāsanā chitta (“mind of subliminal traits”). The area of the subconscious mind formed when two thoughts or experiences of the same rate of intensity are sent into the subconscious at different times and, intermingling, give rise to a new and totally different rate of vibration. This subconscious formation later causes the external mind to react to situations according to these accumulated vibrations, be they positive, negative or mixed. —superconscious mind: Kāraṇa chitta. The mind of light, the all-knowing intelligence of the soul. The Sanskrit term is turīya, “the fourth,” meaning the condition beyond the states of wakefulness (jāgrat), “dream” (svapna), and “deep sleep” (sushupti). At its deepest level, the superconscious is Parāśakti, or Satchidānanda, the Divine Mind of God Śiva. In Sanskrit, there are numerous terms for the various levels and states of superconsciousness. Specific superconscious states such as: viśvachaitanya (“universal consciousness”), advaita chaitanya (“nondual consciousness”), adhyātma chetanā (“spiritual consciousness”) . —subsuperconscious mind: Anukāraṇa chitta. The superconscious mind working through the conscious and subconscious states, which brings forth intuition, clarity and insight. See: chitta, consciousness, saṁskāra, Satchidānanda, vāsanā.§
mind (three phases): A perspective of mind as instinctive, intellectual and superconscious. —instinctive mind. Manas chitta, the seat of desire and governor of sensory and motor organs. —intellectual mind. Buddhi chitta, the faculty of thought and intelligence. —superconscious mind: Kāraṇa chitta, the stratum of intuition, benevolence and spiritual sustenance. Its most refined essence is Parāsakti, or Satchidānanda, all-knowing, omnipresent consciousness, the One transcendental, self-luminous, divine mind common to all souls. See: awareness, consciousness.§
mind (universal): In the most profound sense, mind is the sum of all things, all energies and manifestations, all forms, subtle and gross, sacred and mundane. It is the inner and outer cosmos. Mind is māyā. It is the material matrix. It is everything but That, the Self within, Paraśiva, which is timeless, formless, causeless, spaceless, known by the knower only after Self Realization. The Self is the indescribable, unnameable, Ultimate Reality. Mind in its subtlest form is undifferentiated Pure Consciousness, primal substance (called Parāśakti or Satchidānanda), out of which emerge the myriad forms of existence, both psychic and material. See: chitta, consciousness, māyā.§
Mirabai (Mīrābāī): मीराबाई A Vaishṇava saint (ca 1420), poetess and mystic, said to be a Rājput princess who abandoned the world in surrender to Lord Kṛishṇa. Her life story and songs are popular today, especially in Gujarat.§
Miranda reading: A mandatory, formal, legal, verbal warning given by police in the US to a person who has been taken into custody advising of his right to remain silent and to have legal counsel.§
mitāhāra: मिताहार “Measured eating; moderate appetite.” A requisite to good health and an essential for success in yoga. The ideal portion per meal is described as no more than would fill the two hands held side by side and slightly cupped piled high, an amount called a kuḍava. All the six tastes should be within these foods (sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent), which should be vegetarian, well cooked and highly nutritious. See: yama-niyama.§
moksha: मोक्ष “Liberation.” Release from transmigration, saṁsāra, the round of births and deaths, which occurs after karma has been resolved and nirvikalpa samādhi —realization of the Self, Paraśiva—has been attained. Same as mukti. See: four traditional goals, kuṇḍalinī, Paraśiva.§
monastery: “Place of solitariness.” Maṭha. The age-old tradition, carried forward from Lemurian times into the Hindu culture of India, a sacred residence where those of the same gender live under strict vows and work out their birth karmas in community toward realization of the Self. In monasteries, dedicated to transmutation of the sexual energies, celibacy is strictly upheld and there is no fraternizing with the opposite sex. The purpose of the monastery is to create an environment in which the monastic can balance the male and female energies (piṅgala and idā) within himself so that he lives in the spiritual, or sushumṇā, energy, which cannot be maintained in close association with the opposite sex. The monastic, whether a monk or a nun, is in a sense neither male nor female, but a pure soul being. See: āśrama, nāḍī.§
monastic: A monk or nun (based on the Greek monos, “alone”). A man or woman who has withdrawn from the world and lives an austere, religious life, either alone or with others in a monastery. (Not to be confused with monistic, having to do with the doctrine of monism.) A monastery-dweller is a maṭhavāsi, and sādhu is a rough equivalent for mendicant. See also: monastery, monk, sannyāsin.§
monism: “Doctrine of oneness.” 1) The philosophical view that there is only one ultimate substance or principle. 2) The view that reality is a unified whole without independent parts. See: dvaita - advaita .§
monistic theism: Advaita Īśvaravāda. Monism is the doctrine that reality is a one whole or existence without independent parts. Theism is the belief that God exists as a real, conscious, personal Supreme Being. Monistic theism is the dipolar doctrine, also called panentheism, that embraces both monism and theism, two perspectives ordinarily considered contradictory or mutually exclusive, since theism implies dualism. Monistic theism simultaneously accepts that God has a personal form, that He creates, pervades and is all that exists—and that He ultimately transcends all existence and that the soul is, in essence, one with God. Advaita Siddhānta (monistic Śaiva Siddhānta, or Advaita Īśvaravāda Śaiva Siddhānta) is a specific form of monistic theism. See: advaita, Advaita Īśvaravāda, Advaita Siddhānta, dvaita-advaita.§
monk: A celibate man wholly dedicated to religious life, either cenobitic (residing with others in a monastery) or anchoritic (living alone, as a hermit or mendicant). Literally, “one who lives alone” (from the Greek monos, “alone”). A synonym for monastic. Its feminine counterpart is nun. See: monastic, sannyāsin.§
mors voluntaria religiosa: Latin for “religious self-willed death,” a tradition in many religions which, with the sanction of community elders and religious leaders, offers the aged person who knows the end of physical life is near to voluntarily, peacefully and slowly end his life by fasting. Known in Hinduism as prayopaveśa.§
mortal sin: In the Abrahamic religions, a transgression that, if unexpiated in this one and only life, deprives the soul from closeness to God for eternity. Most Christian denominations, as well as Islam and mid-line conservative Judaism, believe that mortal sin will always automatically and inexorably condemn the sinner to eternal punishment. See: sin.§
Mount Kailas: One of the most famous peaks in the Himalayas. See: Kailas.§
Mount Tamalpais: A magnificent mountain in Marin County near San Francisco, California. A place of special power, it provides excellent hiking along with some of the most outstanding lookout points in California.§
mṛidaṅga: मृदङ्ग (Tamil: mṛidaṅgam) A South Indian concert drum, barrel-shaped and played on both ends.§
mukti: मुक्ति “Release.” A synonym for moksha. See: moksha.§
mūlādhāra chakra: मूलाधारचक्र “Root-support wheel.” The four-petaled psychic center at the base of the spine which governs memory. See: chakra.§
mumia: The force of dissolution or withdrawal of life force from organic substances and living organisms. For example, as soon as vegetables are picked, the force of dissolution, mumia, sets in. Therefore, the food should be cooked and eaten as soon after picking as possible, before the mumia force gets strong. Mumia, as it causes the breakdown of the cells, is an impure force. When food that is breaking down is regularly eaten, the body and mind become sluggish.§
Muṇḍaka Upanishad: मुण्डक उपनिषद् Belongs to the Atharva Veda and teaches the difference between the intellectual study of the Vedas and their supplementary texts and the intuitive knowledge by which God is known.§
mundane: Worldly, especially as distinguished from heavenly or spiritual. Ordinary. From Latin mundus “world;” mundanus “worldly.”§
Murugan: முருகன் “Beautiful one,” a favorite name of Kārttikeya among the Tamils of South India, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. See: Kārttikeya.§
Murugan’s South Indian abodes: A series of six temples to be visited in specified order, a life-changing pilgrimage called Arupadai Veedu: Tirupparankundram, known as the mount of beauty; Tiruchendur, abode of fulfillment; Palani Hills, the mount of meditation; Swamimalai, the abode of Kumara Guru; Tiruttani, the sport on the hills; and Palamadirsolai, the fruit grove of grace.§
mūshika: मूषिक From mūsh, “to steal.” The mouse, Lord Gaṇeśa’s mount, traditionally associated with abundance. Symbolically, the mouse carries Gaṇeśa’s grace into every corner of the mind. See: Gaṇeśa.§
mystic: One who understands religious mysteries or occult rites and practices. Inspiring a sense of mystery and wonder.§
mysticism: Spirituality; the pursuit of direct spiritual or religious experience. Spiritual discipline aimed at union or communion with Ultimate Reality or God through deep meditation or trance-like contemplation. From the Greek mystikos, “of mysteries.” Characterized by the belief that Truth transcends intellectual processes and must be attained through transcendent means. See: clairaudience, clairvoyance, psychic, trance.
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