Hinduism A to Z
Dharma Varnamala
धर्मवर्णमाला
A FUN, ILLUSTRATED ALPHABET DESIGNED AS TWENTY-SIX
MINI-LESSONS ON HINDU THOUGHT AND CULTURE
A is for Aum, the three-syllabled mantra that represents the Sacred Mystery in sound and vibration.§
B is for bhakti, deep devotion and love for the Divine which softens even hearts of stone.§
C is for culture, the beauty of Hindu music, fine arts, drama, dance, literature and architecture.§
D is for dharma, which is righteousness, cosmic order and duty, leading us on the right path.§
E is for Earth, our lovely blue planet, which we treat as sacred, protecting all its wonderful creatures.§
F is for family, the precious cornerstone of Hindu life, culture, service and tradition.§
G is for guru, our enlightened master who, knowing Truth himself, can guide us there.§
H is for hatha yoga, healthful physical science for vitality, energy-balancing and meditation.§
I is for India, Bharata, Mother-land to one-sixth of humanity, holy land for Hindus everywhere.§
J is for japa, repetitive, prayerful mantras which quiet emotion and empower the mind.§
K is for karma, the law of cause and effect by which we determine our experience and destiny.§
L is for lotus, the heart’s inner shrine, where God dwells, ever serene, ever perfect.§
M is for mauna, not talking, the inner silence known when words, thoughts and actions are stilled.§
N is for nonattachment, the art of living the simple life, without too many needs or desires.§
O is for open-mindedness, the Hindu’s tolerant freedom of thought, inquiry and belief.§
P is for puja, mystic worship of the Divine in our home shrine and holy temples and places.§
Q is for quest, seeking to know,“Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?”§
R is for reincarnation, our immortal soul’s journey from birth to rebirth. We do not fear death.§
S is for samskaras, sacraments sanctifying life’s passages: name-giving, marriage, death and more.§
T is for tilaka, forehead marks worn in honor of our unique and varied lineages.§
U is for utsava, our many home and temple festivals, full of bhakti, fun, feasting and family sharing.§
V is for Vedas, our oldest and holiest book, the word of God recorded in 100,000 Sanskrit verses.§
W is for wealth (artha), one of life’s four goals, along with love, dharma and enlightenment.§
X is for xerophily, the ability of certain plants and animals to thrive in India’s hot, arid plains.§
Y is for yoga, union of the soul with God which brings release from worldly bondage.§
Z is for zeal, the fervor with which we perform service, go on pilgrimage and greet our holy religious leaders.§