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| Acharya |
a spiritual master who teaches by his own
example.
a brahmin religious master. |
| Advaita |
non-dual (indicating, when referring to the
Lord, that there is no difference between His body and He
Himself).
a branch of Vedanta philosophy emphasizing the
unity of the individual and God. |
| Agni |
the demigod who controls fire. |
| Aggressor |
a person who start a fight or war with another
person. |
| Ahimsa |
the principle of not using violence. |
| Akarma |
action for which one suffers no reaction because
it is performed in Krishna Consciousness. |
| Ananda |
transcendental bliss. |
| Archana |
the process of Deity worship. |
| Aryan |
one who knows the value of life and has a
civilization based on spiritual realization. |
| Ashram or Ashrama |
a place where people who have withdrawn from
society live apart as a group.
one of the four spiritual
orders of life - brahmachari - ashrama (or student
life);
grihasta - ashrama (or married life);
vanaprastha
- ashrama (or retired life) and
sannyasa - ashrama (or the
renounced order of life). |
| Ashtanga |
yoga = (ashta = eight + anga = part) a mystic
yoga system propounded by Patanjali in his Yoga-sutra and
consisting of eight parts - yama, niyama, asana, pranayama,
pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi) |
| Asura |
(a= not + sura = godlu) demon any of the evil
spirits or giants who frequently with the demigods. |
| Atma or Atman |
the self (refers sometimes to the body,
sometimes to the soul, and sometimes to the senses). |
| Avatara or Avatar |
an incarnation of the Lord who descends from the
spiritual world to the material Universe with a particular
mission. |
| Avidya |
(a = non + vidya = knowledge)
ignorance. | |
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| Bhagavan or Bhagwan |
(bhag = opulence+ van = possessing) the
possessor of all opulencess which are generally six - wealth,
strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation; an epithet
of the Supreme Person or God |
| Bhakta |
a devotee, or one who practises devotion
(bhakti) |
| Bhakti |
love of God; purified service of the senses of
the Lord by one's own senses; devotional service to God |
| Bhakti yoga |
the system of cultivation of bhakti (or pure
devotional service) which is untinged by sense gratification
or philosophical speculation; a spiritual practice emphasizing
bhakti |
| Brahmachari |
celibate student, first of the four
ashrama |
| Brahmacharya |
the first stage in the life of a man who keeps
closely to Vedic customs and duties before marriage |
| Brahma jijnasa |
spiritual inquiry into one's own identity |
| Brahmajyoti |
(brahma = spiritual + jyoti = light) the
impersonal effulgence emanating from the body of
Krishna. |
| Brahmanloka |
the abode of Lord Brahma |
| Brahman |
1) the infinitesimal spiritual soul;
2) the
all-pervading impersonal aspect of Krishna;
3) the Supreme
Personality of Godhead |
| Brahmana |
the intelligent class of men, according to the
system of social and spiritual orders; a member of the highest
order in Vedic society according to occupational
divisions |
| Brahma samhita |
a very ancient Sanskrit scripture of the prayers
of Brahma to Govinda, recovered from a temple in South India
by Lord Chaitanya |
| Buddhi yoga |
(buddhi = intelligence + yoga = mystic
elevation) the practice of devotional service. Action in
Krishna consciousness is buddhi yoga, for that is the highest
intelligence | |
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| Chaitanya charitamrita |
biography of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
written and compiled by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami |
| Chandala |
dog-eater; the lowest class of human
beings |
| Chandra |
the demigod who rules the moon; the
moon-god |
| Chandraloka |
the moon; the abode of Chandra |
| Chariot |
an open vehicle with two wheels, pulled by
horses, used in ancient (old) times |
| Chaturmasya |
a vow of austerity for four months during the
year | |
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| Darshan |
viewing the Deity |
| Deva |
a demigod or godly person |
| Devakinandana |
(Devaki = Krishna's mother + nandana =
joy) Krishna, the joy of Devaki) |
| Dharamshala |
building where people can rest on a
journey, especially one for pilgrims |
| Dharma |
the capacity to render service, which
is the essential quality of a living being; duty |
| Dvapara yuga or Dwapara yuga |
the third age of the cycle of a
maha-yuga. It lasts more than 4,320,000
years | |
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| Ekadashi |
a special day for increased remembrance of
Krishna or Vishnu which devotees observe twice a month by
fasting and hearing and chanting the glories of the
Lord | |
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| Gandharavas |
the celestial singers of the heavenly
planets. |
| Ganges or Ganga |
the sacred river which flows from northern to
eastern India. One is recommended to bathe in the river for
purification |
| Garuda |
a creature, half human and half eagle, on which
Lord Vishnu rides; a giant eagle who acts as the carrier of
Lord Vishnu |
| Gayatri Mantra |
a transcendental vibration chanted by the
brahmanas for spiritual realization |
| Goloka |
a name of the planet of Krishna |
| Goswami |
a swami, master of the senses |
| Govinda |
one of Krishna's names. "One who gives pleasures
to the land, the cows and the senses." |
| Grihastha |
householder (second) stage of life. |
| Guna |
any of the three qualities of matter - sattva
(goodness), rajas (passion) and tamas (ignorance) |
| Gunavataras |
the three incarnations who control the three
modes of material nature: Brahma controls passion, Vishnu
goodness and Shiva ignorance |
| Guru |
spiritual master or
instructor | |
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| Hanuman |
the great monkey devotee who served the Lord in
His incarnation as Lord Ramachandra; the son of Pavan, the god
of the air, and famous for his courage and being devoted to
Lord Rama |
| Hare Krishna Mantra |
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare - the maha-mantra
( or great chant for deliverance). Krishna and Rama are the
names of the Lord, and Hare addresses the energy of the Lord.
These names have been particularly recommended for chanting in
this age |
| Hari |
one of the names of Lord Vishnu or Krishna |
| Hatha yoga |
a system of yoga that emphasises bodily
exercises to help control the senses |
| Hrishikesha |
one of the names of Krishna, the master of all
senses | |
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| Ikshvaku |
a son of Manu who received the
knowledge of Bhagavad-Gita in the past |
| Indra |
the king of the heavenly planets |
| Indraloka |
the planet where Lord Indra
resides |
| Ishvara |
the Supreme
Controller | |
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| Jagannatha |
one of Lord Krishna's names, the Lord of the
universe. He is worshipped in eastern India, especially in
Orissa |
| Janaka |
a great self-realized king and father-in-law of
Lord Rama |
| Janmashtami |
a festival celebrating the birth of Lord
Krishna |
| Japa |
soft chanting of the Holy Names of God peformed
with the aid of prayer beads |
| Jayanti |
an anniversary |
| ji |
honorific suffix added to almost any name as a
term of endearment - e.g. Guruji, Mataji |
| Jiva (jivatma) |
the soul or atomic living entity |
| Jnana |
knowledge. Material jnana does not go beyond the
material body. Transcendental jnana discriminates between
matter and spirit. Perfect jnana is knowledge of the body, the
soul and the Supreme Lord |
| Jnana yoga |
the spiritual practice that emphasizes spiritual
knowledge as the way to salvation |
| Jnani |
one who is engaged in the cultivation of
knowledge (especially by philosophical speculation). Upon
attaining perfection, a jnani surrenders to
Krishna | |
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| Kailash |
the home of Lord Shiva in the Himalayas |
| Kala |
eternal time |
| Kali |
a demigoddess (to whom worshippers may offer
meat); the black form of Lord Shiva's wife who is worshipped
by Shakta Sect. She wears a necklace of skulls |
| Kali Yuga |
the age of quarrel, darkness and hypocrisy, the
fourth and last age in the cycle of a maha-yuga. This is the
age in which we are now living. It lasts for a total of
432,000 years, of which more than 5250 years have already
passed |
| Kaliya Serpent |
snake that Krishna punished for poisoning the
Yamuna River |
| Kalki |
the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He will
arrive on a white horse at the end of Kali-yuga to destroy
miscreants |
| Kama |
desire, pleasure |
| Kama |
the god of love, Cupid |
| Kamsa |
Krishna's wicked uncle who always tried to kill
Krishna but was ultimately killed by Him |
| Kapila |
an incarnation of Vishnu or Krishna who appeared
in Satya yuga as the son of Devahuti and Kardama Muni and
expounded devotional Sankhya philosophy. (There was also an
atheist called Kapila, but he was not an incarnation of the
Lord) |
| Karanodakashayi Vishnu (Maha
Vishnu) |
He lies within Causal Ocean and breathes out
innumerable universes |
| Karma |
1) material action performed according to
scriptural regulation
2) action pertaining to the
development of the material body
3) any material action
which will incur a subsequent reaction; the concept that
whatever you do creates a reaction that you will receive in
the future
4) the material reaction one incurs due to
fruitive activities
5) fate |
| Karma yoga |
1) action in devotional service
2) action
performed by one who knows that the goal of life is Krishna
but is addicted to the fruits of his activities |
| Karna |
son of Kunti and half brother of Pandava
brothers. He sided with Duryodhana to fight against the
Pandavas in Kurukshetra |
| Kartikeya |
the son of Pravati and Shiva, the god of war.
Also known as Subrahmanya or Skanda |
| Katha |
a tradition of telling stories |
| Kaurava |
any of the sons of King Dhritarashtra in
Mahabharata |
| Khichri |
a cooked dish of rice, dal and vegetables |
| Khir or Kheer |
1) (northern and western India) a sweet dish of
rice boiled with milk and sugar
2) milk that is made
thicker and sweeter by being boiled with sugar. It is served
as a dessert in eastern India |
| Kirtan |
1) glorification of the Supreme Lord
2)
a type of song used in religious worship usually about the
life of Krishna and sung by a group that repeats lines sung by
the main singer |
| Krishna |
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, also known
as Govinda or Gopala; the original name of the Supreme Lord in
His original transcendental form; the Speaker of
Bhagavad-Gita |
| Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami |
the author of Chaitanya Charitamira (Biography
of Lord Chaitanya) |
| Krishna karma |
doing all work for the sake of Krishna |
| Krishna katha |
telling stories about the life of Krishna |
| Krishnaloka |
the planet in the spiritual world where Krishna
resides |
| Kshatriya |
1) a member of the second highest caste,
traditionally of rulers and warriors
2) the adminstrative
or protective occupation according to the system of four
social and spiritual orders |
| Kshetra |
field of activities, the body of the conditioned
soul |
| Kshetrajna |
(kshetra = field or body + jna = knowing) one
who is conscious of the body. Both the soul and the Supersoul
are kshetrajna, for the individual soul is conscious of his
own particular body and the Supersoul is conscious of the
bodies of all living beings |
| Kshirodakashayi Vishnu |
the Vishnu expansion of the Supreme Lord who
enters into the heart of every created being and into every
atom. He is also called the Suersoul |
| Kumara or Kumar |
a young man who is not married |
| Kumaras |
four brahmachari sons of Lord Brahma, who became
great devotees of the Lord and great authorities on devotional
service |
| Kumari |
a young woman who is not married |
| Kumbha Mala |
a Hindu bathing festival held on the river banks
of any of the sacred cities Allahabad, Hardwar, Nasik or
Ujjain |
| Kund |
small lake or pond or Kunda |
| Kundalini |
(in Tantra) the divine power believed to exist
in the base of the spine. Its' symbol is a coiled snake |
| Kunti |
the mother of the five Pandavas and the aunt of
Lord Krishna |
| Kurukshetra |
name of a place of pilgrimage held sacred since
ancient times. It is located near modern New Delhi, India;
place where Mahabarata War took place more than five thousand
years back |
| Kuvera or Kubera |
the god of wealth; the treasurer of the
demigods | |
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| Laddu |
a round sweet made from ghee, sugar and other
ingredients |
| Lakh |
one hundred thousand, written as 1,00,000 |
| Lakshman |
the younger half-brother of Rama in the famous
epic `Ramayana' |
| Lakshmi |
the goddess of fortune, consort of Lord
Vishnu |
| Lassi |
a drink made from yogurt or curd |
| Lila or Leela |
transcendentalist pastime or activity performed
by God or His devotee |
| Linga |
phallic symbol which is used in the worship of
Lord Shiva |
| Loka |
a planet | |
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| Ma |
a mother |
| Madana-mohana |
a name of Krishna "the enchanter of even
Cupid" |
| Madhusudana |
a name of Krishna, "killer of Madhu demon" |
| Maha |
great |
| Maha-mantra |
the great chanting for deliverance - Hare
Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare
Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare |
| Mahabharata |
a Sanskrit epic written by Srila Vyasadeva and
describing the adventures of the Pandavas. Bhagavad-Gita is
the heart of Mahabharata |
| Mahadeva |
one of the names of Lord Shiva |
| Maharaj or Maharaja |
king, ruler, sannyasi |
| Maharshi |
great rishi, spiritual leader |
| Mahatma |
a great soul, a deeply spiritual person |
| Mahasamadhi |
the state of death, seen as a deep trance in the
case of a spiritual leader |
| Maha-tattva |
the total material energy |
| Mahavira |
the religious personality who preached
Jainism |
| Maha-Vishnu |
See `Karanodakashayi Vishnu' |
| Mala |
a garland |
| Mandir |
a temple |
| Mantra |
(man = mind + tra = deliverance) a pure sound
vibration to deliver the mind from its material
inclinations | |
| Naga |
(in the Vedic literature) = a creature that is half human and half snake |
| Nakula |
one of the younger brothers of Arjuna |
| Namasthe or Namaskar |
a way of greeting somebody in which the hands are placed together as in prayer and the head is bowed |
| Nanda Maharaja |
Lord Krishna's foster father |
| Nandi |
the bull carrier of Shiva, found in many the temples of Shiva |
| Narada Muni |
a great devotee of the Supreme Lord Vishnu, who can travel anwhere in the spiritual or material worlds to preach the glories of the Lord |
| Natarja |
a name for Shiva as Lord of the dance and the cosmic dancer |
| Narasimha |
half-man half-lion incarnation of the Lord, who killed Hiranyakashipu and saved Prahlad |
| Navagraha |
nine planets |
| Nirguna |
(nir = without + guna = quality) not possessing attributes (when applied to God, refers to the appearance of material attributes) |
| Nirvana |
freedom from material existence or the end of the process of materialistic life | |
| Om or Supreme Omkara |
the transcendental syllable which represents Krishna and which is vibrated by transcendentalists for attainment of the undertaking sacrifices, charities and penances |
| Om tat sat |
the three transcendental syllables used by brahmanas for satisfication of the Supreme when chanting Vedic hymns or offering sacrifice. They indicate the Supreme Absolute, the Personality of Godhead | |
| Pandavas |
the five sons of king Pandu; Yudhisththira,
Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula and
Sahadeva | |
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