A Wisdom Archive on Acharya

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Below are some short introductions. Click on the blue hyperlinked word to get more related articles.


Acarya - (sometimes spelled Acharya in English): a preceptor, instructor; cf. guru

Vallabhacharya - (Sanskrit) "Beloved." V

aishnava saint
(ca 1475-1530) whose panentheistic Shuddha Advaita
(pure nondualism) philosophy became the essential
teaching of the nonascetic Vaishnava sect that bears his
name. He composed 17 works, most importantly
commentaries on the Vedanta and Mimamsa Sutras and
the Bhagavata Purana. The stories of his 84 disciples are
often repeated on festive occasions by followers. The sect
is strongest in Gujarat.
See: Vedanta.

Vallabhacharya - (Sanskrit) "Beloved." Vaishnava saint (ca 1475-1530) whose panentheistic Shuddha Advaita (pure nondualism) philosophy became the essential teaching of the nonascetic Vaishnava sect that bears his name. He composed 17 works, most importantly commentaries on the Vedanta and Mimamsa Sutras and the Bhagavata Purana. The stories of his 84 disciples are often repeated on festive occasions by followers. The sect is strongest in Gujarat.
See: Vedanta.

Renukacharya - (Sanskrit) A Vira Saiva philosopher and saint.

Sivacharya - (Sanskrit) The hereditary priests of the Saiva Siddhanta tradition. The title of Adisaiva Brahmins.

An Adisaiva priest who has received the necessary training and dikshas to perform public Siva temple rites known as Agamic nitya parartha puja.

A fully qualified Sivacharya is also known as archaka. Sivacharya, too, names the family clan of this priest tradition.
See: Adisaiva. brahmin.

Brahmacharya - Celibacy.

Sramanacharya - Sramanacharya Sramanacarya (Sanskrit) [from sramana ascetic + acharya teacher]

A Buddhist or Jain teacher of ascetic type.

Brahmacharya - A life of following the Absolute.

Vajracharya - Vajracharya Vajracarya (Sanskrit) [from vajra diamond + acharya spiritual teacher]

The diamond-teacher; the name Yogacharyas give to their spiritual preceptor or the supreme Master of the Vajra.

Gaudapadacharya - Gaudapadacharya Gaudapadacarya (Sanskrit) The teacher Gaudapada; Sankaracharya''s guru or teacher of philosophy.

Acharya - Acharya (Sanskrit). Spiritual teacher, Guru; as Sankar-acharya, lit., a "teacher of ethics". A name generally given to Initiates, etc., and meaning "Master".

Jagadacharya - (Sanskrit) "World teacher."

In 1986 the World Religious Parliament of New Delhi named five world leaders who were most active in spreading Sanatana Dharma outside India. The five are: H.H. Swami Chinmayananda of Chinmaya Missions, India; Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami of Saiva Siddhanta Church and Himalayan Academy, USA; Yogiraj Amrit Desai of Kripalu Yoga Center, USA; Pandit Tej Ramji Sharma of Nepali Baba, Nepal; and Swami Jagpurnadas Maharaj, Mauritius.

Acharya - teacher

Vajracharya - Vajracharya (Sanskrit). The spiritual acharya (guru, teacher) of the Yogacharyas, The "Supreme Master of the Vajra".

Brahmacharya - (Sanskrit) "Path to God," or "moving in God." Sexual purity.
See: yama-niyama.

Acharya - Preceptor; Teacher.

Vallabhacharya - (Sanskrit) "Beloved." V

aishnava saint (ca 1475-1530) whose panentheistic Shuddha Advaita (pure nondualism) philosophy became the essential teaching of the nonascetic Vaishnava sect that bears his name. He composed 17 works, most importantly commentaries on the Vedanta and Mimamsa Sutras and the Bhagavata Purana. The stories of his 84 disciples are often repeated on festive occasions by followers. The sect is strongest in Gujarat.
See: Vedanta.

Brahmacharya - (from brahma and acarya "brahmic conduct"): the discipline of chastity, which produces ojas

Acharya - (Sanskrit) "Going toward;" "approaching." A highly respected teacher. The wise one who practices what he preaches. A title generally bestowed through diksha and spreading; advance, progress."
See: evolution of the soul.

Brahmacharya - Practice of celibacy. Purity in thought, word and deed.

Dinacharya - daily routine

Brahmacharya - (Sanskrit) The control of sexual impulses

Sri Sankaracharya - Sri Sankaracharya (Sanskrit). The great religious reformer of India, and teacher of the Vedanta philosophy - the greatest of all such teachers, regarded by the Adwaitas (Non-dualists) as an incarnation of Siva and a worker of miracles. He established many mathams (monasteries), and founded the most learned sect among Brahmans, called the Smartava. The legends about him are as numerous as his philosophical writings. At the age of thirty-two he went to Kashmir, and reaching Kedaranath in the Himalayas, entered a cave alone, whence he never returned. His followers claim that he did not die, but only retired from the world.

Brahmacharya - Literally means practicing conduct that leads one to God. Mostly it is used to describe self-restraint, especially over sexual desire, the first stage in the fourfold Hindu life cycle.

Vallabacharya - Vallabacharya (Sanskrit). The name of a mystic who was the chela (disciple) of Vishnu Swami, and the founder of a sect of Vaishnavas. His descendants are called Goswami Maharaj, and have much landed property and numerous mandirs (temples) in Bombay. They have degenerated into a shamefully licentious sect.

Brahmacharya - Brahmacharya brahmacarya (Sanskrit) (from brahman cosmic spirit, divine wisdom + charya conduct, practicing from the verbal root car to perform, undergo)

Following a life of philosophic and religious training; because usually applicable to the first stage in the life of a Brahmin of ancient times, the state of an unmarried religious student of the Vedas.