Bal Gangadar Tilak (1856-1920): One of India's first prominent nationalist leaders. His efforts towards India's total independence earned him the title of Lokamanya, “Respected of the people.”His efforts were rewarded by a term of six years (1897-1902) in British prisons in India. He developed the ideas of passive resistance, boycotting of British goods, organization of mass opinion, and other political tactics that were later adopted by Mahatma Gandhi. Because of his words, “Swaraj [self-rule] is my birthright,”he has been called the Patrick Henry of India.

(See also: Bal Gangadar Tilak, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Puloma (Sanskrit) One of the daughters of the danava Vaisvanara. She and her sister Kalaka were mothers of thirty million danavas by Kasyapa. They are said to have lived in Hiranyapura (the golden city), which floats in the air -- the sun. Their children were called paulomas and kalakanjas.

(See also: Puloma, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Hawk Symbol associated in ancient Egypt with the sun; whenever there was an emphasis placed on solar worship the hawk was usually present, especially at Hieraconopolis (the hawk city) south of Thebes. The hawk was especially sacred to Horus, Ra, Osiris, and Seker. Horus and Ra (the latter particularly in his association with Menthu, the lord of Thebes) were often depicted as hawk-headed, both being solar deities.

The golden hawk was often identified with the bennu (the Egyptian phoenix), and there was also the hawk of the gods itself which was regarded as an offspring of the god Tem and associated with Horus in his aspect of the son of Osiris.

The hawk too depicted one of the parts of the human constitution, the human soul; oftentimes it is represented as hovering over the mummy:

"The sense varies with the postures of the bird. Thus when lying as dead it represents the transition, larva state, or the passage from the state of one life to another. When its wings are opened it means that the defunct is resurrected in Amenti and once more in conscious possession of his soul. The chrysalis has become a butterfly" (TG 136).

In many other countries the hawk, or some other flying creature, symbolized the human soul.

See also KHENSU

(See also: Hawk, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Pythia or Pythoness (Ancient Greek). Modern dictionaries inform us that the term means one who delivered the oracles at the temple of Delphi, and "any female supposed to have the spirit of divination in her - a witch" (Webster).

This is neither true, just nor correct. On the authority of Iamblichus, Plutarch and others, a Pythia was a priestess chosen among the sensitives of the poorer classes, and placed in a temple where oracular powers were exercised. There she had a room secluded from all but the chief Hierophant and Seer, and once admitted, was, like a nun, lost to the world. Sitting on a tripod of brass placed over a fissure in the ground, through which arose intoxicating vapours, these subterranean exhalations, penetrating her whole system, produced the prophetic mania, in which abnormal state she delivered oracles. Aristophanes in Vestas " I., reg. 28, calls the Pythia ventriloqua vates or the "ventriloquial prophetess", on account of her stomach-voice.

The ancients placed the soul of man (the lower Manas) or his personal self-consciousness, in the pit of his stomach. We find in the fourth verse of the second Nabhanedishta hymn of the Brahmans: "Hear, 0 sons of the gods, one who speaks through his name (nabha), for he hails you in your dwellings!" This is a modern somnambulic phenomenon.

The navel was regarded in antiquity as "the circle of the sun", the seat of divine internal light. Therefore was the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, the city of Delphus, the womb or abdomen - while the seat of the temple was called the omphalos, navel. As well-known, a number of mesmerized subjects can read letters, hear, smell and see through that part of their body. In India there exists to this day a belief (also among the Parsis) that adepts have flames in their navels, which enlighten for them all darkness and unveil the spiritual world. It is called with the Zoroastrians the lamp of Deshtur or the "High Priest"; and the light or radiance of the Dikshita (the initiate) with the Hindus.

(See also: Pythia, Pythoness, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Nala and Nila:

Nala and Nila (Nela): Two generals of Rama (cursed by a sage: "Boys! May all things that you throw on water never sink; may they float instead") helping constructing the bridge to reach Lanka, the city of Ravana where Sita was kept (RRV2-7a).

(See also: Nala and Nila, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

turya: the substratum in which the waking, dream and sleep are perceived in the phenomenal or waking point of view; for convenience, it is referred to as the fourth, or turya, state of consciousness. It can be compared to water, which appears in the three states of ice, liquid and steam.

(See also: turya, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

prakarana grantha: introductory Vedantic texts that unfold the entire subject matter of Vedanta with or without reference to any of the terse Upanishads. The purpose of these texts were to explain all the concepts necessary for enlightenment in simple terms, so the subject could be understood without having to resort to the study of the thick scriptures and the lengthy logical analysis typical of the scholarly approach. Some of the most known are Atma Bodha, Vivekachudamani, Panchadasi, Vedanta Sara, Vedanta Paribhasa.

(See also: prakarana grantha, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Siddha master:

One who has attained the state of enlightenment and who has the capacity to awaken the dormant spiritual energy of a disciple and guide him or her to the state of the Truth.

(See also: Siddha master, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary, Siddha Yoga, Siddha Yoga Dictionary)

Chandrakaladhara, Lord [moon + small part + ornament]: During the churning of the milky ocean by the gods and the demons, “Chandrakala” emerged on the day of the new moon. The gods prayed to Lord Shiva to wear this crescent moon on his head as an ornament with the hope that it would help cool his destructive anger.

(See also: Chandrakaladhara, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Panchadasi [fifteen]: Vedantic text of fifteen chapters written by Swami Vidyaranya. It is an advanced introductory text (prakarana grantha) intended to unfold all the subject of Vedanta necessary for enlightenment, or to serve as a foundation for further study of Vedanta.

(See also: Panchadasi, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

dharma shala: overnight abodes or hostels that were constructed by pious people or kings to provide free food and shelter to traveling pilgrims.

(See also: dharma shala, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

samsara: the process of the wordly life through successive births and deaths.

(See also: samsara, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

matha: monastery, seminary; one of the four centers established by Adi Shankaracharya for the preservation of the four Vedas and other sacred scriptures: Badrinath (north), Shringeri (south), Puri (east) and Dwaraka (west). These four mathas have established subsidiary mathas in their respective districts, such as at Kanchi and Kavir.

(See also: matha, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Girivraja:

Girivraja. City prominent in the Puranas; built by Brahma's grandson Vasu. Girivraja means "collection of hills".

(See also: Girivraja, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Uttarkasi: the Himalayan mountain village that has been the residence of many sages, including Swami Tapovanam.

(See also: Uttarkasi, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

ashram: monastery, hermitage, place of retreat.

(See also: ashram, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

chandala: untouchable; one outside of the caste system. The outcastes were generally of the aboriginal native tribes.

(See also: chandala, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Atma (n): the essential Divinity, or light of consciousness, in each individual; often translated into English as “Self”. See Brahman.

(See also: Atma, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Shruti [shru = to hear]: the Holy Scriptures that were heard by the ancient rishis through direct revelation; the Vedas.

(See also: Shruti, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Narayana: an epithet of Lord Vishnu.

(See also: Narayana, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

punya: good karma, or merit, accumulated from good actions.

(See also: punya, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)