Hindu Trinity. See TRIMURTI

(See also: Hindu Trinity, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Hindu Schools, Six. See DARSANA

(See also: Hindu Trinity, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Castes, Hindu. See CHATUR-VARNA

(See also: Castes, Hindu, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Hindu: (Sanskrit) 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 declaring oneself a Hindu. Acceptance into the fold is recognized through the name-giving sacrament, a temple ceremony called namakarana samskara, given to born Hindus shortly after birth, and to self-declared Hindus 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 ahimsa, nonviolence.

9)    No particular religion teaches the only 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.

(See also: Hindu, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Hindu cosmology:

See: loka, three worlds.

(See also: Hindu cosmology, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

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.

(See also: Hindu solidarity, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

That: When capitalized, this simple demonstrative refers uniquely to the Ultimate, Indescribable or Nameless Absolute. The Self God, Parasiva. It is the English equivalent of Tat, as in, Tat tvam asi, "You are That!"

(See also: That, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

fast: Abstaining from all or certain foods, as in observance of a vow or holy day.

Hindus fast in various ways.

• A simple fast may consist of merely avoiding certain foods for a day or more, such as when vegetarians avoid tamasic or rajasic foods or when nonvegetarians abstain from fish, fowl and meats.
• A moderate fast would involve avoiding heavier foods, or taking only juices, teas and other liquids. Such fasts are sometimes observed only during the day, and a normal meal is permitted after sunset.
• Serious fasting, which is done under supervision, involves taking only water for a number of days and requires a cessation of most external activities.

(See also: Fast, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

festival: A time of religious celebration and special observances. Festivals generally recur yearly, their dates varying slightly according to astrological calculations. They are characterized by acts of piety (elaborate pujas, penance, fasting, pilgrimage) and rejoicing (songs, dance, music, parades, storytelling and scriptural reading).

See: sound, teradi.

(See also: Festival, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

yantra: (Sanskrit) "Restrainer," "limiter."

A mystic diagram composed of geometric and alphabetic figures - usually etched on small plates of gold, silver or copper. Sometimes rendered in three dimensions in stone or metal.

The purpose of a yantra is to focus spiritual and mental energies according to computer-like yantric pattern, be it for health, wealth, childbearing or the invoking of one God or another. It is usually installed near or under the temple Deity. Psychically seen, the temple yantra is a magnificent three-dimensional edifice of light and sound in which the devas work. On the astral plane, it is much larger than the temple itself.

Sri Chakra: The most well known yantra and a central image in Shakta worship. Consisting of nine interlocking triangles, it is the design of Siva-Shakti's multidimensional manifestations. Yantras are also used for meditation and sadhana, especially in the Shakta tradition. Installing them beneath Deities is a fairly modern practice, while the Agamas prescribe the placement of precious gems. For Saivites the Tiru-ambala chakra, representing Lord Nataraja, is most sacred.

See: murti.

(See also: Yantra, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Tirumantiram: (Tamil) "Holy incantation."

The Nandinatha Sampradaya's oldest Tamil scripture; written ca 200 bce by Rishi Tirumular. It is the earliest of the Tirumurai, and a vast storehouse of esoteric yogic and tantric knowledge. It contains the mystical essence of raja yoga and siddha yoga, and the fundamental doctrines of the 28 Saiva Siddhanta Agamas, which in turn are the heritage of the ancient pre-historic traditions of Saivism.

As the Agamas themselves are now partially lost, the Tirumantiram is a rare source of the complete Agamanta (collection of Agamic lore). Its 3047 verses were, as legend has it, composed in a rather extraordinary way. Before writing each verse, Tirumular would meditate for an entire year, then summarize his meditation in a fourline Tamil verse. He did this for 3,000 years! The allegory is said to mean that 3,000 years of knowledge is compacted in this one book. The text is organized in nine parts, called tantras, summarized as follows:

1)    basic rules of religious morality;

2)    allegorical explanations of Saiva mythological stories; five powers of Siva, three classifications of souls;

3)    a complete treatise on raja yoga;

4)    mantras and tantras;

5)    the essential features of the Saiva religion; the four forms of Saivism, four stages, unorthodox paths, conduct to be avoided;

6)    the Sivaguru, grace, renunciation, sin, penance, jnana, worthy and unworthy persons;

7)    siddha yoga, more on grace, mudras, control of ida and pingala, worlds reached by different classes of yogis after death, refinements of yoga, the satguru;

8)    essential theology: five sheaths, eleven states, three padarthas (Pati-pashu-pasha), 36 tattvas, four states of consciousness, three malas, three gunas, ten karanas, etc.;

9)    the fruits of realization, liberation, jnana, Siva's dances, meeting of the guru.

See: Tirumurai, Tirumular.

(See also: Tirumantiram, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Devi: (Sanskrit) "Goddess."

A name of Shakti, used especially in Shaktism.

See: Shakti, Shaktism.

(See also: Devi, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

devoid: Completely without; empty.

(See also: Devoid, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

devonic: Of or relating to the devas or their world. See: deva.

(See also: Devonic, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

devotee: A person strongly dedicated to something or someone, such as to a God or a guru. The term disciple implies an even deeper commitment. See: guru bhakti.

(See also: Devotee, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Dhammapada: (Sanskrit) The holy book of Buddhism. See: Buddhism.

(See also: Dhammapada, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Dhanurveda: (Sanskrit) "Science of archery."

A class of ancient texts on the military arts, comprising the Upaveda of the Yajur Veda. Dhanurveda teaches concentration, meditation, hatha yoga, etc., as integral to the science of warfare.

See: Upaveda.

(See also: Dhanurveda, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

dharana: (Sanskrit) "Concentration." From dri, "to hold." See: meditation, raja yoga, shraddadharana, yoga.

(See also: Dharana, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

There are four principal kinds of dharma, as follows. They are known collectively as - chaturdharma: "four religious laws."

1. rita: "Universal law." The inherent order of the cosmos. The laws of being and nature that contain and govern all forms, functions and processes, from galaxy clusters to the power of mental thought and perception.
2. varna dharma: (Sanskrit) "Law of one's kind." Social duty. Varna can mean "race, tribe, appearance, character, color, social standing, etc." Varna dharma defines the individual's obligations and responsibilities within the nation, society, community, class, occupational subgroup and family. An important part of this dharma is religious and moral law. See: jati, varna dharma.
3. ashrama dharma: "Duties of life's stages." Human or developmental dharma. The natural process of maturing from childhood to old age through fulfillment of the duties of each of the four stages of life- brahmachari (student), grihastha (householder), vanaprastha (elder advisor) and sannyasa (religious solitaire)- in pursuit of the four human goals: dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (pleasure) and moksha (liberation). See: ashrama dharma.
4. svadharma: "Personal path, pattern or obligation." One's perfect individual pattern through life, according to one's own particular physical, mental and emotional nature. Svadharma is determined by the sum of past karmas and the cumulative effect of the other three dharmas. It is the individualized application of dharma, dependent on personal karma, reflected on one's race, community, physical characteristics, health, intelligence, skills and aptitudes, desires and tendencies, religion, sampradaya, family and guru.

(See also: Chaturdharma, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)