Vira Saivism (Saiva): (Sanskrit) "Heroic Saivism." Made

prominent by Basavanna in the 12th century. Also called

Lingayat Saivism. Followers, called Lingayats,

Lingavantas or Sivasharanas, always wear a Sivalinga on

their person. Vira Saivites are proudly egalitarian and

emphasize the personal relationship with Siva, rather than

temple worship. Vira Saiva priests, jangamas, conduct

marriages and other domestic rites and also act as gurus or

teachers. Among the most central texts are Basavanna's

Vachanas, Allama Prabhu's Mantragopya,

Chennabasavanna's Karana Hasuge, and the collected

work called Shunya Sampadane. The monistic-theistic

doctrine of Vira Saivism is called Shakti Vishishtadvaita -

a version of qualified nondualism which accepts both difference and nondifference between soul and God, like

rays are to the sun. In brief, Siva and the cosmic force or

existence are one ("Siva are you; you shall return to

Siva."). Yet, Siva is beyond His creation, which is real,

not illusory. God is both efficient and material cause. In

Vira Saivism, Siva divides from His Absolute state into

Linga (Supreme Lord) and anga, individual soul, the two

eventually reuniting in undifferentiated oneness. There are

three aspects of Sivalinga. 1) Ishtalinga, personal form of

Siva, in which He fulfills desires and removes afflictions -

God as bliss or joy; 2) Bhavalinga, Siva beyond space and

time, the highest divine principle, knowable through

intuition; 3) Pranalinga, the reality of God which can be

apprehended by the mind. The soul merges with Siva by a

progressive, six-stage path called shatsthala, consisting of

bhakti (devotion), mahesha (charity and selfless service),

prasada (seeking Siva's grace), Pranalinga (experience of

all as Siva), sharana (egoless refuge in Siva) and aikya

(oneness with Siva). Today Vira Saivism is a vibrant faith,

particularly strong in its religious homeland of Karnataka,

South Central India. Roughly 40 million people live here,

of which perhaps 25% are members of the Vira Saiva

religion. Early on, they rejected brahminical authority, and

along with it the entire caste system and the Vedas. By

rejecting the Vedas, they continue to stand outside

mainstream Hinduism, but in their profound love of Siva

and acceptance of certain Saiva Agamas, as well as the

main truths of the Vedic wisdom, they have identified

themselves as a unique Saiva sect. Though they have

established their faith as a distinct and independent

religion in Indian courts of law, they are still widely

embraced as devout brothers and sisters of the Hindu

dharma.

See: Lingavanta, Saivism.

(See also: Vira Saivism , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

mudra: (Sanskrit) "Seal."

Esoteric hand gestures which express specific energies or powers. Usually accompanied by precise visualizations, mudras are a vital element of ritual worship (puja), dance and yoga.

Among the bestknown mudras are:

1)    abhaya mudra (gesture of fearlessness), in which the fingers are extended, palm facing forward;

2)    anjali mudra (gesture of reverence);

3)    jnana mudra (also known as chin mudra and yoga mudra), in which the thumb and index finger touch, forming a circle, with the other fingers extended;

4)    dhyana mudra (seal of meditation), in which the two hands are open and relaxed with the palms up, resting on the folded legs, the right hand atop the left with the tips of the thumbs gently touching.

See: abhaya mudra, anjali mudra, hatha yoga, namaskara.

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

path: Marga or pantha. A trail, road or way. In Hinduism there are various ways that the term path is used.

-       path of enlightenment salvation moksha: The way to the ultimate goals of Self Realization and liberation.

-       universal path: The spiritual path conceived as being followed by all of existence, marching on its way to Godhood.

-       path of dharma: Following principles of good conduct and virtue.

-       the two paths: The way of the monk and that of the householder, a choice to be made by each Hindu young man.

-       Peerless highest path: The spiritual path (or the path of renunciation) as the noblest of human undertakings.

-       the straight path: The way that goes directly to the goal, without distraction or karmic detour.

-       on the path: someone who is seriously studying, striving and performing sadhana to perfect the inner and outer nature.

-       our right path in life: The best way for us personally to proceed; personal dharma, svadharma. -

-       "Truth is one, paths are many:" Hinduism's affirmation for tolerance. It accepts that there are various ways to proceed toward the ultimate goal.

See: dharma, pada.

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

artha: (Sanskrit) "Goal" or "purpose;" wealth, substance, property, money. Also has the meaning of utility; desire. See: dharma, purushartha.

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

etymology: The science of the origin of words and their development. The history of a word.

See: Nirukta Vedanga, Sanskrit.

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

Shakya: (Sanskrit) Name of the Saivite dynasty into which Buddha, also called Shakyamuni, was born (in what is now Nepal).

See: Buddha.

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

sexuality: Hinduism has a healthy, unrepressed outlook on human sexuality, and sexual pleasure is part of kama, one of the four goals of life.

On matters such as birth control, sterilization, masturbation, homosexuality, bisexuality, petting and polygamy, Hindu scripture is tolerantly silent, neither calling them sins nor encouraging their practice, neither condemning nor condoning.

The two important exceptions to this understanding view of sexual experience are adultery and abortion, both of which are considered to carry heavy karmic implications for this and future births.

See: abortion, bisexuality, homosexuality.

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

vasana: (Sanskrit) "Subconscious inclination." From vas, "living, remaining." The subliminal inclinations and habit patterns which, as driving forces, color and motivate one's attitudes and future actions. Vasanas are the conglomerate results of subconscious impressions (samskaras) created through experience. Samskaras, experiential impressions, combine in the subconscious to form vasanas, which thereafter contribute to mental fluctuations, called vritti. The most complex and emotionally charged vasanas are found in the dimension of mind called the subsubconscious, or vasana chitta.

See: samskara, mind (five states), vasana daha tantra, vritti.

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

Sarasvati: (Sanskrit) "The flowing one." Shakti, the Universal Mother; Goddess of the arts and learning, mythological consort of the God Brahma.

Sarasvati, the river Goddess, is usually depicted wearing a white sari and holding a vina, sitting upon a swan or lotus flower. Prayers are offered to her for refinements of art, culture and learning.

Sarasvati also names one of seven sacred rivers (Sapta Sindhu) mentioned in the Rig Veda. Parts of the Indus Valley civilization thrived along the river until it dried up in 1900bce. Its course was lost and thought a myth by some until recently discovered in images taken by a French satellite. In addition, one of the ten dashanami swami orders is the Sarasvati.

See: Goddess, Shakti.

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

Shakti: (Sanskrit) "Power, energy," from the root shak, "to be able."

The active power or manifest energy of Siva that pervades all of existence. Its most refined aspect is Parashakti, or Satchidananda, the pure consciousness and primal substratum of all form.

This pristine, divine energy unfolds as ic�ha shakti (the power of desire, will, love), kriya shakti (the power of action) and jnana shakti (the power of wisdom, knowing), represented as the three prongs of Siva's trishula, or trident. From these arise the five powers of revealment, concealment, dissolution, preservation and creation.

In Saiva Siddhanta, Siva is All, and His divine energy, Shakti, is inseparable from Him. This unity is symbolized in the image of Ardhanarishvara, "half-female God." In popular, village Hinduism, the unity of Siva and Shakti is replaced with the concept of Siva and Shakti as separate entities. Shakti is represented as female, and Siva as male. In Hindu temples, art and mythology, they are everywhere seen as the divine couple. This depiction has its source in the folk-narrative sections of the Puranas, where it is given elaborate expression. Shakti is personified in many forms as the consorts of the Gods. For example, the Goddesses Parvati, Lakshmi and Sarasvati are the respective mythological consorts of Siva, Vishnu and Brahma. Philosophically, however, the caution is always made that God and God's energy are One, and the metaphor of the inseparable divine couple serves only to illustrate this Oneness.

Within the Shakta religion, the worship of the Goddess is paramount, in Her many fierce and benign forms. Shakti is the Divine Mother of manifest creation, visualized as a female form, and Siva is specifically the Unmanifest Absolute. The fierce or black (asita) forms of the Goddess include Kali, Durga, Chandi, Chamundi, Bhadrakali and Bhairavi. The benign or white (sita) forms include Uma, Gauri, Ambika, Parvati, Maheshvari, Lalita and Annapurna. As Rajarajeshvari ("divine queen of kings"). She is the presiding Deity of the Sri Chakra yantra. She is also worshiped as the ten Mahavidyas, manifestations of the highest knowledge - Kali, Tara, Shodashi, Bhuvaneshvari, Chinnamasta, Bhairavi, Dhumavati, Bagata, Matangi and Kamala. While some Shaktas view these as individual beings, most revere them as manifestations of the singular Devi. There are also numerous minor Goddess forms, in the category of gramadevata ("village Deity"). These include Pitari, "snake-catcher" (usually represented by a simple stone), and Mariyamman, "smallpox Goddess."

In the yoga mysticism of all traditions, divine energy, shakti, is experienced within the human body in three aspects:

1)    the feminine force, ida shakti,

2)    the masculine force, pingala shakti, and

3)    the pure androgynous force, kundalini shakti, that flows through the sushumna nadi.

Shakti is most easily experienced by devotees as the sublime, bliss-inspiring energy that emanates from a holy person or sanctified Hindu temple.

See: Amman, Ardhanarishvara, Goddess, Parashakti, Shaktism.

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

guru: (Sanskrit) "Weighty one," indicating an authority of great knowledge or skill.

A title for a teacher or guide in any subject, such as music, dance, sculpture, but especially religion.

For clarity, the term is often preceded by a qualifying prefix. Hence, terms such as

• kulaguru (family teacher),
• vinaguru (vina teacher) and
• satguru (spiritual preceptor).

In Hindu astrology, guru names the planet Jupiter, also known as Brihaspati. According to the Advayataraka Upanishad (1418), guru means "dispeller (gu) of darkness (ru)."

See: guru-shishya system, satguru.

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

meditation: Dhyana. Sustained concentration.

Meditation describes a quiet, alert, powerfully concentrated state wherein new knowledge and insights are awakened from within as awareness focuses one-pointedly on an object or specific line of thought.

See: internalized worship, raja yoga, Satchidananda, mantra, mantra yoga.

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

mitahara: (Sanskrit) "Measured eating; moderate appetite."

A requisite to good health and an essential for success in yoga. The ideal portion per meal is described as no more than would fill the two hands held side by side and slightly cupped piled high, an amount called a kudava. All the six tastes should be within these foods (sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent), and the foods should be well cooked and highly nutritious.

See: yamaniyama.

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

Matanga Parameshvara Agama: (Sanskrit) Among the 28 Saiva Siddhanta Agamas, containing 3,500 verses, deals at length with the categories of existence (tattvas). The Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia is thought to have been built using the temple section of this scripture.

See: Saiva Agamas.

(See also: Matanga Parameshvara Agama , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Bijjala: (Sanskrit) A king in Karnataka associated with the life of Basavanna.

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

Periyapuranam: (Tamil) (Sanskrit) Twelfth book of the Tirumurai. Story of the 63 Saiva Nayanar saints of Tamil Nadu, written by Sekkilar (ca 1140).

See: Tirumurai.

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

punya: (Sanskrit) "Holy; virtuous; auspicious."

1)    Good or righteous.

2)    Meritorious action.

3)    Merit earned through right thought, word and action.

Punya includes all forms of doing good, from the simplest helpful deed to a lifetime of conscientious beneficence. Each act of punya carries its karmic consequence, karmaphala, "fruit of action" - the positive reward of actions, words and deeds that are in keeping with dharma. Awakened psychics who have developed clairvoyant sight can clearly see the punya accrued in the inner subconscious aura as a colorful, freeflowing, astral, light-energy, pranic substance.

Punya is seen as light-hued, pastel colors, whereas its counterpart, papa, is seen as shades of darker colors which are usually static and immovable. These arrangements of the papa shades and punya hues are not unlike the free-expression paintings found in modern art. Punya colors produce inner contentment, deep joy, the feeling of security and fearlessness. Papa can be dissolved and punya created through penance (prayashchitta), austerity (tapas) and good deeds (sukritya).

Punya is earned through virtuous living, following the multi-faceted laws of dharma. Punya depends on purity of acts according to various factors including

1)   the karma and evolution of the individual,

2)    degree of sacrifice and unselfish motivation and

3)    time and place. For example, virtuous deeds, sadhana, tapas and penance have greater merit when performed in holy places and at auspicious times.

The Tirukural (105) states that "Help rendered another cannot be measured by the extent of the assistance given. Its true measure is the worth of the recipient." In other words, a small act done for a great and worthy soul carries more punya than even a large act performed for a lesser person. (Opposite of papa.)

See: aura, karma, papa, penance.

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

Siva Advaita: (Sanskrit) Also called Siva Vishishtadvaita, or Saivite "qualified nondualism,"

Siva Advaita is the philosophy of Srikantha (ca 1050) as expounded in his commentary on the Brahma Sutras (ca 500-200 bce). Patterned after the Vaishnavite Vishishtadvaita of Ramanuja, this philosophy was later amplified by Appaya Dikshita. Brahman, or Siva, is transcendent and the efficient and material cause of the world and souls. Souls are not identical to Him and never merge in Him, even after liberation.

As a school Siva Advaita remained exclusively intellectual, never enjoying a following of practitioners. Purification, devotion and meditation upon Siva as the Self - the akasha within the heart - define the path. Meditation is directed to the Self, Siva, the One Existence that evolved into all form. Liberation depends on grace, not deeds.

See: Appaya Dikshita, Saivism, Srikantha.

(See also: Siva Advaita , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

simantonnayana: (Sanskrit) "Hair-parting rite."

See: samskaras of birth.

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

Siva Drishti: (Sanskrit) A scripture of Kashmir Saivism, now lost, written by Somananda, a disciple of Vasugupta.

See: Kashmir Saivism.

(See also: Siva Drishti , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Siva consciousness: Sivachaitanya.

A broad term naming the experience or state of being conscious of Siva in a multitude of ways, such as in the five expressed in the following meditation.

-       Vital Breath: prana. Experience the inbreath and outbreath as Siva's will within your body. Become attuned to the ever-present pulse of the universe, knowing that nothing moves but by His divine will.

-       All Pervasive Energy: shakti. Become conscious of the flow of life within your body. Realize that it is the same universal energy within every living thing. Practice seeing the life energy within another's eyes.

-       Manifest Sacred Form: darshana. Hold in your mind a sacred form, such as Nataraja, Sivalinga or your satguru - who is Sadasiva - and think of nothing else. See every form as a form of our God Siva.

-       Inner Light: jyoti. Observe the light that illumines your thoughts. Concentrate only on that light, as you might practice being more aware of the light on a TV screen than of its changing pictures.

-       Sacred Sound: nada. Listen to the constant high-pitched ee sounding in your head. It is like the tone of an electrical transformer, a hundred tamburas distantly playing or a humming swarm of bees.

These five constitute the "Sivachaitanya Panchatantra," five simple experiences that bring the Divine into the reach of each individual. Sivachaitanya, of course, applies to deeper states of meditation and contemplation as well.

See: jnana, mind (five states of mind), Sivasayujya.

(See also: Siva consciousness , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Shakta: (Sanskrit) "Powerful." Of or relating to Shaktism.

See: Hinduism, Shaktism, tantrism.

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