Devanagari: (Sanskrit) "Divine city [script]."

The alphabetic script in which Sanskrit, Prakrit, Hindi and Marathi are written. A descendant of the Northern type of the Brahmi script. It is characterized by the connecting, horizontal line at the top of the letters. See: Sanskrit.

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

adharma: "Unrighteousness."

Thoughts, words or deeds that transgress divine law in any of the human expressions of dharma. It brings the accumulation of demerit, called papa, while dharma brings merit, called punya.

• Varna adharma is violating the ideals of social duty, from disobeying the laws of one's nation to squandering family wealth.
• Ashrama adharma is failure to fulfill the duties of the stages of life.
• Sva-adharma is understood as not fulfilling the patterns of dharma according to one's own nature. The Bhagavad Gita states (18.47), "Better one's svadharma even imperfectly performed than the dharma of another well performed. By performing the duty prescribed by one's own nature (svabhava) one incurs no sin (kilbisha)."

See: punya, papa, purity-impurity, varna dharma.

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

dharmasabha: (Sanskrit) "Religious assembly, congregation." A church.

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

dhoti: (Sanskrit) (Hindi) A long, unstitched cloth wound about the lower part of the body, and sometimes passed between the legs and tucked into the waist. A traditional Hindu apparel for men.

See: veshti.

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

dhriti: (Sanskrit) "Steadfastness." See: yama-niyama.

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

dhvaja: (Sanskrit) "Flag."

Part of the pageantry of Hinduism, orange or red flags and banners, flown at festivals and other special, occasions symbolize the victory of Sanatana Dharma.

See: festival.

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

dhvajastambha: (Sanskrit) "Flag tree, flagpole." (Kodimaram in Tamil.)

A tall cylindrical post usually behind the vahana in Agamic temples. Metaphysically, it acts as the complementary pole to the enshrined murti. These two together create an energy field to contain the temple's power.

See: temple.

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

dhyana: (Sanskrit) "Meditation." See: internalized worship, meditation, raja yoga.

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

dismay: Loss of courage or confidence before danger. Fearful worry.

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

dispassionate: Free from emotion or passion. Calm; impartial; detached.

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

dispatch: To send off promptly, especially on an errand. To finish quickly.

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

dispel: To cause to go in various directions. To scatter and drive away; disperse.

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

dissolution: Dissolving or breaking up into parts. An alternative term for destruction. See: absorption, mahapralaya, Nataraja.

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

distort: To twist out of shape. To misrepresent.

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

divergent: Going off in different directions; deviating or varying.

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

dominion: Rulership; domain.

• hold dominion over: To be king, ruler, lord, or master of (a world, realm, etc).

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

don: To put on (a piece of clothing).

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

dormant: Sleeping; inactive; not functioning.

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

dross: Waste matter; useless byproduct.

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

dualism: See: dvaita-advaita.

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

duly: At the proper time, in the proper manner; as required.

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