dampati: (Sanskrit) "House lord(s)." A term for husband and wife as the dual masters and sovereign guides of the Hindu home (dama). See: grihastha dharma.

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

dana: (Sanskrit) "Generosity, giving; a gift." See: yamaniyama.

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

dance: See: tandava, Nataraja.

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

danda: (Sanskrit) "Staff of support." The staff carried by a sadhu or sannyasin, representing the tapas which he has taken as his only support, and the vivifying of sushumna and consequent Realization he seeks. Danda also connotes "penalty or sanction."

See: sadhu, sannyasin.

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

darshana: (Sanskrit) "Vision, sight."

Seeing the Divine. Beholding, with inner or outer vision, a temple image, Deity, holy person or place, with the desire to inwardly contact and receive the grace and blessings of the venerated being or beings. Even beholding a photograph in the proper spirit is a form of darshana. Not only does the devotee seek to see the Divine, but to be seen as well, to stand humbly in the awakened gaze of the holy one, even if for an instant, such as in a crowded temple when thousands of worshipers file quickly past the enshrined Lord.

Gods and gurus are thus said to "give" darshana, and devotees "take" darshana, with the eyes being the mystic locus through which energy is exchanged. This direct and personal two-sided apprehension is a central and highly sought-after experience of Hindu faith. Also: "point of view," doctrine or philosophy.

See: shad darshana, sound.

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

dashamamsha: (Sanskrit) "One-tenth sharing." The traditional Hindu practice of tithing, giving one-tenth of one's income to a religious institution. It was formerly widespread in India. In ancient times the term makimai was used in Tamil Nadu.

See: dashama bhaga vrata, purushartha, tithing.

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

Dashanami: (Sanskrit) "Ten names."

Ten monastic orders organized by Adi Shankara (ca 800): Aranya, Vana, Giri, Parvata, Sagara, Tirtha, Ashrama, Bharati, Puri and Sarasvati.

Also refers to sannyasins of these orders, each of whom bears his order's name, with ananda often attached to the religious name. For example, Ramananda Tirtha. Traditionally, each order is associated with one of the main Shankaracharya pithas.

See: Shankaracharya pitha, Smarta Sampradaya, Shankara.

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

daurmanasya: (Sanskrit) "Mental pain, dejection, sorrow, melancholy and despair." See: chakra.

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

daya: (Sanskrit) "Compassion." See: yama-niyama.

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

death: Death is a rich concept for which there are many words in Sanskrit, such as: mahaprasthana, "great departure;" samadhimarana, dying consciously while in the state of meditation; mahasamadhi, "great merger, or absorption," naming the departure of an enlightened soul.

Hindus know death to be the soul's detaching itself from the physical body and continuing on in the subtle body (sukshma sharira) with the same desires, aspirations and occupations as when it lived in a physical body. Now the person exists in the in-between world, the subtle plane, or Antarloka, with loved ones who have previously died, and is visited by earthly associates during their sleep.

Hindus do not fear death, for they know it to be one of the most glorious and exalted experiences, rich in spiritual potential. Other terms for death include panchatvam (death as dissolution of the five elements), mrityu (natural death), prayopavesha (self-willed death by fasting), marana (unnatural death, e.g., by murder).

See: reincarnation, suicide, videhamukti.

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

deceit (deception): The act of representing as true what is known to be false. A dishonest action.

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

decentralized: Whose administrative agencies, power, authority, etc., are distributed widely, rather than concentrated in a single place or person. In Hinduism, authority is decentralized.

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

decked: Covered with fine clothing or ornaments.

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

defiled: Polluted, made dirty, impure.

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

deformity: Condition of being disfigured or made ugly in body, mind or emotions.

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

deha: (Sanskrit) "Body." From the verb dih, "to plaster, mold; anoint, fashion."

A term used in the Upanishads, yoga texts, Saiva Agamas, Tirumantiram and elsewhere to name the three bodies of the soul: gross or physical (sthula), astral or subtle (sukshma) and causal (karana). A synonym for sharira.

See: sharira.

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

aryans:

the migrant invaders of india from approximately 1500 b.c; people of spiritual values

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

Brahma-Samaj, Brahmo-Samaj (Sanskrit) A religious and theistic movement in India, originating with Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who began teaching and writing in Calcutta soon after 1800. I

nstituted as a reform movement working against idolatry, the degenerations of orthodox Brahmanism, the perversions and corruptions of popular Hinduism, as well as against Christian missionaries. Baboo Keshub Chunder Sen became its leader in 1858. This movement did not become as popular as the Arya-Samaj, but it became conspicuous for its work in the cause of literary culture and social reform. Its some 4,000 adherents are mostly found in Calcutta and its neighborhood.

"While the members of the Brahmo Samaj may be designated as the Lutheran Protestants of orthodox Brahmanism, the disciples of the Svami Dyanand (the Arya-Samaj)

should be compared to those learned mystics, the Gnostics, who had the key to those earlier writings which, later, were worked over into the Christian gospels and various patristic literature" (BCW 1:382).

(See also: Brahma-Samaj, Brahmo-Samaj, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Baddha (Sanskrit) (from the verbal root bandh to bind, tie)

Bound, tied, fixed; in Hinduism "bound by the fetters of existence, or evil" (Kapila). " 'Baddha' differs from 'Mukta' in being encased as it were within these 36 Tatwams, while the other is free" (Subba Row, Theosophist 3:43). As a noun, used by Jains and Buddhists for that which binds or fetters the ray of the imbodied spirit.

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

Jain:

Jain. Adherent of Jainism, Indian religion traceable to Mahavira of the 6th century B.C.

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

karma:

karma. (a) Activity, action, work, duty. (b) Fate; consequences of acts done in this life and past lives.

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

Dvipa:

Dvipa: 'separate area, island or continent'. There are seven dvipa's. Also Brahma's lotus, the galaxy, is described as a dvipa. The Eurasian continent is known as Jambhudvipa. (see also varsha and S.B. Canto 5 chapter 2, S.B. Canto 5 chapter 16)

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