clairaudience: "Clear-hearing."

Psychic or divine hearing, divyashravana. The ability to hear the inner currents of the nervous system, the Aum and other mystic tones. Hearing in one's mind the words of inner-plane beings or earthly beings not physically present. Also, hearing the nadanadi shakti through the day or while in meditation.

See: clairvoyance, nada, divyashravana

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

Chaitanya: (Sanskrit) A renowned Vaishnava saint (1485 - 1534), revered today especially in Bengal and Orissa, remembered for his ecstatic states of devotion.

He taught a dualistic philosophy in which bhakti (devotion) to the divine couple Radha and Krishna is the only means to liberation. Practice revolves mainly around kirtana, devotional singing and dancing. He gave prominence to the Gaudiya Vaishnava sect, of which several branches thrive today, including ISKCON. See: Krishna, Vaishnavism, Vedanta.

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

cognition: Knowing; perception. Knowledge reached through intuitive, superconscious faculties rather than through intellect alone.

cognitive body: Vijnanamaya kosha. The most refined sheath of the astral, or subtle, body (sukshma sharira). It is the sheath of higher thought and cognition.

See: astral body, kosha.

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

commune: To communicate closely, sharing thoughts, feelings or prayers in an intimate way. To be in close rapport.

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

crucial: Of supreme importance; decisive; critical.

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

Çhandas Vedanga: (Sanskrit) Auxiliary Vedic texts on the metrical rules of poetic writing. Çhanda, meter, is among four linguistic skills taught for mastery of the Vedas and the rites of yajna. Çhandas means "desire; will; metrical science." The most important text on Çhandas is the Çhanda Shastra, ascribed to Pingala (ca 200 bce). See: Vedanga.

(See also: Çhandas Vedanga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

cosmology: "Cosmos-knowledge." The area of metaphysics pertaining to the origin and structure of the universe. Hindu cosmology includes both inner and outer worlds of existence. See: tattva.

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

chitta: (Sanskrit) "Mind; consciousness." Mind-stuff.

On the personal level, it is that in which mental impressions and experiences are recorded. Seat of the conscious, subconscious and superconscious states, and of the three-fold mental faculty, called antahkarana, consisting of buddhi, manas and ahamkara. See: awareness, consciousness, mind (individual), mind (universal), sakshin.

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

conscience: The inner sense of right and wrong, sometimes called "the knowing voice of the soul." However, the conscience is affected by the individual's training and belief patterns, and is therefore not necessarily a perfect reflection of dharma.

In Sanskrit the conscience is known as

-       antaryamin, "inner guide," or

-       dharmabuddhi, "moral wisdom."

Other terms are

-       sadasadvichara shakti "good-bad reflective power" and

-       samjnana, "right conception."

It is the subconscious of the person -  the sum total of past impressions and training -  that defines the creedal structure and colors the conscience and either clearly reflects or distorts superconscious wisdom.

If the subconscious has been impressed with Western beliefs, for example, of Christianity, Judaism, existentialism or materialism, the conscience will be different than when schooled in the Vedic dharma of Shaktism, Smartism, Saivism or Vaishnavism. This psychological law has to do with the superconscious mind working through the subconscious (an interface known as the subsuperconscious) and explains why the dharma of one's sampradaya must be fully learned as a young child for the conscience to be free of conflict.

The Sanatana Dharma, fully and correctly understood provides the purest possible educational creedal structure, building a subconscious that is a clear, unobstructing channel for superconscious wisdom, the soul's innate intelligence, to be expressed through the conscience. Conscience is thus the sum of two things: the superconscious knowing (which is the same in all people) and the creedal belief structure through which the superconscious flows. This explains why people in different cultures have different consciences.

See: antaryamim, creed, dharma, mind (individual mind).

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

conquest: Act or process of overcoming.

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

contemplation: Religious or mystical absorption beyond meditation. See: enstasy, raja yoga, samadhi.

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

chaturdharma: (Sanskrit) "Four dharmas:" rita, ashrama dharma, varna dharma and svadharma. See: dharma.

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

conceive: To form or develop an idea, thought, belief or attitude.

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

canon: The religious laws governing a sect or a religion. Body of accepted or authorized scriptures.

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

conversely: A word used to introduce a concept with terms similar to a previous one, but in reversed order.

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

caste: A hierarchical system, called varna dharma (or jati dharma), established in India in ancient times, which determined the privileges, status, rights and duties of the many occupational groups, wherein status is determined by heredity.

There are four main estates (varnas) -  brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya and shudra -  and innumerable castes, called jati.

See: varna dharma, Hinduism caste system.

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

circumambulation: Pradakshina. Walking around, usually clockwise. See: pradakshina, puja.

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

causal body: Karana sharira, the inmost body; the soul form, also called anandamaya kosha, "bliss sheath," and actinic causal body. See: kosha, soul.

(See also: Causal body , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

comprehend: Understand.

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

covenant: A binding agreement to do or keep from doing certain things.

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

celibacy: Complete sexual abstinence. Also the state of a person who has vowed to remain unmarried.

See: brahmachari, brahmacharya.

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