Gurudeva: (Sanskrit) "Divine or radiant preceptor." An affectionate, respectful name for the guru.

See: guru.

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

Guru Gita: (Sanskrit) "Song of the guru." A popular 352- verse excerpt from the Skanda Purana, wherein Lord Siva tells Parvati of the guru-disciple relationship.

See: guru.

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

Guru Jayanti: (Sanskrit) Preceptor's birthday, celebrated as an annual festival by devotees. A padapuja, ritual bathing of his feet, is usually performed. If he is not physically present, the puja is done to the sri paduka, "holy sandals," which represent the guru and hold his vibration.

See: padapuja.

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

gurukula: (Sanskrit) A training center where young boys live and learn in residence with their teacher. Kula means "family."

See: ashrama, brahmacharya.

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

guru parampara: (Sanskrit) "Preceptorial succession" (literally, "from one teacher to another"). A line of spiritual gurus in authentic succession of initiation; the chain of mystical power and authorized continuity, passed from guru to guru.

Cf: sampradaya.

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

Guru Purnima: (Sanskrit) Occurring on the full moon of July, Guru Purnima is for devotees a day of rededication to all that the guru represents. It is occasioned by padapuja- ritual worship of the guru's sandals, which represent his holy feet.

See: guru-shishya system.

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

gush: To flow out suddenly and plentifully.

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

Grihya Sutras: (Sanskrit) "Household maxims or codes." An important division of classical smriti literature, designating rules and customs for domestic life, including rites of passage and other home ceremonies, which are widely followed to this day.

The Grihya Sutras (or Shastras) are part of the Kalpa Sutras, "procedural maxims" (or Kalpa Vedanga), which also include the Shrauta and Shulba Shastras, on public Vedic rites, and the Dharma Shastras (or Sutras), on domestic-social law. Among the best known Grihya Sutras are Ashvalayana's Grihya Sutras attached to the Rig Veda, Gobhila's Sutras of the Sama Veda, and the Sutras of Paraskara and Baudhayana of the Yajur Veda.

See: Kalpa Vedanga, Vedanga.

(See also: Grihya Sutras, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

gross plane: The physical world.

See: loka, world, tattva.

(See also: Gross plane, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Guha: (Sanskrit) An epithet of Karttikeya. "The interior one." - guha: "Cave."

See: Karttikeya.

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

Guhavasi Siddha: (Sanskrit) A guru of central India (ca 675) credited with the modern founding of Saiva Siddhanta in that area, based fully in Sanskrit. Guhavasi- literally "cave-dweller; he who is hidden"- is also a name of Lord Siva.

(See also: Guhavasi Siddha, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Guheshvara: (Sanskrit) "Lord of the cave." A name for Lord Siva implying His presence in the heart or the interior of all beings.

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

Gujarat: (Sanskrit) State of West India. Capital is Ahmedabad, population 40,000,000, area 75,670 square miles.

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

guna: (Sanskrit) "Strand; quality." The three constituent principles of prakriti, primal nature. The three gunas are as follows.

• sattva: Quiescent, rarified, translucent, pervasive, reflecting the light of Pure Consciousness.
• rajas: "Passion," inherent in energy, movement, action, emotion, life. -
• tamas: "Darkness," inertia, density, the force of contraction, resistance and dissolution. The gunas are integral to Hindu thought, as all things are composed of the combination of these qualities of nature, including ayurveda, arts, environments and personalities.

See: ayurveda, prakriti, tattva.

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

Gurkha: (Sanskrit) A Rajput people of the mountains of Nepal; famed warriors.

(See also: Gurkha, 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)

guru bhakti: (Sanskrit) Devotion to the teacher.

The attitude of humility, love and loyality held by a student in any field of study. In the spiritual realm, the devotee strives to see the guru as his higher Self.

By attuning himself to the satguru's inner nature and wisdom, the disciple slowly transforms his own nature to ultimately attain the same peace and enlightenment his guru has achieved.

Guru bhakti is expressed through serving the guru, meditating on his form, working closely with his mind and obeying his instructions.

See: guru, satguru, guru-shishya system, Kularnava Tantra.

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

Gautama: (Sanskrit) The name of the founder of the Nyaya school of Saivism, author of the Nyaya Sutras. Also, the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama).

See: Buddha, Buddhism, shad darshana.

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

gay: Homosexual, especially a male homosexual, though may also refer to females.

See: Hinduism and Homosexuality, bisexual, homosexual, heterosexual, sexuality.

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