A spiritual dictionary from J-R of the most common spiritual words in Hinduism. Also see these links: Hinduism, Spirituality, Enlightenment, Spiritual Dictionary and Hinduism Dictionary.

Jagadacharya: (Sanskrit) "World teacher."

In 1986 the World Religious Parliament of New Delhi named five world leaders who were most active in spreading Sanatana Dharma outside India. The five are: H.H. Swami Chinmayananda of Chinmaya Missions, India; Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami of Saiva Siddhanta Church and Himalayan Academy, USA; Yogiraj Amrit Desai of Kripalu Yoga Center, USA; Pandit Tej Ramji Sharma of Nepali Baba, Nepal; and Swami Jagpurnadas Maharaj, Mauritius.

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

jivanmukta: (Sanskrit) "Liberated soul."

A being who has attained nirvikalpa samadhi - the realization of the Self, Parasiva - and is liberated from rebirth while living in a human body. (Contrasted with videhamukta, one liberated at the point of death.) This attainment is the culmination of lifetimes of intense striving, sadhana and tapas, requiring total renunciation, sannyasa (death to the external world, denoted in the conducting of one's own funeral rites), in the current incarnation.

While completing life in the physical body, the jivanmukta enjoys the ability to reenter nirvikalpa samadhi again and again. At this time, siddhis can be developed which are carried to the inner worlds after mahasamadhi. Such an awakened jnani benefits the population by simply being who he is. When he speaks, he does so without forethought. His wisdom is beyond reason, yet it does not conflict with reason. Nor does he arrive at what he says through the process of reason, but through the process of ajna-chakra sight.

See: jivanmukti, jnana, kaivalya, moksha, Self Realization, Sivasayujya, videhamukti, enlightenment.

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

jivanmukti: (Sanskrit) "Liberation while living." The state of the jivanmukta. Contrasted with videhamukti, liberation at the point of death.

See: death, jivanmukta, moksha, reincarnation, videhamukti, enlightenment.

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

jivayajna: (Sanskrit) "Self sacrifice."

See: yajna.

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

jnana: (Sanskrit) "Knowledge; wisdom."

The matured state of the soul. It is the wisdom that comes as an aftermath of the kundalini breaking through the door of Brahman into the realization of Parasiva, Absolute Reality. The repeated samadhis of Parasiva ever deepen this flow of divine knowing which establishes the knower in an extraordinary point of reference, totally different from those who have not attained this enlightenment.

Jnana is the awakened, superconscious state (karana chitta) working within the ordinary experience of the world, flowing into daily life situations. It is the fruition of the progressive stages of charya, kriya and yoga in the Saiva Siddhanta system of spiritual unfoldment.

Jnana is sometimes misunderstood as book knowledge, as a maturity or awakening that comes from simply understanding a complex philosophical system or systems. Those who define jnana in this way deny that the path is a progression of charya-kriya-yoga-jnana or of karmabhakti- raja-jnana. Rather, they say that one can choose his path, and that each leads to the ultimate goal.

See: God Realization, door of Brahman, Self Realization, samadhi, jnana yoga.

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

Jnanamrita: (Sanskrit) A treatise of poems by Gorakshanatha on the duties of a yogi.

See: Gorakshanatha.

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

Jnaneshvari: (Sanskrit) Foremost religious treatise in the Marathi language. Written by the Natha saint Jnaneshvar (or Jnanadeva) about 1290. It is a verse-by-verse commentary on the Bhagavad Gita.

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

jnani: (Sanskrit) "Sage." One who possesses jnana.

See: jivanmukta, jnana.

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

Jaimini: (Sanskrit) Founder of the Mimamsa Darshana.

See: shad darshana.

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

Jainism: (Jaina) (Sanskrit) An ancient non-Vedic religion of India made prominent by the teachings of Mahavira ("Great Hero"), ca 500 bce. The Jain Agamas teach reverence for all life, vegetarianism and strict renunciation for ascetics.

Jains focus great emphasis on the fact that all souls may attain liberation, each by his own effort. Their great historic saints, called Tirthankaras ("Ford-Crossers"), are objects of worship, of whom Mahavira was the 24th and last. Jains number about six million today, living mostly in India.

See: Mahavira.

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

Janaloka: (Sanskrit) "Plane of creativity, or of liberated mortals."

The third highest of the seven upper worlds, realm of vishuddha chakra.

See: loka.

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

jangama: (Sanskrit) "Moving; wanderer."

A term used by Vira Saivites, originally to name their mendicant, renunciates who walked as homeless sadhus, uplifting others. Now an order of Vira Saivite teachers.

See: Vira Saivism.

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

japa: (Sanskrit) "Incantation."

Practice of concentrated repetition of a mantra, often while counting the repetitions on a mala or strand of beads. It may be done silently or aloud. Sometimes known as mantra yoga.

A major sadhana in Hindu spiritual practice, from the simple utterance of a few names of God to extraordinary feats of repeating sacred syllables millions of times for years on end. It is recommended as a cure for pride and arrogance, anger and jealousy, fear and confusion. It harmonizes the doshas and quiets the vrittis. Filling the mind with divine syllables, awakening the divine essence of spiritual energies in the physical body, japa brings forth the amrita. For Saivites, Namah Sivaya in its various forms is the most treasured mantra used in japa. The mantra Hare- Rama-Hare-Krishna is among the foremost Vaishnava mantras.

Japa yoga is said to be of 14 kinds:

• daily (nitya),
• circumstantial (naimittika),
• the japa of desired results (kamya), f
• orbidden (nishiddha),
• penitential (prayashchitta),
• unmoving (achala),
• moving (chala),
• voiced (vachika),
• whispered (upanshu),
• bee, or murmured (bhramara),
• mental (manasa),
• uninterrupted (akhanda),
• nonuttered (ajapa) and
• circumambulatory (pradakshina).

See: amrita, mantra, yama-niyama, yoga.

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

jatakarma: (Sanskrit) "Rite of birth."

See: samskaras of birth.

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

jati: (Sanskrit) "Birth; genus; community or caste."

See: varna dharma.

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

jayanti: (Sanskrit) "Birthday."

See: Guru Jayanti.

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

jiva: (Sanskrit) "Living, existing." From jiv, "to live."

The individual soul, atman, during its embodied state, bound by the three malas (anava, karma and maya). The jivanmukta is one who is "liberated while living."

See: atman, evolution of the soul, jivanmukta, purusha, soul.

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

juncture: A critical point in the development of events.

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