Hinduism In India Dictionary

thamas:

thamas. Dullness, ignorance, delusion, inactivity, passivity, inertia, sloth. Associated with colour black. See guna.

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

Anga

Anga is another name for some of the eastern regions of the present-day Bihar state and some parts of West Bengal.

Champaa was the capital of Anga, identified with two villages of that name on the south bank of the Ganges River, east of Monghyr The city is often mentioned in early Buddhist literature as a city of importance and was one of the six great cities of northern India during Gautam Buddha's time (6th-5th century BC). It was a centre for foreign trade, and it gave its name to a kingdom later founded in Annam (now in Vietnam).€€€

(See also: Anga , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Kashmiri Shaivism: Shaivite philosophy of medieval Kashmir

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

kasmalam:

kasmalam (kashmalam). Faintheartedness, impurity.

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

Aranyaka: the third section of each of the four Vedas that includes the explanations of the symbolism of the rituals and mental exercises for the contemplative life of the retiree (vanaprastha ashrama) to prepare him for the fourth stage of life (sannyasa ashrama).

(See also: Aranyaka , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Gandhi, Mahatma (Mohandas K.) (18969-1948): The leader of the Indian nationalist movement who voiced the ideal of non-violence. He dedicated his life to searching for Truth and devising programs for the improvement of the lives of the impoverished masses of India.

(See also: Gandhi, Mahatma , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

advaita [not divided]: the one unchangeable, indivisible Truth; the one essence that cannot be described as real or non-real. Adi Shankaracharya wrote extensive commentaries on the major Vedantic scriptures to prove this conclusion.

(See also: advaita , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Anandamayi Ma: One of the major spiritual figures in twentieth-century India, first made known to the West by Paramhansa Yogananda in his Autobiography of a Yogi.

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

 kula guru: spiritual teacher of the household or clan.

(See also:  kula guru , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

amma: mother.

(See also: amma , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

conversion to Hinduism: Entering Hinduism has traditionally required little more than accepting and living the beliefs and codes of Hindus. This remains the basic factor of adoption, although there are, and always have been, formal ceremonies recognizing an individual's entrance into the religion, particularly the namakarana, or naming rite.

The most obvious sign of true sincerity of adoption or conversion is the total abandoning of the former name and the choosing of the Hindu name, usually the name of a God or Goddess, and then making it legal on one's passport, identity card, social security card and driver's license. This name is used at all times, under all circumstances, particularly with family and friends. This is severance. This is adoption. This is embracing Hinduism. This is conversion. This is true sincerity and considered by born members as the most honorable and trusted testimony of those who choose to join the global congregation of the world's oldest religion.

Many temples in India and other countries will ask to see the passport or other appropriate identification before admitting devotees of non-Indian origin for more than casual worship. It requires nothing more than one's own commitment to the process. Belief is the keynote of religious conviction, and the beliefs vary greatly among the different religions of the world. What we believe forms our attitudes, shapes our lives and molds our destiny. To choose one's beliefs is to choose one's religion. Those who find themselves at home with the beliefs of Hinduism are, on a simple level, Hindu. Formally entering a new religion, however, is a serious commitment. Particularly for those with prior religious ties it is sometimes painful and always challenging.

The acceptance of outsiders into the Hindu fold has occurred for thousands of years. As Swami Vivekananda once said, "Born aliens have been converted in the past by crowds, and the process is still going on." Dr. S. Radhakrishnan confirms the swami's views in a brief passage from his well known book The Hindu View of Life: "In a sense, Hinduism may be regarded as the first example in the world of a missionary religion. Only its missionary spirit is different from that associated with the proselytizing creeds. It did not regard it as its mission to convert humanity to any one opinion.

For what counts is conduct and not belief. Worshipers of different Gods and followers of different rites were taken into the Hindu fold. The ancient practice of vratyastoma, described fully in the Tandya Brahmana, shows that not only individuals but whole tribes were absorbed into Hinduism. Many modern sects accept outsiders. Dvala's Smriti lays down rules for the simple purification of people forcibly converted to other faiths, or of womenfolk defiled and confined for years, and even of people who, for worldly advantage, embrace other faiths (p. 28-29)."

See: Hindu, Hinduism.

(See also: Conversion to Hinduism , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

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)

monsoon: seasonal rain-bearing winds that inundate most India with rains from June 10 to September 10 each year, except the southeast coast, which has rains from late November through January.

(See also: monsoon , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

neo-Indian religion: Navabharata Dharma.

A modern form of liberal Hinduism that carries forward basic Hindu cultural values - such as dress, diet and the arts - while allowing religious values to subside. It emerged after the British Raj, when India declared itself an independent, secular state. It was cultivated by the Macaulay education system, implanted in India by the British, which aggressively undermined Hindu thought and belief. Neo- Indian religion encourages Hindus to follow any combination of theological, scriptural, sadhana and worship patterns, regardless of sectarian or religious origin. Extending out of and beyond the Smarta system of worshiping the Gods of each major sect, it incorporates holy icons from all religions, including Jesus, Mother Mary and Buddha. Many Navabharatis choose to not call themselves Hindus but to declare themselves members of all the world's religions.

See: panchayatana puja, Smartism, Smarta Sampradaya, syncretism, universalist.

(See also: Neo-Indian religion , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

ayurveda: (Sanskrit) "Science of life." A holistic system of medicine and health native to ancient India. This sacred Vedic science is an Upaveda of the Atharva Veda. Three early giants in this field who left voluminous texts are Charaka, Sushruta and Vagbhata.

Ayurveda covers many areas, including:

1)    chikitsa, general medicine,

2)    shalya, surgery,

3)    dehavritti, physiology,

4)    nidana, diagnosis,

5)    dravyavidya, medicine and pharmacology,

6)    agada tantra, antidote method,

7)    stritantra, gynecology,

8)    pashu vidya, veterinary science,

9)    kaumara bhritya, pediatrics, 1

10) urdhvanga, diseases of the organs of the head,

11) bhuta vidya, demonology, 1

12) rasayana, tonics, rejuvenating,

13) vajikarana, sexual rejuvenation.

Among the first known surgeons was Sushruta (ca 600 bce), whose Sushruta Samhita is studied to this day. (Hippocrates, Greek father of medicine, lived two centuries later.) The aims of ayurveda are ayus, "long life," and arogya, "diseaselessness," which facilitate progress toward ultimate spiritual goals. Health is achieved by balancing energies (especially the doshas, bodily humors) at all levels of being, subtle and gross, through innumerable methods, selected according to the individual's constitution, lifestyle and nature. Similar holistic medical systems are prevalent among many communities, including the Chinese, American Indians, Africans and South Americans. See: doshas.

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

svayambhu Linga: (Sanskrit) "Self-existent mark or sign of God."

Names a Sivalinga discovered in nature and not carved or crafted by human hands; often a smooth cylindrical stone, called banalinga, such as found in India's Narmada River.

See: Sivalinga.

(See also: Svayambhu Linga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

race: Technically speaking, each of the five races of man (Caucasoid, Congoid, Mongoloid, Australoid and Capoid) is a Homo sapiens subspecies.

A subspecies is a branch showing slight but significant differences from another branch living in a different area. Few traits are unique to any one race. It is the combination of several traits that indicate racial identity. Accurate race determination can be made by blood analysis or by measuring and comparing certain body dimensions. Ninety-eight percent of all Hindus belong to the Caucasoid race. There are also large numbers of Hindu Mongoloids in Nepal and Assam and some Australoids, such as the Gond and Bhil tribes of India.

North and South Indians are among Earth's 2.5 billion Caucasoids, whose traits include straight to wavy hair, thin lips, small to medium teeth, blue to dark brown eyes and a high incident of A2-Rh and Gm blood genes. Skin color, often erroneously attached to the idea of race, is now known to be adaptation to climate: over generations, people in northern climates have developed lighter complexions than their southern brothers.

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

Congress (Indian National Congress): Organized in 1885 with the assistance of Allan Hume, a retired British civil servant, for the purpose of giving Indians more voice in public affairs. Congress was the principal political organ in India's struggle for independence and remains the major political force in modern India.

(See also: Congress , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

sadhu: (Sanskrit) "Virtuous one; straight, unerring."

A holy man dedicated to the search for God. A sadhu may or may not be a yogi or a sannyasin, or be connected in any way with a guru or legitimate lineage. Sadhus usually have no fixed abode and travel unattached from place to place, often living on alms.

There are countless sadhus on the roads, byways, mountains, riverbanks, and in the ashramas and caves of India. They have, by their very existence, a profound, stabilizing effect on the consciousness of India and the world.

See: vairagi.

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

Rishikesh: a traditional spiritual center of the Hindu sages and sadhus. It lies at the foot of the Himalayas on the River Ganga.

(See also: Rishikesh , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Brahman (neuter gender): the impersonal God, devoid of all qualities; the Omnipresent, All-pervading, Transcendent Reality. This supreme Reality is called Brahman when regarded as transcendent, and Atman when regarded as the Life Principle in the individual person. [Brahman is written in plain letters in the text.]

(See also: Brahman , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Bharatha-khanda:

Bharatha-khanda (-khandha). Continent of Bharath (India).

(See also: Bharatha-khanda , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)