acharya: spiritual teacher, preceptor.

(See also: acharya, 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)

Agni: Vedic god of fire.

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

amma: mother.

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

ananda: divine bliss and happiness. A bliss that is not dependent on the objects or situations in the world or the mind, but inherent in each individual.

(See also: ananda, Hinduism, Yoga, 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)

Arya (n): One of noble birth or character (Sanskrit). Also, the family of Indo-European languages, therefore, the nomadic invaders who brought a language of this group into India (and Europe) between 2,000 and 1,500 BC from the northern steppes.

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

Gaudapada, Sri (700 AD): the guru of Govindapada Acharya, who was the Guru of Adi Shankaracharya. He authored the Mandukya Upanishad's Karika, or commentary.

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

Gayatri: the most sacred verse in the Vedas (Rg III, 62:10) that invokes the Solar Deity, Savitri, for wisdom in daily living. It has been used in daily worship and in initiation ceremonies throughout the ages in Bharat.

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

ghat: slopes, steps; the steps that line the sacred rivers and temple pools to enable the worshipers to easily enter the water for a purification bath; therefore, also the most sacred places along these pools and rivers. The term ghat is also used for mountain ranges, such as the Western Ghats that borders and defines the state of Kerala.

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

ghee: butter that has been clarified using fire.

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

Gita: See Bhagavad Gita.

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

guru [one who dispels darkness]: a spiritual teacher who initiates seekers into the secrets of the sacred scriptures by the clearing of ignorance and misconceptions of life, thereby revealing the Eternal Truth. Colloquially, a teacher of any specialized knowledge.

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

Hanuman: the deity of wind and mental prowess. As the hero monkey who aided Lord Rama in the battle against evil, he exhibited great qualities as a supporter of dharma and devotee of the Lord. He is therefore idolized throughout India, particularly in the North, in the region of Rama's ancient kingdom.

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

Hara: an epithet of Lord Shiva.

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

Hari: an epithet of Lord Vishnu.

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

deva (m), devi (f) [dev = to shine]: god/goddess. All Vedic gods are functional names of the one supreme creative power manifesting in myriad forms; therefore, these deities, or shining ones, preside over and have the power to bless various activities in the world. In the context of Vedanta, the gods are symbolic of human inner psychological powers representing one's ability to bless or curse oneself.

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

dharma [dhr = to support, sustain]: the inner essence or very foundations of a thing or being. Dharma may be translated as law, duty, harmony or essential Truth, according to the context.

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

dhoti: The traditional men's wear in many parts of India, which is a large rectangular cloth, wrapped around the body like a skirt and tied at the waist. Called a lunghi in Kerala.

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

Dravidian: the principal indigenous culture and language on the Indian sub-continent. It remains the source of the South Indian culture and language, Tamil, of today.

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

enlightenment: the direct experience that the individual Self (Atman) is one with the supreme Self (Brahman); also referred to as realization, Self-realization and liberation. The Sanskrit terms for enlightenment are moksha, mukti and nirvana.

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