nirvikalpa samadhi: (Sanskrit) "Enstasy (samadhi) without form or seed."

The realization of the Self, Parasiva, a state of oneness beyond all change or diversity; beyond time, form and space. Vi means "to change, make different." Kalpa means "order, arrangement; a period of time." Thus vikalpa means "diversity, thought; difference of perception, distinction." Nir means "without."

See: enstasy, kalpa, raja yoga, samadhi.

(See also: Nirvikalpa samadhi, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Manava (Sanskrit). A land of ancient India; a Kalpa or Cycle. The name of a weapon used by Rama; meaning of "Manu" as,?

(See also: Manava, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Sveta-lohita (Sanskrit). The name of Siva when he appears in the 29th Kalpa as "a moon-coloured Kumara".

(See also: Sveta-lohita, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Dharmaprabhasa (Sanskrit). The name of the Buddha who will appear during the seventh Root-race. (See "Ratnavabhasa Kalpa", when sexes will exist no longer).

(See also: Dharmaprabhasa, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Vaikunthas (Sanskrit) One of the names given in each kalpa to the twelve great gods or jayas who were emanated by Brahma as the first hierarchical productions in the formation and bringing forth of manifestation.

(See also: Vaikunthas, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Sveta-lohita (Sanskrit) The white and red; a name of Siva "when he appears in the 29th Kalpa as 'a moon-coloured Kumara' " (TG 316).

(See also: Sveta-lohita, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Baudhayana Dharma Shastra: (Sanskrit) A book of laws associated with the Krishna Yajur Veda and governing studentship, marriage, household rituals, civil law, etc. It is followed by brahmins of Southwest India. See: Dharma Shastra, Kalpa Vedanga.

(See also: Baudhayana Dharma Shastra, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Shrauta Shastra: (Sanskrit) "Texts on the revelation."

1)    Refers to scriptures or teachings that are in agreement with the Vedas.

2)    A specific group of texts of the Kalpa Vedanga, and part of the essential study for Vedic priests. The Shrauta Shastras offer explanation of the yajna rituals.

See: Vedanga.

(See also: Shrauta Shastra, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Original enlightenment

(Jpn.: hongaku)

1. A reference to the enlightenment Shakyamuni attained countless kalpas ago, as described in the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra.
2. Enlightenment or Buddhahood originally inherent in human life.

See: Life Span of the Thus Come One,  Inherent enlightenment

(See also: Original enlightenment, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Bhadrakalpa (Sanskrit). Lit., "The Kalpa of the Sages". Our present period is a Bhadra Kalpa, and the exoteric teaching makes it last 236 million years. It is "so called because 1,000 Buddhas or sages appear in the course of it". (Sanshrit Chinese Dict.) "Four Buddhas have already appeared" it adds; but as out of the 236 millions, over 151 million years have already elapsed, it does seem a rather uneven distribution of Buddhas.

This is the way exoteric or popular religions confuse everything. Esoteric philosophy teaches us that every Root- race has its chief Buddha or Reformer, who appears also in the seven sub-races as a Bodhisattva (q.v.). Gautama Sakyamuni was the fourth, and also the fifth Buddha: the fifth, because we are the fifth root-race; the fourth, as the chief Buddha in this fourth Round. The Bhadra Kalpa, or the "period of stability", is the name of our present Round, esoterically - its duration applying, of course, only to our globe (d), the "1,000" Buddhas being thus in reality limited to but forty-nine in all.

(See also: Bhadrakalpa, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Gana (Sk) (from the verbal root gan to count)

A group, flock, troop, multitude, number, class, etc.; in the plural used for troops or classes of inferior deities (devatas), considered as Siva's attendants, and under special superintendence of the god Ganesa (often used in the compound forms Ganadevata or Ganadevas). These celestial beings are said to inhabit maharloka:

"They are the rulers of our Kalpa (Cycle) and therefore termed Kalpadhikarins, or Lords of the Kalpas. They last only 'One Day' of Brahma" (TG 124).

Also a series of asterisms or lunar mansions placed in three classes: that of the gods, men, and rakshasas.

(See also: Gana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Deva-sarga (Sanskrit) (from deva divine + sarga emanation, emission, creation)

Divine emanation or emission; the creation of the gods, the last of the first series of creations enumerated in the Vishnu-Purana. It "has a universal reference; namely, the Evolutions in general, not specifically to our Manvantara; but the latter begins with the same over and over again, showing that it refers to several distinct Kalpas.

 For it is said 'at the close of the past (Padma) Kalpa the divine Brahma awoke from his night of sleep and beheld the universe void.' Then Brahma is shown going once more over the 'seven creations' in the secondary stage of evolution, repeating the first three on the objective plane" (SD 1:454).

(See also: Deva-sarga, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Anukalpa - refers to acceptance by the bhakta of anu (a small amount) kalpa (for minimum capability) , meaning a quantity of food (which is not in the category of grains, beans etc.) to maintain sufficient energy for hari-seva.

(See also: Anukalpa, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Satyas (Sanskrit) [from satya truth, reality]

A name given in each kalpa to the twelve great gods (jayas) emanated by Brahma to bring about cosmic production or being.

See also SADHYAS

(See also: Satyas, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Skanda-Purana (Sanskrit) One of the 18 principal Hindu Puranas consisting of several samhitas and khandas.

The most celebrated of the latter is the Kasi-khanda, in which the temples of Kasi (Benares) are exalted, and legends concerning Kasi are related. In this Purana Skanda (Karttikeya, the god of war) narrates the events of the Tatpurusha Kalpa, embroidered with many tales.

(See also: Skanda-Purana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Mahakalpa (Sanskrit) [from maha great + kalpa age]

Great age; lifetime of Brahma consisting of 100 Divine Years, equivalent to 311,040,000,000,000 years. The time period between the beginning and end of a complete solar manvantara -- the entire lifetime of our solar system.

(See also: Mahakalpa, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Kinnaur offers beautiful scenery, including the Kinnaur Kailash, but its climate allows visitors to travel only between April and October, as it is cut off from the world by snow during the winter months. Because much of Kinnaur is not served by reliably-surfaced roads, one can only travel on foot. Popular tourist destinations include the towns of Pooh, Reckong Peo (in Kalpa), and Sangla, as well as the village of Sarahan Bushahr, which contains the Bhimakali temple and the Palace of Raja Bushahr. Rampur bushair is nearest big town from Kinnaur. Apples grown in Kinn ...

See also:

Kinnaur District, Kinnaur District - Geography, Kinnaur District - Climate, Kinnaur District - Flora and fauna, Kinnaur District - People, Kinnaur District - Lifestyle, Kinnaur District - Religion, Kinnaur District - History, Kinnaur District - Tourism

Read more here: » Kinnaur District: Encyclopedia II - Kinnaur District - Tourism

cosmic cycle: One of the infinitely recurring periods of the universe, comprising its creation, preservation and dissolution. These cycles are measured in periods of progressive ages, called yugas. Satya (or Krita), Treta, Dvapara and Kali are the names of these four divisions, and they repeat themselves in that order, with the Satya Yuga being the longest and the Kali Yuga the shortest. The comparison is often made of these ages with the cycles of the day: Satya Yuga being morning until noon, the period of greatest light or enlightenment, Treta Yuga afternoon, Dvapara evening, and Kali Yuga the darkest part of the night. Four yugas equal one mahayuga.

Theories vary, but by traditional astronomical calculation, a mahayuga equals 4,320,000 solar years (or 12,000 "divine years;" one divine year is 360 solar years) -  with the

• Satya Yuga lasting 1,728,000 years,
• Treta Yuga 1,296,000 years,
• Dvapara Yuga 864,000 years, and
• Kali Yuga 432,000 years.

Mankind is now experiencing the Kali Yuga, which began at midnight, February 18, 3102 bce (year one on the Hindu calendar [see Hindu Timeline]) and will end in approximately 427,000 years. (By another reckoning, one mahayuga equals approximately two million solar years.) A dissolution called laya occurs at the end of each mahayuga, when the physical world is destroyed by flood and fire. Each destructive period is followed by the succession of creation (srishti), evolution or preservation (sthiti) and dissolution (laya).

A summary of the periods in the cosmic cycles:

• 1 mahayuga = 4,320,000 years (four yugas)
• 71 mahayugas = 1 manvantara or manu (we are in the 28th mahayuga)
• 14 manvantaras = 1 kalpa or day of Brahma (we are in the 7th manvantara)
• 2 kalpas = 1 ahoratra or day and night of Brahma 360 ahoratras = 1 year of Brahma
• 100 Brahma years = 309,173,760,000,000 years (one "lifetime" of Brahma, or the universe).

We are in Brahma Year 51 of the current cycle. At the end of every kalpa or day of Brahma a greater dissolution, called pralaya (or kalpanta, "end of an eon"), occurs when both the physical and subtle worlds are absorbed into the causal world, where souls rest until the next kalpa begins. This state of withdrawal or "night of Brahma," continues for the length of an entire kalpa until creation again issues forth.

After 36,000 of these dissolutions and creations there is a total, universal annihilation, mahapralaya, when all three worlds, all time, form and space, are withdrawn into God Siva. After a period of total withdrawal a new universe or lifespan of Brahma begins. This entire cycle repeats infinitely. This view of cosmic time is recorded in the Puranas and the Dharma Shastras.

See: mahapralaya.

(See also: Cosmic cycle, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Shulba Shastra (Shulba Shastras): (Sanskrit) Practical manuals giving the measurements and procedures for constructing the sites of Vedic yajna rites.

A division of the Kalpa Vedanga (Veda limb on rituals), these sutras employ sophisticated geometry and are India's earliest extant mathematical texts. Shulba means "string or cord," denoting the use of string for measuring.

See: Vedanga.

(See also: Shulba Shastra, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Mahayuga (Sanskrit) [from maha great + yuga age, period of time]

Great age; in Hindu works, the 1000th part of a kalpa or Day of Brahma. The aggregate of the series of four yugas -- satya or krita yuga, treta yuga, dvapara yuga, and kali yuga -- constitute a mahayuga or an age whose duration is 4,320,000 terrestrial years. Seventy-one mahayugas form the reign of one manu, or 306,720,000 years. Taking the reign of one manu, or of a manvantara, and multiplying it by 14 (which represents the 14 manus who exist in one kalpa) gives 4,294,080,000 years. To this figure should be added the sandhyas (dawn) and sandhyansas (twilight) -- 25,920,000 (there being a dawn and twilight between each manu), and the result is 4,320,000,000 years, or a Day of Brahma, which is one kalpa or 1000 mahayugas.

As used in theosophy, the progress of the life-wave through the globes of a planetary chain, from its first globe to its last, the life-wave passing through a series of seven smaller yugas or root-races upon each of the seven manifest globes of the planetary chain. The period comprises 4,320,000,000 years. Mahayuga frequently refers also to time periods less than that of the great cycle or chain-round above alluded to. For instance, the period of the seven root-races which form the passage of the life-wave through any one of the globes, is often called a mahayuga.

(See also: Mahayuga, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Sutra (Sanskrit) [from siv to sew]

A string, thread; the sutras are strings of rules or aphorisms written in serve form, composed in terse and symbolic language with the obvious intention of their being committed to memory. This was a favorite form among the Hindus, as among all ancient peoples, of imbodying and transmitting rules of ancient religious and philosophic thought.

There are sutras written upon almost every subject, but the sutras commonly signify those connected with the Vedas, of which there are three kinds: the Kalpa-sutras (rules of ritual); the grihya-sutras (domestic rules) treating of ordinary family rites such as marriage, birth, name-giving, etc.; and the Samayacharika-sutras which treat of customs and temporal duties. The Kalpa-sutras belong to the class of writings called Srutis (heard or revealed); while the other two types of sutras belong to the Smritis (remembered), carried traditionally from generation to generation by word of mouth.

In Buddhist writings, the Sutras are the second division of sacred works, generally known under the equivalent Pali term Suttas.

(See also: Sutra, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Linga Purana (Sanskrit). A scripture of the Saivas or worshippers of Siva. Therein Maheswara, "the great Lord", concealed in the Agni Linga explains the ethics of life - duty, virtue, self-sacrifice and finally liberation by and through ascetic life at the end of the Agni Kalpa (the Seventh Round). As Professor Wilson justly observed "the Spirit of the worship (phallic) is as little influenced by the character of the type as can well be imagined. There is nothing like the phallic orgies of antiquity; it is all mystical and spiritual."

(See also: Linga Purana, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )