Krishna Dictionary

adi-guru

The first spiritual master of a disciplic succession.

(See also: adi-guru , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Avyakta (Sanskrit) (from a not + vyakta manifested from vy-anj to anoint, adorn, cause to appear, manifest)

Unmanifested; applied to Vishnu and Siva, and in the Bhagavad-Gita to Krishna. Hence Avyakta is the unmanifest or the undifferentiated, as opposed to vyakta, the manifest or differentiated. In the Sankhya philosophy, it is mulaprikriti (root- or primordial nature), the veil of parabrahman, or parabrahman manifested in mulaprakriti.

Mulaprakriti is the unmanifested side of differentiated nature, and hence avyakta; but the term is equally applicable to the consciousness side of the universe, during those immensely long time periods when cosmic consciousness is sunken in its own essence and not manifesting. Similarly, the higher or divine-spiritual parts of cosmic consciousness may be said to be avyakta even during periods of cosmic manifestation. To the Sankhyas, avyakta is the one cosmic principle which is the root of all essential selfhood and which during cosmic manvantara is in its lower parts differentiated in and through the innumerable hierarchical organisms. It therefore subsists in every kind of upadhi and is the real spiritual entity which a person has to reach in his progress towards spirit.

In the Vedantic system of Krishna, however, avyakta is also parabrahman, that which will not perish even at the time of cosmic pralaya, because parabrahman is the one essence, not only of the whole cosmos, but even of mulaprakriti itself, the foundation of the manifested cosmos. "In case you follow the Sankhyan doctrine, you have to rise from Upadhi to Upadhi in gradual succession, and when you try to rise from the last Upadhi to their Avyaktam, there is unfortunately no connection that is likely to enable your consciousness to bridge the interval. If the Sankhyan system of philosophy is the true one, your aim will be to trace Upadhi to its source, but not consciousness to its source.

The consciousness manifested in every Upadhi is traceable to the Logos and not to the Avyaktam of the Sankhyas. It is very much easier for a man to follow his own consciousness farther and farther into the depths of his inmost nature, and ultimately reach its source -- the Logos -- than to try to follow Upadhi to its source in this Mulaprakriti, this Avyaktam. Moreover, supposing you do succeed in reaching this Avyaktam, you can never fix your thoughts in it or preserve your individuality in it; for, it is incapable of retaining any of these permanently" (Notes on BG 98). Nevertheless the Sankhya philosophy is as true as is the Vedanta, and reaches the same ultimates of philosophic thought and understanding, although along differing systemic lines.

In the Law of Manu avyakta is used as an equivalent to paramatman (universal spirit).

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

madhavi

Hiptage madhablota, a shrubby vine, herald of spring and lover of the mango tree.

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

chakravaka

a variety of duck, legendary lovers who must sleep apart at night and forever call to one another, “Chakava, may I come to you?” “No, Chakavi.”

chakravaki

The female of a particular species of duck.

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

Ashvatthama

The son of Dronacharya who fought against the Pandavas at Kurukshetra. In a desperate act of revenge at the end of the battle, he killed the five young sons of the Pandavas in their sleep and tried to kill the last remaining heir, Parikshit, in his mother’s womb.

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

Aditi

Daksha’s oldest daughter, a wife of Kashyapa. She gave birth to twelve sons, including the eleven principal demigods (such as Surya, Varuna, and Indra) and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Vamana.

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

A dictionary Of Commonly Used Sanskrit terms. From A to Crore.

Please note that all words in grey, like "yoga", "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

abhisheka

A ceremonial bath performed in the worship of a Deity or the coronation of a king.

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

Siddha-bakula

the tree in Puri under which Haridasa Thakura lived and chanted the holy name.

(See also: Siddha-bakula , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

shraddha

1. Faith. 2. The offering of worship and food to one’s departed parents and forefathers, normally done once a year.

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

Hanuman:

Hanuman (Anjaneya): Monkey warrior who became Rama's devoted friend and servant. (RRV2-4a), also called "Sun of the Wind-God Vayu" (RRV-5a) [BG 1:20: Then the son of Pandu, who's flag was marked with Hanuman and who was looking from his chariot upon the sons of Dhritarastra in preparing to take up his bow and shoot his arrows, O King, at that time spoke the following words to Hrisikesa [Krishna as the Lord of the senses].]

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

jaya

“Victory!” or “All glories!”

Jaya

a gatekeeper in one of the Vaikuntha planets who, along with another gatekeeper (Vijaya), was cursed to take birth as a demon.

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

Rupa-manjari

Rupa Goswami’s eternal form as a gopi-manjari.

(See also: Rupa-manjari , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Sharanagati

the process of surrender; a collection of songs by Bhaktivinoda Thakura; the name of an ISKCON farm in Ashcroft, British Columbia, Canada.

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

Christna. See KRISHNA

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

Rantideva

A pious king who fasted forty-eight days and was then tested by demigods headed by Brahma and Siva. The demigods came in the guise of a brahmana, then a shudra, and finally a candala, each of whom begged portions of the food the king was to use to break his fast, finally leaving him without even water to drink. Because he tolerated all this, he received the blessings of the Supreme Lord.

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

shiksha-guru

An instructing spiritual master.

(See also: shiksha-guru , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

nirjana-bhajana

solitary spiritual practices.

(See also: nirjana-bhajana , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Ananta (Ananta Sesha, Sesha Naga)

1. An expansion of God who appears as a serpent with thousands of heads and who serves as the bed of Lord Vishnu. Ananta Sesha holds all the planets of the universe on His hoods and constantly sings the glories of Vishnu from all His mouths. 2. Unlimited.

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

palasha tree

Butea frondosa, a tree with fragrant, large, bright orange flowers.

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

Aniruddha:

Aniruddha. Son of Pradyumna and grandson of Krishna.

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

Kayadhu

The wife of Hiranyakashipu and mother of Prahlada.

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