Varanasi: (Sanskrit) Also known as Kashi or Banaras. (Derived from the name of two rivers, the Varana, "warding off," and Asi, "sword.")

One of the most holy of Saivite cities, and among the oldest cities in the world. Located in North India on the Ganges River. Hindus consider it highly sanctifying to die in Kashi, revering it as a gateway to moksha.

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sakha marga: (Sanskrit) "Friend's path."

See: attainment, pada.

(See also: Sakha marga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

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supplicate (supplication): To ask for humbly. To earnestly pray for.

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

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sadhvi: (Sanskrit) Feminine counterpart of sadhu.

See: sadhu.

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sin: Intentional transgression of divine law. Akin to the Latin sons, "guilty."

Hinduism does not view sin as a crime against God, but as an act against dharma - moral order - and one's own self. It is thought natural, if unfortunate, that young souls act wrongly, for they are living in nescience, avidya, the darkness of ignorance.

Sin is an adharmic course of action which automatically brings negative consequences. The term sin carries a double meaning, as do its Sanskrit equivalents:

1)    a wrongful act,

2)    the negative consequences resulting from a wrongful act.

In Sanskrit the wrongful act is known by several terms, including pataka (from pat, "to fall") papa, enas, kilbisha, adharma, anrita and rina (transgress, in the sense of omission).

The residue of sin is called papa, sometimes conceived of as a sticky, astral substance which can be dissolved through penance (prayashchitta), austerity (tapas) and good deeds (sukritya). This astral substance can be psychically seen within the inner, subconscious aura of the individual. Note that papa is also accrued through unknowing or unintentional transgressions of dharma, as in the term aparadha (offense, fault, mistake).

inherent sin or original sin: A doctrine of Semitic faiths whereby each soul is born in sin as a result of Adam's disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Sometimes mistakenly compared to the Saiva Siddhanta concept of the three malas, especially anava.

See: pasha.

mortal sin: According to some theologies, sins so grave that they can never be expiated and which cause the soul to be condemned to suffer eternally in hell. In Hinduism, there are no such concepts as inherent sin or mortal sin.

See: aura, evil, karma, papa.

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

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murti: (Sanskrit) "Form; manifestation, embodiment, personification." An image or icon of God or one of the many Gods used during worship. Murtis range from aniconic (avyakta, "nonmanifest"), such as the Sivalinga, to vyakta "fully manifest," e.g., anthropomorphic images such as Nataraja. In-between is the partially manifest (vyaktavyakta), e.g., the mukha linga, in which the face of Siva appears on the Sivalinga.

Other Deity representations include symbols, e.g., the banyan tree, and geometric designs such as yantras and mandalas. Another important term for the Deity icon or idol is pratima, "reflected image."

See: aniconic, Ishta Devata, teradi.

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moksha: (Sanskrit) "Liberation."

Release from transmigration, samsara, the round of births and deaths, which occurs after karma has been resolved and nirvikalpa samadhi - realization of the Self, Parasiva - has been attained. Same as mukti.

See: jivanmukta, kaivalya, kundalini, nirvikalpa samadhi, Parasiva, raja yoga, videhamukti.

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consciousness: Chitta or chaitanya.

1)    A synonym for mind-stuff, chitta; or

2)    the condition or power of perception, awareness, apprehension.

There are myriad gradations of consciousness, from the simple sentience of inanimate matter to the consciousness of basic life forms, to the higher consciousness of human embodiment, to omniscient states of superconsciousness, leading to immersion in the One universal consciousness, Parashakti. Chaitanya and chitta can name both individual consciousness and universal consciousness.

Modifiers indicate the level of awareness, e.g.,

-       vyashti chaitanya, "individual consciousness;"

-       buddhi chitta, "intellectual consciousness;"

-       Sivachaitanya, "God consciousness."

Five classical "states" of awareness are discussed in scripture:

1)    wakefulness (jagrat),

2)    "dream" (svapna) or astral consciousness,

3)    "deep sleep" (sushupti) or subsuperconsciousness,

4)    the superconscious state beyond (turiya "fourth") and

5)    the utterly transcendent state called turiyatita ("beyond the fourth").

See: awareness, chitta, chaitanya, mind (all entries).

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commitment: Dedication or engagement to a long-term course of action.

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

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path: Marga or pantha. A trail, road or way. In Hinduism there are various ways that the term path is used.

-       path of enlightenment salvation moksha: The way to the ultimate goals of Self Realization and liberation.

-       universal path: The spiritual path conceived as being followed by all of existence, marching on its way to Godhood.

-       path of dharma: Following principles of good conduct and virtue.

-       the two paths: The way of the monk and that of the householder, a choice to be made by each Hindu young man.

-       Peerless highest path: The spiritual path (or the path of renunciation) as the noblest of human undertakings.

-       the straight path: The way that goes directly to the goal, without distraction or karmic detour.

-       on the path: someone who is seriously studying, striving and performing sadhana to perfect the inner and outer nature.

-       our right path in life: The best way for us personally to proceed; personal dharma, svadharma. -

-       "Truth is one, paths are many:" Hinduism's affirmation for tolerance. It accepts that there are various ways to proceed toward the ultimate goal.

See: dharma, pada.

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

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diksha: (Sanskrit) "Initiation."

Solemn induction by which one is entered into a new realm of awareness and practice by a teacher or preceptor through the bestowing of blessings and the transmission of pranas. Denotes initial or deepened connection with the teacher and his lineage and is usually accompanied by ceremony. Initiation, revered as a moment of awakening, may be conferred by a touch, a word, a look or a thought.

Most Hindu schools, and especially Saivism, teach that only with initiation from a satguru is enlightenment attainable. Sought after by all Hindus is the diksha called shaktipata, "descent of grace," which, often coming unbidden, stirs and arouses the mystic kundalini force. Central Saivite dikshas include samaya, vishesha, nirvana and abhisheka.

See: grace, shaktipata, sound.

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dance: See: tandava, Nataraja.

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

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Matanga Parameshvara Agama: (Sanskrit) Among the 28 Saiva Siddhanta Agamas, containing 3,500 verses, deals at length with the categories of existence (tattvas). The Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia is thought to have been built using the temple section of this scripture.

See: Saiva Agamas.

(See also: Matanga Parameshvara Agama , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

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Parvati: (Sanskrit) "Mountain's daughter."

One of many names for the Universal Mother. Prayers are offered to Her for strength, health and eradication of impurities. Mythologically, Parvati is wedded to Siva.

See: Goddess, Shakti.

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

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etymology: The science of the origin of words and their development. The history of a word.

See: Nirukta Vedanga, Sanskrit.

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

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Shakya: (Sanskrit) Name of the Saivite dynasty into which Buddha, also called Shakyamuni, was born (in what is now Nepal).

See: Buddha.

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meditation: Dhyana. Sustained concentration.

Meditation describes a quiet, alert, powerfully concentrated state wherein new knowledge and insights are awakened from within as awareness focuses one-pointedly on an object or specific line of thought.

See: internalized worship, raja yoga, Satchidananda, mantra, mantra yoga.

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guru: (Sanskrit) "Weighty one," indicating an authority of great knowledge or skill.

A title for a teacher or guide in any subject, such as music, dance, sculpture, but especially religion.

For clarity, the term is often preceded by a qualifying prefix. Hence, terms such as

• kulaguru (family teacher),
• vinaguru (vina teacher) and
• satguru (spiritual preceptor).

In Hindu astrology, guru names the planet Jupiter, also known as Brihaspati. According to the Advayataraka Upanishad (1418), guru means "dispeller (gu) of darkness (ru)."

See: guru-shishya system, satguru.

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

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vasana: (Sanskrit) "Subconscious inclination." From vas, "living, remaining." The subliminal inclinations and habit patterns which, as driving forces, color and motivate one's attitudes and future actions. Vasanas are the conglomerate results of subconscious impressions (samskaras) created through experience. Samskaras, experiential impressions, combine in the subconscious to form vasanas, which thereafter contribute to mental fluctuations, called vritti. The most complex and emotionally charged vasanas are found in the dimension of mind called the subsubconscious, or vasana chitta.

See: samskara, mind (five states), vasana daha tantra, vritti.

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

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nucleus of the soul:

See: atman, impersonal being, soul.

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novitiate: Same as novice. A newcomer to a monastic or religious community, on probation, before taking final vows.

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

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nunk: A contemporary word coined by Catholic theologian Raimundo Panikkar to describe women contemplatives or female monks, in contrast to the word nun which commonly describes a religious teacher or service-oriented woman under vows. A nunk is a celibate woman following strict, perhaps austere and usually solitary, spiritual disciplines and lifestyle. By balancing the masculine and feminine energies within herself through sadhana and yoga, she is a complete being, detached from the thoughts and feelings of others, free to follow the contemplative and mystical life in pursuit of the Self within. To accomplish this, she works to permanently conquer her feminine instincts and the emotional tendencies of a woman's body. She strives to transmute her sexuality into the Divine, giving up her womanliness so thoroughly that she is indistinguishable from a monk. In Hinduism, nunks may be sannyasinis, yoginis or sadhikas.

See: monastic, sannyasin, monk.

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

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