Dancing with Siva Lexicon

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Dancing with Siva Table of Contents

Aadheenam: "Ownership, possession, dependence; Saiva monastery." A Saivite Hindu monastery-temple complex in the South Indian, Saiva Siddhanta tradition. The aadheenam head, or pontiff, is called the guru mahasannidhanam or aadheenakartar.

abdicate: To give up formally; to surrender or repudiate.

abortion: The deliberate termination of pregnancy. From the earliest times, Hindu tradition and scriptures condemn the practice, except when the mother's life is in danger. It is considered an act against rita and ahimsa. Hindu mysticism teaches that the fetus is a living, conscious person, needing and deserving protection (a Rig Vedic hymn [7.36.9, RvP, 2469] begs for protection of fetuses). The Kaushitaki Upanishad (3.1 UpR, 774) describes abortion as equivalent to killing one's parents. The Atharva Veda (6.113.2 HE, 43) lists the fetus slayer, brunaghni, among the greatest of sinners (6.113.2). The Gautama Dharma Shastra (3.3.9 HD, 214) considers such participants to have lost caste. The Sushruta Samhita, a medical treatise (ca 100), stipulates what is to be done in case of serious problems during delivery (Chikitsasthana Chapter, Mudhagarbha), describing first the various steps to be taken to attempt to save both mother and child. "If the fetus is alive, one should attempt to remove it from the womb of the mother alive..." (sutra 5). If it is dead, it may be removed. In case the fetus is alive but cannot be safely delivered, surgical removal is forbidden for "one would harm both mother and offspring. In an irredeemable situation, it is best to cause the miscarriage of the fetus, for no means must be neglected which can prevent the loss of the mother" (sutras 10-11).

Absolute: Lower case (absolute): real, not dependent on anything else, not relative. Upper case (Absolute): Ultimate Reality, the unmanifest, unchanging and transcendent Parashivautterly nonrelational to even the most subtle level of consciousness. It is the Self God, the essence of man's soul. Same as Absolute Being and Absolute Reality.

abstain: To hold oneself back, to refrain from or do without. To avoid a desire, negative action or habit. See: yama-niyama.

abyss: A bottomless pit. The dark states of consciousness into which one may fall as a result of serious misbehavior; the seven chakras (psychic centers), or talas (realms of consciousness), below the muladhara chakra, which is located at the base of the spine. See: chakra, loka.

access card: Special cards of specific duration giving access to Kauai Aadheenam and its branch monasteries for special guests, students and members.

acharya: A highly respected teacher. A wise one who practices what he preaches. A title usually bestowed through diksha and ordination, such as in the Sivacharya priest tradition. In the context of this book, a senior swami of the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order, founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1949. Having completed at least 24 years of service under Gurudeva while observing brahmacharya sadhana, these swamis are the acknowledged examples for younger monks.

actinic: Spiritual, creating light. From the Greek aktis, meaning "ray." Of or pertaining to consciousness in its pure, unadulterated state.

actinodic: Spiritual-magnetic; a mixture of odic and actinic force. Actinic refers to consciousness in its pure, unadulterated state. Odic energy, the force of attraction and repulsion between people, people and their things, manifests as masculine (aggressive) and feminine (passive), arising from the pingala and ida currents.

acupuncture: System of treating disease by piercing the body with needles.

adage: An old saying that has been popularly accepted as truth.

adept: Highly skilled; expert. In religion, one who has mastered certain spiritual practices or disciplines. An advanced yogi.

adharma: Opposite of dharma. Thoughts, words or deeds that transgress divine law. Unrighteousness, irreligiousness; demerit. See: dharma, papa, sin.

admonition: A warning to correct a fault; a mild rebuke.

adopt: To take into one's family. To take an idea, principle, or even a religion and henceforth live with it and use it as one's own. See: conversion to Hinduism.

adopted member: A shishya who, though not related by blood or marriage, is accepted into a kulapati's extended family. A formal, written agreement between the adoptive and the family outlines the guidelines of their relationship.

adulate: To praise and flatter highly.

adultery: Sexual intercourse between a married man and a woman not his wife, or between a married woman and a man not her husband. Adultery is spoken of in Hindu shastras as a serious breach of dharma. See: sexuality.

advaita: "Nondual; not two." Nonduality or monism. The philosophical doctrine that Ultimate Reality consists of a one principle substance, or God. Opposite of dvaita, dualism. Advaita is the primary philosophical stance of the Vedic Upanishads, and of Hinduism, interpreted differently by the many rishis, gurus, panditas and philosophers. See: Vedanta.

Advaita Ishvaravada: "Nondual and Personal-God-as-Ruler doctrine." The Sanskrit equivalent of monistic theism. A general term that describes the philosophy of the Vedas and Saiva Agamas, which believes simultaneously in the ultimate oneness of all things and in the reality of the personal Deity. See: Advaita, Advaita Siddhanta, monistic theism.

Advaita Siddhanta: "Nondual perfect conclusions." Saivite philosophy codified in the Agamas which has at its core the nondual (advaitic) identity of God, soul and world. This monistic-theistic philosophy, unlike the Shankara, or Smarta view, holds that maya (the principle of manifestation) is not an obstacle to God Realization, but God's own power and presence guiding the soul's evolution to perfection. This unified Vedic-Agamic doctrine is also known as Shuddha Saiva Siddhanta. See: Advaita Ishvaravada, monistic theism, Saiva Siddhanta.

adversary: A person opposing or fighting another; opponent; enemy.

adversity: A state of misfortune, difficulty and trouble; the cause of such.

advocate: To speak or write in support of; to be in favor of.

affirmation: Dridhavachana ("firm statement"). A positive declaration or assertion. A statement repeated regularly while concentrating on the meaning and mental images invoked, often used to attain a desired result.

affirmation of faith: A brief statement of one's faith and essential beliefs. See: Anbe Sivamayam Satyame Parasivam.

affliction: Pain; suffering; distress.

affluence: An abundance of riches; wealth; opulence.

Agama: "That which has come down." An enormous collection of Sanskrit scriptures which, along with the Vedas, are revered as shruti (revealed scripture). The Agamas are the primary source and authority for ritual, yoga and temple construction. Each of the major denominations, Saivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism, has its unique Agama texts. See: Vedic-Agamic.

agni: "Fire." 1) One of the five elements, panchabhuta. 2) God of the element fire, invoked through Vedic ritual known as yajna, agnikaraka, homa and havana. The God Agni is the divine messenger who receives prayers and oblations and conveys them to the heavenly spheres. See: yajna.

Agni Mandapam: The simple pillared structure near the San Marga Svayambhu Sivalinga in which havanas are conducted.

ahamkara: "I-maker." Personal ego. The mental faculty of individuation; sense of duality and separateness from others. Sense of I-ness, "me" and "mine." Ahamkara is characterized by the sense of I-ness (abhimana), sense of mine-ness, identifying with the body (madiyam), planning for one's own happiness (mamasukha), brooding over sorrow (mamaduhkha), and possessiveness (mama idam). See: anava mala, ego.

ahimsa: "Noninjury," nonviolence; nonhurtfulness. Refraining from causing others harm, physically, mentally or emotionally.

akasha: "Space." The sky. Free, open space. Ether, the fifth and most subtle of the five elementsearth, air, fire, water and ether. Empirically, the rarified space or ethereal fluid plasma that pervades the universes, inner and outer. Esoterically, mind, the superconscious strata holding all that exists and all that potentially exists, wherein all happenings are recorded and can be read by clairvoyants. It is through psychic entry into this transcendental akasha that cosmic knowledge is gathered, and the entire circle of timepast, present and futurecan be known. Space, akasha, in this concept is a positive substance, filled with unseen energies and intelligences, in contrast with the Western conception that space is the absence of everything and is therefore nothing in and of itself.

alchemistically: Associated with alchemya mystical form of chemistry which aims to transmute one thing into something different or better.

allopathy: Modern "Western" medicine utilizing remedies that produce effects different from or opposite to those produced by the affliction.

all-pervasive: Diffused throughout or existing in every part of the universe.

amends: To make amends, to make up for injury or loss that one has caused to another. This is done through sincere apology, expressing contrition, public penance, such as kavadi, and the abundant giving of gifts. See: papa, penance.

amphetamines: A family of drugs: dangerous, habit-forming stimulants.

amrita: "Immortality." Literally, "without death (mrita)." The nectar of divine bliss which flows down from the sahasrara chakra when one enters very deep states of meditation.

anava mala: "Impurity of smallness; finitizing principle." The individualizing veil of duality that enshrouds the soul. It is the source of finitude and ignorance, the most basic of the three bonds (anava, karma, maya) which temporarily limit the soul. See: mala, soul.

Anbe Sivamayam Satyame Parasivam: Tamil for "God Siva is Immanent Love and transcendent Reality." The affirmation of faith which capsulizes the entire creed of the monistic Saiva Siddhantin. In Sanskrit it is Premaiva Sivamaya, Satyam eva Parashivah.

anchorite: "Hermit." A monk or aspirant who lives alone and apart from society, as contrasted with cenobite, a member of a religious order living in a monastery or convent. See: monk.

animal testing: The practice of testing the effectiveness or safety of products by applying them to animal subjects before releasing them to consumers.

Antarloka: "Inner or in-between world." The astral plane. See: loka.

antithesis: A contrast or opposition; the exact opposite.

antyeshti: "Last rites." Funeral. See: death, samskara.

anukramanika: "Succession, arrangement." A table of contents.

apostate: One who has abandoned what he formerly believed in.

Appar: "Father." Endearing name for Tirunavukarasu (ca 700), one of four Tamil saints, Samayacharyas, who reconverted errant Saivites who had embraced Jainism. Calling himself the servant of God's servants, he composed magnificent hymns in praise of Siva. See: Nayanar.

archana: A special, personal, abbreviated puja done by temple priests in which the name, birthstar and family lineage of a devotee are recited to invoke individual guidance and blessings. Archana also refers to chanting the names of the Deity, which is a central part of every puja. See: puja.

archives: A place where materials having documentary interest, such as manuscripts or records, are kept; the material, etc., kept in these places.

ardent: Intensely enthusiastic or devoted; warm or intense in feeling.

ardha-Hindu: "Half-Hindu." A devotee who has adopted Hindu belief and culture to a great extent but has not formally entered the religion through ceremony and taking a Hindu first and last name. Also refers to Easterners born into the Hindu religion who adopt non-Hindu names.

Ardhanarishvara: "Half-female Lord." Lord Siva's androgynous form, male on the right side and female on the left, indicating that: 1) Siva (like all Mahadevas) is genderless; 2) Siva is All, inseparable from His energy, Shakti; 3) in Siva the ida (feminine) and the pingala (masculine) nadis (psychic nerve currents) are balanced so that sushumna is ever active. This icon especially represents Siva's second perfection: Pure Consciousness (Satchidananda or Parashakti). See: kundalini, nadi, Shakti, Siva.

Ardra Darshana: A ten-day festival ending on Ardra nakshatra, near the full moon of December-January honoring Siva Nataraja. In Tamil Nadu, each morning at 4am, the mystical songs of Saint Manikkavasagar, Tiruvembavai, are sung or recited. Unmarried girls go to the temple in small groups to pray for rains, for the welfare of the land and for fine, spiritual husbands. At the famed temple of Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu, Lord Nataraja, the presiding Deity, is taken out for a grand procession in a chariot pulled through the streets by thousands of devotees. See: darshana, Nataraja.

arduous: Difficult; requiring much labor, energy or strain.

arena: Any place where an event, usually involving struggle or conflict, takes place. The earth is the arena of the soul's evolution.

Aries: Literally, "ram;" constellation known as Mesha in Hindu astrology. The Hindu year begins with the month of Aries, around mid-April.

artha: "Goal or purpose; wealth, property, money." Also has the meaning of utility, desire. See: dharma, purushartha.

articles of conduct: Guidelines for a lifestyle that totally integrates religious culture and yogic sadhana with the mundane human affairs of the individual, family and community. The articles of conduct, taught and encouraged by the Church are as follows. 1) five obligations: pancha kriyas, or pancha nitya karmas; 2) five parenting guidelines: pancha kutumba sadhana; 3-5) fifty-four Kulapati Sutras, organized into three groups: 1) nine mula sutras, or root aphorisms; 2) thirty grihya sutras, or household aphorisms; and 3) fifteen nivarita sutras, or forbidden aphorisms; 6-7) twenty restraints and practices: yamas and niyamas; 8) sixty-four educational accomplishments: kalas; 9) five sacrifices: pancha mahayajna.

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articles of faith: The essential precepts distilled from the Vedas, Saiva Agamas and other scriptures which together comprise the unified view held by all my followers regarding God, soul and world (Pati, pashu and pasha). The Articles of Faith of Saiva Siddhanta Church are: 1) Saivite Creed, 2) Affirmation of Faith, 3) Two Doctrines, 4) Scriptural Foundations and 5) Five Precepts.

Arunagirinathar: South Indian Saivite poet saint (ca 1500).

asan: "Teacher; master." A title for a respected guru.

ascetic: A person who leads a life of contemplation and rigorous self-denial, shunning comforts and pleasures for religious purposes. See: monastic, nunk.

ash: See: vibhuti.

aspirant: One who aspires to be a monk; a premonastic of the first level. Aspirants take a six-month pledge of purity and abide by the disciplines of Solemn Aspirations. Aspirants are also known as upakurvanis.

ashrama: "Place of striving." From shram, "to exert energy." Hermitage; order of life. Holy sanctuary; the residence and teaching center of a sadhu, saint, swami, ascetic or guru; often includes lodging for students. Also names life's four stages.

ashrama dharma: "Laws of each order of life." Meritorious way of life particular to each of the four stages (ashramas) of life, following which one lives in harmony with nature and life, allowing the body, emotions and mind to develop and undergo their natural cycles in a most positive way. The four stages are as follows. --brahmacharya: Studentship, from age 12 to 24. --grihastha: Householder, from 24 to 48. --vanaprastha: Elder advisor, from 48 to 72. --sannyasa: Religious solitaire, from 72 onward. The first two ashramas make up the pravritti marga, the way of going toward the world through the force of desire and ambition. The last two are the nivritti marga, moving away from the world through introspection and renunciation. See: dharma, grihastha dharma, sannyasa dharma.

assembly persons: Sabaiyor, those of the chakravala who do not hold specific duties but sit in attendance, observe and voice their opinion when requested.

astral: Of the subtle, nonphysical sphere (astral plane) which exists between the physical and causal planes. See: astral plane.

astral body: The subtle, nonphysical body (sukshma sharira) in which the soul functions in the astral plane, the inner world also called Antarloka. The astral body includes the pranic sheath (pranamaya kosha), the instinctive-intellectual sheath (manomaya kosha) and the cognitive sheath (vijnanamaya kosha)with the pranic sheath dropping off at the death of the physical body. See: soul.

astral plane: The subtle world, or Antarloka, spanning the spectrum of consciousness from the vishuddha chakra in the throat to the patala chakra in the soles of the feet. The astral plane includes: 1) the higher astral plane, Maharloka, "plane of balance;" 2) mid-astral plane, Svarloka, "celestial plane;" 3) lower astral plane, Bhuvarloka, "plane of atmosphere," a counterpart or subtle duplicate of the physical plane (consisting of the Pitriloka and Pretaloka); and 4) the sub-astral plane, Naraka, consisting of seven hellish realms corresponding to the seven chakras below the base of the spine. In the astral plane, the soul is enshrouded in the astral body, called sukshma sharira. See: astral body, loka, three worlds.

astral projection: Traveling in inner bodies through subtle, nonphysical planes while the physical body remains still in sleep, trance or meditation.

astrology: Science of celestial influences. See: birth chart, jyotisha.

astrological compatibility: Comparison of the astrological birth charts of a man and a woman to determine compatibility for marriage. See: birth chart.

asura: "Evil spirit; demon." (Opposite of sura: "deva; God.") A non-physical being of the lower astral plane, Naraka. Asuras can and do interact with the physical plane, causing major and minor problems in people's lives. Asuras do evolve and are not permanently in this state.

asuric: Of the nature of an asura, "not spiritual."

atheism: The rejection of all religion or religious belief, or simply the belief that God or Gods do not exist.

atman: "The soul; the breath; the principle of life and sensation." The soul in its entiretyas the soul body (anandamaya kosha) and its essence (Parashakti and Parashiva). One of Hinduism's most fundamental tenets is that we are the atman, not the physical body, emotions, external mind or personality. See: Paramatman, soul.

atmartha puja: "Personal worship rite." Home pujaSanskrit liturgy performed in the home shrine. See: puja.

atone: To make amends or reconcile. See: papa, penance, sin.

attainment: Something which has been acquired, achieved or reached through effort. Spiritual accomplishment.

attire: Clothes, especially rich or fine apparel; finery.

attitude: Disposition. State of mind. Manner of carrying oneself, acting, thinking or feeling revealing one's disposition, opinions and beliefs. See: conscience.

Aum: Often spelled Om. The mystic syllable of Hinduism, placed at the beginning of most sacred writings. As a mantra, it is pronounced aw (as in law), oo (as in zoo), mm. The dot above, called anusvara, represents the Soundless Sound, Paranada. In common usage in several Indian languages, aum means "yes, verily" or "hail." See: nada.

aura: The luminous colorful field of subtle energy radiating within and around the human body, extending out from three to seven feet. The colors of the aura change constantly according to the ebb and flow of one's state of consciousness, thoughts, moods and emotions. See: mind (five states).

auspicious: Favorable, of good omen, foreboding well. Mangala. One of the central concepts in Hindu life. Astrology defines a method for determining times that are favorable for various human endeavors. Much of daily living and religious practice revolves around an awareness of auspiciousness. Endowed with great power and importance, it is associated with times, places and persons. See: jyotisha.

austerity: Self-denial and discipline, physical or mental, performed for various reasons including acquiring powers, attaining grace, conquering the instinctive nature and burning the seeds of past karmas. See: penance, tapas.

authority: Influence, power or right to give commands, enforce obedience, take action or make final decisions.

autopsy: The examination and dissection of a dead body to determine the cause of death, extent of disease, etc.

avatara: "Descent." A God born in a human (or animal) body. A central concept of Shaktism, Smartism and Vaishnavism. See: incarnation, Vaishnavism.

avidya: ignorance." Wrongful understanding of the nature of reality. Mistaking the impermanent for the everlasting.

ayurveda: "Science of life." A holistic system of medicine and health native to ancient India. 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.

ayurveda vaidya: A practitioner, or physician, of ayurveda.

awareness: Sakshin, or chit. Individual consciousness, perception, knowing; the witness of perception, the "inner eye of the soul." The soul's ability to sense, see or know and to be conscious of this knowing. See: consciousness.

Backbiting: Speaking maliciously or slanderously about a person who is absent.

balashishya: The title for children of Church members, age 1 to 15 who are studying The Master Course but have yet to formally enroll as vidyashishyas. They may participate in Church activities under their parents' guidance.

balavidyarthi: The title for individuals who have contacted the Academy, are studying The Master Course but are not yet formally enrolled.

barbiturates: Dangerous, habit-forming drugsdepressants, sedatives.

begrudgingly: To give with discontent, ill will or reluctance.

betoken: To be a token or sign of; indicate; show.

betrothal: Mutual pledge to marry; engagement. In Sanskrit, vagdana or nishchitartha. See: samskaras of adulthood.

Bhagavad Gita: "Song of the Lord." One of the most popular of Hindu writings, a conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the brink of the great battle at Kurukshetra. In this central episode of the epic Mahabharata (part of the sixth book), Krishna illumines the warrior-prince Arjuna on yoga, asceticism, dharma and the manifold spiritual path. See: Mahabharata.

bhakti: "Devotion." Surrender to God, Gods or guru. Bhakti extends from the simplest expression of devotion to the ego-decimating principle of prapatti, which is total surrender. See: darshana, prapatti, prasada, sacrifice, surrender.

bhakti yoga: "Union through devotion." Bhakti yoga is the practice of devotional disciplines, worship, prayer, chanting and singing with the aim of awakening love in the heart and opening oneself to God's grace. From the beginning practice of bhakti to advanced devotion, called prapatti, self-effacement is an intricate part of Hindu, even all Indian, culture. See: prapatti, sacrifice, surrender.

bhashya: "Speech, discussion." Commentary on a text. Hindu philosophies are largely founded upon the interpretations, or bhashyas, of primary scripture. Other types of commentaries include: vritti, a brief commentary on aphorisms; tippani, like a vritti but less formal, explains difficult words or phrases; varttika, a critical study and elaboration of a bhashya; and tika or vyakhyana, an explanation of a bhashya or shastra in simpler language.

bhava: Concentrated feeling, emotion, mature bhakti. Intense devotion towards God and the Gods.

Bhojana Mantra: "Food-blessing chant." As each meal is served, reciting the food-blessing chant, silently or aloud as a group, is an expression of gratitude, an acknowledgement of food's ultimate source and an invocation of spiritual benefits. Its recitation prepares one for partaking of the Supreme Lord's abundance, which should occur in the right state of mind and emotion. Food, the magical source of prana, is an umbilical connection to the cosmos, the lifeline of embodied souls, nature's means of nourishment. This chant is given in the spirit of a beggar humbly seeking alms. Watera pranic bridge between the subtle and physical universesis used in four ways in preparing to eat. First, the mouth is rinsed. Then water is used to rinse the banana leaf or plate. Water from one's drinking cup is poured into the right hand to rinse, as food is taken with the hand, rather than with chopsticks or fork and spoon. Finally, water is sprinkled in a circle around the food with the right hand, creating a force field of purification and protection and invoking harmony of all five bodily pranas. In the South of India, a little bit from each food item is placed on the upper left corner of the plate as an offering to Ganesha before taking one's first bite.

Bhuloka: "Earth world." The physical plane. See: loka.

bhumika: "Earth; ground; soil." Preface; introduction to a book. From bhu, "to become, exist; arise, come into being."

bhuta yajna: See: yajna.

bindu: "A drop, small particle, dot." 1) The seed or source of creation. 2) Small dot worn on the forehead between the eyebrows, or in the middle of the forehead, made of red powder (kunkuma), sandalpaste, clay, cosmetics or other substance. It is a sign that one is a Hindu. Mystically, it represents the "third eye," or the "mind's eye," which sees things that the physical eyes cannot see. See: tilaka.

birth chart: Janmapatrika. An astrological map of the sky drawn for a person's moment and place of birth. Also known as rashi chakra or zodiac wheel, it is the basis for interpreting the traits of individuals and the experiences, prarabdha karmas, they will go through in life. See: jyotisha, karma.

blessing: Good wishes; benediction. Seeking and giving blessings is extremely central in Hindu life, nurtured in the precepts of karunya (grace), shakti (energy), darshana (seeing the divine), prasada (blessed offerings), puja (invocation), tirthayatra (pilgrimage), diksha (initiation), shaktipata (descent of grace), samskaras (rites of passage), sannidhya (holy presence) and sadhana (inner-attunement disciplines).

bodhaka: "Teacher." One who awakens or catalyzes knowing; a religious instructor or catalyst.

bone-gathering: Part of Hindu funeral rites. About twelve hours after cremation, family men return to the cremation site to collect the remains. Some Hindus return the ashes and bones to India for deposition in the Ganges. Or they may be put into any ocean or river. See: cremation, death.

boon: Varadana. A welcome blessing, a benefit received. An unexpected benefit or bonus. See: blessing, grace.

brahmachari: An unmarried male spiritual aspirant who practices continence, observes religious disciplines, including sadhana, devotion and service and who may be under simple vows. Also names one in the student stage, age 1224, or until marriage. See: ashrama dharma, monastic.

brahmacharini: Feminine counterpart of brahmachari. See: nunk.

brahmacharya: Sexual purityrestraint of lust and the instinctive nature. See: celibacy, sexuality, yama-niyama.

brahmacharya ashrama: Student stage of life, approximately 12-24 years of age. See: ashrama dharma.

brahma muhurta: "Time of God." A very favorable time for sadhana. It is traditional to arise before this period, bathe and begin one's morning worship. Brahma muhurta is defined as roughly 1.5 hours, the last muhurta of the night in the 8-muhurta system. It is understood as comprising the final three muhurtas of the night in 15 or 16-muhurta systems, equalling 144 minutes or 135 minutes respectively.

brahma yajna: See: pancha mahayajna.

Brahman: "Supreme Being; expansive spirit." From the root brih, "to grow, increase, expand." Name of God or Supreme Deity in the Vedas, where He is described as the 1) Transcendent Absolute, 2) the all-pervading energy and 3) the Supreme Lord or Primal Soul. These three correspond to Siva in His three perfections. Thus, Saivites know Brahman and Siva to be one and the same God. See: Parameshvara, Parashakti, Parashiva.

brahmin (brahmana): "Mature or evolved soul." The class of pious souls of exceptional learning. From Brahman, "growth, expansion, evolution, development, swelling of the spirit or soul." The mature soul is the exemplar of wisdom, tolerance, forbearance and humility. See: varna dharma.

brihat kutumba: "Extended family." Also called mahakutumba. See: extended family, joint family.

burning prayers: See: lekhaprartha havana.

callous: Unfeeling, not sensitive, lacking compassion or pity. See: yama-niyama.

caste: A hierarchical system, called varna dharma (or jati dharma), established in India in ancient times, which determined the privileges, status, rights and duties of the many occupational groups, wherein status is determined by heredity. There are four main classes (varnas)brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya and shudraand innumerable castes, called jati. See: varna dharma.

catalyst: A person or thing acting as a stimulus upon another, whose presence brings about change. Difficulties can be a catalyst for spiritual unfoldment. Catalyst is sometimes used to name a teacher or facilitator.

causal plane: Highest plane of existence, Sivaloka. See: loka, three worlds.

celibacy: Complete sexual abstinence. Also the state of a person who has vowed to remain unmarried. Celibacy is traditionally understood as abstinence from the eight degrees of sexual activity: fantasy (smarana), glorification (kirtana), flirtation (keli), glances (prekshana), secret talk (guhya bhashana), longing (kama samkalpa), rendezvous (adhyavasaya) and intercourse (kriya nivritti). See: brahmachari, brahmacharya.

ceremony: A formal rite established by custom or authority as proper to special occasions. From the Latin caerimonia, "awe; reverent rite."

chaitanya: "Spirit, consciousness, especially higher consciousness; Supreme Being."A widely used term, often preceded by modifiers, e.g., sakshi chaitanya, "witness consciousness," or bhakti chaitanya, "devotional consciousness," or Sivachaitanya, "God consciousness." See: chitta, consciousness, mind (five states), Siva consciousness.

chakra: "Wheel." Any of the nerve plexes or centers of force and consciousness located within the inner bodies of man. In the physical body there are corresponding nerve plexuses, ganglia and glands. The seven principal chakras can be seen psychically as colorful, multi-petaled wheels or lotuses. They are situated along the spinal cord from the base to the cranial chamber. Additionally, seven chakras, barely visible, exist below the spine. They are seats of instinctive consciousness, the origin of jealousy, hatred, envy, guilt, sorrow, etc. They constitute the lower or hellish world, called Naraka or patala. Thus, there are 14 major chakras in all. The seven upper chakras, from lowest to highest, are: 1) muladhara (base of spine): memory, time and space; 2) svadhishthana (below navel): reason; 3) manipura (solar plexus): willpower; 4) anahata (heart center): direct cognition; 5) vishuddha (throat): divine love; 6) ajna (third eye): divine sight; 7) sahasrara (crown of head): illumination, Godliness. The seven lower chakras, from highest to lowest, are 1) atala (hips): fear and lust; 2) vitala (thighs): raging anger; 3) sutala (knees): retaliatory jealousy; 4) talatala (calves): prolonged mental confusion; 5) rasatala (ankles): selfishness; 6) mahatala (feet): absence of conscience; 7) patala (located in the soles of the feet): murder and malice.

chakravala: A circle or sanga of devotees, seated clockwise according to a special form of seniority age, jyeshthata, which invokes divine beings to hover near and give support, insight and guidance.

chandana: "Sandalwood paste." One of the sacred substances offered during puja and afterwards distributed to devotees as a sacrament (prasada).

chaperone: To supervise young, unmarried people at gatherings or meetings.

character building: Conscious development of a person's emotional, intellectual and moral qualities.

charya pada: "Conduct stage." Stage of service and character building. See: pada, Saiva Siddhanta, Saivism.

chela: "Disciple." (Hindi.) A disciple of a guru; synonym for shishya. The feminine equivalent is chelina or cheli. In Saiva Siddhanta Church, an affectionate term for vishesha diksha shishyas.

Chellappaswami: "Wealthy father." Reclusive siddha and satguru (1840-1915) of the Nandinatha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara who lived on Sri Lanka's Jaffna peninsula near the Nallur Kandaswami Temple, in a small hut where today there is a small samadhi shrine. Among his disciples was Sage Yogaswami. See: Kailasa Parampara, Natha Sampradaya.

chiropractic: Medical therapy employing manipulation of the body joints, especially of the spine, to restore normal nerve function.

chitta: "Mind; consciousness." Mind-stuff. On the personal level, it is that in which mental impressions and experiences are recorded. Seat of the conscious, subconscious and superconscious states, and of the three-fold mental faculty, called antahkarana, consisting of buddhi, manas and ahamkara. See: consciousness, mind (five states), mind (three phases), mind (universal).

chudakarana: Head-shaving sacrament. See: samskaras of childhood.

church: "Religious assembly, congregation." From the Greek kyriakondoma, meaning "house of the Lord." The full meaning encompasses the religious congregation and organization on many levels of activity. Also commonly names a place of worship.

clairaudience: "Clear-hearing." Psychic or divine hearing, divyashravana. The ability to hear the inner currents of the nervous system, the Aum and other mystic tones. Hearing in one's mind the words of inner-plane beings or earthly beings not physically present. Also, hearing the nadanadi shakti through the day or while in meditation. See: clairvoyance, nada.

clairvoyance: "Clear-seeing." Psychic or divine sight, divyadrishti. The ability to look into the inner worlds and see auras, chakras, nadis, thought forms, nonphysical people and subtle forces. The ability to see from afar or into the past or futureavadhijnana, "knowing beyond limits."Also the ability to separate the light that illumines one's thoughts from the forms the light illumines.

clear white light: See: light.

cocaine: A crystalline alkaloid obtained from dried cocoa leaves; a local anesthetic and a dangerous, addictive stimulant.

coffer: A chest or strongbox in which money or valuables are kept.

cognition: Knowing; perception. Knowledge reached through intuitive, superconscious faculties rather than through intellect alone.

commission: To give an order or power for something to be made or done.

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

commune: 1) To communicate closely, sharing thoughts, feelings or prayers in an intimate way. To be in close rapport. 2) A comunity of people living together and sharing in work, earning, etc.,

compatible: Capable of combining well; getting along, harmonious.

compromise: A settlement in which each side gives up some demands or makes concessions for the sake of a conclusion; a weakening, as of one's principles.

concentration: Uninterrupted and sustained attention.

concoction: An unusual compound made by combining various ingredients.

concord: Harmony and agreement; peaceful relations.

condone: To forgive, pardon or overlook.

confession: An admission of guilt or acknowledgement of wrongdoing.

confidentiality: The ability to keep confidences or information told in trust; not divulging private or secret matters.

conscience: The inner sense of right and wrong, sometimes called "the knowing voice of the soul." However, the conscience is affected by the individual's training and belief patterns, and is therefore not necessarily a perfect reflection of dharma.

conscious mind: The external, everyday state of consciousness. See: mind.

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. See: awareness, mind (all entries).

consecrate: To declare holy, or designate for sacred or religious use.

consent: Accord; agreement; approval, especially for a proposed act.

console: To make someone feel less sad or disappointed. To comfort.

contemplation: Religious or mystical absorption beyond meditation. See: five steps to enlightenment, raja yoga, samadhi.

contemplative: Inclined toward a spiritual, religious, meditative way of life.

contempt: Attitude that considers someone or something as low, worthless.

continence (continent): Restraint, moderation or, most strictly, total abstinence from sexual activity. See: celibacy, brahmacharya.

contradiction: A statement in opposition to another; denial; a condition in which things tend to be contrary to each other.

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 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. 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. (p. 28-29)." See: Hinduism.

convert: To change from one religion or philosophy to another. A person who has so changed.

council on missions: preshana chakravala, the administrative body of each Church mission. It consists of all kulapatis in the mission in conjunction with the Guru Mahasannidhanam and one or more swamis. One of its main functions is to serve as the formal channel of information to and from the Kailasa Pitham at Kauai Aadheenam.

covenant: A binding agreement to do or keep from doing certain things.

covet: To want ardently, especially something belonging to another. To envy.

cranial chakras: The ajna, or third-eye center, and the sahasrara, at the top of the head near the pineal and pituitary glands. See: chakra.

creed: Shraddhadharana. An authoritative formulation of the beliefs of a religion. Historically, creeds have arisen to protect doctrinal purity when religions are transplanted into foreign cultures.

cremation: Dahana. Burning of the dead. Cremation is the traditional system of disposing of bodily remains, having the positive effect of releasing the soul most quickly from any lingering attachment to the earth plane. In modern times, cremation facilities are widely available in nearly every country, though gas-fueled chambers generally take the place of the customary wood pyre. Embalming, commonly practiced even if the body is to be cremated, is ill-advised, as it injures the astral body and can actually be felt by the departed soul, as would an autopsy. Should it be necessary to preserve the body a few days to allow time for relatives to arrive, it is recommended that hot ice surround the body and that the coffin be kept closed. Arrangements for this service should be made well in advance with the mortuary. Note that the remains of enlightened masters are sometimes buried or sealed in a special tomb called a samadhi. This is done in acknowledgement of the extraordinary attainment of such a soul, whose very body, having become holy, is revered as a sacred presence, sannidhya, and which not infrequently becomes the spiritual seed of a temple or place of pilgrimage. See: bone-gathering, death, reincarnation, sannidhya.

Creole: A general term for a wide variety of French dialects spoken in some African, Caribbean and South American communities. The lingua franca of the Republic of Mauritius.

cross-national marriage: Marriage between couples from different countries.

crown chakra: Sahasrara chakra. The thousand-petaled cranial center of divine consciousness. See: chakra.

crux: The essential or deciding point.

culminate: To reach the highest point or climax. Result.

culture: Development or refinement of intellect, emotions, interests, manners, and tastes. The ideals, customs, skills and arts of a people or group that are transmitted from one generation to another. Culture is refined living that arises in a peaceful, stable society. Hindu culture arises directly out of worship in the temples.

cultural standard: A standard of social, moral, intellectual activities and behavior patterns and beliefs that are accepted by everyone in a community.

Danda: "Staff of support." The staff carried by a sadhu or sannyasin, representing the tapas which he has taken as his only support, and the vivifying of sushumna and consequent Realization he seeks. Danda also connotes "penalty or sanction." See: sadhu, sannyasin.

darshana: "Vision, sight." Seeing the Divine. Beholding, with inner or outer vision, a temple image, Deity, holy person or place, with the desire to inwardly contact and receive the grace and blessings of the venerated being or beings. Also: "point of view," doctrine or philosophy.

dashama bhaga vrata: "One-tenth-part vow." A promise that tithers make before God, Gods and their family or peers to tithe regularly each monthfor a specified time, or for life, as they wish. See: dashamamsha.

dashamamsha: "One-tenth sharing." The traditional Hindu practice of tithing, giving one-tenth of one's income to a religious institution. It was formerly widespread in India. In ancient times the term makimai was used in Tamil Nadu. See: dashama bhaga vrata, purushartha.

Dashanami: "Ten names." Ten monastic orders organized by Adi Shankara (ca 800): Aranya, Vana, Giri, Parvata, Sagara, Tirtha, Ashrama, Bharati, Puri and Sarasvati. Also refers to sannyasins of these orders, each of whom bears his order's name, with ananda often attached to the religious name. For example, Ramananda Tirtha. See: Shankara.

death: Death is a rich concept for which there are many words in Sanskrit, such as: mahaprasthana, "great departure;" samadhimarana, dying consciously while in the state of meditation; mahasamadhi, "great merger, or absorption," naming the departure of an enlightened soul. Hindus know death to be the soul's detaching itself from the physical body and continuing on in the subtle body (sukshma sharira) with the same desires, aspirations and occupations as when it lived in a physical body. See: reincarnation, suicide.

decorum: Propriety and good taste in behavior, speech, dress, etc.

Deity: "God." Can refer to the image or murti installed in a temple or to the Mahadeva the murti represents. See: murti, puja.

demean: To lower in status or character; degrade.

demureness: Decorous; modest; shy; reserved.

denomination: A name for a class of things, especially for various religious groupings, sects and subsects. See: guru parampara, sampradaya.

deprivations: Forced conditions of loss or neediness.

deter: To keep one from doing something by instilling fear, anxiety, doubt, etc.

detractor: One who discredits, slanders or disparages someone else.

deva: "Shining one." A being living in the higher astral plane, in a subtle, nonphysical body. Deva is also used in scripture to mean "God or Deity." See: Mahadeva.

Devaloka: "Plane of radiant beings." A synonym of Maharloka, the higher astral plane, realm of anahata chakra. See: loka.

Devanagari: "Divine writing of townspeople." The alphabetic script in which Sanskrit, Prakrit, Hindi and Marathi are written. A descendant of the Northern type of the Brahmi script. It is characterized by the connecting, horizontal line at the top of the letters. See: Sanskrit.

deva yajna: See: pancha mahayajna.

devasthanam: In these shastras, a monastery facility for resident guests. Devasthanams are near the monastery but on nonadjoining Church property.

devonic: Of or relating to the devas or their world. See: deva.

devotee: A person strongly dedicated to something or someone, such as to a God or a guru. The term disciple implies an even deeper commitment. See: guru bhakti, guru-shishya system.

dharma: From dhri, "to sustain; carry, hold." Hence dharma is "that which contains or upholds the cosmos." Dharma is a complex and all-inclusive term with many meanings, including: divine law, law of being, way of righteousness, religion, duty, responsibility, virtue, justice, goodness and truth. Essentially, dharma is the orderly fulfillment of an inherent nature or destiny. Relating to the soul, it is the mode of conduct most conducive to spiritual advancement, the right and righteous path. There are four principal kinds of dharma, as follows. 1) rita: "Universal law." The inherent order of the cosmos. The laws of being and nature that contain and govern all forms, functions and processes, from galaxy clusters to the power of mental thought and perception. 2) varna dharma: "Law of one's kind." Social duty. Varna can mean "race, tribe, appearance, character, color, social standing, etc." Varna dharma defines the individual's obligations and responsibilities within the nation, society, community, class, occupational subgroup and family. An important part of this dharma is religious and moral law. 3) ashrama dharma: "Duties of life's stages." Human dharma. The natural process of maturing from childhood to old age through fulfillment of the duties of each of the four stages of lifebrahmachari (student), grihastha (householder), vanaprastha (elder advisor) and sannyasa (religious solitaire)in pursuit of the four human goals: dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (pleasure) and moksha (liberation). See: ashrama dharma. 4) svadharma: "Personal law." One's perfect individual pattern through life, according to one's own particular physical, mental and emotional nature. Svadharma is determined by the sum of past karmas and the cumulative effect of the other three dharmas. It is the individualized application of dharma, dependent on personal karma, reflected on one's race, community, physical characteristics, health, intelligence, skills and aptitudes, desires and tendencies, religion, sampradaya, family and guru.

Within ashrama dharma, the unique duties of man and woman are respectively called stri dharma and purusha dharma. --purusha dharma: "Man's duty." Man's proper pattern of conduct; traditional observances, vocation, behavior and attitudes dictated by spiritual wisdom. Characterized by leadership, integrity, accomplishment, sustenance of the family. Notably, the married man works in the world and sustains his family as abundantly as he can. --stri dharma: "Woman's duty." Traditional conduct, observances, vocational and spiritual patterns which bring spiritual fulfillment and societal stability. Characterized by modesty, quiet strength, religiousness, dignity and nurturing of family. Notably, she is most needed and irreplaceable as the maker of the home and the educator of their children as noble citizens of tomorrow. See: grihastha dharma, varna dharma.

dharmashala: "Abode of righteousness." A monastery or ashrama, offering religious training for monks and in some cases lay persons on pilgrimage or religious retreat. In Living with Siva, it specifically refers to branch monasteries of Kauai Aadheenam.

Dharma Shastra: "Religious law book." A term referring to all or any of numerous codes of Hindu civil and social law composed by various authors. The best known and most respected are those by Manu and Yajnavalkya, thought to have been composed as early as 600 bce. The Dharma Shastras, along with the Artha Shastras, are the codes of Hindu law, parallel to the Muslim Sharia, the Jewish Talmud, each of which provides guidelines for kings, ministers, judicial systems and law enforcement agencies. The Dharma Shastras are part of the smriti literature, included in the Kalpa Vedanga, and are widely available today in many languages.

dhoti: (Hindi) A long, unstitched cloth wound about the lower part of the body, and sometimes passed between the legs and tucked into the waist. A traditional Hindu apparel for men. See: veshti.

dhvaja: "Flag." Part of the pageantry of Hinduism, orange or red flags and banners, flown at festivals and other special, occasions symbolize the victory of Sanatana Dharma. See: festival.

dhyana: ٲ "Meditation." See: internalized worship, meditation, raja yoga.

diaspora: The dispersion of people with a common origin, background, beliefs, etc., such as the distribution of Jews when driven out of Israel.

diksha: "Initiation." Action or process by which one is entered into a new realm of spiritual knowledge and practice by a teacher or preceptor through the transmission of blessings. 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 bestowed 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. See: shaktipata.

diksha shishya: The title for members of Saiva Siddhanta Church who have received mantra diksha.

dilute: To change or weaken by mixing with something else.

discipline: Training or routines which mold one's mind, character, attitudes or other dimensions of being. The Shastric flow of monastic living is itself a self-contained discipline.

discrimination: Viveka. Act or ability to distinguish or perceive differences. In spirituality, the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, real and apparent, eternal and transient.

disdain: To regard or treat as unworthy or beneath one's dignity.

divisive: Causing division, especially causing disagreement or dissension.

door of Brahman: Brahmarandhra; also called nirvana chakra. An aperture in the crown of the head, the opening of sushumna nadi through which kundalini enters in ultimate Self Realization, and the spirit escapes at death. Only the spirits of the truly pure leave the body in this way. Samsaris take a downward course. See: jnana, kundalini.

dormant: Sleeping; inactive.

dosha: "Bodily humor; individual constitution." Refers to three bodily humors, which according to ayurveda regulate the body, govern its proper functioning and determine its unique constitution. These are vata, the air humor; pitta, the fire humor; and kapha, the water humor. Vata has its seat in the intestinal area, pitta in the stomach, and kapha in the lung area. They govern the creation, preservation and dissolution of bodily tissue. Vata humor is metabolic, nerve energy. Pitta is the catabolic, fire energy. Kapha is the anabolic, nutritive energy. The three doshas (tridosha) also give rise to the various emotions and correspond to the three gunas, "qualities:" sattva (quiescencevata), rajas (activitypitta) and tamas (inertiakapha). See: ayurveda.

dowry: Property a woman brings to her husband and his family at marriage as a condition upon which they will marry.

dualism: Opposite of monism. Any doctrine which holds that there are two eternal and distinct realities in the universe, e.g., God-world, good-evil.

Dvapara Yuga: Third of the four yugas, or vast cycles of time of this universe. The Dvapara Yuga is described in the Dravidian Shastras as a time of impending darkness as the gloom of the Kali Yuga approaches.

Ecclesiastical: "Of the church or clergy." By extension, relating to the authoritative body of any religion, sect or lineage. Having to do with an assembly of spiritual leaders and their jurisdiction.

ecumenical: Universal. --ecumenism: the principles or practices of promoting cooperation and better understanding among differing faiths.

edict: An official public order issued by an authority.

effulgent: Having great brightness; radiance; brilliant; full of light.

ego: The external personality or sense of "I" and "mine." Broadly, individual identity. In Saiva Siddhanta and other schools, the ego is equated with the tattva of ahamkara, "I-maker," which bestows the sense of I-ness, individuality and separateness from God. See: anava mala.

elemental: Of or like a force of nature in power or effect. An intelligent being of the antarloka connected with the basic elements of nature: rocks, the soil, plants, wind, etc.

elemental temples: Five renowned South Indian Siva temples, the Sivalingas of which represent the five elements: 1) Earth (Pritivi) Linga, Ekambareshvara Temple at Kanchipuram; 2) Water (Apas) Linga, Jambukeshvara Temple at Trichy; 3) Fire (Tejas) Linga, Arunchaleshvara Temple at Tiruvanamalai; 4) Air (Vayu) Linga, Kalahasteshvara Temple at Shri Kalahasti; 5) Ether (Akasha) Linga, Shri Natajara Temple at Chidambaram.

eloquent: Vivid, forceful, fluent, graceful and persuasive speech or writing.

embalming: The process of treating a dead body with various chemicals to prevent it from decaying rapidly. See: cremation.

emulate: To imitate. To attempt to equal or surpass someone, generally by copying his ways, talents or successes.

enchantment: A magic spell; a bewitching, captivating power.

encroachment: Gradual or sneaking trespass or intrusion.

endangered: On the verge of extinction, as of rare plants or animals.

endowment: Funds that are invested for the purpose of providing a permanent income to a charitable institution such as a temple, ashrama, school or hospital, or to a family or business. The principal is held perpetually inviolate, with only the income from the investment of the funds available for expenditure.

enlightened: Having attained enlightenment, Self Realization. A jnani or jivanmukta. See: enlightenment, jnana, Self Realization.

enlightenment: For Saiva monists, Self Realization, samadhi without seed (nirvikalpa samadhi); the ultimate attainment, sometimes referred to as Paramatma darshana, or as atma darshana, "Self vision" (a term which appears in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras). Enlightenment is the experience-nonexperience resulting in the realization of one's transcendent SelfParashivawhich exists beyond time, form and space. See: God Realization, kundalini, Self Realization.

enmity: Bitter attitude or feelings of an enemy; hostility; antagonism.

enstasy: A term coined in 1969 by Mircea Eliade to contrast the Eastern view of bliss as "standing inside oneself" (enstasy) with the Western view as ecstasy, "standing outside oneself." A word chosen as the English equivalent of samadhi. See: samadhi, raja yoga.

entanglements: Involvements in difficulty; being tangled or confused.

equivalent: Equal in value or meaning.

equivocal: Uncertain; undecided; doubtful.

eradicate: To "root out," destroy, get rid of.

esoteric: Hard to understand or secret. Teaching intended for a chosen few, as an inner group of initiates. Abtruse or private.

ethical restraints: See: yama-niyama.

ethical observances: See: yama-niyama.

ethics: The code or system of morals of a nation, people, religion, etc. See: dharma, pancha nitya karmas, punya.

evil: That which is bad, morally wrong, causing harm, pain, misery. In Western religions, evil is often thought of as a moral antagonism with God. Hindus hold that evil, known in Sanskrit as papa, papman or dushta, is the result of unvirtuous acts (papa or adharma) caused by the instinctive-intellectual mind dominating and obscuring deeper, spiritual intelligence. The evil-doer is viewed as a young soul, ignorant of the value of right thought, speech and action, unable to live in the world without becoming entangled in maya. --intrinsic evil: Inherent, inborn badness. Hinduism holds that there is no intrinsic evil, and the real nature of man is his divine, soul nature, which is goodness. See: hell, karma, papa, sin.

excommunication: Process of being formally released from a religion; deprived of all rights of membership.

exemplar: One regarded as worthy of imitation; a model. An ideal pattern to be followed by others.

exemplify: To show by being an example of.

existentialist: Adjective of "existentialism"the doctrine that concrete individual existence takes precedence over abstract, conceptual essence. Also names a adherent to this school of thought.

expediency: Doing what is advantageous rather than what is right or just.

experience: From the Latin experior, "to prove; put to the test." Living through an event; personal involvement. In Sanskrit, anubhava.

exploitative: Making unethical use of for advantage or profit.

extended family: Brihatkutumba or mahakutumba. One or more joint families plus their broader associations and affiliations. Unlike the joint family, whose members live in close proximity, the extended family is geographically widespread. The extended family is headed by the patriarch, called brihatkutumba pramukha (or mukhya), recognized as the leader by each joint family. He, in turn is under the guidance of the kulaguru, or family preceptor. See: grihastha dharma, joint family.

extol: To praise highly; laud.

extravagant: Going beyond the reasonable limits; excessive, unrestrained.

Faith: Trust or belief. Conviction. From the Latin fidere, "to trust." Faith in its broadest sense means "religion, dharma." More specifically, it is the essential element of religionthe belief in phenomena beyond the pale of the five senses, distinguishing it sharply from rationalism. Faith is established through intuitive or transcendent experience of an individual, study of scripture and hearing the testimony of the many wise rishis speaking out the same truths over thousands of years. The Sanskrit equivalent is shraddha.

family life: See: extended family, grihastha dharma, joint family.

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fast: To abstain from all or certain foods, as in observance of a vow or holy day. Hindus fast in various ways. A simple fast may consist of merely avoiding certain foods for a day or more, such as when nonvegetarians abstain from fish, fowl and meats. A moderate fast would involve avoiding heavier foods, or taking only juices, teas and other liquids. Such fasts are sometimes observed only during the day, and a normal meal is permitted after sunset. Serious fasting, which is done under supervision, involves taking only water for a number of days and requires a cessation of most external activities.

fathom: To understand thoroughly the depths of.

favoritism: Showing more attention or kindness to some persons than to others.

fellowship: Companionship. Mutual sharing of interests, beliefs or practice. A group of people with common interests and aspirations.

festival: A time of religious celebration and special observances. Festivals generally recur yearly, their dates varying slightly according to astrological calculations. They are characterized by acts of piety (elaborate pujas, penance, fasting, pilgrimage) and rejoicing (songs, dance, music, parades, storytelling and scriptural reading).

fidelity: Faithfulness; remaining wholly loyal to and having sexual relations only with one's spouse.

firewalking: The trance-inducing ceremonial practice of walking over a bed of smoldering, red-hot coals as an expression of faith and sometimes as a form of penance. Participants describe it as a euphoric experience in which no pain is felt and no burns received. See: penance, Shaktism.

five classical duties: See: pancha nitya karmas.

five-fold God consciousness: See: Siva consciousness.

Five Letters: See: Namah Sivaya.

five parenting guidelines: See: pancha kutumba sadhana.

five practices: See: pancha nitya karma.

five precepts: See: pancha shraddha.

five steps to enlightenment: The successive phases of meditation: 1) attention, ekagrata, or withdrawal, pratyahara; 2) concentration, dharana; 3)meditation, dhyana; 4) contemplation, savikalpa samadhi; and 5) samadhi, (nirvikalpa samadhi). These five make up the last four of classical raja yoga's eight limbs (ashtanga), as the last limb, "samadhi," is viewed here in two stages.

focus: Adjustment for distinctness or clarity.

forbearance: Self-control; responding with patience and compassion, especially under provocation. Endurance; tolerance. See: yama-niyama.

force field: The cumulative energy surrounding the monastery or a harmonious home; a spiritual shield which protects the residents from astral and physical intrusion. Built up through worship, invoking of the Deities, and through sadhana, tapas and disciplined living.

forehead marks: See: tilaka, tripundra.

forestall: To obstruct or hinder by doing something ahead of time.

forfeiting: Giving up something due to a crime or fault or neglect of duty.

foster member: A Hindu member of an extended family, not related by blood or marriage.

four stages of dharma: See: dharma.

four traditional goals: Chaturvarga, "four-fold good," or purushartha, "human wealths or purposes"duty (dharma), wealth (artha), love (kama) and liberation (moksha). See: purushartha.

frugal: Not wasteful; not spending freely or unnecessarily; thrifty.

fundamentalist: Any religious or philosophical group or individual marked by extreme dogmatism and intolerance. Fundamentalists believe in a literal interpretation of their scripture as the exclusive truth, the one and only way which all souls must follow to attain salvation, and in allegiance to their messiah as the one true representative of God. A religious fanatic.

funeral rites: See: cremation, bone-gathering, samskaras.

Gana: "Multitude, troop; number; a body of followers or attendants." A troop of demigodsGod Siva's attendants, devonic helpers under the supervision of Lord Ganesha.

Ganesha: "Lord of Categories." (From gan, "to count or reckon," and Isha, "lord.") Or: "Lord of attendants (gana)," synonymous with Ganapati. Ganesha is a Mahadeva, the beloved elephant-faced Deity honored by Hindus of every sect. He is the Lord of Obstacles (Vighneshvara), revered for His great wisdom and invoked first before any undertaking, for He knows all intricacies of each soul's karma and the perfect path of dharma that makes action successful. He sits on the muladhara chakra and is easy of access.

Ganesha Chaturthi: August-September that culminates in a spectacular parade called Ganesha Visarjana. It is a time of rejoicing, when all Hindus worship together.

ganga sadhana: a river or stream and listening to the Aum sound as the water flows over the rocks. When a thought arises, it is mentally placed into a leaf held in the right hand. Then the leaf is gently tossed into the water to take the thought away. Then a flower is offered to thanks the water for carrying away the thought. This is a subconscious cleansing process of letting go of hurts, anger, problems or whatever it is that rises in the mind to disturb the meditation.

Ganges (Ganga): India's most sacred river, 1,557 miles long, arising in the Himalayas above Hardwar under the name Bhagiratha, and being named Ganga after joining the Alakanada (where the Sarasvati is said to join them underground). It flows southeast across the densely populated Gangetic plain, joining its sister Yamuna (or Jumna) at Prayaga (Allahabad) and ending at the Bay of Bengal.

Gangetic: Near to or on the banks of the Ganges river in North India.

gayatri: According with the gayatri verse form, an ancient meter of 24 syllables, generally as a triplet with eight syllables each. From gaya, "song." Gayatri: The Vedic Gayatri Mantra personified as a Goddess, mother of the four Vedas.

Gayatri Mantra: 1) Famous Vedic mantra used in puja and personal chanting. Om [bhur bhuvah svah] tatsavitur varenyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yo nah prachodayat. "[O Divine Beings of all three worlds,] we meditate upon the glorious splendor of the Vivifier divine. May He Himself illumine our minds." (Rig Veda 3.62.10 VE). This sacred verse is also called the Savitri Mantra, being addressed to Savitri, the Sun as Creator, and is considered a universal mystic formula so significant that it is called Vedamatri, "mother of the Vedas."

ghee: Hindi for clarified butter; ghrita in Sanskrit. Butter that has been boiled and strained. An important sacred substance used in temple lamps and offered in fire ceremony, yajna. It is also used as a food with many ayurvedic virtues.

God Realization: A term naming the direct and personal experience of the Divine within oneself. It can refer to either 1) savikalpa samadhi ("enstasy with form") in its various levels, from the experience of inner light to the realization of Satchidananda, the pure consciousness or primal substance flowing through all form, or 2) nirvikalpa samadhi ("enstasy without form"), union with the transcendent Absolute, Parashiva, the Self God, beyond time, form and space. In Living with Siva, the term God Realization is used to name both of the above samadhis, whereas Self Realization refers only to nirvikalpa samadhi. See: five steps to enlightenment, samadhi, Self Realization.

Gods: Mahadevas, "great beings of light." In Living with Siva, the plural form of God refers to extremely advanced beings existing in their self-effulgent soul bodies in the causal plane. The meaning of Gods is best seen in the phrase, "God and the Gods," referring to the Supreme GodSivaand the Mahadevas who are His creation. See: Mahadeva.

gopura: South Indian temple entrance tower, often quite tall with ornate carvings. See: temple.

gotra: "Cowshed." Family lineage or subcaste stemming from a rishi or satguru and bearing his name. Originally described as several joint families sharing a common cowshed. See: caste, varna dharma.

grace: "Benevolence, love, giving," from the Latin gratus, "beloved, agreeable." God's power of revealment, anugraha shakti ("kindness, showing favor"), by which souls are awakened to their true, Divine nature. Grace in the unripe stages of the spiritual journey is experienced by the devotee as receiving gifts or boons, often unbidden, from God. The mature soul finds himself surrounded by grace. He sees all of God's actions as grace, whether they be seemingly pleasant and helpful or not. See: prapatti, shaktipata.

grace period: A period of six months following Satguru Purnima in which shishyas may rededicate their commitment.

graft: The taking advantage of one's position to illegally acquire money, goods or other material benefits. Also names goods gained by such means.

great star: The Sun of this solar system.

grihastha: "Householder." Family man or woman. Family of a married couple and other relatives. Pertaining to family life. The purely masculine form of the word is grihasthi. The feminine form is grihasthin. Grihasthi also names the home itself. See: ashrama dharma, extended family, grihastha dharma, joint family.

grihastha dharma: "Householder law." The virtues and ideals of family life. This dharma includes all nonmonastics, whether married, single or gay. In general, grihastha dharma begins with the completion of the period of studentship and extends throughout the period of raising a family (called the grihastha ashrama). Specific scriptures, called Dharma Shastras and Grihya Shastras, outline the duties and obligations of family life. The householder strives to fulfill the four purusharthas, "human goals" of righteousness, wealth, pleasure and liberation. While taking care of one's own family is most central, it is only part of this dharma's expectations. Grihasthas must support the religion by building and maintaining temples, monasteries and other religious institutions, supporting the monastics and disseminating the teachings. They must care for the elderly and feed the poor and homeless. See: dharma, extended family, joint family.

grihini: From griha, "home," hence "lady of the home."

grihya: From griha "home," hence "household."

guru: "Weighty one," indicating a being of great knowledge or skill. A term used to describe 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). According to the Advayataraka Upanishad (1418), guru means "dispeller (gu) of darkness (ru)." See: guru bhakti, guru-shishya system, satguru.

guru bhakti: Devotion to the teacher. The attitude of humility, love and ideation held by a student in any field of study. In the spiritual realm, the devotee strives to see the guru as his higher Self. By attuning himself to the satguru's inner nature and wisdom, the disciple slowly transforms his own nature to ultimately attain the same peace and enlightenment his guru has achieved. See: guru, satguru, guru-shishya system.

Gurudeva: "Divine or radiant preceptor." An affectionate, respectful name for the guru.

Guru Gita: "Song of the guru." A popular 352-verse excerpt from the Skanda Purana, wherein Lord Siva tells Parvati of the guru-disciple relationship. See: guru, Sri Guru Gita.

guru hut: A building in Rishi Valley on San Marga which is used only by Gurudeva to give darshan.

Guru Jayanti: Preceptor's birthday, celebrated as an annual festival by devotees. A padapuja, ritual bathing of his feet, is usually performed. If he is not physically present, the puja is done to the tiruvadi or shri paduka, "holy sandals," which represent the guru and hold his vibration.

gurukula: A training center where young boys live and learn in residence with their teacher. Kula means "family." See: ashrama, brahmacharya.

guru lineage: See: guru parampara.

Guru Mahasannidhanam: Spiritual head of a traditional aadheenam.

Guru Mantra: A profound Vedic hymn in honor and praise of all illumined preceptors, traditionally chanted by disciples upon their guru's arrival. This praise of his unspeakable unfoldment is generally given while standing, with hands in anjali mudra, prayerful pose, held near the chest, or as a special sign of veneration, at the forehead. This mantra is from the Krishna Yajur Veda, Mahanarayana Upanishad, 12.3.7.

guru parampara: "Preceptorial succession" (literally, "from one to another"). A line of spiritual gurus in authentic succession of initiation; the chain of mystical power and authorized continuity, passed from guru to guru. See: sampradaya.

Guru Purnima: Occurring on the full moon of July, Guru Purnima is for devotees a day of rededication to all that the guru represents. It is occasioned by padapujaritual worship of the guru's sandals, which represent his holy feet.

guru-shishya system: "Master-disciple system."An important education system of Hinduism whereby the teacher conveys his knowledge and tradition to a student. The principle of this system is that knowledge, especially subtle or advanced knowledge, is best conveyed through a strong human relationship based on ideals of the student's respect, commitment, devotion and obedience, and on personal instruction by which the student eventually masters the knowledge the guru embodies. See: guru, guru bhakti, satguru.

guru temple: Sacred room for the Satguru adjacent to Kadavul Hindu Temple.

Hanuman: The member of the Senior Minority Group whose main duty is to convey messages to groups.

harassment: Trouble, or torment.

hasten: To move or act swiftly; hurry; to quicken.

havana: "Fire pit for sacred offering; making oblations through fire." Same as homa. Havis and havya name the offerings.

havana kunda: The fire altar, made of metal or brick, in which written prayers are burned.

havanakara: The four kulapatis who perform the havana. The havanakaras are the three most senior kulapatis and the one least senior kulapati present.

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hatha yoga: "Forceful yoga." Hatha yoga is a system of physical and mental exercise developed in ancient times as a means of preparing the body and mind for meditation. See: kundalini, nadi, yoga.

heed: To pay close attention to; take careful notice of.

hell: Naraka. An unhappy, mentally and emotionally congested, distressful area of consciousness. Hell is a state of mind that can be experienced on the plane of physical existence or in the sub-astral plane (Naraka) after the death of the physical body. It is accompanied by the tormented emotions of hatred, remorse, resentment, fear, jealousy and self-condemnation. However, in the Hindu view, the hellish experience is not permanent, but a temporary condition of one's own making. See: asura, loka.

hereditary: Ancestral. Passed down through family lines. For example, it is Hindu family dharma for the son to be taught everything that the father knows and the daughter to learn everything the mother knows. Thus they inherit knowledge, control of mind and emotions, as well as property.

heroin: A powerful, dangerous, habit-forming narcotic drug derived from morphine.

hierarchy: A group of beings arranged in order of rank or class; as a hierarchy of God, Gods and devas.

higher nature, lower nature: Expressions indicating man's refined, soulful qualities on the one hand, and his base, instinctive qualities on the other. See: mind (five states).

Himalayan Academy: An educational and publishing institution of Saiva Siddhanta Church founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1957. The Academy's objective is to share the teachings of Sanatana Dharma through travel-study programs, The Master Course, books and other publicationsparticularly the monthly newspaper Hinduism Today and Dancing with Siva, Hinduism's Contemporary Catechismas a public service to Hindus worldwide. See: Hinduism Today, Subramuniyaswami.

Himalayan Kalakshetra: See: Himalayan Academy.

Himalayas: "Abode of snow." The mountain system extending along the India-Tibet border and through Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan.

Hindu: A follower of, or relating to, Hinduism. See: Hinduism.

Hindu Businessmen's Association: Organization of Church men who own their own businesses, either fully or in partnership.

Hindu Heritage Endowment: A public service trust which seeks to establish and maintain permanent sources of income for Hindu institutions worldwide.

Hinduism (Hindu Dharma): India's indigenous religious and cultural system, followed today by nearly one billion adherents, mostly in India, but with large populations in many other countries. Also called Sanatana Dharma, "eternal religion" and Vaidika Dharma, "religion of the Vedas." Hinduism is the world's most ancient religion and encompasses a broad spectrum of philosophies ranging from pluralistic theism to absolute monism. It is a family of myriad faiths with four primary denominations: Saivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. These four hold such divergent beliefs that each is a complete and independent religion. Yet, they share a vast heritage of culture and beliefkarma, dharma, reincarnation, all-pervasive Divinity, temple worship, sacraments, manifold Deities, the guru-shishya tradition and a reliance on the Vedas as scriptural authority.

Hinduism Today: The international, monthly newspaper published on every continent by Himalayan Academy and founded in 1979 by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. See: Subramuniyaswami.

Hindu solidarity: Hindu unity in diversity. A major theme in contemporary Hinduism according to which the various Hindu denominations are mutually supportive and work together in harmony, while taking care not to obscure or lessen their distinctions or unique virtues. The underlying belief is that Hinduism will be strong if each of its sects, denominations and lineages is individually vibrant. See: Hinduism.

Hindutva dhvaja: The Hindu flag. Flying at Kauai's Hindu monastery and everywhere members reside, Hindutva dhvaja majestically proclaims the Sanatana Dharma.

Hindu Workingmen's Association: Organization of Church men who are employed by others.

holy ash: See: tilaka, tripundra, vibhuti.

holy feet: The feet of God, a God, satguru or any holy person, often represented by sacred sandals, called shri paduka in Sanskrit and tiruvadi in Tamil. The feet of a divine one are considered especially precious as they represent the point of contact of the Divine and the physical, and are thus revered as the source of grace. The sandals or feet of the guru are the object of worship on his jayanti (birthday), on Guru Purnima and other special occasions. See: padapuja, paduka, satguru.

Holy Bible of the Saivite Hindu Religion: selections from Hindu primary and secondary scripture, including the Vedas, Agamas, Tirumantiram and Tirukural.

holy orders: A divine ordination or covenant, giving religious authority. Vows that members of a religious body make, especially a monastic body or order, such as the vows (holy orders of renunciation) given a sannyasin at the time of his initiation (sannyasa diksha), which establish a covenant with the ancient holy order of sannyasa. Sannyasins, the wearers of the ocher robe, are the ordained religious leaders of Hinduism. See: sannyasa diksha.

homa: "Fire-offering." A sacred ceremony in which the Gods are offered oblations through the medium of fire in a sanctified fire pit, homakunda, usually made of earthen bricks. Homa rites are enjoined in the Vedas, Agamas and Dharma and Grihya Shastras. Many domestic rites are occasions for homa, including upanayana and vivaha. Major pujas in temples are often preceded by a homa.

homeopathy: Medical system using minute doses of drugs that in larger amounts would produce symptoms of the respective disease.

homosexual: Of or characterized by sexual attraction for members of one's own gender. A modern synonym is gay, especially for males, while female homosexuals are termed lesbian. See: sexuality.

householder: Grihastha. Family man or woman. Family of a married couple and other relatives. Pertaining to family life. See: extended family, grihastha dharma, joint family.

humiliate: To hurt the pride or dignity of by causing to appear foolish.

humors (or bodily humors): See: ayurveda, dosha.

hundi: "Offering box," from hun, "to sacrifice." A strong box inside Hindu temples into which devotees place their contributions.

I mmanent: Indwelling; present and operating within. Relating to God, immanent means present in all things and throughout the universe, not aloof or distant.

immortality: Deathlessness. See: death.

impeccable:

impropriety: Improper action or behavior.

incarnation: Endowment with a human body. "Incarnation of Siva" means the taking of human birth by the Supreme Being. See: reincarnation.

incognito: Without being recognized; keeping one's identity unrevealed or disguised. Refers in this text to the protocol followed by monks traveling alone from one of our monasteries to another or to rendezvous with other monks on pilgrimage. Traveling incognito means passing through unnoticed. It means remaining centered, intent on the destination, engaged in silent sadhana, scriptural reading, japa and meditation. It includes avoiding interraction through not initiating conversation, engaging in small talk only as necessary and not volunteering information about oneself. Traveling incognito means avoiding contact and not visiting with Church members, Academy students or friends of the Church unless otherwise instructed. It means not teaching or lecturing and not giving out religious literature.

indomitable: Not easily discouraged, defeated or subdued. Unconquerable.

inextricable: Cannot be disentangled or separated from another thing.

infatuated: So absorbed by attachment or affection as to become foolish or lacking in good judgment.

infatuation: The magnetic condition of being captured by a foolish or shallow love or affection.

infiltrate: To gradually penetrate so as to attack or seize control from within.

initiation (to initiate): To enter into; to admit as a member. In Hinduism, initiation from a qualified preceptor is considered invaluable for spiritual progress. See: diksha, shaktipata, sannyasa diksha.

injunction: An urging; an order or firm instruction.

innate: Naturally occurring; not acquired. That which belongs to the inherent nature or constitution of a being or thing.

innersearch: Striving inwardly to know oneself.

Innersearch Travel-Study Program: A pilgrimage by a group of shishya who visit temples and holy sites together as they learn more of who they are on the inside.

inscrutable: Not easily understood; completely obscure or mysterious.

insignia: Sign or symbol of identity, rank or office, such as a badge or emblem.

intellect: The power to reason or understand; power of thought; mental acumen. See: buddhi, intellectual mind.

intellectual mind: Buddhi chitta. The faculty of reason and logical thinking. It is the source of discriminating thought, rather than the ordinary, impulsive thought processes of the lower or instinctive mind, called manas chitta. Buddhi chitta is of the manomaya kosha. See: buddhi, mind (five states), mind (three phases).

internalize: To take something inside of oneself. To conteplate or reflect upon.

internalized worship: Yoga. Worship or contact with God and Gods via meditation and contemplation rather than through external ritual. This is the yogi's path, preceded by the charya and kriya padas. See: meditation, yoga.

instinctive: "Natural or innate." From the Latin instinctus, "to impel, instigate." The drives and impulses that order the animal world and the physical and lower astral aspects of humansfor example, self-preservation, procreation, hunger and thirst, as well as the emotions of greed, hatred, anger, fear, lust and jealousy. See: mind (three phases).

instinctive mind: Manas chitta. The lower mind, the controller of basic faculties of perception, movement, ordinary thought and emotion. Manas chitta is of the manomaya kosha. See: mind (three phases).

intimacy: The state of being intimate or very close. Having a close rapport.

intrigue: Secret or underhanded plotting or scheming.

intrinsic: Essential; inherent. Belonging to the real nature of a being or thing. --intrinsic evil: See: evil.

intuition (to intuit): Direct understanding or cognition, which bypasses the process of reason. Intuition is a far superior source of knowing than reason, but it does not contradict reason. See: cognition, mind (five states).

invincible: That which cannot be overcome; unconquerable.

invocation (to invoke): A "calling or summoning," as to a God, saint, etc., for blessings and assistance. Also, a formal prayer or chant. See: mantra.

Iraivan: "Worshipful one; divine one." One of the most ancient Tamil names for God. See: San Marga Sanctuary.

Iraivan Temple: See: San Marga Sanctuary.

itinerant: Traveling from place to place, with no permanent home. Wandering. See: monk, sadhu, vairagi.

Jai: "Victory!"

japa: "Recitation." Practice of concentratedly repeating a mantra, often while counting the repetitions on a mala or strand of beads. It is recommended as a cure for pride and arrogance, anger and jealousy, fear and confusion. It fills the mind with divine syllables, awakening the divine essence of spiritual energies.

Jayanti: Preceptor's birthday, celebrated as an annual festival by devotees. A padapuja, ritual bathing of his feet, is usually performed. If he is not physically present, the puja is done to the shri paduka, "holy sandals," which represent the guru and hold his vibration.

jiva: "Living, existing." From jiv, "to live." The individual soul, atman, during its embodied state, bound by the three malas (anava, karma and maya). The jivanmukta is one who is "liberated while living." See: atman, soul.

jivanmukti: "Liberation while living." The state of the jivanmukta. Contrasted with videhamukti, liberation at the point of death. See: death, moksha, reincarnation, videhamukti.

Jivana Ritau: The rainy season, from mid-August to mid-December, when Living with Siva: Hinduism's Contemporary Culture is the focus of study.

jivanopaya: "Livelihood, means of living."

jnana: "Knowledge; wisdom." The matured state of the soul. It is the wisdom that comes as an aftermath of the kundalini breaking through the door of Brahman into the realization of Parashiva, Absolute Reality. Jnana is the awakened, superconscious state (karana chitta). It is the fruition of the progressive stages of charya, kriya and yoga in the Saiva Siddhanta system of spiritual unfoldment. See: God Realization, Self Realization, samadhi.

joint family: Kutumba or kula. The Hindu social unit consisting of several generations of kindred living together under the same roof or in a joining compound. Traditionally, joint families live in a large single home, but in modern times accommodations are often in individual, nuclear homes within a shared compound. The main characteristics of the joint family are that its members 1) share a common residence, 2) partake of food prepared in the same kitchen, 3) hold their property in common and, 4) ideally, profess the same religion, sect and sampradaya. Each individual family of husband, wife and children is under the guidance of the head of the joint family. All work together unselfishly to further the common good. Each joint family extends out from its home to include a second level of connections as an "extended family (brihatkutumba or mahakutumba)." See: extended family, grihastha dharma.

jurisdiction: A sphere of authority; the territorial range of authority.

jyoti: Inner light.

jyotisha: From jyoti, "light." "The science of the lights (or stars)." Hindu astrology, the knowledge and practice of analyzing events and circumstances, delineating character and determining auspicious moments, according to the positions and movements of heavenly bodies. In calculating horoscopes, jyotisha uses the sidereal (fixed-star) system, whereas Western astrology uses the tropical (fixed-date) method. See: birth chart.

jyotisha acharya: A "teacher of astrology."

jyotisha shastri: "Astrologer." A person well versed in the science of jyotisha.

Kadaitswami: "Marketplace swami." A satguru of the Nandinatha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara. Born ca 1820; died 1875. Renouncing his career as a judge in Bangalore, South India, Kadaitswami became a sannyasin and trained under the "Rishi from the Himalayas," who then sent him on mission to Sri Lanka. He performed severe tapas on an island off the coast of Jaffna, awakening many siddhis. For decades he spurred the Sri Lankan Saivites to greater spirituality through his inspired talks and demonstration of siddhis. He initiated Chellappaswami as the next satguru in the parampara. See: Kailasa Parampara, Natha Sampradaya.

Kadavul: "Beyond and within." An ancient Tamil name for Lord Siva meaning, "He who is both immanent and transcendent, within and beyond." See: Siva.

Kailasa: "Crystalline" or "abode of bliss." The four-faced Himalayan peak in Western Tibet; the earthly abode of Lord Siva. Associated with Mount Meru, the legendary center of the universe, it is an important pilgrimage destination for all Hindus, as well as for Tibetan Buddhists. Kailasa is represented in Shaktism by a certain three-dimensional form of the Shri Chakra yantra (also called kailasa chakra).

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Kailasa Parampara: A spiritual lineage of siddhas, a major stream of the Nandinatha Sampradaya, proponents of the ancient philosophy of monistic Saiva Siddhanta. The first of these masters that history recalls was Maharishi Nandinatha (or Nandikeshvara) 2,250 years ago, satguru to the great Tirumular, ca 200 bce, and seven other disciples (as stated in the Tirumantiram): Patanjali, Vyaghrapada, Sanatkumara, Sivayogamuni, Sanakar, Sanadanar and Sananthanar. Tirumular had seven disciples: Malangam, Indiran, Soman, Brahman, Rudran, Kalanga, and Kanjamalayam, each of whom established one or more monasteries and propagated the Agamic lore. In the line of Kalanga came the sages Righama, Maligaideva, Nadantar, Bhogadeva and Paramananda. The lineage continued down the centuries and is alive todaythe first recent siddha known being the Rishi from the Himalayas, so named because he descended from those holy mountains. In South India, he initiated Kadaitswami (ca 18101875), who in turn initiated Chellappaswami (18401915). Chellappan passed the mantle of authority to sage Yogaswami (18721964), who in 1949 initiated the current satguru, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. See: Chellapaswami, Kadaitswami, Natha Sampradaya, Subramuniyaswami, Tirumular, Yogaswami.

kala64 (chatuh shashti kala): "Sixty-four arts." A classical curriculum of sacred sciences, studies, arts and skills of cultured living listed in various Hindu shastras. Its most well-known appearance is in the Kama Sutra, an extensive manual devoted to sensual pleasures. The kalas are among the skills traditionally taught to both genders, while emphasizing masculinity in men and femininity in women. Their subject matter draws on such texts as the Vedangas and Upavedas, and the Shilpa Shastras, or craft manuals. Through the centuries, writers have prescribed many more skills and accomplishments. These include sculpture, pottery, weaving, astronomy and astrology, mathematics, weights and measures, philosophy, scriptural study, agriculture, navigation, trade and shipping, knowledge of time, logic, psychology and ayurveda. In modern times, two unique sets of 64 kalas have been developed, one for girls and one for boys.

Kali Yuga: "Dark Age." The Kali Yuga is the last age in the repetitive cycle of four phases of time the universe passes through. It is comparable to the darkest part of the night, as the forces of ignorance are in full power and many of the subtle faculties of the soul are obscured. See: yuga.

kama: "Pleasure, love; desire." Cultural, intellectual and sexual fulfillment. One of four human goals, purushartha. See: purushartha.

kamandalu: "Vessel, water jar." Traditionally earthen or wooden, carried by sannyasins, it symbolizes the renunciate's simple, self-contained life. The tree from which kamandalus are traditionally made is the kamandalutaru. See: sannyasa dharma, sannyasin.

karma: "Action, deed." One of the most important principles in Hindu thought, karma refers to 1) any act or deed; 2) the principle of cause and effect; 3) a consequence or "fruit of action" (karmaphala) or "after effect" (uttaraphala), which sooner or later returns upon the doer. What we sow, we shall reap in this or future lives. Selfish, hateful acts (papakarma or kukarma) will bring suffering. Benevolent actions (punyakarma or sukarma) will bring loving reactions. Karma is a neutral, self-perpetuating law of the inner cosmos, much as gravity is an impersonal law of the outer cosmos. Karma is threefold: sanchita, prarabdha and kriyamana. --sanchita karma: "Accumulated actions." The sum of all karmas of this life and past lives. --prarabdha karma: "Actions begun; set in motion." That portion of sanchita karma that is bearing fruit and shaping the events and conditions of the current life, including the nature of one's bodies, personal tendencies and associations. --kriyamana karma: "Being made." The karma being created and added to sanchita in this life by one's thoughts, words and actions, or in the inner worlds between lives. Kriyamana karma is also called agami, "coming, arriving," and vartamana, "living, set in motion." While some kriyamana karmas bear fruit in the current life, others are stored for future births. Each of these types can be divided into two categories: arabdha (literally, "begun, undertaken;" karma that is "sprouting"), and anarabdha ("not commenced; dormant"), or "seed karma." See: mala, moksha, sin, soul.

karma yoga: "Union through action." The path of selfless service. See: yoga.

karma yogi: One who does acts of service while seeking no rewards.

karmic pattern: One's individual pattern of living based on all experiences from this and previous lives, the culmination of which is the future.

Karttikeya: Child of the Pleiades, from Krittika, "Pleiades." A son of Siva. A great Mahadeva worshiped in all parts of India and the world. Also known as Murugan, Kumara, Skanda, Shanmukhanatha, Subramanya and more, He is the God who guides that part of evolution which is religion, the transformation of the instinctive into a divine wisdom through the practice of yoga. He holds the holy vel of jnana shakti, which is His Power to vanquish darkness or ignorance.

Kashmir Saivite: Of or related to Kashmir Saivism; a follower of this sect of Hinduism.

Kauai: Northernmost of the Hawaiian islands; 555 sq. mi., pop. 50,000.

Kauai Aadheenam: Monastery-temple complex founded by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1970; international headquarters of Saiva Siddhanta Church.

kavadi: A penance offered to Lord Murugan-Karttikeya, especially during Tai Pusam, consisting of carrying in procession a heavy, beautifully decorated, wooden object from which pots of milk hang which are to be used for His abhisheka. The participant's tongue and other parts of the body are often pierced with small silver spears or hooks. See: penance.

kavi: "Ocher-saffron color." A Tamil term referring to the color taken on by robes of sadhus who sit, meditate or live on the banks of the Ganges. Names the color of the sannyasin's robes. The Sanskrit equivalent is kashaya.

keshanta: "Beard-shaving." See: samskaras of adulthood.

kolam: Traditional household and priestly art of "drawing" intricate decorative patterns at the entrance to a home or temple or at the site of a religious ceremony. Known as rangoli in Sanskrit. Kolam designs are made with rice powder mixed to a watery paste, and sometimes with flowers and various-colored powdered pulses.

konrai: The Golden Shower tree, Cassia fistula; symbol of Siva's cascading, abundant, golden grace.

kosha: "Sheath; vessel, container; layer." Philosophically, five sheaths through which the soul functions simultaneously in the various planes or levels of existence. --annamaya kosha: "Sheath composed of food." The physical or odic body. --pranamaya kosha: "Sheath composed of prana (vital force)." Also known as the pranic or health body, or the etheric body or etheric double. --manomaya kosha: "Mind-formed sheath." The lower astral body, from manas, "thought, will, wish." The instinctive-intellectual sheath of ordinary thought, desire and emotion. --vijnanamaya kosha: "Sheath of cognition." The mental or cognitive-intuitive sheath, also called the actinodic sheath. --anandamaya kosha: "Body of bliss." The intuitive-superconscious sheath or actinic-causal body. Anandamaya kosha is not a sheath in the same sense as the four outer koshas. It is the soul itself, a body of light, also called karana sharira, causal body, and karmashaya, holder of karmas of this and all past lives. Anandamaya kosha is that which evolves through all incarnations and beyond until the soul's ultimate, fulfilled merger, vishvagrasa, in the Primal Soul, Parameshvara. Then anandamaya kosha becomes Sivamayakosha, the body of God Siva.

koyil: Tamil word for temple.

Krittika Dipa: A joyous one-day festival on the Krittika nakshatra (Pleiades constellation), in November-December, when God Siva is worshiped as an infinite pillar of light. Great bonfires are lit at night on hills and in villages in India and elsewhere to represent the divine, all-permeating light of Parashakti. See: festival.

kriya: "Action." In a general sense, kriya can refer to doing of any kind. Specifically, it names religious action, especially rites or ceremonies. In yoga terminology, kriya names involuntary physical movements caused by the arousal of the kundalini. See: pada.

kriyamana karma: "Actions being made." See: karma.

kriya pada: "Stage of religious action; worship." The stage of worship and devotion, second of four progressive stages of maturation on the Saiva Siddhanta path of attainment. See: pada.

kshatriya: "Governing; sovereign." The social class of lawmakers, law-enforcers and military.

kukarma: "Unwholesome acts" or the fruit therefrom. See: karma, papa.

kulaguru: "Family preceptor or teacher." The kulaguru guides the joint and extended family, particularly through the heads of families, and provides spiritual education. He may or may not be a satguru.

kulamata: See: kulapati.

kulapati: A married man who is the head of his joint family and its extended family. His wife is a kulamata. A husband and wife who are part of a kulapati's extended family are known as mukhya and grihini respectively.

kulapati desha chakravala: All the kulapatis in a given country meeting all together three times a year at the beginning of each seasonin mid-April, mid-August and mid-December. Also called a national council of patriarchs. Their focus for meetings is to fulfill the spirit of the "three seasons" and to set the tenor for the local missions.

kulapati preshana chakravala: Ĵڪ See: council on missions.

Kulapati Sutras: A collection of 54 sutras from Living with Siva which serve as the minimum standard for membership in Saiva Siddhanta Church as a vratashishya.

Kulapati Sutra Vrata: the vow to uphold the 54 Kulapati Sutras, one of the requirements to become a Novitiate Church member, vratashishya.

Kularnava Tantra: A leading scripture of the Kaula school of Shaktism. It comprises 17 chapters totaling 2,058 verses which focus on ways to liberation, with notable chapters on the guru-shishya relationship.

Kumara: "Virgin youth; ever-youthful." A name of Lord Karttikeya as an eternal bachelor. See: Karttikeya.

kumari: "Ever youthful." A young virgin girl, particularly age 10-12.

kumbha: Another name for kalasha, a pot of water on which a husked coconut is nested on five mango leaves to represent the Deity; integral to certain sacred Hindu rites.

kumbhabhisheka: "Water pot ablution." The formal consecration of a new temple and its periodic reconsecration, usually at twelve-year intervals, following renovation, extensive cleaning and renewal. The rites culminate with the priests' pouring sanctified water over the temple spires, which resemble an inverted pot, or kumbha.

kumkuma: "Saffron; red." The red powder, made of turmeric and lime, worn by Hindus as the pottu, dot, at the point of the third eye on the forehead. Names the saffron plant, Crocus sativus, and its pollen.

kundalini: "She who is coiled; serpent power." The primordial cosmic energy in every individual which, at first, lies coiled like a serpent at the base of the spine and eventually, through the practice of yoga, rises up the sushumna nadi. As it rises, the kundalini awakens each successive chakra. Nirvikalpa samadhi, enlightenment, comes as it pierces through the door of Brahman at the core of the sahasrara and enters! See: chakra, samadhi, nadi.

kuttuvilaku: A standing lamp (dipastambha in Sanskrit) found in the temple, shrine room or home.

kutumba: "Family." See: extended family, joint family.

Lambodara: "Large belly." A name of Lord Ganesha cited in the Mudgala Purana as the conqueror of krodha, anger.

Leavings, food: See: prasada, uchishta.

lekhaprartha havana: "Written-prayer-burning rite." A coined term for the ancient practice of sending written prayers to the Gods by burning them in a sanctified fire in a temple or shrine. Alternately this rite can be performed at other appropriate sites, with four persons sitting around a fire and chanting to create a temporary temple. Prayers can be written in any language, but should be clearly legible, in black ink on white paper. The devas have provided a special script, called Tyaf, especially for this purpose. Its letters, from A to Z, which replace the letters of the Roman script, looks like this:

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n:

o p q r s t u v w x y z:

Lemurian and Dravidian Shastras: The two-volume set of inner plane writings which, along with these Saiva Dharma Shastras comprise The Lord Subramaniam Shastras. The Lemurian, Dravidian and Saivite Shastras are a compilation of numerous akashic records which were revealed to Gurudeva's clairvoyant vision by the inner-plane librarian in response to questions on various subjects.

Lemurians: Divine souls that came to this planet in the last Sat Yuga who were the first to inhabit human bodies, during the Treta Yuga.

lenient: Inclined not to be strict; merciful.

Letters Five: See: Namah Sivaya.

liberal Hinduism: A synonym for Smartism and the closely related neo-Indian religion. The latter form carries forward basic Hindu cultural valuessuch as dress, diet and the artswhile allowing religious values to subside. Neo-Indian religion encourages Hindus to follow any combination of theological, scriptural, sadhana and worship patterns, regardless of sectarian or religious origin. See: Smartism.

liberation: Moksha, release from the bonds of pasha, after which the soul is liberated from samsara (the round of births and deaths). In Saiva Siddhanta, pasha is the three-fold bondage of anava, karma and maya, which limit and confine the soul to the reincarnational cycle so that it may evolve. Moksha is freedom from the fettering power of these bonds, which do not cease to exist, but no longer have the power to fetter or bind the soul. See: mala, moksha, reincarnation, Self Realization, videhamukti.

light: In an ordinary sense, a form of energy which makes physical objects visible to the eye. In a religious-mystical sense, light also illumines inner objects (i.e., mental images). --inner light: light perceived inside the head and body, of which there are varying intensities. When the karmas have been sufficiently quieted, the meditator can see and enjoy inner light independently of mental images. See: Siva consciousness.

lineage: Line of succession of preceptors, each one initiating the next. See: guru parampara.

Linga: "Mark." See: Sivalinga.

liturgy: The proper, prescribed forms of religious ritual.

livelihood: Svajivana. Subsistence, or the means of obtaining it. One's profession, trade or employment. See: dharma, caste, varna dharma.

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loka: "World, habitat, realm, or plane of existence." From loc, "to shine, be bright, visible." A dimension of manifest existence; cosmic region. Each loka reflects or involves a particular range of consciousness. The three primary lokas are 1) Bhuloka: "Earth world." The world perceived through the five senses, also called the gross plane, as it is the most dense of the worlds. 2) Antarloka: "Inner or in-between world." Known in English as the subtle or astral plane, the intermediate dimension between the physical and causal worlds, where souls in their astral bodies sojourn between incarnations and when they sleep. 3) Sivaloka: "World of Siva," and of the Gods and highly evolved souls. The causal plane, also called Karanaloka, existing deep within the Antarloka at a higher level of vibration, it is a world of superconsciousness and extremely refined energy. It is the plane of creativity and intuition, the quantum level of the universe, where souls exist in self-effulgent bodies made of actinic particles of light. It is here that God and Gods move and lovingly guide the evolution of all the worlds and shed their ever-flowing grace. Its vibratory rate is that of the vishuddha, ajna and sahasrara chakras and those above. See: three worlds.

longevity: Long life; great span of life.

Lord Subramaniam Shastras: Writings by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, which he read from akashic inner-plane libraries in 1973, detailing ancient monastic traditions and the early history of planet Earth.

lottery: Game of chance in which people buy numbered tickets, and prizes are given to those whose numbers are drawn by lot.

lucid dreaming: Being totally conscious in a dream.

lunar calendar: A calendar based primarily on the cycles of the moon rather than the sun. For example, a month is from one full moon to the next or from the new moon to the next new moon. There are both lunar and solar based calendars in India, though today the solar is becoming prevalent.

Madurai: City in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu; home of one of the world's most spectacular Saivite temples, called Meenakshi-Sundaresvara.

magic: Use of charms, spells and rituals in seeking or pretending to cause or control events, or govern certain natural or supernatural forces. Also, wondrous, producing extraordinary results.

maha: A prefix meaning "great."

Mahabharata: "Great Epic of India." The world's longest epic poem. It revolves around the conflict between two kingdoms, the Pandavas and Kauravas, and their great battle of Kurukshetra near modern Delhi in approximately 1424 bce. Woven through the plot are countless discourses on philosophy, religion, astronomy, cosmology, polity, economics and many stories illustrative of simple truths and ethical principles. The Bhagavad Gita is one section of the work. The Mahabharata is revered as scripture by Vaishnavites and Smartas. See: Bhagavad Gita.

Mahadeva: "Great shining one; God." Referring either to God Siva or any of the highly evolved beings who live in the Sivaloka in their natural, effulgent soul bodies. God Siva in His perfection as Primal Soul is one of the Mahadevas, yet He is unique and incomparable in that He alone is uncreated, the Father-Mother and Destiny of all other Mahadevas. He is called Parameshvara, "Supreme God." He is the Primal Soul, whereas the other Gods are individual souls. See: Gods, Parameshvara, Siva.

mahapralaya: "Great dissolution." Total annihilation of the universe at the end of a mahakalpa. It is the absorption of all existence, including time, space and individual consciousness, all the lokas and their inhabitants into God Siva, as the water of a river returns to its source, the sea. Then Siva alone exists in His three perfections, until He again issues forth creation. During this incredibly vast period there are many partial dissolutions, pralayas, when either the Bhuloka and/or the Antarloka are destroyed.

maharaja: "Great king." Indian monarch. Title of respect for political or (in modern times) spiritual leaders.

maharishi (maharshi): "Great seer." Title for the greatest and most influential of siddhas.

mahasamadhi: "Great enstasy." The death, or dropping off of the physical body, of a great soul, an event occasioned by tremendous blessings. Also names the shrine in which the remains of a great soul are entombed. Mahasamadhi day names the anniversary of a great soul's transition. See: cremation, death.

Mahashivaratri: "Siva's great night." Saivism's foremost festival, celebrated on the night before the new moon in February-March. Fasting and all-night vigil are observed as well as other disciplines: chanting, praying, meditating and worshiping Siva as the Source and Self of all that exists.

mahatma: "Great soul." Honorific title given to people held in high esteem, especially saints. See: atman.

mahavakya: "Great saying." A profound aphorism from scripture or a holy person. Most famous are four Upanishadic proclamations: Prajanam Brahma ("Pure consciousness is God"Aitareya U.), Aham Brahmasmi ("I am God"Brihadaranyaka U.), Tat tvam asi ("Thou art That"тhandogya U.) and Ayam atma Brahma ("The soul is God"Mandukya U.).

mala: "Impurity." An important term in Saivism referring to three bonds, called pashaanava, karma, and maya which limit the soul, preventing it from knowing its true, divine nature. See: liberation.

mandala: "Circular; orb; mystic diagram." A circle. Name of the chapters of the Rig Veda Samhita. A circular diagram without beginning or endwhich indicates the higher and the lower and other possibilitiesupon which one meditates. A tapestry, picture or grouping of words used in meditation to enter the realms depicted.

mandapa: From mand, "to deck, adorn." Temple precinct; a temple compound, open hall or chamber. In entering a large temple, one passes through a series of mandapas, each named according to its position, e.g., mukhamandapa, "facing chamber." In some temples, mandapas are concentrically arranged. See: temple.

mandira: Temple or shrine; abode." See: temple.

Mango Mandapam: A small gazebo type structure under a giant, deva-filled mango tree near Kadavul Hindu Temple.

Manikkavasagar: "He of ruby-like utterances." Tamil saint who contributed to the medieval Saivite renaissance (ca 850). He gave up his position as prime minister to follow a renunciate life. His poetic Tiruvasagam, "holy utterances"

a major Saiva Siddhanta scripture (part of the eighth Tirumurai) and a jewel of Tamil literatureexpress his aspirations, trials and yogic realizations. :

mansahara: "Meat-eating."

mansahari: "Meat-eater." Those who follow a non-vegetarian diet. See: meat-eater, vegetarian.

mantra diksha: Initiation into the use of a sacred mantra.

manusha: "Men."

male dharma: See: dharma.

mantra: "Mystic formula." A sound, syllable, word or phrase endowed with special power, usually drawn from scripture. Mantras are chanted loudly during puja to invoke the Gods and establish a force field. Certain mantras are used for worshful incantation, called japa. To be truly effective, such mantras must be given by the preceptor through initiation. See: japa.

manusha manushi cha : "Men and women."

marga: "Path; way." From marg, "to seek." See: pada.

marriage covenant: The written (or verbal) statements of bride and groom expressing the promises and expectations of their marriage. Known in Sanskrit as vannishchaya, "settlement by word."

Master Course: Prabhu Sanmarga, a course on the Saivite Hindu religion, and more specifically monistic Saiva Siddhanta, the Advaita nshvaravada of Shri Lanka and South India, Part One of which is Saivite Hindu Religion. The Master Course is a home-study course of applied yogic tantras.

mathaseva: Service for the monastery, such as hosting visitors, giving hospitality, lodging and transportation; preparing prasada, cooking for gatherings, harvesting produce, caring for certain areas of the grounds, sewing, making garlands and other decorations for festivals and more.

materialism (materialistic): The doctrine that matter is the only reality, that all life, thought and feelings are but the effects of movements of matter, and that there exist no worlds but the physical. See: worldly.

materialist: One who believes that physical comfort, pleasure and wealth are the only or the highest goals of life, that matter is the only reality.

mathapati: "Monastery head; abbot."

mathavasi: "Monastic; monastery dweller."

maya: "Consisting of; made of," as in manomaya, "made of mind."

maya: "She who measures;" or "mirific energy." The substance emanated from Siva through which the world of form is manifested. Hence all creation is also termed maya. It is the cosmic creative force, the principle of manifestation, ever in the process of creation, preservation and dissolution. Maya is a key concept in Hinduism, originally meaning "supernatural power; God's mirific energy," often translated as "illusion." See: loka, mind (universal).

mead: Wine made from the simple fermentation of water and honey.

meat-eater: Mansahari. Those who follow a nonvegetarian diet.

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: five steps to enlightenment, raja yoga.

mediumship: Act or practice of serving as a channel through which beings of inner worlds communicate with humans. See: trance.

mendicant: A beggar; a wandering monk, or sadhu, who lives on alms.

menses: A woman's monthly menstruation period, during which, by Hindu tradition, she rests from her usual activities and forgoes public and family religious functions.

mentor: One who advises, teaches, instructs, either formally or informally.

messenger: One who is charged with transmitting messages or performing errands as the tutuvar does.

metaphysics: 1) The branch of philosophy dealing with first causes and nature of reality. 2) The science of mysticism. See: darshana.

microbe: Microscopic life form, especially a bacteria that causes disease.

microscopic: So small as to be invisible except through a microscope.

millennium: A period of 1,000 years. millennia: Plural of millennium.

mind (five states): A view of the mind in five parts. --conscious mind: Jagrat chitta ("wakeful consciousness"). The ordinary, waking, thinking state of mind in which the majority of people function most of the day. --subconscious mind: Samskara chitta ("impression mind"). The part of mind "beneath" the conscious mind, the storehouse or recorder of all experience (whether remembered consciously or not)the holder of past impressions, reactions and desires. Also, the seat of involuntary physiological processes. --subsubconscious mind: Vasana chitta ("mind of subliminal traits"). The area of the subconscious mind formed when two thoughts or experiences of the same rate of intensity are sent into the subconscious at different times and, intermingling, give rise to a new and totally different rate of vibration. This subconscious formation later causes the external mind to react to situations according to these accumulated vibrations, be they positive, negative or mixed. --superconscious mind: Karana chitta. The mind of light, the all-knowing intelligence of the soul. At its deepest level, the superconscious is Parashakti, or Satchidananda, the Divine Mind of God Siva. --subsuperconscious mind: Anukarana chitta. The superconscious mind working through the conscious and subconscious states, which brings forth intuition, clarity and insight. See: chitta, consciousness, samskara.

mind (three phases): A perspective of mind as instinctive, intellectual and superconscious. --instinctive mind. Manas chitta, the seat of desire and governor of sensory and motor organs. --intellectual mind. Buddhi chitta, the faculty of thought and intelligence. --superconscious mind: Karana chitta, the strata of intuition, benevolence and spiritual sustenance. Its most refined essence is Parasakti, or Satchidananda, all-knowing, omnipresent consciousness, the One transcendental, self-luminous, divine mind common to all souls. See: consciousness, mind (five states).

mind (universal): In the most profound sense, mind is the sum of all things, all energies and manifestations, all forms, subtle and gross, sacred and mundane. It is the inner and outer cosmos. Mind is maya. It is the material matrix. It is everything but That, the Self within, Parashiva. See: chitta, consciousness, maya.

mind-reading: Perceiving another's thoughts without verbal communication.

minister: Someone charged with a specific function on behalf of a religious or political body, especially in serving the spiritual needs of the people. In Hinduism, this term may be applied to temple priests, monks, preceptors, scriptural scholars and others.

mirific: "Wonder-making; magical; astonishing." See: maya.

misconception: A wrong idea or concept; misunderstanding, avidya.

mission house: A family home where members of a local Saiva Siddhanta Church mission gather for weekly satsang.

mitahara: "Measured eating; moderate appetite." A requisite to good health and an essential for success in yoga. The ideal portion per meal is described as no more than would fill the two hands held side by side and slightly cupped piled high, an amount called a kudava. All the six tastes should be within these foods (sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent), and the foods should be well cooked and highly nutritious. See: yama-niyama.

moksha: "Liberation." Release from transmigration, samsara, the round of births and deaths, which occurs after karma has been resolved and nirvikalpa samadhirealization of the Self, Parashivahas been attained. Same as mukti. See: kundalini, liberation.

Moksha Ritau: The third period of the year, the cool season, from mid-December to mid-April. It is the season of dissolution. The key word is resolution. Merging with Siva: Hinduism's Contemporary Metaphysics is the focus of study and intense investigation.

monastic: A monk or nunk (based on the Greek monos, "alone"). A man or woman who has withdrawn from the world and lives an austere, religious life, either alone or with others in a monastery. (Not to be confused with monistic, having to do with the doctrine of monism.) A monastery-dweller is a mathavasi, and sadhu is a rough equivalent for mendicant. See: monk, sannyasin.

monism: "Doctrine of oneness." 1) The philosophical view that there is only one ultimate substance or principle. 2) The view that reality is a unified whole without independent parts. See: advaita.

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monistic theism: Advaita Ishvaravada. Monism is the doctrine that reality is a one whole or existence without independent parts. Theism is the belief that God exists as a real, conscious, personal Supreme Being. Monistic theism is the dipolar doctrine, also called panentheism, that embraces both monism and theism, two perspectives ordinarily considered contradictory or mutually exclusive, since theism implies dualism. Monistic theism simultaneously accepts that God has a personal form, that He creates, pervades and is all that existsand that He ultimately transcends all existence and that the soul is, in essence, one with God. See: advaita, Advaita Ishvaravada, Advaita Siddhanta, theism.

monitor: keep watch over. One who advises, warns or cautions.

monistic: Expressive of the belief that reality is of one kind or substance.

monk: A celibate man wholly dedicated to religious life, either cenobitic (residing with others in a monastery) or anchoritic (living alone, as a hermit or mendicant). Literally, "one who lives alone" (from the Greek monos, "alone"). Through the practice of yoga, the control and transmutation of the masculine and feminine forces within himself, the monk is a complete being, free to follow the contemplative and mystic life toward realization of the Self within. Benevolent and strong, courageous, fearless, not entangled in the thoughts and feelings of others, monks are affectionately detached from society, defenders of the faith, kind, loving and ever-flowing with timely wisdom. A synonym for monastic. Its feminine counterpart is nunk. See: monastic, sannyasin.

mors voluntaria religiosa: Self-willed, religious death through fasting, known in Sanskrit as prayopavesha. See: suicide.

Mount Waialeale: Sacred mountain on Kauai, the peak of which is recorded to have the most rainy days per year of any place on earth. Kauai Aadheenam is at the foot of Waialeale.

mridanga: A South Indian concert drum, barrel-shaped and two-headed.

mudra: "Seal." Esoteric hand gestures which express specific energies or powers. Usually accompanied by precise visualizations, mudras are a vital element of ritual worship (puja), dance and yoga. Among the best-known mudras are: 1) abhaya mudra (gesture of fearlessness), in which the fingers are extended, palm facing forward; 2) anjali mudra (gesture of reverence); 3) jnana mudra (also known as chin mudra and yoga mudra), in which the thumb and index finger touch, forming a circle, with the other fingers extended; 4) dhyana mudra (seal of meditation), in which the two hands are open and relaxed with the palms up, resting on the folded legs, the right hand atop the left with the tips of the thumbs gently touching. See: hatha yoga, namaskara.

mukhya: "Head; foremost." From mukha, "face, countenance." Leader, guide; such as the family head, kutumba mukhya (or pramukha).

mula: "Root." The root, base or bottom or basis of anything, as in muladhara chakra. Foundational, original or causal, as in mulagrantha, "original text."

muladhara chakra: "Root-support wheel." Four-petaled psychic center at the base of the spine; governs memory. See: chakra.

Mula Sutras: Nine root aphorisms from the 365 Nandinatha Sutras describing the fundamental qualities of Saiva Hindu living. They unmistakably distinguish the ardent, devout practitioner from those who are yet to make a complete, uncompromised twenty-four-hour-a-day commitment to a life of dharma.

muni: "Sage." A sage or sadhu, especially one vowed to complete silence or who speaks but rarely and who seeks stillness of mind. A hermit. The term is related to mauna, "silence." In the hymns of the Rig Veda, munis are mystic shamans associated with the God Rudra.

murti: "Form; manifestation, embodiment, personification." An image or icon of God or a God used during worship. Another important term for the Deity icon or idol is pratima, "reflected image."

Murugan: "Beautiful one," a favorite name of Karttikeya among the Tamils of South India, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. See: Karttikeya.

Murugan's six South Indian temples: Arupadai Veedu, "six places of pilgrimage" to God Murugan, or Kartikkeya, designated by the Tamil poet Nakkirar (ca 100 ce) in his Tirumurugatruppadai. A journey to all six temples in prescribed order yields immeasurable blessings. 1) Tirupparankundram, a temple carved out of virgin rock five miles west of Madurai. Here the Deity's mood is one of gaiety (ullasam). 2) Tiruchendur, a large seashore temple at Tiruchendur 36 miles from Tirunelveli, where Lord Murugan's mood is carefree (nirakula). 3) Tiruvavinankudi temple at Palani Hill, a temple of meditative striving (yoga) to the the staff-carrying renunciate, Dandayuthapani. 4) Swamimalai, situated on a hillock near Kumbakonam, where devotees experience the benevolent (idam) darshana of the great guru, Lord Swaminatha. 5) Tiruttani, 84 miles from Madras, a temple to Lord Subramanya in the mood of pleasant discourse (sallabham). 6) Palamudirsolai, twelve miles from Madurai, with a mood of wonderment or marvel (arpudam) See: Kartikkeya.

Nada: "Sound; tone, vibration." Metaphysically, the mystic sounds of the Eternal, of which the highest is the transcendent or Soundless Sound, Paranada, the first vibration from which creation emanates. From Paranada comes Pranava, Aum, and further evolutes of nada. These are experienced by the meditator as the nadanadi shakti, "the energy current of sound," heard pulsing through the nerve system as a constant high-pitched hum, much like a tambura, an electrical transformer, a swarm of bees or a shruti box. Most commonly, nada refers to ordinary sound. See: Aum.

nadi: "Conduit." A nerve fiber or energy channel of the subtle (inner) bodies of man. It is said there are 72,000. These interconnect the chakras. The three main nadis are named ida, pingala and sushumna. --ida: Also known as chandra ("moon") nadi, it is pink in color and flows downward, ending on the left side of the body. This current is feminine in nature and is the channel of physical-emotional energy. --pingaa: Also known as surya ("sun") nadi, it is blue in color and flows upward, ending on the right side of the body. This current is masculine in nature and is the channel of intellectual-mental energy. --sushumna: The major nerve current which passes through the spinal column from the muladhara chakra at the base to the sahasrara at the crown of the head. It is the channel of kundalini. Through yoga, the kundalini energy lying dormant in the muladhara is awakened and made to rise up this channel through each chakra to the sahasrara chakra. See: chakra, kundalini, raja yoga.

nadanadi shakti: "Energy current of sound." See: nada.

nagasvara: "Snake note." A double-reed woodwind about three feet long, similar to an oboe, but more shrill and piercing, common in South India, played at Hindu pujas and processions with the tavil, a large drum.

naishtika: Virgin from birth. A monastic or premonastic who has maintained the subtle connections with the inner worlds which are closed off or obscured when a connection with a member of the opposite sex is created through sexual intercourse.

nakshatra: "Star cluster." Central to astrological determinations, the nakshatras are 27 star-clusters, constellations, which lie along the ecliptic, or path of the sun. An individual's nakshatra, or birth star, is the constellation the moon was aligned with at the time of birth. See: jyotisha.

nakshatra garden: Vegetable and herb garden of 27 different mounds at Kauai Aadheenam named after the 27 asterisms of the moon.

Nama Diksha: "Name initiation." Also known as namakarana samskara.

namah: "Adoration (or homage) to.

Namah Sivaya: "Adoration (or homage) to Siva." The supreme mantra of Saivism, known as the Panchakshara or "five letters." Na is the Lord's veiling grace; Ma is the world; Shi is Siva; Va is His revealing grace; Ya is the soul. The letters also represent the physical body: Na the legs, Ma the stomach, Shi the shoulders, Va the mouth and Ya the eyes. Embodying the essence of Saiva Siddhanta, it is found in the center of the central Veda (the Yajur) of the original three Vedas (Rig, Yajur and Sama). (Krishna Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Samhita 4.5.8).

namakarana: "Name giving." See: samskaras of childhood.

namaskara: "Reverent salutations." Traditional Hindu verbal greeting and mudra where the palms are joined together and held before the heart or raised to the level of the forehead. The mudra is also called anjali.

namaste: "Reverent salutations to you." A traditional verbal greeting. A form of namas, meaning "bowing, obeisance." See: namaskara.

Nandi: "The joyful." A white bull with a black tail, the vahana, or mount, of Lord Siva, symbol of the powerful instinctive force tamed by Him. Nandi is the perfect devotee, the soul of man, kneeling humbly before God Siva, ever concentrated on Him. The ideal and goal of the Siva bhakta is to behold Siva in everything.

Nandinatha: "Lord of Nandi." A name of Siva. Also another name for Nandinatha, the first historically known guru of the Nandikeshvara Sampradaya. See: Kailasa Parampara, Natha Sampradaya.

Nandinatha Sampradaya: See: Natha Sampradaya.

Nandinatha Tantras: Any of a number of specific disciplines or courses of study given directly by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami as personal sadhana to qualified students and members.

Nani Kaua waterfall: Hawaiian name for the sacred falls of the Wailua River at the river's border of Kauai Aadheenam.

Naraka: Abode of darkness. Literally, "pertaining to man." The lower worlds. Equivalent to the Western term hell, a gross region of the Antarloka. Naraka is a congested, distressful area where demonic beings and young souls may sojourn until they resolve the darksome karmas they have created. Here beings suffer the consequences of their own misdeeds in previous lives.

Nartana Ritau: The first season, of Dancing with Siva, beginning on the Hindu New Year. This is the period of creation, the warm season, from mid-April through mid-August. The primary teaching text is Dancing with Siva: Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism, Sivena Saha Nartanam.

Nataraja: "King of Dance, or King of Dancers." God as the Cosmic Dancer. Perhaps Hinduism's richest and most eloquent symbol, Nataraja represents Siva, the Primal Soul, Parameshvara, as the power, energy and life of all that exists. This is Siva's intricate state of Being in Manifestation. See: Parameshvara, Parashakti, Parashiva.

Natchintanai: The collected songs of Sage Yogaswami (18721964) of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, extolling the power of the satguru, worship of Lord Siva, the path of dharma and the attainment of Self Realization.

Natha: "Master, lord; adept." Names an ancient Himalayan tradition of Saiva-yoga mysticism, whose first historically known exponent was Nandikeshvara (ca 250 bce). NathaSelf-Realized adeptrefers to the extraordinary ascetic masters of this school. The Nathas are considered the source of hatha as well as raja yoga.

Natha Sampradaya: "Traditional doctrine of knowledge of masters." Sampradaya means a living stream of tradition or theology. Natha Sampradaya is a philosophical and yogic tradition of Saivism whose origins are unknown. This oldest of Saivite sampradayas existing today consists of two major streams: the Nandinatha and the Adinatha. See: Kailasa Parampara, Natha, Saivism, sampradaya.

Natha Yoga Sutras: Patanjali's Yoga Aphorisms. See: Patanjali.

natyam: Literally divine dancer. A Sanskrit and Shum word naming a monk who is or is training to be a sannyasin. It includes three levels: young sadhaka; yogi tapasvin and swami.

naturopathy: Treating diseases by natural means, rejecting the use of drugs.

Nayanar: "Teacher." The 63 canonized Tamil saints of South India, as documented in the Periyapuranam by Sekkilar (ca 1140). All but a few were householders, recognized as outstanding exemplars of devotion to Lord Siva. Several contributed to the Saiva Siddhanta scriptural compendium called Tirumurai. See: Tirumurai.

Nayanar Neri: See: path of the Nayanars.

neem forest: Part of the San Marga Sanctuary, consisting of 108 sacred/medicinal neem trees just past the Rudraksha Meditation Forest at the beginning of the straight path to the Iraivan Sivalinga.

negative attachment: A fear, worry or doubt of the future or a lingering regret about the past that keeps one from "flowing with the river of life," living fully in the moment as an independent, spiritual being, facing each experience in the light of understanding.

neo-Indian religion: A modern form of liberal Hinduism that carries forward basic Hindu cultural valuessuch as dress, diet and the artswhile allowing religious values to subside. 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. See: Smartism.

New Year: The majority of Hindus in India celebrate the New Year according to traditional, pre-colonial calendars, several of which are still in use. There are, therefore, various New Year's days in different states of India, the two major ones being Dipavali in October-November, observed in North India, and the day when the sun enters Mesha (Aries) in April, celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Bengal and Nepal.

nicotine: The addictive, water-soluble alkaloid found in tobacco leaves.

nine realms: The nine splendid settings of tropical beauty at Kauai Aadheenam, each with special charm and unique inner vibration. Healing plants and trees and fragrant vines and flowers make each of the following nine realms a magical kingdom unto itself. 1) Rishi Valley, 2) Wailua Farm, 3) Kadavul Temple, 4) San Marga Sanctuary, 5) Wailua River, 6) Pihanakalani Trail, 7) Iraivan Temple, 8) Path of the Nayanars and 9) Mathavasi Vidhu.

nivarita: "Kept off, hindered, forbidden, prevented." From nivri: "to ward off, restrain; hinder, stop, withhold, suppress, forbid."

nitividya: "Ethics; knowledge of prudent behavior."

niyama: "Restraint." See: yama-niyama.

nondualism: "Not two." Refers to monistic philosophy. See: advaita, monism, monistic theism, Vedanta.

"Nothing is happening": A devonic expression to name the state of sublimity maintained within the monastery through regulation of the culture and flow of activities. When the forces are properly balanced, this feeling persists even though much is being accomplished in service to Saivism.

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

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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.

nurture: raise or promote development, train; educate or foster.

nurturance: Same as nurture, to nourish. The act or process or furnishing the essentials to growth, development or education.

Obscurity: Something not clear; faint or undefined; not easily understood.

occult: Hidden, or kept secret; revealed only after initiation.

odic: Magneticof or pertaining to consciousness within ashuddha maya, the realm of the physical and lower astral planes. Odic force in its rarified state is prakriti, the primary gross energy of nature, manifesting in the three gunas: sattva, rajas and tamas. It is the force of attraction and repulsion between people, people and their things, and manifests as masculine (aggressive) and feminine (passive), arising from the pingala and ida currents. These two currents (nadi) are found within spine of the subtle body. Odic force is a magnetic, sticky, binding substance that people seek to develop when they want to bind themselves together, such as in partnerships, marriage, guru-shishya relationships and friendships.

old soul: One who has reincarnated many times, experienced much and is therefore farther along the path. Old souls may be recognized by their qualities of compassion, self-effacement and wisdom. See: soul.

Om: "Yes, verily." The most sacred mantra of Hinduism. An alternate transliteration of Aum (the sounds A and U blend to become O). See: Aum.

open house: One day of the year before or during Pancha Ganapati, in December, in which the mission invites students, neighbors, friends and relatives to familiarize them with the teachings and to express goodwill and appreciation for their kindnesses throughout the year. An open house may be held by one mission or by two or more missions joining together.

Orchid Pavilion: Gazebo style structure on San Marga decorated with orchids with individual pillars representing the major religions of the world. Also called Pavilion of Religions.

ordain (ordination): To give someone the duties and responsibilities, authority and spiritual power of a religious office, such as priest, minister or satguru, through religious ceremony or mystical initiation. See: diksha.

order: Specifically names the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order, though "Order" is occasionally used in these Shastras to refer to the monastic body as a whole.

ostracize: Exclusion, by general consent, from a group.

Pada: "The foot (of men and animals); quarter-part, section; stage; path." Names the four major sections of the Agamic texts and the corresponding stages of practice and unfoldment on the path to moksha. )--charya pada: "Good conduct stage." The first stage where one learns to live righteously, serve selflessly, performing karma yoga. Traditional acts of charya include cleaning the temple, lighting lamps and collecting flowers for worship. Worship at this stage is mostly external. --kriya pada: "Religious action; worship stage." Stage of bhakti yoga, of cultivating devotion through performing puja and regular daily sadhana. A central practice of the kriya pada is performing daily puja. --yoga pada: Having matured in the charya and kriya padas, the soul now turns to internalized worship and raja yoga under the guidance of a satguru. It is a time of sadhana and serious striving when realization of the Self is the goal. --jnana pada: "Stage of wisdom." Once the soul has attained Realization, it is henceforth a wise one, who lives out the life of the body, shedding blessings on mankind. This stage is also called the San Marga, "true path." See: jnana, yoga.

padapuja: "Foot worship." Ceremonial worship of the guru's sandals (paduka) or holy feet, often through ablution with precious substances and offering of fruit and flowers. After the ceremony, the water of the bath, the fruit and other precious substances are partaken of as prasada by devotees. See: paduka, prasada, uchishta.

padipalar: The shishya who occupies the third seat in the chakravala. He is the reader, pujari and pandaram priest. He gives a scriptural reading at every meeting, conducts pujas and other forms of worship and leads bhajana and meditation. He is also the helper of the pechalar, and both of them receive help from the tutuvar when needed.

paduka: "Sandals." Shri Paduka refers to the sandals of the preceptor, the traditional icon of the guru, representing his holy feet and worshiped as the source of grace. See: guru bhakti, padapuja.

palmist: One who reads characters or futures from the palm of the hand.

Pancha Ganapati Utsava: "Five-fold Ganapati festival." A modern five-day festival observed from the 21st through 25th of December. Pancha (five) denotes Ganesha's five faces, each representing a specific power (shakti). One face is worshiped each day, creating 1) harmony in the home, 2) concord among relatives, neighbors and friends, 3) good business and public relations, 4) cultural upliftment and 5) heartfelt charity and religiousness. The festival, a favorite among children, was conceived in 1985 by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami along with elders of various Hindu sects. It is a time of sharing gifts, renewing ties of family and friendship while focusing inwardly on this great God of abundance.

pancha mahayajna: The five daily yajnas, or sacrifices, of the householder (outlined in the Dharma Shastras): brahman yajna: (also called Veda yajna or rishi yajna) "Homage to God." Accomplished through studying and teaching the Vedas. deva yajna: "Homage to Gods." Recognizing the debt due to those who guide nature, and the feeding of them by pouring into the fire. This is the homa sacrifice. pitri yajna (or pitri tarpana): "Homage to ancestors." Offering of cakes (pinda) and water to the family line and the progenitors of mankind. bhuta yajna: "Homage to creatures and elementals." Placing food-offerings, bali, on the ground, intended for animals, birds, insects, wandering outcastes and beings of the invisible worlds. manushya yajna: "Homage to men." Feeding guests and the poor, the homeless and the student. Manushya yajna includes all acts of philanthropy, such as tithing and charity. The Vedic study is performed in the morning. The other four yajnas are performed just before taking one's noon meal.

Panchakshara Mantra: "Five-lettered chant." Saivism's most sacred mantra, Namah Sivaya, "Homage to Siva." See: Namah Sivaya.

pancha kutumba sadhana: "Five family disciplines" or parenting guidelines for raising children as strong, secure, responsible, tolerant and traditional citizens. 1) dharmachara: Good conduct. 2) dharma svagriha: Home worship. 3) dharma sambhashana: Talking about religion. 4) dharma svadhyaya: Continuing self-study. 5) dharma sanga: Following a spiritual preceptor.

panchanga: "Five limbs." The traditional Hindu sacred calendar, so named for its five basic elements: tithi (lunar day), nakshatra (asterism), karana (half lunar day), yoga (sun-moon angle) and vara (week day). Panchangas are used by priests, astrologers and lay persons to determine the optimum times for various types of actitivies.

pancha nitya karma(s): "Five constant duties." A traditional regimen of religious practice for Hindus: 1) dharma (virtuous living), 2) upasana (worship), 3) utsava (holy days), 4) tirthayatra (pilgrimage) and 5) samskaras (sacraments.) See: dharma, festival, pilgrimage, samskara.

pancha shraddha: "Five faiths, or precepts." A concise summary of Hindu belief exactly correlated to the "five constant practices," pancha nitya karmas. The pancha shraddha are 1) sarva Brahman: God is All in all, soul is divine; 2) mandira: belief in temples and divine beings; 3) karma: cosmic justice; 4) samsaramoksha: rebirth brings enlightenment and liberation; 5) Vedas and satguru: the necessity of scripture and preceptor. See: pancha nitya karma.

Pandyan Gardens: A garden at Kauai Aadheenam featuring a large collection of rare tropical heliconia and ginger flowers.

papa: "Wickedness; sin, crime." 1) Bad or evil. 2) Wrongful action. 3) Demerit earned through wrongdoing. Papa includes all forms of wrongdoing, from the simplest infraction to the most heinous crime. Each act of papa carries its karmic consequence, karmaphala, "fruit of action," for which scriptures delineate specific penance for expiation. See: evil, karma, penance, punya, sin.

Paramatman: "Supreme Self," or "transcendent soul." Parashiva, Absolute Reality, the one transcendent Self of every soul. Contrasted with atman, which includes all three aspects of the soul: Parashiva, Parashakti and anandamaya kosha. See: Parashiva, Self, soul.

paramount: Ranking higher than any other in importance.

paramaguru: "Senior preceptor." The guru of a disciple's guru.

Parameshvara: "Supreme Lord or Ruler." God Siva in the third perfection as Supreme Mahadeva, Siva-Shakti, mother of the universe. In this perfection as Personal, father-mother God, Siva is a personwho has a body, with head, arms and legs, etc.who acts, wills, blesses, gives darshana, guides, creates, preserves, reabsorbs, obscures and enlightens. See: Nataraja.

parampara: "Uninterrupted succession." Lineage. See: guru parampara.

parartha puja: "Public liturgy and worship." See: puja.

Parashakti: "Supreme power; primal energy." God Siva's second perfection, which is impersonal, immanent, and with formthe all-pervasive, Pure Consciousness and Primal Substance of all that exists. There are many other descriptive names for ParashaktiSatchidananda ("existence-consciousness- bliss"), light, silence, divine mind, superconsciousness and more. The attainment of Parashakti is called savikalpa samadhi. See: Siva.

Parashiva: "Transcendent Siva." The Self God, Siva in His first perfection, Absolute Reality. God Siva as That which is beyond the grasp of consciousness, transcends time, form and space and defies description. Attainment of this is called Self Realization or nirvikalpa samadhi. See: samadhi, Siva.

parent church: Saiva Siddhanta Church headquarters at Kauai Aadheenam, Hawaii. See: Saiva Siddhanta Church.

parliamentarians: Political leaders or important people in government.

Pashupata: Of or related to Pashupata Saivism; a follower of this Hindu sect.

Patanjali: A Saivite Natha siddha (ca 200 bce) who codified the ancient yoga philosophy which outlines the path to enlightenment through purification, control and transcendence of the mind. One of the six classical philosophical systems (darshanas) of Hinduism, known as Yoga Darshana. His great work, the Yoga Sutras, See: raja yoga, yoga.

pathashala: "Place of lessons." A school for training temple priests.

Path of the Nayanars: Nayanar Neri, the 1,300-foot-long path with seven shrines to the Tamil Saiva saints on the east side of San Marga. Walking this path that winds around ponds, banyan trees and tropical plants in seven distinct botanical habitats, pilgrims encounter the 63 Nayanars and other savants of Saivism enshrined as 16-inch bronze images hand-made in India.

patra: Worthy; literally, a "recepticle" as in a drinking vessel. The condition of being a fit recepticle for.

patra griha: "worthy home," a home that meets the standards of a mission house.

Pavilion of Religions: See: Orchid Pavilion.

pechalar: the shishya who occupies the second seat in the chakravala, to the left of the talaivar, the person who conveys messages to groups and makes announcements when called upon to do so by the talaivar. He is the second eldest. The pechalar of the council on missions may represent the Kailasa Pitham to important people in the community by making courtesy calls. The pechalar is responsible for the care of guests, coordinating the stay, including assisting with accommodations as needed.

penance: Prayashchitta. Atonement, expiation. An act of devotion (bhakti), austerity (tapas) or discipline (sukritya) undertaken to soften or nullify the anticipated reaction to a past action. Penance is uncomfortable karma inflicted upon oneself to mitigate one's karmic burden caused by wrongful actions (kukarma). It includes such acts as prostrating 108 times, fasting, self-denial, or carrying kavadi (public penance), as well as more extreme austerities, or tapas. See: evil, kavadi, papa, sin.

perfections: Describes a quality, nature or dimension that is perfect. God Siva's three perfections are Parashiva, Parashakti and Parameshvara. Though spoken of as three-fold for the sake of understanding, God Siva ever remains a one transcendent-immanent Being. See: Siva.

perpetuate: Cause to continue or be remembered; to keep from being lost.

Pihanakalani Trail: Kauai Aadheenam's legendary Hawaiian path toward the volcano. The trail follows the course of the Wailua River, beginning at Kadavul Koyil and continuing just past the Orchid Pavilion of Religions.

pilgrimage: Tirthayatra. "Journeying to a holy place." Pilgrimage. One of the five sacred duties (pancha nitya karmas) of the Hindu is to journey periodically to one of the innumerable holy spots in India or other countries. Preceded by fasting and continence, it is a time of austerity and purification, when all worldly concerns are set aside and God becomes one's singular focus. See: pancha nitya karma.

pinda: "Roundish mass; body; part of the whole, individual; microcosm." In worship rites, small balls of rice set aside daily in remembrance of ancestors. Philosophically, and emphasized in Siddha Siddhanta, the human body as a replica of the macrocosm, mahasakara pinda, also called Brahmanda (cosmic egg), or simply anda (egg).

pitha(m): "Seat; pedestal." 1) The base or pedestal of the Sivalinga, or of any Deity idol. 2) A religious seat, such as the throne of the abbot of a monastery. 3) An aadheenam, ashrama or matha established around such a seat of spiritual authority. See: Sivalinga.

pitri tarpana: "Libations to ancestors." A sacred rite of offering water to deceased ancestors. One of the five daily sacrifices prescribed in the Dharma Shastras. See: pancha mahayajnas.

pitri yajna: See: pancha mahayajna, yajna.

pitta: "Bile; fire." One of the three bodily humors, called doshas, pitta is known as the fire humor. It is the ayurvedic principle of bodily heat-energy. Pitta dosha governs nutritional absorption, body temperature and intelligence. See: ayurveda, dosha.

pornography: Writings, pictures, etc., intended to arouse sexual desire.

postulant: One who has taken two-year monastic vows in Saiva Siddhanta Church.

pottu: See: bindu.

pouting: Making a face showing sullenness or displeasure; to sulk.

practicality: From practicalof, pertaining to, governed by, or gained through practice or action rather than theory, speculation or ideals.

prana: Vital energy or life principle. Literally, "vital air," from the root pran, "to breathe." Prana in the human body moves in the pranamaya kosha as five primary life currents known as vayus, "vital airs or winds." These are prana (outgoing breath), apana (incoming breath), vyana (retained breath), udana (ascending breath) and samana (equalizing breath). Each governs crucial bodily functions, and all bodily energies are modifications of these. Usually prana refers to the life principle, but sometimes denotes energy, power or the animating force of the cosmos. See: kosha.

pranama: "Obeisance; to bow down." Reverent salutation in which the head or body is bowed. --ashtanga pranama: "Eight-limbed obeisance." The full body form for men, in which the hands, chest, forehead, knees and feet touch the ground. (Same as shashtanga pranama.) --panchanga pranama: "Five-limbed obeisance." The woman's form of prostration, in which the hands, head and legs touch the ground (with the ankles crossed, right over the left). A more exacting term for prostration is pranipata, "falling down in obeisance." See: bhakti, namaskara, prapatti.

pranayama: "Breath control." See: raja yoga.

prapatti: "Throwing oneself down." Bhaktitotal, unconditional submission to God, often coupled with the attitude of personal helplessness, self-effacement and resignation. A term especially used in Vaishnavism to name a concept extremely central to virtually all Hindu schools. See: bhakti, grace, pada, surrender.

prarabdha karma: "Action that has been unleashed or aroused." See: karma.

prasada: "Clarity, brightness; grace." 1) The virtue of serenity and graciousness. 2) Food offered to the Deity or the guru, or the blessed remnants of such food. 3) Any propitiatory offering. See: sacrament.

prashnottara: "Question-answer (prashna-uttara)." A term used in Dancing with Siva for catechism, an interrogatory summation of religious doctrine.

prashnottara satsanga: "Gathering for questions and answers," the central teaching activity for Nartana Ritau, when shishyas and students assemble to study Dancing with Siva.

prayashchitta: "Predominant thought or aim." Penance. Acts of atonement. See: penance, papa, punya.

prayojaka: "Facilitator; employer; manager." A person who instigates, promotes. Also a name for a coordinator of religious outreach activities and literature distribution.

prayopavesha: "Resolving to die through fasting." Self-willed death by fasting. See: death, suicide.

precept: A commandment meant as a rule of action or conduct.

preceptor: Highly respected teacher and head of a spiritual order and clan; the equivalent of the word satguru.

predator: Any being that captures other creatures to eat their flesh.

Premaiva Sivamaya, Satyam eva Parashivah: "God Siva is immanent love and transcendent Reality." A Saivite Hindu affirmation of faith. See: affirmation.

preside: To be chairman at a gathering, in a position of authority within a group. To have charge of; to dominate.

prevail: To be strong and victorious; overcome all obstacles. To exist widely.

Primal Soul: The uncreated, original, perfect soulSiva Parameshvarawho emanates from Himself the inner and outer universes and an infinite plurality of individual souls whose essence is identical with His essence. God in His personal aspect as Lord and Creator, depicted in many forms: Nataraja by Saivites, Vishnu by Vaishnavites, Devi by Shaktas. See: Nataraja, Parameshvara.

Primal Substance: The fundamental energy and rarified form from which the manifest world in its infinite diversity is derived. See: Parashakti.

progeny: Offspring, children; descendants.

prohibit (prohibition): To forbid or prevent by authority.

promiscuity: The state or character of engaging in sex indiscriminantly or with many persons. See: sexuality.

prophets: Those who speak from divine inspiration through seeing future events.

prostration: See: pranama.

protocol: Customs of proper etiquette and ceremony, especially in relation to religious or political dignitaries. See: culture.

provocative: Stimulating, erotic, irritating.

psychic: "Of the psyche or soul." Sensitive to spiritual processes and energies. Inwardly or intuitively aware of nonphysical realities; able to use powers such as clairvoyance, clairaudience and precognition. Nonphysical, subtle; pertaining to the deeper aspects of man. See: clairaudience, clairvoyance.

Puakenikeni Mandapam: A Gazebo shelter at the beginning of Tiruneri, the path to Kadavul Hindu Temple. Puakenikeni is a fragrant Hawaiian flower that grows around this structure.

puja: "Worship, adoration." An Agamic rite of worship performed in the home, temple or shrine, to the murti (Deity image), shri paduka (holy sandals), or other consecrated object, or to a person, such as the satguru. Its inner purpose is to purify the atmosphere around the object worshiped, establish a connection with the inner worlds and invoke the presence of God, Gods or one's guru. During puja, the officiant (pujari) recites various chants praising the Divine and beseeching divine blessings, while making offerings in accordance with established traditions. Puja, the worship of a murti through water, lights and flowers in temples and shrines, is the Agamic counterpart of the Vedic yajna rite, in which offerings are conveyed through the sacred homa fire. These are the two great streams of adoration and communion in Hinduism. --atmartha puja: Karana Agama, v. 2, states: Atmartha cha parartha cha puja dvividhamuchyate, "Worship is two-fold: for the benefit of oneself and for the benefit of others." Atmartha puja is done for oneself and immediate family, usually at home in a private shrine. --parartha puja: "Puja for others." Parartha puja is public puja, performed by authorized or ordained priests in a public shrine or temple.

pujari: "Worshiper." A general term for Hindu temple priests, as well as anyone performing puja. Pujari (sometimes pujari) is the Hindi form of the Sanskrit pujaka; pusari in Tamil. Archaka is another term for priest used in the southern tradition. Purohita is a Smarta brahmin priest who specializes in domestic rites. See: puja.

puberty: Time in youth when sexual capacity and characteristics develop.

pundit (pandita): A Hindu religious scholar or theologian, a man well versed in philosophy, liturgy, religious law and sacred science.

punya: "Holy; virtuous; auspicious." 1) Good or righteous. 2) Meritorious action. 3) Merit earned through right thought, word and action. Punya includes all forms of doing good, from the simplest helpful deed to a lifetime of conscientious beneficence. Each act of punya carries its karmic consequence, karmaphala, "fruit of action"the positive reward of actions, words and deeds that are in keeping with dharma. See: karma, papa, penance.

Pure Consciousness: See: Parashakti.

purnima: "Full." Full moon. See: Guru Purnima.

purushartha: "Human wealth or purpose." The four pursuits in which humans may legitimately engage, a basic principle of Hindu ethics. --dharma: "Righteous living." The fulfillment of virtue, good works, duties and responsibilities, restraints and observancesperforming one's part in the service and upliftment of society. This includes pursuit of truth under a guru of a particular parampara and sampradaya. Dharma is of four primary forms. It is the steady guide for artha and kama. See: dharma. --artha: "Wealth." Material welfare and abundance, money, property, possessions. Artha is the pursuit of wealth, guided by dharma. It includes the basic needsfood, money, clothing and shelterand extends to the wealth required to maintain a comfortable home, raise a family, fulfill a successful career and perform religious duties. The broadest concept of wealth embraces financial independence, freedom from debt, worthy children, good friends, leisure time, faithful servants, trustworthy employees, and the joys of giving, including tithing (dashamamsha), feeding the poor, supporting religious mendicants, worshiping devoutly, protecting all creatures, upholding the family and offering hospitality to guests. See: yajna. --kama: "Pleasure, love; enjoyment." Earthly love, aesthetic and cultural fulfillment, pleasures of the world (including sexual), the joys of family, intellectual satisfaction. Enjoyment of happiness, security, creativity, usefulness and inspiration. --moksha: "Liberation." Freedom from rebirth through the ultimate attainment, realization of the Self God, Parashiva. The spiritual attainments and superconscious joys, attending renunciation and yoga leading to Self Realization. Moksha comes through the fulfillment of dharma, artha and kama (known in Tamil as aram, porul and inbam, and explained by Tiruvalluvar in Tirukural) in the current or past lives, so that one is no longer attached to worldly joys or sorrows. See: liberation, moksha.

Quantum: Quantity or amount. In science's quantum theory: a fixed basic unit, usually of energy. --quantum particles of light: Light understood not as a continuum, but as traveling bundles each of a same intensity. Deeper still, these particles originate and resolve themselves in a one divine energy. --at the quantum level (of the mind): Deep within the mind, at a subtle energy level.

quatrain: A stanza or poem of four lines.

quell: To quiet, subdue or put an end to.

Rainbow Amphitheater: Kauai Aadheenam's small forest of rainbow eucalyptus trees near the Wailua river.

raja yoga: "King of yogas." Also known as ashtanga yoga, "eight-limbed yoga." The classical yoga system of eight progressive stages to Illumination as described in various yoga Upanishads, the Tirumantiram and, most notably, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The eight stages are: yama (restraints), niyama (observances), asana (posture), pranayama (breath control) pratyahara (withdrawal), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (enstasy, mystic oneness). See: enstasy, samadhi, yoga.

rajas: "Passion; activity."

Ramakrishna: (18361886) One of the great saints and mystics of modern Hinduism, and an exemplar of monistic theismfervent devotee of Mother Kali and staunch monist who taught oneness and the pursuit of nirvikalpa samadhi, realization of the Absolute. He was guru to the great Swami Vivekananda (18631902), who internationalized Hindu thought and philosophy.

reaction: A response to an action.

reaffirmation: A new affirming or a declaration about a thing as being true or still pertinent. See: affirmation.

reconciliation: To harmonize quarrels or mend differences. A tithing reconciliation is a written accounting of income and tithing.

regenerative: Bringing into existence again; reestablishing on a new basis.

reincarnate: Taking birth in another body, having lived and died before.

reincarnation: "Re-entering the flesh." Punarjanma; metempsychosis. The process wherein souls take on a physical body through the birth process. The cycle of reincarnation ends when karma has been resolved and the Self God (Parashiva) has been realized. This condition of release is called moksha. Then the soul continues to evolve and mature, but without the need to return to physical existence. See: karma, moksha, samsara, soul.

religion: From Latin religare, "to bind back." Any system which advocates the belief in and worship of a Supreme Being or Power. Religion is a structured vehicle for soul advancement which often includes theology, scripture, spiritual and moral practices, priesthood and liturgy. See: Hinduism.

remorse: Deep guilt or regret over a wrong one has committed.

renaissance: "Rebirth or new birth." A renewal, revival or reawakening.

renunciate: One who has given up worldly life; a monk. See: sannyasin.

renunciation: See: sannyasa, tyaga, vairagya.

repressions: Experiences, problems, desires or inner conflicts that are unnaturally forced to remain hidden and unresolved in the subconscious mind. These have a negative effect on health, attitudes, relationships and hinder spiritual unfoldment. Differs from suppression which can be a conscious harnessing of yet to be transmuted instinctive-intellectual tendencies.

reprimand: A severe or formal rebuke, especially by a person in authority.

repudiation: The act of publicly rejecting a thing, habit or way of being.

rescind: To cancel or revoke.

resent (resentment): A feeling of ill-will, indignation or hostility from a sense of having been wronged.

resident guests: from three groups1) premonastics, 2) those on task force and 3) other special guests such as swamis of other orders, Hindu priests and other devout Saiva men admitted at the discretion of the Guru Mahasannidhanamwho are permitted to reside in the monastery devasthanam facility, living the monk's life during their stay.

residue: Remainder. That which is left over after a process.

resolution: Firm determination. An act of resolving to do something.

rigorous: Very strict or severe.

rishi: "Seer." A term for an enlightened being, emphasizing psychic perception and visionary wisdom.

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Rishi Valley: Kauai Aadheenam's secluded traditional-style retreat on the banks of Lake Saravanabhava, with a thatched Guru Kutir, hut, near a natural marsh under Hala Hala screw-pines. Nearby are six simple shrines to the satgurus of our Kailasa Parampara.

rishi yajna: The first sacrifice of the pancha mahayajna. Also called Brahma yajna, homage to Transcendental Siva, the Self. It is accomplished through studying and teaching the Vedas and other sacred teachings. This sacrifice is also referred to as Veda yajna.

rita: "Sacred order, cosmic law; truth." See: dharma.

ritau: season, approximately four months in duration.

rite (or ritual): A religious ceremony. See: sacrament, sacrifice, samskara.

rites of passage: Sacraments marking crucial stages of life. See: samskara.

rowdy: Rough, quarrelsome and disorderly.

Rudra: "Controller of terrific powers;" or "red, shining one." The name of Siva as the God of dissolution, the universal force of reabsorption. Rudra-Siva is revered both as the "terrifying one" and the "lord of tears," for He wields and controls the terrific powers which may cause lamentation among humans. See: Nataraja.

rudraksha: "Eye of Rudra; or red-eyed." Refers to the third eye, or ajna chakra. Marble-sized, multi-faced, reddish-brown seeds from the Eleocarpus ganitrus, or blue marble tree, which are sacred to Siva and a symbol of His compassion for humanity. Garlands, rudraksha mala, of larger seeds are worn around the neck by monks, and nonmonastics, both men and women, often wear a single bead on a cord at the throat. Smaller beads (usually numbering 108) are strung together for japa (recitation). See: japa, mantra.

Sabda kosha: "Sheath of sounds, or words." Vocabulary; a dictionary or glossary of terms.

sacrament: 1) Holy rite, especially one solemnized in a formal, consecrated manner which is a bonding between the recipient and God, Gods or guru. This includes rites of passage (samskara), ceremonies sanctifying crucial events or stages of life. 2) Prasada. Sacred substances, blessed in ceremony or by a holy person. See: samskara.

Sacred Sound: See: nada.

sacrifice: Yajna. 1) Giving offerings to a Deity as an expression of homage and devotion. 2) Giving up something, often one's own possession, advantage or preference, to serve a higher purpose. The literal meaning of sacrifice is "to make sacred," implying an act of worship. It is the most common translation of the term yajna, from the verb yuj, "to worship." In Hinduism, all of life is a sacrificecalled jivayajna, a giving of oneselfthrough which comes true spiritual fulfillment. Tyaga, the power of detachment, is an essential quality of true sacrifice. See: surrender, tyaga, yajna.

sadachara: "Good conduct; virtue, morality." It is embodied in the principles of dharma. See: dharma, yama-niyama, pada.

Sadashiva: "Ever-auspicious." A name of the Primal Soul, Siva, a synonym for Parameshvara, which is expressed in the physical being of the satguru. Sadashiva especially denotes the power of revealing grace, anugraha shakti, the third tattva, after which emerge Siva's other four divine powers. This five-fold manifestation or expression of God's activity in the cosmos is depicted in Hindu mantras, literature and art as the five-faced Sadashivamurti.

sadacharavidhi: "Protocol, etiquette, knowledge of proper conduct."

sadhaka: "Accomplished one; a devotee who performs sadhana." A serious aspirant who has undertaken spiritual disciplines, is usually celibate and under the guidance of a guru. He wears white and may be under vows, but is not a sannyasin. See: sadhana.

sadhana: "Effective means of attainment." Religious or spiritual disciplines, such as puja, yoga, meditation, japa, fasting and austerity. The effect of sadhana is the building of willpower, faith and confidence in oneself and in God, Gods and guru. See: pada, raja yoga, spiritual unfoldment.

sadhana marga: "The way of sadhana." A term used by Sage Yogaswami to name his prescription for seekers of Trutha path of intense effort, spiritual discipline and consistent inner transformation, as opposed to theoretical and intellectual learning. See: mysticism, pada, sadhana, spiritual unfoldment.

sadhana yatrika: Serious devotees who have come Kauai Aadheenam on prearranged sacred pilgrimage, having prepared from the outset of their journey and before by fasting and other sadhanas.

sadhu: "Virtuous one; straight, unerring." A holy person 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.

sahasrara chakra: "Thousand-spoked wheel." The cranial psychic force center. See: chakra.

sahasra lekhana sadhana: "Thousand-times writing discipline." The spiritual practice of writing a sacred mantra 1,008 times.

Saiva: Of or relating to Saivism or its adherents, of whom there are about 400 million in the world today. Same as Saivite. See: Saivism.

Saiva Agamas: The sectarian revealed scriptures of the Saivas. Strongly theistic, they identify Siva as the Supreme Lord, immanent and transcendent. They are in two main divisions: the 64 Kashmir Saiva Agamas and the 28 Saiva Siddhanta Agamas. The latter group are the fundamental sectarian scriptures of Saiva Siddhanta.

Saiva acharya: "Respected teacher of Saivism." A swami of the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order who has successfully completed 24 years of brahmacharya. Distinguished by a white sacred thread, or pulnul.

Saiva Atmartha Puja: See puja.

Saiva Dharma Shastras: Saiva Siddhanta Church's Book of Discipline, detailing policies, membership rules and mission guidelines.

Saiva dharmashala: Saiva Siddhanta Church monastery that is a branch of Kauai Aadheenam.

Saiva Siddhanta: "Final conclusions of Saivism." The most widespread and influential Saivite school today, predominant especially among the Tamil people in Sri Lanka and South India. It is the formalized theology of the divine revelations contained in the twenty-eight Saiva Agamas. The first known guru of the Shuddha ("pure") Saiva Siddhanta tradition was Maharishi Nandinatha of Kashmir (ca bce 250), recorded in Panini's book of grammar as the teacher of rishis Patanjali, Vyaghrapada and Vasishtha. Other sacred scriptures include the Tirumantiram and the voluminous collection of devotional hymns, the Tirumurai, and the masterpiece on ethics and statecraft, the Tirukural. For Saiva Siddhantins, Siva is the totality of all, understood in three perfections: Parameshvara (the Personal Creator Lord), Parashakti (the substratum of form) and Parashiva (Absolute Reality which transcends all). Souls and world are identical in essence with Siva, yet also differ in that they are evolving. A pluralistic stream arose in the middle ages from the teachings of Aghorashiva and Meykandar. For Aghorashiva's school (ca 1150) Siva is not the material cause of the universe, and the soul attains perfect "sameness" with Siva upon liberation. Meykandar's (ca 1250) pluralistic school denies that souls ever attain perfect sameness or unity with Siva. See: Saivism.

Saiva Siddhanta Church: "Church of God Siva's Revealed Truth," founded in 1949 by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami.

Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order: Ecclesiastical body of lifetime renunciate swamis. This sangam was founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1949.

Saivism (Saiva): The religion followed by those who worship Siva as supreme God. Oldest of the four sects of Hinduism. The earliest historical evidence of Saivism is from the 8,000-year-old Indus Valley civilization in the form of the famous seal of Siva as Lord Pashupati, seated in a yogic pose. In the Ramayana, dated astronomically at 2000 bce, Lord Rama worshiped Siva, as did his rival Ravana. Buddha in 624 bce was born into a Saivite family, and records of his time speak of the Saiva ascetics who wandered the hills looking much as they do today.

Saiva Shraddhadharana Vrata: the pledge to uphold and preach the Saivite Creed.

Saivite (Saiva): Of or relating to Saivism or its adherents, of whom there are about 400 million in the world today. See: Saivism.

Saivite saints: See: Nayanar.

Saivite soul: An individual who was a Saivite Hindu in past lives and is therefore at home with Saivism in this life, whether born in the East or the West.

shakahara: "Vegetarian diet." From shaka, "vegetable;" and ahara, "eating; taking food." See: meat-eater, vegetarian, yama-niyama.

shakahara vrata: "Vegetarian diet." From shaka, "vegetable;" and ahara, "eating; taking food."

Shakta: Of or relating to Shaktism. A follower of the Shakta Hindu religion. See: Shaktism.

Shakti: "Power, energy." The active power or manifest energy of Siva that pervades all of existence. Its most refined aspect is Parashakti, or Satchidananda, the pure consciousness and primal substratum of all form. This pristine, divine energy unfolds as icha shakti (the power of desire, will, love), kriya shakti (the power of action) and jnana shakti (the power of wisdom, knowing), represented as the three prongs of Siva's trishula, or trident. From these arise the five powers of revealment, concealment, dissolution, preservation and creation. In Saiva Siddhanta, Siva is All, and His divine energy, Shakti, is inseparable from Him. This unity is symbolized in the image of Ardhanarishvara, "half-female God." In popular, village Hinduism, the unity of Siva and Shakti is replaced with the concept of Siva and Shakti as separate entities. Shakti is represented as female, and Siva as male. Shakti is most easily experienced by devotees as the sublime, bliss-inspiring energy that emanates from a holy person or sanctified Hindu temple. See: Ardhanarishvara, Parashakti, Shaktism.

shaktipata: "Descent of grace." Guru diksha, initiation from the preceptor; particularly the first initiation, which awakens the kundalini and launches the process of spiritual unfoldment. See: diksha, grace, kundalini.

Shaktism (Shakta): "Doctrine of power." The religion followed by those who worship the Supreme as the Divine MotherShakti or Deviin Her many forms, both gentle and fierce. Shaktism is one of the four primary sects of Hinduism. See: Shakti, tantrism.

samadhi: "Enstasy," which means "standing within one's Self." "Sameness; contemplation; union, wholeness; completion, accomplishment." Samadhi is the state of true yoga, in which the meditator and the object of meditation are one. Samadhi is of two levels. The first is savikalpa samadhi ("enstasy with form or seed"), identification or oneness with the essence of an object. Its highest form is the realization of the primal substratum or pure consciousness, Satchidananda. The second is nirvikalpa samadhi ("enstasy without form or seed"), identification with the Self, in which all modes of consciousness are transcended and Absolute Reality, Parashiva, beyond time, form and space, is experienced. This brings in its aftermath a complete transformation of consciousness. See: kundalini, Parashiva, raja yoga, Self Realization, trance.

Sambandar: Child saint of the 7th-century. Composed many Devaram hymns in praise of Siva, reconverted at least one Tamil king who had embraced Jainism, and vehemently countered the incursion of Buddhism, bringing the Tamil people back to Saivism. See: Nayanar.

samhita: "Collection." 1) Any methodically arranged collection of texts or verses. 2) The hymn collection of each of the four Vedas. 3) A common alternate term for Vaishnava Agamas. See: Vedas.

sampradaya: "Traditional doctrine of knowledge." A living stream of tradition or theology within Hinduism, passed on by oral training and initiation. The term derives from the verb samprada, meaning "to give, grant, bestow or confer on; to hand down by tradition; to bequeath." Sampradaya is thus a philosophy borne down through history by verbal transmission. It is more inclusive than the related term parampara which names a living lineage of ordained gurus who embody and carry forth a sampradaya. Each sampradaya is often represented by many paramparas. See: guru parampara.

samsara: "Flow." The phenomenal world. Transmigratory existence, fraught with impermanence and change. The cycle of birth, death and rebirth; the total pattern of successive earthly lives experienced by a soul.

samskara: "Impression, activator; sanctification, preparation." 1) The imprints left on the subconscious mind by experience (from this or previous lives), which then color all of life, one's nature, responses, states of mind, etc. 2) A sacrament or rite done to mark a significant transition of life. These make deep and positive impressions on the mind of the recipient, inform the family and community of changes in the lives of its members and secure inner-world blessings. See: mind (five states), sacrament.

samskaras of birth: From the rite of conception to the blessings of the new-born child. garbhadhana: "Womb-placing." Rite of conception, where physical union is consecrated with the intent of bringing into physical birth an advanced soul. punsavana: "Male rite; bringing forth a male." A rite performed during the third month of pregnancy consisting of prayers for a son and for the well-being of mother and child. simantonnayana: "Hair-parting." A ceremony held between the fourth and seventh months in which the husband combs his wife's hair and expresses his love and support. jatakarma: "Rite of birth." The father welcomes and blesses the new-born child and feeds it a taste of ghee and honey. See: samskara.

samskaras of childhood: From naming to education. namakarana: "Name-giving" and formal entry into one or another sect of Hinduism, performed 11 to 41 days after birth. The name is chosen according to astrology, preferably the name of a God or Goddess. At this time, guardian devas are assigned to see the child through life. One who converts to or adopts Hinduism later in life would receive this same sacrament. annaprashana: "Feeding." The ceremony marking the first taking of solid food, held at about six months. (Breast-feeding generally continues). karnavedha: "Ear-piercing." The piercing of both ears, for boys and girls, and the inserting of gold earrings, held during the first, third or fifth year. See: earrings. chudakarana: "Head-shaving." The shaving of the head, for boys and girls, between the 31st day and the fourth year. vidyarambha: Marks the beginning of formal education. The boy or girl ceremoniously writes his/her first letter of the alphabet in a tray of uncooked rice. upanayana: Given to boys at about 12 years of age, marks the beginning of the period of brahmacharya and formal study of scripture and sacred lore, usually with an acharya or guru. samavartana: Marks the end of formal religious study. See: samskara.

samskaras of adulthood: From coming-of-age to marriage. ritukala: "Fit or proper season." Time of menses. A home blessing marking the coming of age for girls. keshanta: Marking a boy's first beard-shaving, at about 16 years. Both of the above are home ceremonies in which the young ones are reminded of their brahmacharya, given new clothes and jewelry and joyously admitted into the adult community as young adults. nishchitartha "Settlement of aim." Also called vagdana, "word-giving." A formal engagement or betrothal ceremony in which a couple pledge themselves to one another, exchanging rings and other gifts. vivaha: Marriage." An elaborate and joyous ceremony performed in presence of God and Gods, in which the homa fire is central. See: samskara.

samskaras of later life: vanaprastha ashrama: Age 48 marks the entrance into the elder advisor stage, celebrated in some communities by special ceremony. sannyasa ashrama vrata: The advent of withdrawal from social duties and responsibilities at age 72 is sometimes ritually acknowledged (different from sannyasa diksha). See: sannyasa dharma. antyeshti: The various funeral rites performed to guide the soul in its transition to inner worlds, including preparation of the body, cremation, bone-gathering, dispersal of ashes, home purification. See: cremation, death, bone-gathering, samskara.

Sanatana Dharma: "Eternal religion" or "everlasting path." It is a traditional name for the Hindu religion. See: Hinduism.

sanchita karma: "Accumulated action." The accumulated consequence of an individual's actions in this and past lives. See: karma.

sanctified waters: See: pada puja, prasada, uchishta.

sandalwood: Chandana. The Asian evergreen tree Santalum album. Its sweetly fragrant heartwood is ground into the fine, tan-colored paste distributed as prasada in Saivite temples and used for sacred marks on the forehead, tilaka. Sandalwood is also prized for incense, carving and fine cabinetry.

sandalpaste: Chandana. A yellow paste made from the heart of the sandalwood tree. One of the sacred substances offered during puja, and afterwards distributed to devotees as a sacrament to be placed on the forehead between the brows. See: bindu, tilaka.

sangama: "Association; fellowship." Coming together in a group, especially for religious purposes.

sankalpa: "Will; purpose; determination." A solemn vow or declaration of purpose to perform any ritual observance. Most commonly, sankalpa names the mental and verbal preparation made by a temple priest as he begins rites of worship. During the sankalpa, he informs all three worlds what he is about to do. He recites the name of the Deity, and the present time and place according to precise astrological notations and announces the type of ritual he is about to perform. Once the sankalpa is made, he is bound to complete the ceremony. See: puja.

Shankara: "Conferring happiness; propitious." A name of Siva.

Shankara: One of Hinduism's most extraordinary monks (788820) and preeminent guru of the Smarta Sampradaya. He is noted for his monistic philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, his many scriptural commentaries, and establishing ten orders of sannyasins with pontifical headquarters at strategic points across India. He only lived 32 years, but traveled throughout India and transformed the Hindu world in that time. See: Vedanta.

San Marga: "True path." A term especially important in Saiva Siddhanta. 1) In general, the straight spiritual path leading to the ultimate goal, Self Realization, which does not detour into unnecessary psychic exploration or pointless development of siddhis. San Margi names a person who is "on the path," as opposed to samsari, one engrossed in worldliness. 2) San Marga is also an alternate term for the jnana pada. See: liberation, pada.

San Marga Sanctuary: A sanctuary at Kauai Aadheenam on the Garden Island of Kauai, Hawaii, centered around a 1/2-mile straight path to the Supreme God, Siva (Parameshvara-Parashakti-Parashiva) and the Iraivan Temple enshrining a massive 700-pound, single-pointed quartz crystal. See: Subramuniyaswami.

sannidhana: "Nearness; proximity; taking charge of." A title of heads of monasteries: Guru Mahasannidhana. See: sannidhya.

sannidhya: "(Divine) presence; nearness, proximity." The radiance and blessed presence of shakti within and around a temple or a holy person.

sannyasa: "Renunciation." "Throwing down or abandoning." Sannyasa is the repudiation of the dharma, including the obligations and duties, of the householder and the acceptance of the even more demanding dharma of the renunciate. See: sannyasa dharma, sannyasa diksha, videhamukti.

sannyasa dharma: "Renunciate life." The life, way and traditions of those who have irrevocably renounced duties and obligations of the householder path, including personal property, wealth, ambitions, social position and family ties, in favor of the full-time monastic quest for divine awakening, Self Realization and spiritual upliftment of humanity. Traditionally, this dharma is available to those who are under age 25 and who otherwise meet strict qualifications. Alternately, the householder may embrace sannyasa dharma by entering the sannyasa ashrama after age 72 through the customary initiatory rites given by a sannyasin and then diligently pursuing his spiritual sadhana in a state of genuine renunciation and not in the midst of his family. These two forms of sannyasa are not to be confused with simply entering the sannyasa ashrama, the last stage of life. See: sannyasa, sannyasa diksha, sannyasin, videhamukti.

sannyasa diksha: "Renunciate initiation." This diksha is a formal rite, or less often an informal blessing, entering the devotee into renunciate monasticism, binding him for life to certain vows which include chastity, poverty and obedience, and directing him on the path to Self Realization. An unordained, self-declared swami, who dons the ochre robes and throws down the world without the benefit of diksha, is a paramadeshi sannyasin, "monk outside the rules or ordinances." These are men who recognized that when the time is ripe, that's who you are. See: sannyasa dharma, videhamukti.

Sannyasa Upanishad: An Upanishad of the Atharva Veda. It deals with the transition to the vanaprastha and sannyasa ashramas.

sannyasin: "Renouncer." One who has taken sannyasa diksha. A Hindu monk, swami, and one of a world brotherhood (or holy order) of sannyasins. See: swami.

shanti: "Peace."

Sanskrit: "Well-made; perfected." The classical sacerdotal language of ancient India, considered a pure vehicle for communication with the celestial worlds. It is the primary language in which Hindu scriptures are written, including the Vedas and Agamas. Employed today as a liturgical, literary and scholarly language, but no longer used as a spoken tongue.

Shanti Mantra: "Peace chant." So that each gathering of devotees is harmonious and productive, especially sessions of teacher and student, this mantra from the Taittiriya Upanishad (2.1.1) is recited at the outset to invoke peace, clarity and divine blessings, thus dispelling all potential enmity or confusion. It is recited again at the end as a closing benediction. It is recited in the knowledge that through harmony of will and mind, superconscious ideas and insights will flood forth.

Saravanabhava lake: Lake in the Rishi Valley section of San Marga named after the holy lake of Lord Murugan. Its mirror-like surface symbolizes a quieted, peaceful mind.

sari: The traditional outer garment of a Hindu woman, consisting of a long, unstitched piece of cloth, usually colorful cotton or silk, wrapped around the body, forming an ankle-length skirt, and around the bosom and over the shoulder.

shastra: "Sacred text; teaching." 1) Any religious or philosophical treatise, or body of writings. 2) A department of knowledge, a science; e.g., the Dharma Shastras on religious law, Artha Shastras on politics.

shastri: One who is knowledgeable in shastra, or scriptures.

Shastric flow: The patterns and systems delineated in the Lord Subramaniam Shastras. The psychic, mental and physical environment created through adhering to these principles and guidelines.

satguru (sadguru): "True weighty one." A spiritual preceptor of the highest attainmentone who has realized the ultimate Truth, Parashiva, through nirvikalpa samadhia jivanmukta able to lead others securely along the spiritual path. He is always a sannyasin, an unmarried renunciate. All Hindu denominations teach that the grace and guidance of a living satguru is a necessity for Self Realization. He is recognized and revered as the embodiment of God, Sadashiva, the source of grace and of liberation. See: guru bhakti, guru, guru-shishya system.

satguru jayanti. See:

Satguru Purnima: See: Guru Purnima.

satsanga: gathering in the company of good souls to worship devoutly and sing loudly in praise of God, Gods and guru. In the Church, satsanga has two main forms: the weekly bhajana and the monthly havana satsangas. The bhajana satsanga has three variations per year in accordance with the three climatic seasons: Nartana, Jivana and Moksha ritaus.

Sat Yuga: The first in the repetitive cycle of yugas, representing the brightest time, when the power of Siva is felt most easily by all. See: yuga.

scripture (scriptural): "A writing." A sacred text or holy book having authority for a given sect or religion. See: shastra, smriti, shruti.

secluded (seclusion): Isolated; hidden. Kept apart from others. See: muni.

Second World: The astral or subtle plane. Here the soul continues its activities in the astral body during sleep and after the physical body dies. It is the in-between world which includes the Devaloka and the Narakaloka. The Second world exists "within" the First World or physical plane. See: loka.

secular humanism: A system that rejects religious faith and worship and holds that one need not look beyond man for life's ethical meaning.

secular: Not sacred or religious; temporal or worldly.

seer: Visionary; rishi. A wise being or mystic who sees beyond the limits of ordinary perception. See: akasha, rishi.

self-assertive: Quality of one who makes himself, his ideas, opinions, etc., dominant. Demanding recognition.

Self (Self God): God Siva's perfection of Absolute Reality, ParashivaThat which abides at the core of every soul. See: Paramatman, Parashiva.

self-declared sannyasin: Paramadeshi sannyasin. See: sannyasa diksha.

self-effacement: Modest, retiring behavior; giving all credit to God, preceptor and other persons and not accepting praise for one's accomplishments.

self-erasement: The process of wiping out or eradicating the personal ego and the dross of the past, lodged in the memory patterns of the subconscious.

Self Realization: Direct knowing of the Self God, Parashiva. Self Realization is known in Sanskrit as nirvikalpa samadhi; "enstasy without form or seed;" the ultimate spiritual attainment (also called asamprajnata samadhi). Esoterically, this state is attained when the mystic kundalini force pierces through the sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head. See: God Realization, liberation, kundalini, Parashiva, raja yoga, samadhi.

seminary: A recognized theological center for training monks. Kauai Aadheenam is the seminary of Saiva Siddhanta Church.

senior minority group: The one-third most senior members of the monastery. They meet regularly, in private, to oversee cleanliness, general procedures and the flow of guests and act as a channel to the guru and convey his instructions to the monastery in a formal way. .

seniority age: Age in Saiva Siddhanta Church calculated by adding together physical age, namakarana age and membership age.

sepulcher: A burial vault; grave; tomb. In Sanskrit, known as a samadhi.

servitude: Condition of a slave subject to a master.

seva "Service." Karma yoga. An integral part of the spiritual path, where the aspirant strives to serve without thought of reward or personal gain. The central practice of the charya pada. See:

severance: A breaking off or separation.

sexuality: Hinduism has a healthy, unrepressed outlook on human sexuality, and sexual pleasure is part of kama, one of the four goals of life. On matters such as birth control, sterilization, masturbation, homosexuality, bisexuality, petting and polygamy, Hindu scripture is tolerantly silent, neither calling them sins nor encouraging their practice, neither condemning nor condoning. The two important exceptions to this understanding view of sexual experience are adultery and abortion, both of which are considered to carry heavy karmic implications for this and future births.

shirk: To neglect or evade doing something that should be done.

shrouded: Covered, protected, screened, veiled, sheltered.

Shum: A Natha mystical language of meditation revealed in Switzerland in 1968 by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami.

shun: To keep away from; ignore or avoid scrupulously or consistently.

siddha: A "perfected one'' or accomplished yogi, a person of great spiritual attainment or powers. See: siddhi.

siddhanta: "Final attainments or conclusions." Siddhanta refers to ultimate understanding arrived at in any given field of knowledge. See: Saiva Siddhanta.

Siddhanta Press: The former name of Himalayan Academy Publications, used in the Saivite Shastras.

siddhi: "Power, accomplishment; perfection." Extraordinary powers of the soul, developed through consistent meditation and deliberate, grueling, often uncomfortable tapas, or awakened naturally through spiritual maturity and yogic sadhana. Through the repeated experience of Self Realization, siddhis naturally unfold according to the needs of the individual. Before Self Realization, the use or development of siddhis is among the greatest obstacles on the path because it cultivates ahamkara, I-ness, and militates against the attainment of prapatti, complete submission to the will of God, Gods and guru.

sin: Intentional transgression of divine law. Akin to the Latin sous, "guilty." Hinduism does not view sin as a crime against God, but as an act against dharmamoral orderand 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 Hinduism, there are no such concepts as inherent or mortal sin. See: aura, evil, karma, papa.

shishya: "A pupil or disciple," especially one who has proven himself and has formally been accepted by a guru.

Siva: "The auspicious, gracious or kindly one." Supreme Being of the Saivite religion. God Siva is All and in all, simultaneously the creator and the creation, both immanent and transcendent. As personal Deity, He is creator, preserver and destroyer. He is a one being, perhaps best understood in three perfections: Parameshvara (Primal Soul), Parashakti (pure consciousness) and Parashiva (Absolute Reality). See: Parameshvara, Parashakti, Parashiva, Nataraja, Saivism.

Sivachaitanya: "God consciousness." See: Siva consciousness.

Sivacharya: The hereditary priests of the Saiva Siddhanta tradition. The title of Adishaiva Brahmins. An Adishaiva priest who has received the necessary training and dikshas to perform public Siva temple rites known as Agamic nitya parartha puja. A fully qualified Sivacharya is also known as archaka. Sivacharya, too, names the family clan of this priest tradition. See: brahmin.

Siva consciousness: Sivachaitanya. A broad term naming the experience or state of being conscious of Siva in a multitude of ways, such as in the five expressed in the following meditation. Vital Breath: prana. Experience the inbreath and outbreath as Siva's will within the body. Become attuned to the ever-present pulse of the universe, knowing that nothing moves but by His divine will. All-Pervasive Energy: shakti. Become conscious of the flow of life within the body. Realize that it is the same universal energy within every living thing. Practice seeing the life energy within another's eyes. Manifest Sacred Form: darshana. Hold in your mind a sacred form, such as Nataraja, Sivalinga or the satguruwho is Sadashivaand think of nothing else. See every form as a form of our God Siva. Inner Light: jyoti. Observe the light that illumines the thoughts. Concentrate only on that light, as you might practice being more aware of the light on a TV screen than of its changing pictures. Sacred Sound: nada. Listen to the constant high-pitched ee sounding in the head. It is like the tone of an electrical transformer, a hundred tamburas distantly playing or a humming swarm of bees. See: jnana, mind (five states).

Sivadhyana: Meditation on Siva.

Sivalinga: "Mark, or sign, of Siva." The most prevalent icon of Siva, found in virtually all Siva temples. A rounded, elliptical, aniconic image, usually set on a circular base, or pitha. The Sivalinga is the simplest and most ancient symbol of Siva, especially of Parashiva, God beyond all forms and qualities. The pitha represents Parashakti, the manifesting power of God. Lingas are usually of stone (either carved or naturally existing, svayambhu, such as shaped by a swift-flowing river), but may also be of metal, precious gems, crystal, wood, earth or transitory materials such as ice. See: murti, Saivism.

Sivaloka: "Realm of Siva." See: loka.

Sivanadiyar: "Slave of Siva." Conveys a mystic relationship between the devotee and Siva in which all spiritual, mental and physical actions are perceived as fulfilling the will and design of Siva. See: karma yoga.

Sivaratri: "Night of Siva." See: Mahashivaratri.

Siva-Shakti: Father-Mother God, both immanent and transcendent. A name for God Siva encompassing His unmanifest Being and manifest energy. See: Ardhanarishvara, Parameshvara, Primal Soul, Siva.

Sivathondan: "Servant of Siva." Conveys the same mystic meaning as Sivanadiyar, denoting a devotee who regularly performs actions dedicated to God Siva; selfless work in service to others. See: karma yoga.

Sivathondu: "Service to Siva." Akin to the concept of karma yoga. See: karma yoga.

Sivaya: "To Siva."

Sivena saha Nartanam: @ "Dancing with Siva."

Skanda: "Quicksilver; leaping one." One of Lord Karttikeya's oldest names, and His form as scarlet-hued warrior God. See: Karttikeya.

Skanda Shashthi: A six-day festival in October-November celebrating Lord Karttikeya's, or Skanda's, victory over the forces of darkness.

shloka: u A verse, phrase, proverb or hymn of praise, usually composed in a specified meter. Especially a verse of two lines, each of sixteen syllables. Shloka is the primary verse form of the Sanskrit epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana. See: bhashya, sutra.

Smarta Dashanami orders: Ten liberal orders of sannyasins formalized by Adi Sankara, 9th century. See: Dashanami.

Smartism: "Sect based on the secondary scriptures (smriti)." The most liberal of the four major denominations of Hinduism, an ancient Vedic brahminical tradition (ca 700bce) which from the 9th century onward was guided and deeply influenced by the Advaita Vedanta teachings of the reformist Adi Shankara. Its adherents rely mainly on the classical smriti literature, especially the Itihasas (Ramayana and Mahabharata, the latter of which includes the Bhagavad Gita), Puranas and Dharma Shastras. These are regarded as complementary to and a means to understanding the Vedas. See: dashanami, Shankara.

smriti: "That which is remembered; the tradition." Hinduism's nonrevealed, secondary but deeply revered scriptures, derived from man's insight and experience. Smriti speaks of secular mattersscience, law, history, agriculture, etc.as well as spiritual lore, ranging from day-to-day rules and regulations to superconscious outpourings. In a general sense, smriti may refer to any text other than shruti (revealed scripture) that is revered as scripture within a particular sect. The selection of smriti varies widely from one sect and lineage to another. See: shruti.

social dharma: See: dharma.

solace: A comforting or easing of distress, pain or sorrow.

solemn: Observed or performed according to ritual or tradition. Formal, serious, inspiring feelings of awe. --solemnize: To consecrate with formal ceremony. See: sacrament, samskara.

solitaire: One who lives alone; a hermit or anchorite. religious solitaire: refers to the stage of life after age 72, called sannyasa ashrama. See: ashrama dharma, sannyasa dharma.

soul: The real being of man, as distinguished from body, mind and emotions. The soulknown as atman or purushais the sum of its two aspects, the form or body of the soul and the essence of the soulPure Consciousness (Parashakti or Satchidananda) and Absolute Reality (Parashiva). See: atman, Paramatman, spiritual unfoldment.

sphatika: "Quartz crystal." From sphat, "to expand; blossom; to burst open or into view." See: sphatika Sivalinga.

sphatika Sivalinga: "Crystal mark of God." A quartz-crystal Sivalinga. See: San Marga Sanctuary, Sivalinga, Svayambhu Linga.

spiritual lineage vow: Parampara vrata, giving all loyalties to a specific lineage and a closing off of intellectual inroads to all other lineages through a formal oath. This commitment is a total focus demanded of the shishya by the shishya so that learning of one unique path may mature past intellectual stages into complete experiential knowing.

spiritual unfoldment: The unfoldment of the spirit, the inherent, divine soul of man. The gradual expansion of consciousness as kundalini shakti slowly rises through the sushumna. The term spiritual unfoldment indicates this slow, imperceptible process, likened to a lotus flower's emerging from bud to effulgent beauty. See: kundalini, liberation, pada, sadhana.

spokesman: One who speaks on behalf of another or others; padipalar.

sponsorship: To assume certain responsibilities for a person applying to be admitted into membership. "Those who sponsor new members shall be responsible for their strengths and failures."

spouse: A partner in a marriage; a husband or wife.

shraddha: "Faith; belief." See: pancha shraddha.

shraddha: Relating to commemorative ceremonies for the deceased, held one week, one month after death, and annually thereafter, according to tradition. See: death, bone-gathering, samskara.

shraddhadharana: "Collection or concentration of faith or belief." A Saskrit term for creed, a concise synopsis of religious doctrine. See: creed, faith.

Sri Lanka ė iڐn "Venerable lion." Island country off the southeast tip of India, formerly called Ceylon, 80% Buddhist, home to several million Tamil Saivites who live mostly in the arid north. It was a British colony until independence in 1948 as a member of the Commonwealth; became a republic in 1972; 25,000 square miles, 15 million population.:

Shri Rudram: "Hymn to the wielder of terrific powers." Preeminent Vedic hymn to Lord Siva as the God of dissolution, chanted daily in Siva temples throughout India. It is in this long prayer, located in the Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Samhita, in the middle of the first three Vedas, that the Saivite mantra Namah Sivaya first appears.

shruti: "That which is heard." Hinduism's revealed scriptures, of supreme theological authority and spiritual value. They are timeless teachings transmitted to rishis, or seers, directly by God thousands of years ago. Shruti is thus said to be apaurusheya, "impersonal." Shruti consists of the Vedas and the Agamas, preserved through oral tradition and eventually written down in Sanskrit. Among the many sacred books of the Hindus, these two bodies of knowledge are held in the highest esteem. For countless centuries shruti has been the basis of philosophical discussion, study and commentary, and this attention has given rise to countless schools of thought. It is also the subject of deep study and meditation, to realize the wisdom of the ancients within oneself. Most mantras are drawn from shruti, used for rites of worship, both public and domestic, as well as personal prayer and japa. See: Agama, smriti, Vedas.

stalwart: Strong, well-built; brave; valiant; resolute; firm; unyielding.

stewards: Those responsible to administrate or care for another's property. The trustees of an institution.

stri dharma: "Womanly conduct." See: dharma.

subconscious mind: Samskara chitta. See: aura, conscience, mind (five states).

subjugate: To bring under control or subjection.

Subramuniyaswami: Current satguru (1927) of the Nandinatha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara. The name Subramuniya is a Tamil spelling of the Sanskrit Shubhramunya (not to be confused with Subramanya). It is formed from shubhra meaning "light; intuition," and muni, "silent sage." Ya means "restraint; religious meditation." Thus, Subramuniya means a self-restrained soul who remains silent or, when he speaks, speaks out from intuition.

substratum: A substance or element which lies beneath and supports another.

sub-subconscious mind: Vasana chitta. See: mind (five states).

subsuperconscious mind: Anukarana chitta. See: mind (five states).

succession: A number of persons or things coming one after another in order; e.g., a spiritual succession. See: guru parampara.

successor: A person who follows another, in office or title, as the successor to a satguru or king.

succinctly: Clearly and briefly stated.

Shuddha Saiva Siddhanta: "Pure Saiva Siddhanta," a term first used by Tirumular in the Tirumantiram to describe his monistic Saiva Siddhanta and distinguish it from pluralistic Siddhanta and other forms of Siddhanta that do not encompass the ultimate monism of Vedanta. See: Saiva Siddhanta.

shudra: "Worker, servant." The social class of skilled artisans, workers and laborers.

suicide: "Self-killing." In Sanskrit, pranatyaga, "abandoning life force." Intentionally ending one's own life through poisoning, drowning, burning, jumping, shooting, etc. Suicide has traditionally been condemned in Hindu scripture because, being an abrupt escape from life, it creates unseemly karma to face in the future. However, in cases of terminal disease or great disability, religious self-willed death through fastingprayopaveshais permitted. The person making such a decision declares it publicly, which allows for community regulation and distinguishes the act from suicide performed privately in traumatic emotional states of anguish and despair. Ancient lawgivers cite various stipulations: 1) inability to perform normal bodily purification; 2) death appears imminent or the condition is so bad that life's pleasures are nil; 3) the action must be done under community regulation. The gradual nature of prayopavesha is a key factor distinguishing it from sudden suicide, svadehaghata ("murdering one's body"), for it allows time for the individual to settle all differences with others, to ponder life and draw close to God, as well as for loved ones to oversee the person's gradual exit from the physical world. In the ideal, highly ritualized practice, one begins by obtaining forgiveness and giving forgiveness. Next a formal vow, mahavrata-marana, "great vow of death," is given to one's guru, following a full discussion of all karmas of this life, especially fully and openly confessing one's wrongdoings. Thereafter, attention is to be focused on scripture and the guru's noble teachings. Meditation on the innermost, immortal Self becomes the full focus as one gradually abstains from food. At the very end, as the soul releases itself from the body, the sacred mantra is repeated as instructed by the preceptor. See: death, penance, reincarnation, soul.

sukarma: See: karma, punya.

Sundarar: One of the four Tamil Samayacharyas (ca 800), and composer of devotional hymns to God Siva, which form the seventh book of the Tirumurai. In these, he pleads forth-rightly to Siva for material as well as spiritual abundance. See: Nayanar, Tirumurai.

superconscious mind: Karana chitta. See: mind (five states), mind (three phases).

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

supplicant: One who is humbly begging. A premonastic who abides by the pledges of purity, humility and obedience, for six months at a time, in preparation to enter the Postulancy.

surrender: Giving up or yielding. Surrender to the Divine is called prapatti, a complete giving over of oneself to God's will in total trust and abandonment. See: bhakti, prapatti, sacrifice.

Surya: "Sun." One of the principal Divinities of the Vedas, also prominent in the epics and Puranas. Saivites revere Surya, the Sun God each morning as Siva Surya. Smartas and Vaishnavas revere the golden orb as Surya Narayana. As the source of light, the sun is the most readily apparent image of Divinity available to man. As the giver of life, Surya is worshiped during harvest festivals everywhere. Esoterically, the sun represents the point where the manifest and unmanifest worlds meet or unite. In yoga, the sun represents the masculine force, pingala. Surya also signifies the Self within.

sutra: "Thread." An aphoristic verse; the literary style consisting of such maxims. From 500 bce, this style was widely adopted by Indian philosophical systems and eventually employed in works on law, grammar, medicine, poetry, crafts, etc. Each sutra is often accompanied by a commentary called bhashya. See: wedding pendant.

svajivana: "Personal life."

svayambhu murti: "Self-existent image." A Deity image discovered in nature, and not carved or crafted by human hands. See: murti.

svayambhu Sivalinga: "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.

swami: "Lord; owner." He who knows or is master of himself. A respectful title for a Hindu monk, usually a sannyasin. The term swami is sometimes applied more broadly to include nonmonastics dedicated to spiritual work. See: monastic, sannyasin.

Talaivar: "Leader." The senior shishya in a chakravala. He is the chairperson, host and guru's scribe, the person who later conveys to him what has transpired at the meeting and seeks direction. In the monastery, each kulam is overseen by a talaivar, working in close communication with the guru to coordinate activities those under his care.

tambura: An Indian stringed instrument that sounds three drone notes.

Tamil: The ancient Dravidian language of the Tamils, a Caucasoid people of South India and Northern Sri Lanka, who have now migrated throughout the world. The official language of the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

tamil lexicon: A dictionary of the Tamil language.

tantra: "Loom, methodology." 1) Most generally, a synonym for shastra, "scripture." 2) A synonym for the Agamic texts, especially those of the Shakta faith, a class of Hindu scripture providing detailed instruction on all aspects of religion, mystic knowledge and science. The tantras are also associated with the Saiva tradition. 3) A specific method, technique or spiritual practice within the Saiva and Shakta traditions.

tapasvin: One who performs tapas or is in the state of tapas. A yogi; a natyam under two-year Postulant vows in training for sannyasa diksha. See: tapas.

tattva: "That-ness" or "essential nature." Tattvas are the primary principles, elements, states or categories of existence, the building blocks of the universe. Rishis describe this emanational process as the unfoldment of tattvas, stages or evolutes of manifestation, descending from subtle to gross.

tantrika: (Anglicized: tantric.) Adjectival form for practices prescribed in the Tantra traditions. The name of a follower of any of the tantric traditions. See: tantra.

tapas: "Heat, fire." 1) Purificatory spiritual disciplines, severe austerity, penance and sacrifice. The endurance of pain, suffering, through the performance of extreme penance, religious austerity and mortification. By comparison, sadhana is austerity of a simple, sustained kind, while tapas is austerity of a severe, psyche-transforming nature. Tapas is extreme bodily mortification, long term sadhanas, such as meditating under a tree in one place for 12 years, taking a lifetime vow of silence and never speaking or writing, or standing on one leg for a prescribed number of years. Scriptures generally warn against extreme asceticism which would bring harm to the body. 2) On a deeper level, tapas is the intense inner state of kundalini "fire" which stimulates mental anguish and separates the individual from society. Life does not go on as usual when this condition occurs. The association with a satguru, Sadashiva, brings the devotee into tapas, and it brings him out of it. The fire of tapas burns on the dross of sanchita karmas. This is the source of heat, dismay, depression and striving until the advent of final and total surrender, prapatti. The individual can mollify this heated condition by continuing his regular sadhana as outlined by the guru. The fires of self-transformation may be stimulated by the practice of tapas, or come unbidden. One can "do" tapas, but the true tapas is a condition of being and consciousness which is a state of grace, bringing positive change, transformation and purification of one's nature. Guru bhakti is the only force that can cool the fires of tapas.

teak-tree turnaround: Area at the end of Pihanakalani Trail where a giant teak tree grows.

temple: A place consecrated for, and dedicated to, the worship of God or Gods. Hindus revere their temples as sacred, magical places in which the three worlds most consciously communestructures especially built and consecrated to channel the subtle spiritual energies of inner-world beings. The temple's psychic atmosphere is maintained through regular worship ceremonies (puja) invoking the Deity, who uses His installed image (murti) as a temporary body to bless those living on the earth plane. See: darshana, pilgrimage.

Temple Lane: The short road off Kuamoo at the entrance to Kauai Aadheenam.

tenet: A principle, doctrine, or belief held as a truth, as by some group.

testimony: A public declaration regarding a religious experience. A powerful way to strenghten the faith of others and oneself.

Tayumanavar: A Tamil Saivayogi, devotional mystic and poet saint (ca 17th century) whose writings are a harmonious blend of philosophy and devotion. In his poem "Chinmayananda Guru," Tayumanavar places himself in the genealogy of Rishi Tirumular. See: Tirumular.

theism: Belief that God exists as a real, conscious, personal Supreme Being, creator and ruler of the universe. May also include belief in the Gods.

third eye: The inner organ of psychic vision, located above and between the two physical eyes at the location of the ajna chakra. See: chakra.

three worlds: The three worlds of existence, triloka, are the primary hierarchical divisions of the cosmos. 1) Bhuloka: "Earth world," the physical plane. 2) Antarloka: "Inner or in-between world," the subtle or astral plane. 3) Sivaloka: "World of Siva," and of the Gods and highly evolved souls; the causal plane, also called Karanaloka. These are also known as the First World, Second World and Third World. See: loka.

tilaka: Marks made on the forehead or the brow with clay, ashes or sandalwood paste as an indication of sectarian affiliation. Vaishnavas wear a vertical v-shaped tilaka made from clay. The Saivite tilaka, called tripundra, consists of three horizontal strips of holy ash with a dot near the middle, or between the eyebrows. Wearing the tilaka is an expression of religious affiliation and pride in one's beliefs, not unlike the Christian's cross or the Jew's yarmulke. See: bindu, Hinduism.

tirtha: "Passageway; ford." A bathing ghat or place of pilgrimage, especially on the banks of sacred waters. Also refers to water offered in puja.

tirthayatra: "Journeying to a holy place." Pilgrimage. One of the five sacred duties (pancha nitya karmas) of the Hindu is to journey periodically to one of the innumerable holy spots in India or other countries. Preceded by fasting and continence, it is a time of austerity and purification, when all worldly concerns are set aside and God becomes one's singular focus. See: pancha nitya karmas, pancha shraddha.

tiru: "Sacred; holy." The exact Tamil equivalent of shri. Feminine equivalent is tirumati.

Tirukural: "Holy couplets." A treasury of Hindu ethical insight and a literary masterpiece of the Tamil language, written by Saiva Saint Tiruvalluvar (ca 200 bce) near present-day Madras. See: Tiruvalluvar.

Tirumantiram: "Holy incantation." The Nandinatha Sampradaya's oldest Tamil scripture; written ca 200 bce by Rishi Tirumular. It is the earliest of the Tirumurai, and a vast storehouse of esoteric yogic and tantric knowledge. It contains the essence of raja yoga and siddha yoga, and the fundamental doctrines of the 28 Saiva Siddhanta Agamas, which in turn are the heritage of the ancient pre-historic traditions of Saivism.

Tirumular: An illustrious siddha yogi and rishi of the Nandinatha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara who came from the Himalayas (ca 200 bce) to Tamil Nadu to compose the Tirumantiram. In this scripture he recorded the tenets of Saivism in concise and precise verse form, based upon his own realizations and the supreme authority of the Saiva Agamas and the Vedas. Tirumular was a disciple of Maharishi Nandinatha. See: Tirumantiram, Kailasa Parampara, Vedanta.

Tirumurai: "Holy book." A twelve-book collection of hymns and writings of South Indian Saivite saints, compiled by Saint Nambiyandar Nambi (ca 1000). Of these, books 1-3 are the hymns of Saint Tirujnana Sambandar (ca 600). Books 4-6 are the hymns of Saint Tirunavakarasu (Appar), a contemporary of Sambandar. Book 7 contains the hymns of Saint Sundaramurti (ca 800). Book 8 contains the two works of Saint Manikkavasagar (9th century)Tiruvasagam and Tirukovaiyar. Book 9 is the Tiruvisaippa and Tiruppallandu, which together comprise the works of nine saints. Book 10 is the Tirumantiram of Saint Tirumular (ca 200 bce). Book 11 contains the hymns of ten saints, including Saint Nakkirar and Nambiyandar Nambi, the compiler. Book 12 is the Periyapuranam by Saint Sekkilar (11th century), narrating the life story of the 63 Saiva Nayanar saints. The first seven books are known as Devarams.

tiruneri: "Holy path," The straight, 300-foot-long pathway through hibiscus and plumeria gardens which leads to Kadavul Hindu Temple.

tiruvadi: The feet of the satguru or his holy sandals, known in Sanskrit as shri paduka. The guru's feet are especially sacred, being the point of contact of the divine and physical spheres. See: paduka.

Tiruvalluvar: "Holy weaver." Tamil weaver and householder saint (ca 200 bce) who wrote the classic Saivite ethical scripture Tirukural. See: Tirukural.

tithing: Dashamamsha. "One-tenth sharing." The spiritual discipline, often a vrata, of giving one tenth of one's gainful and gifted income to a religious organization of one's choice, thus sustaining spiritual education and upliftment on earth. The Sanskrit equivalent is dashamamsha, called makimai in the Tamil tradition. Tithing is given not as an offering, but as "God's money." In olden days it was a portion of one's crops, such as one coconut out of ten. Immediately setting aside the tithe as soon as income is received sanctifies the remaining portion and reaps the greatest punya. It is an acknowledgement by faithful Hindus of God's providential care, bringing a greater awareness of God's power in the world. Because tithers are thus uplifted to a purer, spiritual consciousness, abundance naturally floods into their lives. Additional offerings should be given after this minimal obligation is paid. See: tithing vow.

tithing vow: Dashama bhaga vrata. "One-tenth-part vow." A promise that tithers make before God, Gods and their family or peers to tithe regularly each monthfor a specified time, or for life, as they wish.

trance mediumship: The practice of going into trance and allowing inner-plane beings to speak through oneself as a medium; also called channeling.

trance: In general, a condition of altered consciousness, accompanied by a lack of awareness to physical surroundings, neither a state of wakefulness nor sleep. In a religious sense it is a state of intense concentration, introspection or meditation. See: samadhi.

transcend: To go beyond one's limitations, e.g., "to transcend one's ego." Philosophically, to go beyond the limits of this world, or more profoundly, beyond time, form and space into the Absolute, the Self God.

transcendent: Surpassing the limits of experience or manifest form. In Saiva Siddhanta, a quality of God Siva as Absolute Reality, Parashiva, the Self. Distinguished from immanent. See: Parashiva.

transition: Passing from one condition or place to another. A synonym of death which implies, more correctly, continuity of the individual rather than his annihilation. See: death.

transmigration: Passage of a soul into another body after death.

transmuted: Changed from one nature, form, substance or state into another; transform.

transparent: Not drawing attention to oneself, unobtrusive. Cultured living. A term used to describe the state of mind and being in which one is centered within oneself and, though behaving in a natural and relaxed manner, does not ruffle one's surroundings.

trespasser: One who goes beyond the limits of what is considered right.

tribulation: Great misery or distress, as from oppression; deep sorrow.

tripundra: "Three marks." The Saivite sectarian mark, consisting of three horizontal lines of vibhuti (holy ash) on the brow, often with a dot (bindu) at the third eye. The three lines represent the soul's three bonds: anava, karma and maya. Holy ash, made of burnt cow dung, is a reminder of the temporary nature of the physical body and the urgency to strive for spiritual attainment and closeness to God. See: bindu, tilaka, vibhuti.

Truth: When capitalized, ultimate knowing which is unchanging. Lower case (truth): honesty, integrity; virtue.

tutuvar: The shishya who is youngest in seniority, occupying the last seat in the chakravala. He is the messenger to individuals. He posts mail and performs various other simple duties.

Tyaef: An esoteric language of meditation and spiritual unfoldment. Together, Tyaef and Shum define the path of individual awareness as it enters inner states through the art of meditation, contemplation and samadhi.

Tyaf: A special bamboo-like script used for writing prayers to be conveyed to the inner worlds through the sacred fire. See: lekhaprartha havana.

tyaga: "Letting go, detachment, renunciation." Described in the Bhagavad Gita as the basic principle of karma yoga, detachment from the fruits of one's actions. See: sacrifice, sannyasa, vairagya.

Uchishta: "Leavings; remainder." Religiously, the precious leavings from the guru's food plate or the waters from the bathing of his feet or sandals which are ingested by devotees as prasada. Partaking of the satguru's uchishta is an important means of receiving his vibration and thus creating a psychic connection and harmony with him, being in touch with his grace in a physical way. See: prasada, satguru, padapuja.

Umadeva: The messenger of the Senior Minority Group. The member of the Senior Group with the least resident seniority.

Umaganesha: The member of the Senior Group with the most resident seniority in the monastery. The guru's secretary in each monastery and chairman of the Senior Group of Elders, whose duty it is to keep the guru informed of all activities in the monastery.

unambiguously: Clearly; with certainty; having only one meaning.

unfoldment: Progression into the soul nature through awakening of kundalini force within the chakras, subtle spiritual/psychic forces centers within the being of man.

unscrupulous: Not restrained by ideas of right and wrong; unprincipled.

unwavering: Not having any doubt or indecision.

upadesha: "Advice; religious instruction." Often given in question-and-answer form from guru to disciple. The satguru's spiritual discourses.

Upanishad: "Sitting near devotedly." The fourth and final portion of the Vedas, expounding the secret, philosophical meaning of the Vedic hymns. The Upanishads are a collection of profound texts which are the source of Vedanta and have dominated Indian thought for thousands of years. They are philosophical chronicles of rishis expounding the nature of God, soul and cosmos, exquisite renderings of the deepest Hindu thought. See: shruti, Veda, Vedanta.

upasana: "Sitting near." Worship or contemplation of God. One of the pancha nitya karmas. "five constant duties." See: pancha nitya karmas.

upavidyarthi: Students of The Master Course that have not yet taken all three vratas: Shakhahara, Dashama Bhaga and Parampara.

utsava: "Festival." Religious celebrations or holy days and their observance in the home and temple. Utsava is one of the five constant duties, pancha nitya karmas.

utsavaka: "Festival maker." A person who coordinates arrangements for religious festivals.

Vagdana: "Word-giving." Marriage engagement ceremony. See: samskaras of adulthood.

vaikasi visakam: A festival held on Vishakha nakshatra, near the full moon day of the Tamil month of Vaikasi, May-June, to celebrate the creation, or "birth," of Lord Karttikeya. It is a time of gift-giving to panditas and great souls, weddings, feedings for the poor, caring for trees, spiritual initiation and conclaves of holy men.

vairagi: "Dispassionate one." An ascetic who lives by the principle of vairagya. Also names a particular class of mendicants, generally Vaishnavas, of North India who have freed themselves from worldly desires. See: monk, sannyasa, tyaga.

vairagya: "Dispassion; aversion." Freedom from passion. Distaste or disgust for worldliness because of spiritual awakening. Also, the constant renunciation of obstacles on the path to liberation. Ascetic or monastic life.

vaishnava: Of or relating to Vishnu; same as Vaishnavite. A follower of Lord Vishnu or His incarnations, such as Krishna or Rama. See: Vaishnavism.

Vaishnavism (Vaishnava): One of the four major religions, or denominations of Hinduism, representing roughly half of the world's one billion Hindus. It gravitates around the worship of Lord Vishnu as Personal God, His incarnations and their consorts. Vaishnavism stresses the personal aspect of God over the impersonal, and bhakti (devotion) as the true path to salvation. The goal of Vaishnavism is the attainment of mukti, defined as blissful union with God's body, the loving recognition that the soul is a part of Him, and eternal nearness to Him in Vaikuntha, heaven. Foremost among Vaishnava scriptures are the Vaishnava Agamas, Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata Purana.

Vaishnavite: Of or relating to Vishnu; same as Vaishnava. A follower of Vishnu or His incarnations. See: Vaishnavism.

vaishya: "Landowner; merchant." The social class of bankers, businessmen, industrialists; employers. Merchant class, originally those whose business was trade as well as agriculture. See: varna dharma.

vanakkam: The Tamil equivalent to namaskara.

vanaprastha ashrama: "Forest-dweller stage." See: ashrama dharma.

Varanasi: Also known as Kashi or Banaras. 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.

varna dharma: "The way of one's kind." The hereditary social class system, generally referred to as caste, established in India in ancient times. Within varna dharma are the many religious and moral codes which define human virtue. Varna dharma is social duty, in keeping with the principles of good conduct, according to one's community, which is generally based on the craft or occupation of the family. Strictly speaking it encompasses two interrelated social hierarchies: 1) varna, which refers to the four classes: brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya and shudra; and 2) jati, the myriad occupational subgroups, or guilds, which in India number over 3,000. Hence this dharma is sometimes called jati dharma. The class-caste system is still very much a part of Indian life today. Many modern Hindus propose that social status is now (and was originally) more properly determined by a person's skills and accomplishments than by birth. Mobility between jatis, or castes, within Hindu communities worldwide is limited but not impossible, and is accomplished through marrying into a new jati, or changing professions through persistence, skill and education. Shastris say that once a person breaks out of his varna or jati of birth and changes "caste," it takes three generations for his family to become fully established in that new strata of society, provided the continuity is unbroken. --varna: The four varnas are as follows. --brahmin (brahmana): "Mature, evolved soul." Scholarly, pious souls of exceptional learning. Hindu scriptures traditionally invest the brahmin class with the responsibility of religious leadership, including teaching and priestly duties. --kshatriya: "Governing; endowed with sovereignty." Lawmakers and law enforcers and military, also known as rajanya. --vaishya: "Landowner, merchant." Businessmen, financiers, industrialists; employers. Those engaged in business, commerce and agriculture. --shudra: "Worker, servant." Skilled artisans and laborers. It is in keeping with varna dharma that sons are expected to follow the occupation of their father, as that is the occupation that was chosen prior to birth. See: caste.

varshatma nivedana sadhana: ٰ "yearly self-dedication," the traditional practice of coming forward to one's guru with love, gifts and thankfulness, vowing full commitment for the coming year. Coming forward at this auspicious time gives the guru permission to inwardly guide the shishya for yet another year.

vasana: "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 sub-subconscious, or vasana chitta. See: samskara, mind (five states), vasana daha tantra.

vasana daha tantra: "Subconscious purification by fire." Daha means to burn, a tantra is a method, and vasanas are deep-seated subconscious traits or tendencies that shape one's attitudes and motivations. Vasanas can be either positive or negative. One of the best methods for resolving difficulties in life, of dissolving troublesome vasanas, the vasana daha tantra is the practice of burning confessions, or even long letters to loved ones or acquaintances, describing pains, expressing confusions and registering complaints and long-held hurts. Writing down problems and burning them in any ordinary fire brings them from the subconscious into the external mind, releasing the supressed emotion as the fire consumes the paper. This is a magical healing process. See: lekhaprartha havana, vasana.

vata: "Movement." Vayu, "air-ether." One of the three bodily humors, called dosha, vata is known as the air humor. Principle of movement in the body. Vata dosha governs such functions as breathing and movement of the muscles and tissues. See: ayurveda, dosha.

Veda (s): "Wisdom." Sagely revelations which comprise Hinduism's most authoritative scripture. They, along with the Agamas, are shruti, "that which is heard." The Vedas are a body of dozens of holy texts known collectively as the Veda, or as the four Vedas: Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. In all they include over 100,000 verses, as well as additional prose. Each Veda has four sections: Samhitas (hymn collections), Brahmanas (priestly manuals), Aranyakas (forest treatises) and Upanishads (enlightened discourses). See: shruti, Upanishad.

Vedanta: "Ultimate wisdom" or "final conclusions of the Vedas." Vedanta is the system of thought embodied in the Upanishads (ca 1500-600 bce), which give forth the ultimate conclusions of the Vedas. Through history there developed numerous Vedanta schools, ranging from pure dualism to absolute monism. The first and original school is Advaita Isvaravada, "monistic theism" or panentheism, exemplified in the Vedanta-Siddhanta of Rishi Tirumular (ca 250 bce) of the Nandinatha Sampradaya in his Tirumantiram, which is a perfect summation of both the Vedas and the Agamas. See: Advaita Ishvaravada, monistic theism, Tirumantiram.

Vedic-Agamic: Simultaneously drawing from and complying with both of Hinduism's revealed scriptures (shruti), the Vedas and Agamas, which represent two complementary, intertwining streams of history and tradition. The difference between Siddhanta and Vedanta is traditionally described in the following way. While the Vedas depict man looking for God, the Agamas hold the perspective of God looking to help man.

Vedic Experience: A modern English anthology of the Vedas by Professor Raimon Panikkar.

vegetarian: Shakahara. Of a diet which excludes meat, fish, fowl and eggs. Vegetarianism is a principle of health and environmental ethics that has been a keystone of Indian life for thousands of years. Vegetarian foods include grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and dairy products. Natural, fresh foods, locally grown, without insecticides or chemical fertilizers, are preferred. The following foods are minimized: frozen and canned foods, highly processed foods, such as white rice, white sugar and white flour; and "junk" foods and beverages (those with abundant chemical additives, such as artificial sweeteners, colorings, flavorings and preservatives). A person following a vegetarian diet is called a shakahari. A nonveggie is called mansahari. See: yama-niyama.

vegetarian vow: Shakahara vrata, the vow to eat a strictly vegetarian diet.

veiling grace: Tirobhava shakti. The divine power that limits the soul's perception by binding or attaching the soul to the bonds of anava, karma, and maya enabling it to grow and evolve as an individual being. See: grace.

vel: "Spear, lance." The symbol of Lord Karttikeya's divine authority as Lord of yoga and commander of the devas. (Known as shula in Sanskrit.) See: Karttikeya.

venerate: To look upon with feelings of deep respect or reverence.

vina: Large South Indian popular musical instrument usually having seven strings and two calabash gord resonance boxes.

venerate: To look upon with feelings of deep respect or reverence.

veshti: A long, unstitched cloth like a sarong, wound about the waist and reaching below the ankles. Traditional Hindu apparel for men. It can be wrapped in many different styles. A Tamil word derived from the Sanskrit veshtana, "encircling." Also called vetti (Tamil) or dhoti (Hindi).

vestments: The clothing, especially official robes or other garb, worn by religious persons, often as a sign of their spiritual position or ordination.

vibhuti: "Resplendent, powerful." Holy ash, prepared by burning cow dung along with other precious substances, milk, ghee, honey, etc. It symbolizes purity and is one of the main sacraments given at puja in all Saivite temples and shrines. Saivites wear three stripes on the brow as a distinct sectarian mark, as do many Smartas. See: tilaka, tripundra.

vibration: A distinctive emotional aura or atmosphere that can be instinctively sensed or experienced.

victors and vanquished: Those who triumph and those who are defeated in battle, debate or any competition. A concept or attitude about winning and losing derived from dualistic beliefs, which can lead to adharma, himsa, etc.

videhamukti: "Disembodied liberation." Release from reincarnation through nirvikalpa samadhithe realization of the Self, Parashivaat the point of death. See: moksha, Parashiva, Self Realization.

vidya: "Knowledge, learning, science." The power of understanding gained through study and meditation. Contrasted with avidya, ignorance.

vidyarambha: "Commencement of learning." See: samskara.

vilify: To use abusive or slanderous language against; to revile or defame.

vina: Large South Indian popular musical instrument usually having seven strings and two calabash gourd resonance boxes.

Vira Saiva: Of or related to Vira Shaivism; a follower of this sect of Hinduism.

vishesha diksha: "Distinguishing" initiation, marks the shishya's formal entrance into the Shri Subramuniya Rishi Gotra, and into confirmed membership of Saiva Siddhanta Church. After this initiation, the devotee, affectionately known as a chela, is obligated to personally, daily perform the Saiva Atmartha Puja, which now has new power.

visualize (visualization): To imagine, create mental images. Exercising the power of thought to create the future.

vishvagrasa: "Total absorption." The final merger of the soul in Siva at the fulfillment of its evolution. It is ultimate union of the individual soul body with the body of SivaParameshvarawithin the Sivaloka, from whence the soul was first emanated. This occurs at the end of the soul's evolution, after the four outer sheaths (annamaya kosha, pranamaya kosha, manomaya kosha and vijnamaya kosha) have been dropped off. Finally, anandamaya kosha, the soul form itself, merges in the Primal Soul. Individuality is lost as the soul becomes Siva, the creator, preserver, destroyer, veiler and revealer. Individual identity expands into universality. Having previously merged in Parashiva and Parashakti in states of samadhi, the soul now fully merges into Parameshvara and is one with all three of Siva's perfections. Jiva has totally become Sivanot a new and independent Siva, as might be construed, for there is and can only be one Supreme God Siva. This fulfilled merger can happen at the moment the physical body is dropped off, or after eons of time following further unfoldment of the higher chakras in the inner worldsall depending on the maturity, ripeness and intentions of the soul, by which is meant the advanced soul's choice to be either an upadeshi, a liberated soul who continues helping others, or a nirvani, one who shuns all worldly involvement.

Vivekananda, Swami: Disciple of Shri Ramakrishna who was overtaken by an ardent love of Hinduism and a missionary zeal that drove him onward. He attained mahasamadhi at age 39 (18631902). Most notable among his achievements was a trip around the world on which he gave brilliant lectures, especially in Europe and America, that created much respect for Hinduism. In India he founded the Ramakrishna Mission which thrives today internationally with over 100 centers and nearly 1,000 sannyasins. He is credited, along with Tagore, Aurobindo, Radhakrishnan and others, with sparking the modern Hindu revival.

vow: See: vrata.

vrata: "Vow, religious oath." Often a vow to perform certain disciplines over a period of time, such as penance, fasting, specific mantra repetitions, worship or meditation. Vratas extend from the simplest personal promise to irrevocable vows made before God, Gods, guru and community.

vratashishya: Novitiate Church members, those who have completed the requirements in the Invitation for Membership, including any necessary reconciliation of religious loyalties, having been wholeheartedly accepted into a kulapati family. They take two additional vows: the Saiva Shraddhadharana Vrata (the pledge to uphold and preach the Saivite Creed) and the Kulapati Sutra Vrata (the vow to uphold the 54 Kulapati Sutras).

vratyastoma: "Vow pronouncement." The traditional purification rite, outlined in the Tandya Brahmana, to welcome back into a Hindu community those who have become impure. It is performed for Hindus returning to India from abroad and for those who have embraced other faiths.

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Vyaghrapada: "Tiger feet." Famous Nandinatha Sampradaya siddha (ca 200 bce), trained under Maharishi Nandinatha, was a brother disciple of rishis Tirumular and Patanjali. He pilgrimaged south from Kashmir, settling at Tamil Nadu's Chidambaram Siva Temple to practice yoga. See: Kailasa Parampara.

Wailua Farm: The second of nine realms of tropical beauty at Kauai Aadheenam. Established in 1972, the farm provides an area of contemplative service and training for young monks in carpentry and farming in the natural beauty of groves of fruit orchards; flowers; sacred, rare and medicinal trees; vegetable gardens and much more. A small herd of Jersey and Holstein cows provide an abundant supply of milk, yogurt, cheese and butter for the monastery kitchen and ghee for cooking and temple ceremonies.

Wailua River: The sacred Hawaiian river that flows, and sometimes rages, along the southwest edge of Kauai Aadheenam.

wall: The monastery wall. The boundary of the monastery, both physical and psychic. Traditionally there is a physical wall built at this border of the psychic force field. It is here that newcomers to the monastery sit and beg entrance and adjust their vibration to that of the monastery before they are admitted to serve.

waver: To vacillate, showing doubt or indecision. Characteristic of not being firm-minded. To be unsure of oneself. See: conversion to Hinduism.

wealth: Artha. Abundance; financial stability. See: purushartha.

wedding pendant: A gold ornament worn by the Hindu wife around the neck representing her vows of matrimony. Known as mangala sutra in Sanskrit, and tali in Tamil. She reveres it as an image of her husband and ritually worships it during her morning devotions.

worldly: Materialistic, unspiritual. Devoted to or concerned with the affairs or pleasures of the world, especially excessive concern to the exclusion of religious thought and life. Connoting ways born of the lower chakras: jealousy, greed, selfishness, anger, guile, etc.

worldliness: The state or quality of being worldly. See: materialism.

written prayers: See: lekhaprartha havana.

Yajna: "Worship; sacrifice." One of the most central Hindu conceptssacrifice and surrender through acts of worship, inner and outer. A form of ritual worship especially prevalent in Vedic times, in which oblationsghee, grains, spices and exotic woodsare offered into a fire according to scriptural injunctions while special mantras are chanted. The element fire, Agni, is revered as the divine messenger who carries offerings and prayers to the Gods. See: pancha mahayajna.

Yama: "The restrainer." Hindu God of death; oversees the processes of death transition, guiding the soul out of its present physical body. See: death.

yama-niyama: The first two of the eight limbs of raja yoga, constituting Hinduism's fundamental ethical codes, the ten yamas and ten niyamas are the essential foundation for all spiritual progress. The yamas are the ethical restraints; the niyamas are the religious practices. See: raja yoga.

yea: Yes, indeed, truly, verily. Not only that, but more.

yoga: "Union." From yuj, "to yoke, harness, unite." The philosophy, process, disciplines and practices whose purpose is the yoking of individual consciousness with transcendent or divine consciousness. One of the six darshanas, or systems of orthodox Hindu philosophy. Yoga was codified by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras (ca 200 bce) as the eight limbs (ashtanga) of raja yoga. It is essentially a one system, but historically, parts of raja yoga have been developed and emphasized as yogas in themselves. Prominent among the many forms of yoga are hatha yoga (emphasizing bodily perfection in preparation for meditation), kriya yoga (emphasizing breath control), as well as karma yoga (selfless service) and bhakti yoga (devotional practices) which could be regarded as an expression of raja yoga's first two limbs (yama and niyama). See: austerity, bhakti yoga, danda, hatha yoga, raja yoga, siddhi.

yoga pada: The third of the successive stages in spiritual unfoldment in Saiva Siddhanta, wherein the goal is Self Realization. See: pada, yoga.

Yogaswami: "Master of yoga." Sri Lanka's most renowned contemporary spiritual master (18721964), a Sivajnani and Natha siddhar revered by both Hindus and Buddhists. He was trained in and practiced kundalini yoga under the guidance of Satguru Chellappaswami, from whom he received guru diksha. Sage Yogaswami was in turn the satguru of Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, current preceptor of the Natha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara. Yogaswami conveyed his teachings in hundreds of songs, called Natchintanai, "good thoughts," urging seekers to follow dharma and realize God within. Four great sayings capsulize his message: Thanai ari, "Know thy Self by thyself;" Sarvam Sivam Ceyal, "Siva is doing it all;" Sarvam Sivamaya, "All is Siva;" and Summa Iru, "Be still." See: Natchintanai.

yogi: One who practices yoga, especially kundalini or raja yoga.

young soul: A soul who has gone through only a few births, and is thus inexperienced or immature. See: soul.

yuga: "Period, age." One of four ages which chart the duration of the world according to Hindu thought. They are: Satya (or Krita), Treta, Dvapara and Kali. In the first period, dharma reigns supreme, but as the ages revolve, virtue diminishes and ignorance and injustice increases. At the end of the Kali Yuga, which we are in now, the cycle begins again with a new Satya Yuga.

zenith: Highest point; apex; summit.

Zoroastrian: Of or related to Zoroastrianism, a religion founded in Persia by Spenta Zarathustra (ca 600 BCE). It has roughly 150,000 adherents today, mostly near Bombay, where they are called Parsis. The faith stresses monotheism while recognizing a universal struggle between the force of good (led by Ahura Mazda) and evil (led by Ahriman). The sacred fire, always kept burning in the home, is considered the only worshipful symbol. Scripture is the Zend Avesta.

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