Glossary

Om – the pranava-pronounced as ‘Aum’, it is the monosyllabic personification of the Supreme Being.

A – This is the pronounced as ‘aa’ like in archana, which is pronounced as archanaa.

Anushthana – japa of a nature for a mixed number on a daily basis with a fixed purpose and a fixed duration.

Bhajan – a devotional song.

Brahmajnani – a self-realized one.

Chaturmasa – the auspicious four month period, spanning from the Ekadasi of bright fortnight of Ashadha to the Ekadasi of bright fortnight of Kartika.

Harad – chebulic myrobalan, Latin name – Terminalia chebula.

Japa – repetition of a mantra or the Lord’s name, vocally or silently.

Jivanmukta – one who is liberated while still embodied.

Mantra-diksha – initiation of a disciple by the Guru through the imparting of a mantra.

Nirvikalpa Samadhi – the highest thought of Samadhi beyond all thought, attribute and description.

Ojas – inner radiance or luster of the body.

Prasada – grace of the Lord, a deity or a personage; consecrated food.

Rajas – One of the three qualities of matter, characterized by anger, action, passion, envy etc.

Smriti - the body of sacred and profane brahminical tradition as ‘remembered’ by men (as distinct from the ‘revealed’ knowledge of the Vedas).

Samsara – the material world.

Sattva – one of the three qualities of nature characterized by purity and righteousness.

Sadhaka – an aspirant on the spiritual path.

Sadhana – a spiritual endeavor.

Sathi – a short stemmed, red or dark-colored rice which ripens in some sixty days from sowing.

Sattvic – characterized by purity and luminosity.

Sloka – a verse in Sanskrit.

Tapasya – austerities for religious purpose.

Tamas – one of the three qualities of Nature characterized by darkness, lassitude, idleness and ignorance.

Vata – biological wind humor.

Yajna – a fire-sacrifice.