Glossary

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

a – this is pronounced as ‘aa’ like in archana, which is pronounced as archanaa.

Ashwamedha Yajna – fire sacrifice involving a horse (a ritual practiced by great kings of yore to establish their undisputed supremacy all over the land. In this, a horse is left free to meander at its sweet will and the lands and areas it crosses over without any protest from the local rulers are considered to have accepted subjugation).

Bhandara – a community feast followed by distribution of utilities and cash.

Brahmacharya – celibacy

Brahmajnani – a Self-realized one.

Bhaktiyoga – path of devotion.

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

Jnana Yoga – the spiritual path of knowledge.

Kamandulu – a water pot used by mendicants.

Mahavakya – one of the four ‘Great Utterances ‘ in the Upanishads that lead to Self-realization.

Ojas – inner radiance or luster of the body.

Palasha – the tree butea frondosa or its flower.

Poonamvratadhari – a devotee who observes the vow to having Bapuji’s darshana on every full-moon day before taking food.

Samskara – inherent tendency; impressions left in the mind after any experience, often those brought over from former births.

Sankirtan yatra – a procession taken out with the chanting of devotional songs.

Shaktipata – blessings or transferal of spiritual energy.

Trakata – a yogic practice focusing the eyes on a single point for a long period of time without blinking.

Tritapa – the three fold afflictions / torments.

Yoganidra – a state wherein the body is asleep but the spirit is awake in the Real Self.