GLOSSARY
Ananda
Spiritual ecstasy, delight, bliss.
Asram
A community of disciples living with a guru (spiritual
guide). A centre for the practice of sadhana
or yogic discipline.
Askesis (Gr.)
Training, inner discipline.
Asuric
Pertaining to the Asuras, egoistic demonic beings, sons of
Darkness and Division.
Bhakta
A devotee, a lover of the Divine (God).
Brahman
The One beside whom there is nothing. else existent; the Absolute.
Dharma
The natural law and spirit of religion; the law of the function of the nature.
Gita
Short form of "Bhagavadgita", the Song Celestial, a Hindu scripture.
Gunas
Qualities or fundamental modes of Nature.
Karma
Action, work; action entailing its consequences.
Kinesis (Gr.)
Movement, motion.
Mantras
Words to be reverently repeated or chanted, having a spiritual significance and power.
Nirvana
State of Extinction, not necessarily of all being, but of being as we know it; a state of absolute tranquillity, beyond ego and desire.
Ojas
A primal physical energy supporting all the other energies.
prakrti
Nature; the active and executive energy.
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puranic
Pertaining to the Puranas, later Hindu scriptures, mythological, historical, anecdotal.
purusa
The Conscious Soul, the true being.
Rajas
The kinetic principle in Nature, characterised by desire, action and passion.
Rasa
The essence of delight in things.
Rudra
A fierce and violent godhead of Vedic conception, but with a benevolent, aspect: Siva as Destroyer.
Sadhak (a)
Disciple; a seeker; one who practises yoga.
Sadhana
Practice of yoga; a spiritual discipline.
Samata
Equality, i.e., a quiet and unmoved mind and vital, untouched and undisturbed by happenings.
Sattwa
The principle of light and harmony in Nature; the mode of poise, peace, harmony, knowledge and satisfaction.
Sakti
The Power, the Consciousness-Force of the Divine; the World-Mother.
Tamas
The principle of obscurity and inertia in Nature.
Tantric
Pertaining to the Tantra, a special yogic system.
Tapasya
Spiritual austerity, spiritual effort.
Upanisad
Ancient Indian scripture expounding the secret meaning of the Veda, embodying the insights and experiences of seers (rsis) concerning the Atman (the true Self) which is the Brahman (the Absolute Being).
Vaishnavism
A movement within Hinduism; the way of devotion to Vishnu or Krishna.
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Vedantic
Pertaining to the Vedanta, the system of philosophy and spiritual discipline deriving from the Veda (ancient Hindu scriptures) and dealing with the essentials of the divine Knowledge.
Vicara
Concentrated thinking.
yoga
Union with the Divine; the discipline by which one enters through an awakening into an inner and higher consciousness; a systematised effort at self-perfection.
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