Abhichara sorcery. Also a spirit raised by an occult ritual.
Abhichari sorcerer.
Abhisheka investiture.
Acharya a brahmana master.
Achyuta immortal; a name of Vishnu’s and Krishna’s.
Adharma evil.
Adi kavya first Poem. The Ramayana.
Adisehsa great Serpent, Vishnu’s rest.
Aditi mother of the Devas.
Aditya son of Aditi. Being of light, also son of the Sun God.
Adityahridaya lit. heart of the sun.
Agni Fire God
Agni fire.
Agnihotra fire ritual.
Agni kunda fire pit.
Agneyastra fire weapon, missile.
Agneyi self-immolation by invoking inner fire.
Aindastra Indra’s astra.
Airavata Indra’s four-tusked white, flying elephant.
Akasa sky, cosmic ether, fifth element.
Akhanda universe.
Aksauhini a legion. One version of its size is 21,000 chariots, as many elephants, 65,000 horse and 110,000 footsoldiers. (But this does not tally with the total number of men killed during the Mahabharata yuddha, in 11 aksauhinis!)
Alakananda a name of the Ganga.
Alidha archer’s stance.
Amavasya new moon.
Amravati Indra’s heavenly city.
Amrita nectar of immortality.
Amsa essence, part.
Ananta Sesha cosmic Serpent on which Vishnu rests.
Anarta Krishna’s kingdom.
Anarya ignoble.
Andhaka a Yadava tribe.
Angaraka Mars.
Anima the occult power to make oneself small.
Aniruddha Krishna’s grandson.
Anjali offering.
Antapura harem.
Apsara nymph.
Arani a twig from a sami tree. A fire kindeld with these is always sacred.
Aranya jungle.
Arati worship with lamps.
Ardha half.
Arghya offering of welcome.
Arya noble.
Aryavarta land of the noble. India. Bharatavarsha.
Aryaman ancestor, the first man. Also, the Sun. Lord of the manes.
Asariri disembodied voice.
Asrama hermitage.
Asramas, the 4asramas of life brahmachari, grihasta, vanaprastha, sannyasi. Celibate, householder, renun-ciate, hermit.
Astra unearthly weapon.
Asura demon.
Aswamedha yagna horse sacrifice.
Aswattha pipal tree.
Aswins heavenly twins, known for their beauty.
Atharva the fourth Veda, concerned with sorcery, spells, etc.
Atman the individual Soul.
AUM/OM holy syllable, represents the Ultimate Reality.
Avatara Incarnation.
Ayudha weapon.
Bala/atibala strength, extreme strength.
Bhajan devotional song.
Bhakti devotion, worship.
Bhakta devotee.
Bharatavarsha India. The land of Bharata.
Bhasha language.
Bhasma holy ash.
Bhiksha alms, begging.
Bhoja a Yadava tribe.
Bhumi the earth.
Bhumidevi Earth Goddess.
Bhuta ghost, spirit.
Bindu point; mystic singularity.
Brahma God of the Hindu Trinity. The Creator.
Brahmachari a celibate.
Brahmacharya celibacy.
Brahmahatya murder of a brahmana.
Brahman Ultimate Godhead; Holy Sopirit; different from Brahma.
Brahmana priestly caste, also ‘Brahma’s people’.
Brahmarishi sage of Brahman.
Brahmavadi knower of Brahman.
Brahmavidya knowledge of Brahman.
Brighu an ancient rishi.
Brihaspati guru of the Devas. Also the planet Jupiter.
Bhuta spirit, ghost.
Budha Mercury.
Chaitra an auspicious lunar month.
Chaitra Kubera’s garden.
Chakra a wheel. In the body, a subtle center of energy along the spinal column and in the brain.
Chakravaka a water bird.
Chakravarti emperor.
Chamara silken whisk.
Chandala an untouchable.
Chandra Moon.
Charana unearthly being.
Chiranjivi long-lived, almost immortal.
Chital a kind of deer.
Chitraratha king of the gandharvas.
Daksha Brahma’s son, Sati’s father. A prajapati.
Danava demon, son of Danu.
Danda a staff, also punishment.
Daitya demon, son of Diti.
Dakshina south.
Dakshinayana the sun’s southern migration.
Darbha a kind of grass.
Darbhasana seat made of darbha grass
Deva a celestial, elemental, being. A God. Also ‘Being of Light.’ ‘Divya’ is light.
Devaloka heavenly realm of the Devas.
Devaputra son of a Deva.
Devi Goddess.
Dharma truth, justice.
Dhanu Sagittarius.
Dhanusha bow.
Dhanvantari the original physician, who rose from the sea of milk with the amrita.
Dharma truth, justice, duty, righteousness.
Dhruva North Star.
Dhupa/dhoop heavy, smoky, incence.
dhyana meditation.
Dikpala lord of a direction.
Diksha gift/ offering for a brahmana.
Dvividha a vanara.
Dwapara yuga third great age.
Dwaraka Krishn’a ocean city, raised for him by the Devas.
Dwarapalaka gatekeeper.
Ekarnava the original sea of life.
Gada mace, club.
Gana servitor, companion of Siva.
Gandharva heavenly warrior minstrels. Elf.
Gandharva vivaha marriage by abduction, elopement.
Garuda Vishnu’s Eagle.
Gayatri the mother of all mantras.
Ghee clarified butter.
Gochara planetary transit.
Gopa cowherd. Krishna was raised by gypsy cowherds.
Gopi/gopika cowherdess.
Gotra family, clan, lineage.
Graha pravesha formal entry into a new home.
Grihastha householder.
Guna essence in nature. Sattva, rajas and tamas.
Guru preceptor, master.
Guru dakshina a formal fee or gift given to a master by his pupil, when tutelage is complete.
Gurukula stage of life as a student, under a guru.
Gyana knowledge.
Gyani a wise man.
Halahala original poison, which Siva drank.
Hari Vishnu.
Hatya murder.
Havis the burnt offering from a sacrifice.
Himavan Himalaya.
Hiranyagarbha pregnant with the Golden Egg of the Cosmos.
Homa ritual worship.
Ikshvaku Ancestor. A race of the Sun is named after him.
Indra king of the Devas.
Indradhanush rainbow.
Ishta devata personal God.
Jatakarma caste ritual.
Jambavan king of bears.
Jambavati Jambavabn’s daughter. Krishna’s wife.
Janaki Janaka’s daughter, Sita.
Janardhana Vishnu.
Janma nakshatra lunar birth star.
Japam chant of God’s names.
Jata dreadlocks like rishis wear.
Jaya victory.
Jaya vijayi bhava! Be victorious!
Jitendriya one who has conquered his senses.
Jivatma embodied soul.
Kaala time.
Kadamba a tree.
Kalakuta Halahala. Poison chruned up from the kshirasagara.
Kali yuga the fourth and the most evil, of the ages. Not the black Goddess, Kaali.
Kalpa cosmic tract of time. 1000 yugas.
Kalyana marriage.
Kalyana mantapa marriage hall, enclosure.
Kama God of Love. Also pleasure, enjoyment.
Kamadhenu first, sacred, cow of wishes.
Kamandalu brahmana’s water-pot.
Kama shastra sacred arts of loving.
Kanchana golden.
Kanya virgin, maiden, young woman.
Kapila great sage. Vishnu’s incarnation.
Karma action, duty, also the fruit of past deeds.
Karttikeya Siva’s son.
Kavacha armor.
Kirita crown.
Kiriti Arjuna, after he wore the crown ndra gave him.
Kirtana devotional song.
Kohl collyrium.
Koyal cuckoo.
Krauncha crane.
Krita yuga first of the four ages; the purest, most pristine yuga.
Krodhagraha chamber of anger.
Krosa about 2 miles, a fourth of a yojana.
Kshatriya warrior.
Kshetra field; also, field of experience, knowledge etc.
Kshirasagara mythical sea of milk.
Kubera Lord of treasures. A Deva.
Kula clan.
Kulaguru the teacher of a royal family.
Kulapati head of a clan.
Kundala earrings, ear-studs.
Kurma tortoise: Vishnu’s second Avatara.
Kushti wrestling.
Kutila hut.
Lagna ascendant, rising sign.
Lakshmi Goddess of fortune. Vishnu’s consort.
Linga phallus, phallic emblem, Siva’s.
Madhurpaka sweet offering to a guest: usualy, honey and milk.
Maha great or powerful.
Maharathika great warrior.
Mahavishnu second God of the Hindu Trinity. The Preserver.
Mahima/ anima the occult siddhis to grow big and small.
Mahodadi great sea.
mahodara consumptionmalaya of a mala, a mountain.
Manasa sarovara holy lake on the Himalaya that Brahma made from his mind.
Mandala dimension, galaxy.
Mangala Mars.
Mantapa pavilion.
Mantra, mantram sacred incantation.
Manu ancestor, law-giver.
Margasirsa, mrigasirsa an auspicious Hindu lunar month.
Maricha demon who turned himself into a golden deer in the Ramayana.
Marma a vulnerable place in the body.
Marut divine companion of Vayu, the Wind God. There are 49 Mauts.
Mathura city of the Yadavas.
matrihatya matricide.
Matsya fish: Vishnu’s first Avatara.
Matsya yantra a fish device.
Maya illusion, cosmic illusion; as different from the Reality of God. Also, sorcery.
Maya Goddess of illusion.
Mayaa great demon builder and king.
Mayavi sorcerer.
Meru, Sumeru sacred, golden mountain north of the Himalayas, from which the continents are said to have unfurled. Heart of the world.
Mlechcha alien, untouchable.
Mohini enchantress: Vishnu as a woman.
Moksha liberation, Salvation.
Mowna silence.
Mrityu death.
Mrityunjaya homa a ritual to keep death away.
Mudra hand-sign, gesture of occult power.
Muhurta a small measure of time, esp. an auspicious moment to begin a new enterprise.
Muni seer, rishi. Silent one, knower of minds.
Musth elephant’s season/rut.
Naga great serpent; also magical, serpentine beings.
Nakshatra asterism in lunar Hindu astrology. They are 27 stellar goddesses, wives of the Moon.
Nandana Indra’s garden.
naracha fiery missile.
Narada a great rishi. Brahma’s son, born from his mind. A devotee of Vishnu.
naraka hell.
Narasimha manticore incarnation of Vishnu’s.
Narayana the Sleeper on eternity’s waters, which are called the Naara. Vishnu.
Nilakanta blue-throated One: Siva.
Nilgai a species of deer.
Nirvana moksha, liberation.
Nishada untouchable.
Nritya dance.
OM, Omkara the primal, holy syllable, which represents Godhead. AUM. Pranava.
Oshadhi healing herb.
Paapa sin.
Paasa noose.
Paativratya fidelity.
Padadhuli lit. ‘dust from feet’. A spiritual emanation from a holy person or elder’s feet.
Padma lotus.
Padmanabha lotus-naveled. Vishnu. Brahma is born in the lotus that sprouts from Vishnu’s navel.
Padmasana lotus-posture.
Padya water for washing the feet.
Panchabhuta the five elements.
Parabrahman Brahman. The ultimate, undifferentiated Godhead.
Paramatman Supreme Soul, God.
Parasurama brahmana incarnation of Vishnu. Axe-bearer.
Parivrajaka mendicant, holy man.
Parthiva linga an earthen phallic symbol.
Parvati Siva’s wife, lit. mountain-daughter.
Pasupati lord of animals: Siva.
Patala under-world, nether world.
Pativrata a devoted wife.
Paurnima, purnima full moon.
Payasa a liquid sweet.
Phalasruti a description of the fruit, results to be had from listening to or reading a holy text.
Pipal holy tree.
Pisacha evil spirit. Pitama/pitamaha grandfather.
Pitr ancestor. Lit. father.
Pitriloka realm of the manes.
Pradakshina circumambulation, in worship, respect.
Pradyumna Krishna’s son.
Prahlada son of the Asura Hiranyakashyipu, but Prahalada was a great Vishnu bhakta.
Prajapati a lord of the first races of men.
Prakriti nature. Ying. Feminine principle.
Pralaya the deluge.
Prana life breath.
Pranava AUM.
Prayatna difficult endeavor.
Prayaschitta penance.
Prayopavesha fasting for a cause, or a boon.
Preta a spirit.
Prithvi the Earth.
Puja/pooja ritual worship.
Punnaga a tree.
Punya virtue, merit.
Purana ancient legend, revelation. Also, collections of such myths about the Gods and their lives and deeds.
Puranika/ pauranika a raconteur, expert on the puranas.
Purohit priest.
Purusha the masculine principle. Yang. Also, soul as opposed to the feminine prakriti, or nature.
Purushottama best among men’, Vishnu.
Pushkara lake sacred to Brahma.
Pushpaka vimana sky chariot. UFO!
Putrakama yagna sacrifice for the birth of a son.
Putrasneha attachment/love for one’s children.
Raga, raaga special combination of musical notes.
Raghuvamsa the clan of Raghu, an ancient king.
Rahu dragon’s head, a demon.
Rajarishi a king who is a sage.
Rajas the second guna: active, energetic.
Rajasuya an imperial sacrifice.
Raksha protection, amulet of protection.
Rakshasa demon.
Rakshasi demoness.
Ratha chariot.
Rathika expert charioteer.
Rekha line of power.
Rik/Rig Veda the first Veda.
Rishabha the second note of the scale. Re.
Rishi sage.
Ritvik priest.
Rohini asterism, goddess, the Moon’s favorite wife.
Rudra Siva. Also a class of fierce beings associated with Siva.
Rudraksha holy beads; lit. Siva’s tears/eyes.
Rukmini Krishna’s wife.
Sabha court, hall.
Sachi Indra’s queen.
Sairandhri flower girl to a queen.
Sakhi female companion.
Sama a Veda.
Samadhi absorption in the Soul/God. Mystical trance.
Sambur a species of deer.
Samsara the world of illusion. This life of appearances.
Sanatkumara one of four original sages, born from Brahma’s mind.
Sandhi conjunction, cusp.
Sandhya twilight.
Sankara Siva.
Sannyasa asceticism, renunciation.
Sannyasi hermit.
Saptarishi seven sages, born from Brahma’s mind.
Sarabha great mythical bird.
Saras lake.
Sarasa water bird.
Saraswati Goddess of learning. Brahma’s consort.
Sarathy charioteer.
Saringa Krishna’s Bow.
Sati Daksha’ daughter. Siva’s first wife, who immlated herself and was then born as Parvati.
Sati when a widowed woman kills herself by sitting on her husband’s pyre.
Sattva the first, pure guna.
Satyabhama Krishna’s wife.
Senapati general; lit., lord of an army.
Shastra scripture.
Shimshupa a tree.
Siddha a self-realized being.
Siddhi occult power.
Sirasasana yogic posture, headstand.
Sishya pupil, disciple.
Siva third God of Hindu Trinity. The Destroyer.
Shavasana corpse-like yogic posture.
Skanda Siva’s son, Karttikeya.
Sloka sacred verse.
Soma the Moon God. Also, lunar nectar.
Sraddha death ceremony.
Sruti tone, sacred recitation, text.
Sruva ladle.
Stamba post, pole.
Sudarshana Chakra Vishnu’s weapon, a blazing wheel.
Sudharma Indra’s court in Amravati.
Sudra fourth Hindu caste, the servitors.
Sukra Venus, guru to the Asuras.
Sukshma/sthula Subtle/gross. Incorporeal/corporeal.
Surya Sun God.
Suryanamaskara yogic ritual for worshipping the sun at dawn.
Suta bard, charioteer.
Sutaputra son of a suta.
Swamini female of swami, saint.
Swapna dream.
Swarga heaven.
Swayamvara the ceremony at which a princess chooses her own husband.
Taala rhythm, beat.
Tamas the third and grossest guna in Nature.
Tandava Siva’s dance of dissolution.
Tapasya penance, long meditation or austerity.
Tapasvin one performs tapasya.
Tapovana grove of worship.
Tarpana offering of water for the dead.
Tilaka auspicious mark made on forehead.
Timmingala mythical whale-eater, possibly giant squid.
Tirtha holy place of pilgrimage.
Tirtha yatra pilgrimage.
Treta yuga the second great age.
Trikalagyani one who knows the 3 times.
Trimurti trinity: Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.
Tripathaga of three paths.
Tripura three sky cities, built by Mayaa, which Siva brought down with a missile of fire.
Trisula trident.
Ucchaisravas horse of the Sun.
Upanishad holy book, dealing with the Brahman, the formless God.
Usanas Venus. Sukra. A male God, guru to the Asuras, as Brihaspati, Jupiter is to the Devas. Greatest of poets.
Uttara Phalguni a nakshatram.
Uttarayana the northern migration of the sun.
Vaastu land, property, house etc. also, the sacred science of these and building. Ancient Indian feng shui.
Vaastu shanti rite for peace in a new dwelling.
Vaikunta Vishnu’s celestial city.
Vairagya detachment, relinquishment.
Vaisya third Hindu caste; the traders.
Vaitarani river of death, which separates this world from the next.
Vajra Indra’s thunderbolt.
Valkala fabric made of tree-bark, worn by hermits.
Vamana dwarf: Vishnu’s fifth Avatara.
Vana jungle, forest.
Vana devata forest god.
Vanara ancient, magical race of monkeys. Lit. dwellers in the vana.
Vanavasa living in the forest as a renunciate.
Vandana worship.
Varaha boar: Vishnu’s third incarnation.
Varanasi city sacred to Siva.
Varsha continent. Also, rain.
Varuna God of seas.
Vasantha spring.
Vasuki king of the nagas.
Vayavyastra wind weapon.
Veda ancient book of sacred hymns.
Vedanta lit. the end of the Vedas. Includes the Upanishads. Discourses on the Brahman.
Vedi/vedika altar.
Vetala/i hunter, huntress
Vidya an art.
Vidyadhara magical being.
Vimana sky ship.
Vina Indian stringed instrument, like a lute.
Vina nadam the soound of a vina.
Viswakarman divine artisan.
Viswarupa Cosmic Form.
Vivasat ancestor: the Sun.
vrata vow.
Vrishni a Yadava tribe, to which Krishna belongs.
Vyuha battle formation.
Yaama a measure/hour of the night.
Yadava Krishna’s clan.
Yaga, yagna sacrifice.
Yagnapashu sacrificial beast.
Yagnashala enclosure for a sacrifice.
Yajaka one who undertakes a yagna.
Yajus, Yajur Veda a Veda.
Yaksha a forest spirit.
Yama God of Death.
Yamala a tree.
Yamaduta death’s messenger, servitor.
yantra occult symbol. A device.
yatra journey, often with religious significance.
Yoga ‘union’; union with the Self, with God.
Yogi, yogin one who is united with his higher Self, with God.
Yogini female yogi.
Yojana 8/9 miles approximately.
Yoni vagina. Vaginal smybol at the base of a lings.
Yuddha war.
yuga an age.
yuganta/yugantara conjunction of two ages; a time of change.
yuga sandhi the cusp between two yugas.
yuvaraja crown prince, heir apparent.