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Glossary
A
Abhiseka-a bathing ceremony, particularly for the coronation of a
king or the installation of the Lord's Deity form.
Absolute Truth-the ultimate source of all energies.
Acamana-purification by sipping water and chanting names of the
Lord, especially during a sacrifice.
Acarya-an ideal teacher, who teaches by his personal eample; a
spiritual master.
Acintya-bhedabheda-tattva-Lord Chaitanya's doctrine of the
"inconceivable oneness and difference" of God and His energies.
Acintya-sakti-the inconceivable energy of the Supreme Lord.
Acit-without life or consciousness.
Acyuta-the Supreme Lord, who can never fall down from His
position.
Adbhuta-the [rasa] (devotional sentiment) of wonder or amazement.
Adharma-irreligion.
Adhibhautika misery-misery caused by other living beings.
Adhidaivika misery-misery caused by nature.
Adhidaivika powers-the administrative functions delegated by the
Lord to demigods, such as control over rain, wind and sun.
Adhoksaja-the Supreme Lord, who is beyond material sense
perception.
Adhyatmika misery-misery caused by one's own body and mind.
Adi-purusa-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, the original person.
Aditi-the mother of the demigods.
Adityas-the demigods who are descendants of Kasyapa Muni's wife
Aditi.
Advaita Prabhu-an incarnation of Vishnu who appeared as a
principal associate of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Advaita-vadis-atheistic philosophers who say all distinctions are
but material illusions. [See also:] Mayavadis.
Aghasura-the python-shaped demon sent by Kamsa to kill Krishna.
Agni-the demigod of fire.
Agnihotra-yajna-the ceremonial fire sacrifice performed in Vedic
rituals.
Aham brahmasmi-the Vedic aphorism "I am spirit."
Aham mameti-the false conception of "I" and
"mine."
Ahangraha-upasana-self-worship, not recommended for anyone other
than God.
Ahankara-false ego, by which the soul misidentifies with the
material body.
Ahimsa-nonviolence.
Aja-the unborn; the Supreme Lord.
Ajagara-vrtti-the life pattern of a python.
Ajamila-a fallen [brahmana] who was saved from hell by chanting
the name of Lord Narayana at the time of death
Ajnata-sukrti-pious or devotional activity performed accidentally,
without knowledge of its effect.
Akama-free from material desire.
Akama-bhakta-one who serves the Lord without material motive.
Akarma-"nonaction"; devotional activity for which one
suffers no reaction.
Akincana-gocara-Lord Krishna, who is easily approached by those
who are materially ehausted.
Akrura-an uncle of Lord Krishna.
Aksauhini-a military division consisting of 21,870 chariots,
21,870 elephants, 109,350 infantrymen and 65,610 horses.
Akuti-one of Svayambhuva Manu's three daughters. She was the wife
of Ruci.
Amara-kosa dictionary-a dictionary of the Sanskrit language.
Ambarisa Maharaja-a great devotee king who perfectly eecuted all
nine devotional practices (hearing, chanting, etc.).
Amsa-an epansion of the Supreme Lord.
Anakadundubhi-another name of Vasudeva, the father of Krishna.
Ananda-spiritual bliss.
Ananda-chinmaya-rasa-vigraha-the personal, spiritual form of bliss
and knowledge.
Anandamaya-full of bliss in spiritual realization; Krishna
conscious.
Ananta-the Lord's thousand-headed serpent incarnation, who serves
as the bed of Vishnu and sustains the planets on His hoods.
Anartha-nivrtti-a stage in the progressive development of devotion
to Lord Krishna in which one is freed from unwanted desires and karmic
reactions.
Anga Maharaja-the father of King Vena.
Angira-one of the seven great sages born directly from Brahma.
Anilayama-the discipline of controlling the breathing process.
Anima-the mystic power to become as small as an atom.
Aniruddha-one of the four original epansions of Lord Krishna in
the spiritual world; also, a grandson of Lord Krishna.
Annamaya-(consciousness) absorbed only in food.
Anna-prasana-the ceremony of offering a child his first food
grains; one of the ten purificatory [samskaras].
Antardhana-Vijitasva, the eldest son of King Prthu.
Antariksa-outer space.
Antaryami-the epansion of the Supreme Lord situated in everyone's
heart as the Supersoul.
Antyajas-one of the seven mied castes lower than [sudra].
Anubhava-the resultant outward manifestations of a devotee's
loving sentiments for Krishna.
Apara-prakrti-the inferior, material energy of the Lord (matter).
Apavarga-liberation from [pavarga,] the miseries of material
eistence.
Apipasa-desiring only to perform devotional service to Krishna.
Aprakrta-transcendental to material nature.
Aprameya-immeasurable.
Apsaras-the dancing girls of heaven.
Arati-a ceremony for greeting the Lord with chanting and offerings
of food, lamps, fans, flowers and incense.
Arcana-the procedures followed for worshiping the [arca-vigraha].
Arca-vigraha-the form of God manifested through material elements,
as in a painting or statue of Krishna worshiped in a temple or home. Present in
this form, the Lord personally accepts worship from His devotees.
Arci-the wife of King Prthu.
Arghya-a ceremonious offering, in a conchshell, of water and other
auspicious items.
Arjuna-one of the five Pandava brothers. Krishna became his
chariot driver and spoke the [Bhagavad-gita] to him.
Artha-economic development.
Aryama-the demigod in charge of Pitrloka, the planet where
qualified departed ancestors reside.
Aryan-a civilized follower of Vedic culture; one whose goal is
spiritual advancement.
Asanas-sitting postures in [yoga] practice.
Asat-not eternal.
Asita-an ancient authority on the [Vedas].
Asrama-one of four spiritual orders of life. [See also:
Brahmacarya; Grhastha; Vanaprastha; Sannyasa].
Asramas-the four spiritual orders according to the Vedic social
system: [brahmacarya] (student life), [grhastha] (householder l ife),
[vanaprastha] (retirement) and [sannyasa] (renunciation).
Astaka-the eighth day after the full moon.
Astanga-yoga-the eight-stage mystic [yoga] system propounded by
Patanjali. It consists of [yama] and [niyama] (moral practices), [asana]
(bodily postures), [pranayama] (breath control), [pratyahara] (sensory
withdrawal), [dharana] (steadying the mind), [dhyana] (meditation) and
[samadhi] (deep contemplation on Vishnu within the heart).
Asta-siddhis-the eight mystic perfections acquired by [yoga]
practice.
Asura-a person opposed to the service of the Lord.
Asutosa-Lord Siva, who is easily pleased.
Asvamedha-yajna-a Vedic horse sacrifice.
Asvatthama-the nefarious son of the great military teacher
Dronacarya. He murdered the children of the Pandavas.
Asvini deities-demigods in charge of the nostrils and sense of
smell.
Atharva Veda-one of the four [Vedas,] the original revealed
scriptures spoken by the Lord Himself.
Atma-the self (the body, the mind, the intellect, the Supersoul or
the individual soul).
Atma-nivedana-the devotional process of surrendering everything to
the Lord.
Atmarama-one who is self-satisfied, free from eternal, material
desires.
Atma-tattva-spiritual science.
Atri-one of the seven great sages born directly from Brahma;
father of the Lord's incarnation Dattatreya.
Avadhuta-a very saintly and renounced person who may live outside
regulative principles, having surpassed any need for them.
Avaishnava-a nondevotee.
Avara-material.
Avatara-a descent, or incarnation, of the Supreme Lord.
Avesa-[See: Sakty-avesa]
Avidya-ignorance.
Avyakta-unmanifest.
Ayur-veda-the Vedic scriptures containing medical science.
B
Babaji-a person who dwells alone in one place and leads a life of
meditation, penance and austerity.
Badarikasrama-a sacred place of pilgrimage in the Himalayas.
Bahudaka-the second stage of the [sannyasa] order, in which one
begs from door to door.
Bahuka-the personified sins of King Vena.
Bakasura-a demon who was shaped like a huge duck and who tried to
kill Krishna.
Baladeva-[See:] Balarama.
Balarama (Baladeva)-the first plenary epansion of Lord Krishna. He
appeared as the son of Rohini.
Bali Maharaja-a king who became a great devotee by surrendering
everything to Vamanadeva, the Lord's dwarf-[brahmana] incarnatio n.
Banasura-a thousand-armed demon slain by Lord Krishna.
Barhisat-[See:] Pracinabarhi
Barhisman-[See:] Pracinabarhi
Battle of Kuruksetra-a battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas,
which took place five thousand years ago and before which Lord Krishna spoke
[Bhagavad-gita] to Arjuna.
Bhagavad-gita-the discourse between the Supreme Lord, Krishna, and
His devotee Arjuna epounding devotional service as both the pr incipal means
and the ultimate end of spiritual perfection.
Bhagavan-the Supreme Lord, who possesses all opulences in full.
Bhagavata Purana-this scripture, [Shrimad-Bhagavatam].
Bhagavata-vidhi-the devotional process of serving pure devotees
and preaching [Shrimad-Bhagavatam].
Bhajana-any of various practices of direct worship of the Lord,
especially hearing and chanting (or singing) His glories.
Bhajananandi-a devotee who performs his devotional activities in
seclusion, not attempting to preach.
Bhakta-a devotee of the Supreme Lord.
Bhakta-vatsala-the Supreme Lord, who favors His devotees.
Bhakti-devotional service to the Supreme Lord.
Bhakti-devi-the personification of devotional service.
Bhakti-marga-the path of developing devotion to Krishna.
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-Rupa Gosvami's definitive eplanation of the
science of devotional service.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura-(1874-1937) the spiritual master
of the author, Shrila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, and thus the spiritual
grandfather of the present-day Krishna consciousness movement. A powerful
preacher, he founded sixty-four maths (temple-asramas) throughout India.
Bhaktivedantas-advanced transcendentalists who have realized the
conclusion of the [Vedas] through devotional service.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura-(1838-1915) the great-grandfather of the
present-day Krishna consciousness movement. He was the spiritual ma ster of
Shrila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji and father of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.
Bhakti-yoga-linking with the Supreme Lord through devotional
service.
Bharata Maharaja-an ancient king of India from whom the Pandavas
descended. A great devotee of the Lord, he developed an attachm ent causing him
to take birth as a deer. In his net life, as the [brahmana] Jada Bharata, he
attained spiritual perfection.
Bharata-varsa-India, named after King Bharata.
Bharati-[See:] Sarasvati.
Bhava-the preliminary stage of ecstatic love of God.
Bhisma-the noble general respected as the "grandfather"
of the Kuru dynasty. He was the most powerful and oldest warrior in the Battle
of Kuruksetra. He is recognized as one of the chief authorities on devotional
service to the Lord.
Bhoga-sense gratification; food not offered to the Lord.
Bhrgu-the most powerful of the sages born directly from Brahma.
Bhukti-material enjoyment.
Bhur-the lower material planets.
Bhuti-opulence.
Bhuvar-the middle material planets.
Bihar-a state in northwestern India.
Bila-svarga-the subterranean heavens.
Bilvamangala Thakura-a great devotee-author whose works include
the [Krishna-karnamrta].
Brahma-the first created living being and secondary creator of the
material universe.
Brahma-bhuta-the joyful state free of material contamination;
liberation.
Brahmacari-one in the first order of spiritual life; a celibate
student of a spiritual master.
Brahmacarya-celibate student life; the first order of Vedic
spiritual life.
Brahma-jijnasa-inquiry into the Absolute Truth.
Brahmajyoti-the spiritual effulgence emanating from the
transcendental body of Lord Krishna and illuminating the spiritual world.
Brahmaloka-the highest planet of the universe, that of the demigod
Brahma.
Brahma-muhurta-the period of the day just before dawn. It is
especially favorable for spiritual practices.
Brahman-(1) the individual soul; (2) the impersonal, all-pervasive
aspect of the Supreme; (3) the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; (4) the
[mahat-tattva,] or total material substance.
Brahmana-a person wise in Vedic knowledge, fied in goodness and
knowledgeable of Brahman, the Absolute Truth; a member of the f irst Vedic
social order.
Brahmana thread-a multistranded thread worn by [brahmanas] across
the left shoulder and chest.
Brahmananda-the pleasure of realizing the spiritual effulgence of
the Lord.
Brahmandas-universes.
Brahma-raksasa-a man-eating demon who was a fallen [brahmana] in
his last life.
Brahmarsi-a title meaning "sage among the [brahmanas]."
Brahma-samhita-a very ancient Sanskrit scripture recording the
prayers of Brahma to the Supreme Lord, Govinda.
Brahma-saukhya-spiritual happiness, which is unobstructed and
eternal.
Brahmastra-a nuclear weapon produced by chanting [mantras].
Brahma-sutra-the [Vedanta-sutra.]
Brahma-tejas-the potency of a [brahmana].
Brahmavadis-impersonalists among the transcendentalists.
Brhan-naradiya Purana-one of the eighteen [Puranas,] or Vedic
historical scriptures.
Brhaspati-the spiritual master of King Indra and chief priest of
the demigods.
Buddha-an incarnation of the Supreme Lord who, by bewildering the
atheists stopped them from misusing the [Vedas].
Buddhi-yoga-another term for [bhakti-yoga] (devotional service to
Lord Krishna), indicating that it represents the highest use of one's
intelligence ([buddhi]).
C
Chaitanya-charitamrita-a biography of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
composed in Bengali in the late siteenth century by Shrila Krishnadas a
Kaviraja.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu-(1486-1534) the Supreme Lord appearing as His
own greatest devotee to teach love of God, especially through the process of
congregational chanting of His holy names.
Caittya-guru-Lord Krishna personally giving guidance as a
spiritual master from within the heart of an advanced devotee.
Cakra (Sudarsana)-the disc weapon of the Supreme Lord.
Cakri-the Supreme Lord, who carries the disc weapon.
Camara-a yak-tail fan used in Deity worship.
Camasa Rsi-one of the nine Yogendras.
Canakya-the prime minister of King Candragupta. His aphorisms are
still famous throughout India.
Candala-an outcaste or untouchable; a dog-eater.
Candana-a cosmetic paste prepared from sandalwood. It is used in
Deity worship.
Candra-the demigod of the moon.
Candragupta-a king of the Maurya dynasty in india. His armies
repelled Aleander's advance into India.
Candraloka-the moon planet.
Candrasekhara Acarya-a great householder devotee of Lord Shri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Capati-a flat bread made from whole-wheat flour.
Caranaloka-the heavenly planet of the Carana demigods.
Carvaka Muni-an outspoken hedonistic philosopher of ancient times.
Catuh-sloki-the four verses of [Shrimad-Bhagavatam] (2.9.33-36)
spoken by Lord Krishna to Brahma, which summarize that scripture's entire
philosophy.
Catur-bhuja-four-armed.
Catur-hotra-the four kinds of fire sacrifices prescribed in the
[Vedas] for purification of fruitive activities.
Caturmasya-the four months of the rainy season in India. Devotees
take special vows of austerity during this time.
Catur-varnyam-the four occupational divisions of society
([brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas,] and [sudras]).
Catur-vyuha-the Lord's plenary epansions Vasudeva, Sankarsana,
Pradyumna and Aniruddha.
Causal Ocean-the ocean in which all the universes are floating.
Cediraja-the king of Cedi; also known as Sisupala. Lord Krishna
killed him because of his blasphemy.
Cetana-a conscious living entity.
Chandogya Upanisad-one of the 108 [upanisads,] philosophical
portions of the [Vedas.]
Chandas-the different meters of Vedic hymns.
Channavatara-a concealed incarnation.
Cintamani-a mystically potent "touchstone" described in
Vedic literatures.
Cit-alive and conscious.
Citraketu-a member of the royal order who became fully enlightened
in spiritual knowledge.
Cit-sakti-the knowledge potency of the Supreme Lord.
Cupid (Kandarpa)-the demigod who incites lusty desires in the
hearts of the conditioned living entities.
D
Dahl-dried beans such as urad or mung or the soup made therefrom.
Daihika-the bodily necessities of life.
Daityas-demons; a race of demons descending from Diti.
Daivas-the demigods or godly persons.
Daiva-varnasrama-the social system given by God for the upliftment
of mankind. [See also: Varnasrama].
Daivi Maya-the Lord's divine deluding potency, the material
energy.
Daksa-one of the sons of Brahma and a chief progenitor of the
universal population.
Daksayani-Sati, the daughter of Daksa and wife of Lord Siva.
Daksina-a disciple's gift to his spiritual master, collected by
begging and given as a token of gratitude.
Dama-control of the senses.
Damodara-Lord Krishna in His pastime of being bound by mother
Yasoda.
Dana-charity, one of the six duties of a [brahmana].
Danavas-a race of demons.
Danda-a staff carried by those in the renounced order of life.
Dandavats-respectful obeisances, falling flat like a rod.
Daridra-narayana-"poor Narayana," an offensive term used
by Mayavadis to equate poor men with the Supreme Lord.
Dasa-avataras-ten pastime-incarnations of the Supreme Lord.
Dasavatara-stotra-the introduction to Jayadeva Gosvami's
[Gita-govinda].
Dasaratha-the father of Lord Ramacandra.
Dasarha-the founder of one branch of the Yadu clan.
Dasa-vidha-samskara-the ten Vedic household rituals for
purification, performed one by one from the time of conception until death.
Dasya-rasa-the servitor relationship with the Lord.
Dasyu-dharma-the occupational duty of rogues and thieves.
Dattatreya-the incarnation of the Supreme Lord who appeared as the
son of Atri Muni and taught the path of mystic [yoga].
Deity of the Lord-the authorized form of Krishna worshiped in
temples.
Demigods-universal controllers and residents of the higher planets.
Demons-impious beings who do not follow the instructions of the
Lord.
Deva-a demigod or godly person.
Deva-dasis-female singers and dancers employed as servants of the
Deity.
Deva-gana-a type of demigod.
Devahuti-the daughter of Svayambhuva Manu who was the wife of
Kardama Muni and the mother of Lord Kapila.
Devaki-the wife of Vasudeva and mother of Lord Krishna.
Devaki-nandana-Lord Krishna, the darling son of Devaki.
Devala-an ancient authority on the [Vedas].
Devamaya-the illusory potency of the demigods.
Devarsi-a title meaning "sage among the demigods."
Devotional service-the process of worshiping Lord Krishna by
dedicating one's thoughts, words and actions to Him with love.
Dhama-abode, place of residence. The term usually refers to the
Lord's abodes.
Dhanvantari-the incarnation of the Supreme Lord who is the father
of medical science.
Dhara-the name of mother Yasoda in a previous birth.
Dhara-mandala-the earth planet.
Dharana-fied concentration, prior to full meditation ([dhyana]).
Dharma-religion; duty, especially everyone's eternal service
nature.
Dharmanveksamana-strictly observing religious principles.
Dharma-sastras-religious scriptures that prescribe regulations of
social organization and religion.
Dharmi-one who abides by Vedic law, or religious principles.
Dhenukasura-a mystic demon who took the form of a donkey and was
killed by Krishna.
Dhira-one who is undisturbed in all circumstances.
Dhoti-a simple garment worn by men in Vedic culture.
Dhrtarastra-the uncle of the Pandavas whose attempt to usurp their
kingdom for the sake of his own sons resulted in the Kurukset ra war.
Dhruvaloka-the polestar, a spiritual planet within the material
universe. It is presided over by Dhruva Maharaja.
Dhruva Maharaja-a great devotee who as a child performed severe
austerities to meet the Lord and get the kingdom denied him. He
received an entire planet and God realization as well.
Dhyana-meditation.
Diti-a wife of Kasyapa Muni and the mother of the demons
Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu.
Draupadi-the wife of the five Pandavas. She was a great devotee of
Lord Krishna.
Drona-the name of Maharaja Nanda in a previous birth.
Dronacarya-the military teacher of the Pandavas. He was obliged to
fight against them in the Battle of Kuruksetra.
Duhsasana-a member of the Kuru dynasty and a brother of
Duryodhana.
Durga-the personified material energy and the wife of Lord Siva.
Durvasa Muni-a powerful mystic [yogi,] famous for his fearful
curses.
Duryodhana-the eldest son of Dhrtarastra and chief rival of the
Pandavas.
Duskrti-a miscreant.
Dvadasi-the twelfth day after the full or new moon, thus the day
after Ekadashi.
Dvaipayana-[See:] Vyasadeva
Dvapara-yuga-the third in the cycle of four ages. It lasts 864,000
years.
Dvaraka-the offshore-island kingdom of Lord Krishna, where He
performed pastimes five thousand years ago in India.
Dvarakadhisa-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, the Lord of the city
Dvaraka.
Dvija-a twice-born person; a [brahmana].
Dvija-bandhu-[See: Brahma-bandhu].
Dvi-parardha-the duration of Brahma's life.
Dvivida-a huge, apelike demon killed by Lord Balarama.
E
Ekadanda-the staff, made of a single rod, carried by a [sannyasi]
of the Mayavada (impersonalist) school.
Ekadashi-a special day for increased remembrance of Krishna that
comes on the eleventh day after both the full and new moon. Abstin ence from
grains and beans is prescribed.
F
False ego-the conception that "i am this mataerial
body."
G
Gada-a club.
Gadadhari-the Supreme Lord, carrier of the club.
Gajendra-the king of the elephants. He was saved from a crocodile
by Lord Vishnu and awarded liberation.
Gandhari-the saintly, faithful wife of King Dhrtarastra and the
mother of one hundred sons.
Gandharvas-demigod singers and musicians.
Ganesa-the demigod in charge of material opulence and freedom from
misfortune. He is a son of Lord Siva and the scribe who wrot e down the
[Mahabharata].
Ganga-the Ganges River.
Ganja-marijuana.
Garbhadhana-samskara-the Vedic ceremony of purification to be
performed by parents before conceiving a child.
Garbhodaka Ocean-the body of water that fills the bottom part of
each material universe.
Garbhodakasayi Vishnu-the second Vishnu epansion, who enters each
universe and from whose navel grows a lotus upon which Lord Bra hma appears.
Brahma then creates the diverse material manifestations.
Garga Muni-the family priest for the Yadu dynasty.
Garuda-Lord Vishnu's eternal carrier, a great devotee in a
birdlike form.
Garuda Purana-one of the eighteen [Puranas,] or Vedic historical
scriptures.
Gaudiya-Madhva-sampradaya-the Vaishnava disciplic succession of
bona fide spiritual masters coming through Shrila Madhvacarya and Shri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu; the followers in that tradition.
Gaudiya Vaishnavas-devotees of Lord Krishna coming in disciplic
succession from Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Gaudiya Vaishnava-sampradaya-the line of spiritual masters
descending from Lord Chaitanya.
Gaurachandra-the "golden moon," Lord Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu.
Gaurakisora dasa Babaji-the disciple of Shrila Bhaktivinoda
Thakura who was the spiritual master of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Thakura.
Gaurakrishna-[See:] Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Gaura-purnima-the appearance day of Lord Chaitanya.
Gaurasundara-the beautiful, golden-compleioned Lord, Shri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Gayatri mantra-the Vedic prayer chanted silently by [brahmanas] at
sunrise, noon and sunset.
Ghee-clarified butter.
Giridhari-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, the lifter of Govardhana
Hill.
Girisa-[See:] Siva
Go-dasa-a servant of the senses.
Godhead-the ultimate source of all energies.
Gokula-[See:] Vrndavana
Gokulesvara-Lord Krishna, the master of Gokula.
Goloka Vrndavana (Krishnaloka)-the highest spiritual planet, Lord
Krishna's personal abode.
Gopa-jati-[See: Vaisyas]
Gopala-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, who protects the cows.
Gopala Bhatta Gosvami-one of the six Vaishnava spiritual masters
who directly followed Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and systematically presented
His teachings.
Gopi-jana-vallabha-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, who is dear to the
[gopis].
Gopis-Krishna's cowherd girl friends, who are His most surrendered
and confidential devotees.
Gopisvara-[See:] Siva
Gosvami-a controller of the mind and senses; the title of one in
the renounced, or [sannyasa,] order.
Govardhana-a large hill dear to Lord Krishna and His devotees.
Krishna held it up for seven days to protect His devotees in Vrndavan a from a
devastating storm sent by Indra.
Govinda-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, who gives pleasure to the land,
the senses, and the cows.
Govinda dasa Thakura-an author of important Vaishnava songs.
Gramya-karma-mundane activities.
Grhamedhi-a materialistic householder.
Grha-vrata-one attached to the material duties of family life.
Grhastha-regulated householder life; the second order of Vedic
spiritual life; one in that order.
Gujarat-a province in northwestern India.
Guna-avataras-Vishnu, Brahma and Siva, the presiding deities of
the three modes of nature.
Gunas-the three modes, or qualities, of material nature: goodness,
passion and ignorance.
Guru-a spiritual master.
Guru-daksina-a disciple's gift to his spiritual master, collected
by begging and given as a token of gratitude.
Guru-kula-a school of Vedic learning. Boys begin at age five and
live as celibate students, guided by a spiritual master.
Guru-puja-worship of the spiritual master.
H
Haihayas-a dynasty of demoniac kings destroyed by Lord Parasurama.
Haladhara-the Supreme Lord, who, in the form of Balarama, bears a
plow in His hands.
Hamsa-the swan incarnation of the Lord.
Hanuman-the great monkey servitor of Lord Ramacandra.
Hara-[See:] Siva
Hara-[See:] Radha(rani)
Hare (hara)-[See:] Radha(rani)
Hare Krishna mantra-[See: Maha-mantra]
Hare Krishna mantra-the great chant for deliverance: Hare Krishna,
Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare
Hare.
Hari-the Supreme Lord, who removes all obstacles to spiritual
progress.
Hari-bhakti-vilasa-Sanatana Gosvami's book on the rules and
regulations of Vaishnava life.
Hari-cakra-Krishna's Sudarsana weapon, the wheel.
Haridasa Thakura-a great devotee and associate of Lord Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu who chanted three hundred thousand names of God a day.
Hari-katha-topics of Lord Hari, Krishna.
Hari-kirtana-the chanting of the names of Lord Hari (Krishna).
Hari-nama-sankirtana-congregational chanting of the holy names of
the Supreme Lord.
Hari-vamsa-the appendix to the [Mahabharata.] It is a summary of
Krishna's pastimes by Shrila Vyasadeva.
Haryaksa-[See:] Hiranyaksa
Hastinapura-the ancient capital of Bharata-varsa, or India. It
occupies a portion of what is today called New Delhi.
Hatha-yoga-the practice of postures and breathing eercises for
achieving purification and sense control.
Hayagriva, Lord-the Supreme Lord's horse-headed incarnation, who
returned the stolen [Vedas] to Brahma.
Hayasirsa-the horse-headed incarnation of Lord Krishna. He spoke
the [Vedas] to Lord Brahma.
Heavenly planets-the higher planets of the universe, residences of
the demigods.
Hell-hellish planets within this universe meant for the punishment
and rectification of the sinful.
Hindu-a newly-concocted name for members of various social and
religious groups of India. The term has no spiritual significance.
Hiranyakasipu-a powerful demon who tormented his son Prahlada, a
great devotee, and was slain by Lord Nrsimhadeva.
Hiranyaksa-the demoniac son of Kasyapa who was killed by Lord
Varaha.
Hladini-sakti-the Supreme Lord's pleasure potency.
Hrdaya-granthi-the hard knot of material attachment in the heart.
Hrsikesa-the Supreme Lord, the supreme master of everyone's
senses.
Hrta-jnana-bereft of knowledge.
I
Iksvaku-the son of Manu who was king of the earth in ancient times
and to whom Manu spoke [Bhagavad-gita].
Ilavrta-varsa-the original name of this earth planet, before it
became known as Bharata-varsa.
Indra-the chief of the administrative demigods, king of the
heavenly planets and presiding deity of rain.
Indraloka-the planet of Indra.
Isa-the Supreme Lord, who is the supreme controller.
Isitva-in mystic [yoga,] the perfection of control over others.
ISKCON-the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Isopanisad-one of the principal [Upanisads.]
Ista-the performance of public welfare activities such as digging
wells or planting trees.
Isvara-the Supreme Lord, who is the supreme controller.
Itihasa-a historical account.
J
Jada-dull or material.
Jada Bharata-Bharata Maharaja in his final birth as the renounced
[brahmana] who gave wonderful spiritual instruction to Maharaja Rahugana.
Jagad-isa-the Supreme Lord, who is the proprietor of all the
universes.
Jagai and Madhai-two great debauchees whom Lord Nityananda
converted into Vaishnavas.
Jagannatha-the Supreme Lord, who is Lord of the universe; the
particular Deity form of that Lord at Puri, Orissa.
Jagat-the material universe.
Jaimini-an atheistic philosopher who advocated material work as
the purpose of life.
Jambavati-the daughter of Jambavan. She is one of the eight
principal queens of Lord Krishna.
Janaka Maharaja-the father of Sita-devi, consort of Lord
Ramacandra.
Janaloka-a heavenly planet.
Janamejaya Maharaja-the son of King Pariksit.
Janardana-the Supreme Lord, the original abode of all living
beings.
Janas-[See:] Janaloka.
Janmastami-the celebration of Lord Krishna's appearance in the
material world.
Japa-the soft recitation of the Lord's holy names as a private
meditation.
Jara-old age.
Jata-karma-a purificatory ceremony performed at the birth of a
child.
Jaya-an exclamation meaning "all victory to you!" or
"all glories to you!"
Jaya and Vijaya-two doorkeepers of Vaikuntha who were cursed for
offending the four Kumara Rsis but who attained liberation after three births
as demons.
Jayadeva Gosvami-a great Vaishnava poet who wrote [Gita-govinda].
Jayanteyas-nine great sages, sons of King Bharata, who were also
known as the nine Yogendras.
Jitendriya-one who has conquered his senses.
Jiva (jivatma)-the living entity, who is an eternal individual
soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Lord.
Jiva Gosvami-one of the six Vaishnava spiritual masters who
directly followed Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and systematically present ed His
teachings.
Jivan-mukta-a person who is liberated even while living in his
present body.
Jiva-tattva-the living entities, atomic parts of the Supreme Lord.
Jnana-transcendental knowledge.
Jnana-kanda-the portions of the [Vedas] containing knowledge of
Brahman, or spirit.
Jnana-yoga-the path of spiritual realization through a speculative
philosophical search for truth.
Jnani-one who cultivates knowledge by empirical speculation.
Jyotih-sastra-the Vedic science of astronomy.
K
Kaitava-dharma-cheating religion.
Kaivalya-the impersonal liberation of merging into the spiritual
effulgence emanating from the Lord.
Kajjala-a preparation of lampblack used to darken the edges of the
eyelids; kohl.
Kala-a form of the Lord that is an expansion of the Lord's
original form.
Kala-time.
Kala-cakra-the wheel of time.
Kala-sarpa-the snake of time.
Kali-[See:] Durga
Kali, age of-[See:] Kali-yuga.
Kaliya-the many-headed serpent chastised by Lord Krishna for
poisoning a section of the Yamuna River.
Kali-yuga (Age of Kali)-the present age, characterized by quarrel.
It is last in the cycle of four ages and began five thousand years ago.
Kalki, Lord-the incarnation of the Supreme Lord who, at the end of
the last of the four ages, annihilates all the remaining athe ists.
Kalpa-Brahma's daytime, 4,320,000,000 years.
Kama-lust.
Kamadhenu-spiritual cows in the spiritual world who yield
unlimited quantities of milk.
Kamandalu-a waterpot carried by [sannyasis].
Kamavasayita-the mystic ability to suppress one's desires.
Kamsa-a demoniac king of the Bhoja dynasty and maternal uncle of
Krishna.
Kanistha-adhikari-a neophyte devotee.
Kapha-mucus, one of the three main elements of the body.
Kapila-the incarnation of the Supreme Lord who appeared as the son
of Kardama Muni and Devahuti and taught the Krishna conscious S Ankhya
philosophy.
Karana Ocean-the corner of the spiritual universe in which Lord
Maha-Vishnu lies down to create all the material universes.
Karanodakasayi Vishnu-Maha-Vishnu, the expansion of the Supreme
Lord from whom all material universes emanate.
Karatalas-hand cymbals used in [kirtana].
Kardama Muni-the father of Lord Kapila and one of the chief
forefathers of the population of the universe.
Karma-material, fruitive activity and its reactions; also,
fruitive actions performed in accordance with Vedic injunctions.
Karma-bandha-the bondage of fruitive activities.
Karmatmaka-one whose mind is colored with fruitive activity.
Karma-kanda-the part of the [Vedas] that prescribes modes of
action for obtaining material benedictions.
Karma-yoga-the path of God realization through dedicating the
fruits of one's work to God..
Karmendriyas-the working senses.
Karmi-one engaged in [karma,] fruitive activity; a materialist.
Karsnas-the members of Lord Krishna's family.
Karttikeya-the younger son of Lord Siva and Parvati. He is the
presiding deity of warfare.
Kasyapa-a great saint who was the father of many demigods and also
of the Supreme Lord's Vamanadeva incarnation.
Katha Upanisad-one of the 108 Vedic scriptures known as the
[upanisads.]
Katyayani-the material energy personified. She is also known as
Durga and Kali and by many other names.
Kaumara-the period of childhood before the age of five.
Kaupina-the thick belt and underwear worn by saintly persons.
Kauravas-the descendants of Kuru who fought against the Pandavas
in the Battle of Kuruksetra.
Kavi-karnapura Gosvami-a noted sixteenth-century author of
Sanskrit poems and plays. He is one of the leading followers of Shri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu.
Kesava-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, who has fine, black hair.
Kesi-a demon who attacked the inhabitants of Vrndavana in the form
of a wild horse. He was killed by Lord Krishna.
Khatvanga-a saintly king who is famous for attaining unalloyed
Krishna consciousness just moments before his death.
Kikata-the present state of Gaya, in north-central India.
Kinnaras-minor demigods inhabiting the heavenly planets. They can
change their form at will.
Kirtana-the devotional process of chanting the names and glories
of the Supreme Lord.
Koti-ten million.
Kratu-one of the seven great sages who were born directly from
Lord Brahma.
Kriya-vidhana-a scripture containing injunctions for Vedic
rituals.
Krodha-anger.
Krpana-a miserly man who wastes his life by not striving for
spiritual realization.
Krpa-siddhi-perfection attained simply by the blessings of a great
devotee or transcendentalist.
Krishna-the original, two-armed form of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
Krishnadasa Kaviraja-the great Vaishnava spiritual master who
recorded the biography and teachings of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in h is
[Chaitanya-charitamrita].
Krishna Dvaipayana Vedavyasa. [See:] Vyasadeva.
Krishna-katha-discussions by or about the Supreme Lord, Krishna.
Krishna-kirtana-the chanting of Krishna's name and pastimes.
Krishna-lila-the transcendental pastimes of Lord Krishna.
Krishnaloka-[See:] Goloka Vrndavana
Krishna-prasadam-[See: Prasadam].
Krta-yuga-Satya-yuga.
Ksatriya-a warrior or administrator; the second Vedic social
order.
Ksatta-[See: ]Vidura.
Ksirodakasayi Vishnu-the expansion of the Supreme Lord who enters
the heart of every living being as the Supersoul.
Kulasekhara-a great devotee-king of South India and the author of
[mukunda-mala-stotra,] prayers to Lord Krishna.
Kumaras-four learned ascetic sons of Lord Brahma appearing
eternally as children.
Kunkuma-a red cosmetic powder.
Kunti-an aunt of Lord Krishna and the mother of the Pandavas.
Kurari (kurara)-a type of osprey.
Kurma-the Supreme Lord's incarnation as a tortoise.
Kuru-the founder of the dynasty in which the Pandavas, as well as
their archrivals, the sons of Dhrtarastra, took birth.
Kurus-the descendants of Kuru, especially the sons of Dhrtarastra,
who were enemies of the Pandavas.
Kusa-an auspicious grass used in Vedic rituals.
Kuruksetra-a place of pilgrimage held sacred since ancient times
and the site of a great war fought five thousand years ago; loc ated near New
Delhi, India.
Kuruksetra battle-a great battle resulting in the victory of the
Pandavas over the Kurus. Just prior to it, Krishna spoke [Bhagavad-gita.]
Kuticaka-the first stage of the [sannyasa] order. The [kuticaka]
lives in a hut nearby his village, and his family brings him food.
Kuvera-the treasurer of the demigods and father of Nalakuvara and
Manigriva.
L
Laghima-the mystic perfection of becoming very light.
Laghu-bhagavatamrta-a book by shrila Rupa Gosvami describing
Krishna, His incarnations and His devotees.
Laksmi-the goddess of fortune and eternal consort of Lord
Narayana.
Laksmi-narayana-the transcendental couple of Lord Krishna in His
four-armed form and the goddess of fortune, Laksmi.
Liberation-freedom from the material concept of life; being
situated in one's constitutional position as an eternal servant of God.
Lila-pastimes.
Lila-avataras-innumerable incarnations of the Supreme Lord who
descend to the material world to display spiritual pastimes.
Lila-sakti-the energy of Krishna that helps to enact His pastimes.
Linga-the subtle body: mind, intelligence and false ego.
Locana dasa Thakura-a great Krishna conscious spiritual master.
Lobha-greed.
Loka-a planet.
M
Madana-Cupid, the demigod who incites lust in living beings.
Madana-mohana-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, who enchants even Cupid.
Madhai-[See:] Jagai and Madhai
Madhukari-a system of begging adopted by a mendicant.
Madhurya-lila-Lord Krishna's pastimes of conjugal love with His
eternal associates.
Madhurya-rasa-the spiritual relationship in which the Supreme Lord
and His devotee reciprocate as lovers.
Madhusudana-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, killer of the demon Madhu.
Madhvacarya-a great thirteenth-century Vaishnava spiritual master
who preached the theistic philosophy of pure dualism.
Madri-the co-wife (with Kunti) of King Pandu and the mother of
Nakula and Sahadeva.
Magadha-a province of ancient India.
Mahabharata-Vyasadeva's epic history of greater India, which
includes the events of the Kuruksetra war and the narration of [Bhagavad-gita].
Mahabharata-tatparya-nirnaya-Madhvacarya's version of
[Mahabharata.]
Maha-bhava-the highest stage of love of God.
Mahadeva-[See:] Siva
Mahajanas-great self-realized souls, authorities on the science of
Krishna consciousness.
Maha-laksmi-[See:] Laksmi
Maha-mantra-the great chant for deliverance: Hare Krishna, Hare
Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Ha re
Hare.
Mahamaya-the illusory, material energy of the Supreme Lord.
Maha-prasadam-the remnants of food directly offered to the Deity
of Lord Krishna.
Maha-purusa-the Supreme Lord, who is the supreme enjoyer.
Maharaja-a title for a great king or sage.
Maha-ratha-a powerful warrior who can singlehandedly fight against
ten thousand others.
Maharloka-a heavenly planet.
Maha-roga-severe illness.
Mahatma-a "great soul," an exalted devotee of Lord
Krishna.
Mahat-tattva-the original, undifferentiated form of the total
material energy, from which the material world is manifested.
Maha-Vishnu-the expansion of the Supreme Lord from whom all
material universes emanate.
Mahendra-Lord Indra, the King of heaven.
Mahesvara-[See:] Siva
Mahima-the mystic ability to become unlimitedly large.
Maitreya Muni-the great sage who spoke [Shrimad-Bhagavatam] to
Vidura.
Makara-dhvaja-[See:] Cupid
Manasa-ganga-a sacred river that flows in Vrndavana along part of
the base of Govardhana Hill.
Mangala-arati-the daily predawn worship ceremony knowing the Deity
of the Supreme Lord.
Manigriva-a son of Kuvera cursed by Narada Muni to take birth as
an [arjuna] tree. He was ultimately liberated by Lord Krishna.
Maniman-the Supreme Lord, who is always ornamented with brilliant
jewels.
Manjari-the small, purplish flowers of the [tulasi] plant.
Mano-maya-(consciousness) absorbed in mental activity.
Mantra-a transcendental sound or Vedic hymn that can deliver the mind
from illusion.
Manu-a demigod son of Brahma who is the forefather and lawgiver of
the human race. There is a succession of fourteen Manus durin g each day of
Brahma.
Manu-samhita-the scriptural lawbook for mankind, given by Manu.
Manu, Svayambhuva-[See:] Svayambhuva Manu
Manu, Vaivasvata-[See:] Vaivasvata Manu
Manvantara-avataras-the special incarnations of the Supreme Lord
who appear during the reign of each Manu.
Marakata-mani-an emerald.
Marici-one of the great sages who were born directly from Lord
Brahma.
Marisa-the society girl of the heavenly planets sent by Indra to
seduce the sage Kandu.
Markandeya Purana-the [Purana] of Markandeya Rsi.
Martya-loka-the "world of death," the earth planet.
Marudloka-the planet of the storm-god associates of King Indra.
Maruts-the storm-god associates of King Indra.
Matha-a monastery.
Mathura-Lord Krishna's abode, surrounding Vrndavana, where He took
birth and to which He later returned after performing His child hood pastimes
in Vrndavana.
Matsya-the fish incarnation of the Supreme Lord.
Mausala-lila-the pastime of the Yadu dynasty's departure from the
earth.
Maya-the inferior, illusory energy of the Supreme Lord, which
rules over this material creation; also, forgetfulness of one's re lationship
with Krishna.
Maya Danava-the architect of the demons.
Maya-sukha-material happiness, which is illusory and temporary.
Mayavada-the impersonal philosophy propounding the unqualified
oneness of God and the living entities and the nonreality of manifest nature.
Mayavadi-an impersonalist philosopher who conceives of the
Absolute as ultimately formless and the living entity as equal to God .
Menaka-the famous society girl of the heavenly planets who seduced
the sage Visvamitra.
Mimamsakas-atheistic philosophers who say that even if God exists,
He is obliged to reward us the fruits of our work.
Mitra-demigod who controls death.
Mlecchas-uncivilized humans, outside the Vedic system of society,
who are generally meat-eaters.
Moha-illusion.
Mohini-the Supreme Lord's incarnation as the most beautiful woman.
Moksa-liberation from material bondage.
Mrdanga-a clay drum used in congregational chanting.
Mudha-a foolish, asslike person.
Muhurta-a period of forty-eight minutes.
Mukta-purusa-a liberated person.
Mukti-liberation from material bondage.
Mukti-devi-the demigoddess who is the personification of
liberation.
Mukunda-the Supreme Lord, who is the giver of liberation.
Mula-mantra-a short Sanskrit incantation uttered before one offers
an item of worship to the Deity of Krishna or His expansions.
Muni-a sage.
Muni-putra-son of a sage.
Murari-Krishna, the enemy of the demon Mura.
Muraripu (Muradvisa)-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, killer of the
demon Mura.
Mystic yoga-[yoga] performed for the purpose of developing subtle
material powers.
N
Nabhi-the saintly king who was the father of Lord Rsabhadeva.
Nagas-a race of serpents.
Naimisaranya-the sacred forest where [Shrimad-Bhagavatam] was
spoken by Suta Gosvami to a great assembly of sages.
Naiskarma-another term for [akarma].
Naisthika-brahmacari-one who has been celibate since birth.
Naksatras-the stars along the path of the moon.
Nalakuvara-a son of Kuvera cursed by Narada Muni to take birth as
an [arjuna] tree. He was ultimately liberated by Lord Krishna.
Nama-aparadha-an offense against the holy name of the Lord.
Nama-karana ceremony-the name-giving ceremony.
Namaskara-"bowing down," a respectful greeting or
address.
Nanda-one of the chief personal servants of Lord Narayana in His
spiritual abode, Vaikuntha.
Nanda Maharaja-the king of Vraja and foster father of Lord
Krishna.
Nandana-kananas-celestial gardens.
Nanda-nandana-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, who is the darling son of
Nanda Maharaja.
Narada Muni-a pure devotee of the Lord who travels throughout the
universes in his eternal body, glorifying devotional service.
he is the spiritual master of Vyasadeva and of many other great
devotees.
Narada-pancaratra-Narada Muni's book on the processes of Deity
worship and [mantra] meditation.
Naradeva-the king, who is an earthly god.
Naradhama-the lowest of mankind.
Nara-Narayana Rsi-an incarnation of the Supreme Lord appearing as
two sages to teach by example the practice of austerities.
Narasimha, Lord (Nrsimhadeva)-the incarnation of the Lord as a
half man, half lion. He killed the demon Hiranyakasipu to save Hi s devotee
Prahlada.
Narayana, Lord-the Supreme Lord in His majestic, four-armed form.
An expansion of Krishna, He presides over the Vaikuntha planets.
Narayana-para-one who has dedicated his life to Lord Narayana, or
Krishna.
Nasta-buddhi-bereft of all good sense.
Nasta-prajna-bereft of all intelligence.
Navadvipa-the place where Lord Chaitanya appeared in this world.
Nimi-a devotee king, ruler of Videha
Nirguna-without qualities. In reference to the Supreme Lord, the
term signifies that He is beyond material qualities.
Nirguna-brahma-the impersonal conception of the Supreme Truth as
being without any qualities.
Nirvana-freedom from material existence.
Nirvisesa-vadis-impersonalists who accept an Absolute but deny
that He has any distinct qualities.
Niskama-free from material desires.
Niskincana-having nothing; a renunciant.
Nistraigunya-the transcendental position above the three modes of
nature.
Nitya-baddha-the conditioned soul, bound in the material world
since time immemorial.
Nitya-mukta-an eternally liberated soul.
Nityananda Prabhu-the incarnation of Lord Balarama who appeared as
the principal associate of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Nivrtti-marga-the path of renunciation, which leads to liberation.
Niyama-restraint of the senses.
Nrga-a king who was cursed to become a snake because of a slight
descrepancy in his service to [brahmanas.] He was delivered by Lord Krishna.
Nrsimhadeva-the half-man, half-lion incarnation of the Supreme
Lord, who protected Prahlada and killed the demon Hiranyakasipu.
Nyaya-sastras-textbooks of logic.
O
Om (Omkara)-the sacred syllable that begins many Vedic [mantras]
and that represents the Supreme Lord.
Omkara-[See: Om].
P
Padma-the lotus flower held by Lord Vishnu.
Padma Purana-one of the eighteen [Puranas,] or Vedic historical
scriptures.
Padya-water ceremoniously offered for washing an honored guest's
feet.
Panca-gavya-five products from the cow, used in bathing a
worshipable person. The are milk, yogurt, ghee, cow urine and cow dung.
Panca-mahayajna-the five daily sacrifices householders perform to
become free from sins committed unintentionally.
Pancaratra-Vedic literatures describing the process of Deity
worship. [See also: Narada-pancaratra]
Pancaratrika-vidhi-the devotional process of Deity worship and
[mantra] meditation found in the [Pancaratra] literature.
Panca-sasya-five kinds of grains.
Pancopasana-the impersonalists' worship of five deities (Vishnu,
Durga, Brahma, Ganesa and Vivasvan) that is motivated by the desire to
ultimately abandon all conceptions of a personal Absolute.
Pandavas-Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva, the five
warrior-brothers who were intimate friends and devotees of Lo rd Krishna.
Pandita-a scholar.
Pandu-the brother of Dhrtarastra and father of the five Pandavas.
Para-transcendental.
Parabrahman-the Supreme Absolute Truth as the Personality of
Godhead-Vishnu, or Krishna.
Parakiya-rasa-the relationship between a married woman and her
paramour, particularly the relationship between the damsels of Vrndavana and
Krishna.
Paramahamsa-a topmost, swanlike devotee of the Supreme Lord; the
highest stage of [sannyasa].
Paramatma-the Supersoul, a Vishnu expansion of the Supreme Lord
residing in the heart of each embodied living entity and pervadin g all of
material nature.
Paramesvara-the supreme controller, Lord Krishna.
Parampara-a disciplic succession.
Para prakrti-the superior energy of the Supreme Lord.
Parardha-one half of Brahma's lifetime; 155,520,000,000 years.
Parasara-the great sage who narrated the [Vishnu Purana] and was
the father of Shrila Vyasadeva.
Parasurama-the incarnation of the Supreme Lord who destroyed
twenty-one consecutive generations of unlawful members of the rulin g class.
Parijata flower-a wonderful flower found in the heavenly planets.
Pariksit Maharaja-the emperor of the world who heard
[Shrimad-Bhagavatam] from Sukadeva Gosvami and thus attained perfection.
Parivrajakacarya-the third stage of [sannyasa,] wherein the
devotee constantly travels and preaches.
Parvati-Sati, Lord Siva's consort, reborn as the daughter of the
king of the Himalaya Mountains.
Pasandi-an atheist.
Patalaloka-the lowest of the universe's fourteen planetary
systems; also, the lower planets in general.
Patanjali-the author of the original [yoga] system.
Pathana-studying the scriptures.
Pauganda-the period of childhood between age five and ten.
Paundraka-an enemy of Lord Krishna who attempted to imitate Him.
Phala-srutis-Sanskrit verses granting various benedictions.
Pinda-an annual offering made to departed ancestors.
Pitas-forefathers; especially those departed ancestors who have
been promoted to one of the higher planets.
Pitrloka-the planet of the ancestors, a heavenly planet.
Pitta-bile, one of the three main elements of the body.
Prabhasa-tirtha-a holy place near Dvaraka.
Prabhu-master.
Prabhupada, Shrila-the founder and spiritual preceptor of the Hare
Krishna movement.
Prabodhananda Sarasvati-a great Vaishnava poet-philosopher and
devotee of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He was the uncle of Gopala Bhatta
Gosvami.
Pracetas-the ten sons of King Pracinabarhi. They achieved
perfection by worshiping Lord Vishnu.
Pracinabarhi-a king who, entangled in fruitive activities,
received instructions on devotional service from Narada Muni.
Pradhana-the total material energy in its unmanifest state.
Pradyumna-one of the four original expansions of Lord Krishna in
the spiritual world.
Prahlada Maharaja-a devotee persecuted by his demoniac father
Hiranyakasipu but protected and saved by the Lord in the form of N Rsimhadeva.
Prajapatis-the demigods in charge of populating the universe.
Prajas-citizens (including all species of life).
Prakamya-the mystic ability to fulfill any of one's desires.
Prakata-lila-the manifestation on earth of the Supreme Lord's
pastimes.
Prakrta-sahajiyas-pseudodevotees of Krishna.
Prakrti- the energy of the Supreme; the female principle enjoyed
by the male [purusa].
Pramada-woman, to whom a man becomes madly attached.
Pramatta-one who is crazy because he cannot control his senses.
Pramloca-the daughter of the sage Kandu by the heavenly society
girl Marisa. She became the wife of the Pracetas.
Prana-the life air.
Prana-maya-(consciousness) absorbed in maintaining one's bodily
existence.
Pranayama-breath control used in [yoga] practice, especially
[astanga-yoga].
Prapti-the mystic ability to immediately obtain any material
object.
Prasadam-the Lord's mercy; food or other items spiritualized by
being first offered to the Supreme Lord.
Prasanta-undisturbed by the modes of nature.
Prasuti-a daughter of Svayambhuva Manu who was the wife of Daksa.
Pratigraha-accepting charity.
Pratyahara-withdrawal of the senses from all unnecessary
activities.
Pravrtti-marga-the path of sense enjoyment in accordance with
Vedic regulations.
Prayascitta-atonement for sinful acts.
Prema-pure love of God, the highest stage in the progressive
development of devotional service.
Prema-bhakta-a devotee absorbed in pure love of God.
Priyatama-dearmost.
Priyavrata-the son of Svayambhuva Manu and brother of Uttanapada.
He once ruled the universe.
Prsni-the name of Devaki in a previous birth.
Prtha-Kunti, the wife of King Pandu, mother of the Pandavas and
aunt of Lord Krishna.
Prthu Maharaja-an empowered incarnation of Lord Krishna who
demonstrated how to be an ideal ruler.
Pulaha-one of the seven great sages born directly from Lord
Brahma.
Pulastya-one of the seven great sages born directly from Lord
Brahma.
Pumscali-a harlot or unchaste woman.
Punya-sloka-verses that increase one's piety; one who is glorified
by such verses.
Puranas-eighteen literary supplements to the [Vedas,] discussing
such topics as the creation of the universe, incarnations of th e Supreme Lord
and demigods, and the history of dynasties of saintly kings.
Purtam-performance of sacrifice.
Puru-the youngest son of King Yayati. He agreed to exchange his
youth for his father's old age.
Pururava-a king who was captivated by the celestial woman Urvasi.
Purusa-the enjoyer, or male; the living entity or the Supreme
Lord.
Purusa-avataras-the three primary Vishnu expansions of the Supreme
Lord who are involved in universal creation.
Purusottama-Lord Krishna, who is the Supreme Person.
Putana-a witch who was sent by Kamsa to appear in the form of a
beautiful woman to kill baby Krishna, but who was instead killed b y Him and
granted liberation.
R
Radharani-Lord Krishna's most intimate consort, who is the
personification of His internal, spiritual potency.
Raga-marga-the path of spontaneous love of Godhead.
Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami-one of the six Vaishnava spiritual
masters who directly followed Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and systematically
presented His teachings.
Raghunatha dasa Gosvami-one of the six Vaishnava spiritual masters
who directly followed Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and systematically presented
His teachings.
Rahugana Maharaja-the king who received spiritual instruction from
Jada Bharata.
Rajarsi-saintly king.
Rajas-the material mode of passion.
Rajasuya-yajna-the great sacrificial ceremony performed by King
Yudhisthira and attended by Lord Krishna.
Rajo-guna-the material mode of passion.
Raksasas-man-eating demons.
Raksasi-a female [Raksasa,] or demoness.
Rama-(1) a name of Lord Krishna meaning "the source of all
pleasure." (2) Lord Ramacandra, an incarnation of the Supreme Lord as t he
perfect king.
Rama-[See:] Ramacandra
Rama-rajya-a perfect Vedic kingdom like that of Lord Ramacandra,
the incarnation of the Supreme Lord appearing as the perfect king.
Ramacandra-an incarnation of the Supreme Lord as the perfect king.
Ramananda Raya-an intimate associate of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Ramanujacarya-a great eleventh-century spiritual master of the
Shri Vaishnava [sampradaya].
Ramayana-the epic history about Lord Ramacandra, originally
written by Valmiki Muni.
Rasa Dance-Lord Krishna's pleasure dance with the cowherd maidens
of Vrndavana. It is a pure exchange of spiritual love between th e Lord and His
most advanced, confidential servitors.
Rasas-the loving moods or mellows relished in the exchange of love
with the Supreme Lord.
Rasa-lila-the pure exchange of spiritual love between Krishna and
His most advanced, confidential servitors, the cowherd damsels of Vrajabhumi.
Rasatala-the next-to-lowest planet in the universe's lower
planetary system, Patala.
Ratha-yatra-an annual festival in which Deities of the Supreme
Lord are drawn in procession upon huge, gaily decorated, canopied chariots.
Ravana-a demoniac ruler who was killed by Lord Ramacandra.
Rk-samhita-the [Rg Veda.]
Rg Veda-one of the four [Vedas,] the original scriptures spoken by
the Lord Himself.
Rohini-one of Vasudeva's wives, who later lived under the care of
Nanda Maharaja. She is the mother of Balarama.
Romaharsana-the father of Suta Gosvami. He was killed by Lord
Balarama for his disrespect.
Rsabhadeva-an incarnation of the Supreme Lord as a devotee king
who, after instructing his sons in spiritual life, renounced Hi s kingdom for a
life of austerity.
Rsi-a sage.
Rudra-[See:] Siva
Rudras-the expansions of Lord Siva who rule over the material mode
of ignorance.
Rukmi-a brother of Krishna's queen Rukmini.
Rukmini-Lord Krishna's principal queen in Dvaraka.
Rukmini-Dvarakadhisa-the transcendental couple manifested as
Krishna, the Lord of Dvaraka, and His queen Rukmini.
Rupa Gosvami-the chief of the six Vaishnava spiritual masters who
directly followed Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and systematically p resented His
teachings.
S
Sabda-brahma-transcendental sound vibration.
Sac-cid-ananda-eternal, blissful and full of knowledge.
Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha-the Lord's transcendental form, which is
eternal and full of knowledge and bliss.
Sacipati-[See:] Indra
Sacred thread-a thread worn by persons initiated into the chanting
of the Gayatri [mantra.]
Sad-aisvarya-purna-the Supreme Lord, who is full in all six
opulences: wealth, strength, knowledge, fame, beauty and renunciation.
Sad-bhuja-murti-the six-armed form of Lord Chaitanya.
Sadhana-the beginning phase of devotional service, consisting of
regulated practice.
Sadhu-a saintly person.
Sadhu-sanga-the association of saintly persons.
Sadhyas-demigods inhabiting the heavenly planets.
Saguna-having qualities. In reference to the Supreme Lord, the
term signifies that He has spiritual qualities.
Sahajiyas-[See: Prakrta-sahajiyas]
Sahajiya-an offensive, immature devotee who does not follow proper
devotional regulations.
Saivites-devotees of Lord Siva.
Sakama-bhakta-a devotee with material desires.
Sakatasura-a ghost who took shelter of a bullock cart with the
intention of killing Lord Krishna but who instead was killed by the Lord.
Sakhya-rasa-a relationship with the Supreme Lord in devotional
friendship.
Sakti-tattva-the personal energies of the Lord.
Sakty-avesa-empowered by the Supreme Lord with one or more of His
opulences.
Salagrama-sila-a Deity incarnation of the Supreme Lord in the form
of a stone.
Salokya-(the liberation of) residing on the same planet as the
Supreme Lord.
Sama-control of the mind.
Sama-darsi-seeing with equal vision.
Sama Veda-one of the four original [Vedas]. It consists of
sacrificial hymns set to music.
Samadhi-trance; complete absorption in God consciousness.
Samba-a son of Lord Krishna by His wife Jambavati.
Sambhu-a name of Lord Siva.
Samhitas-supplementary Vedic literatures expressing the
conclusions of particular self-realized authorities.
Samipya-(the liberation of) becoming a personal associate of the Supreme
Lord.
Sampradaya-a disciplic succession of spiritual masters; the
followers in that tradition.
Samsara-the cycle of repeated birth and death in the material
world.
Samskara-one of the purificatory Vedic rituals performed one by
one from the time of conception until death.
Samsrti-the cycle of repeated birth and death.
Sanatana-eternal.
Sanatana-dharma-the eternal occupation, or religion, of all living
beings; devotional service to the Supreme Lord.
Sanatana Gosvami-one of the six Vaishnava spiritual masters who
directly followed Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and systematically pre sented His
teachings.
Sankara-[See:] Siva
Sankaracarya-the incarnation of Lord Siva as the great philosopher
who, on the order of the Supreme Lord, preached impersonali sm based on the
[Vedas].
Sankarsana-one of the four original expansions of Lord Krishna in
the spiritual world; also, another name of Balarama, given by Ga rga Muni.
Sankha-the conchshell held by Lord Vishnu.
Sankhya-analytical discrimination between spirit and matter; also,
the path of devotional service described by Lord Kapila, the son of Devahuti.
Sankhya-analytical discrimination between spirit and matter. [See
also: Sankhya-yoga.]
Sankhya-yoga-the process of linking with the Supreme by
intellectually tracing out the source of creation.
Sankirtana-congregational glorification of the Supreme Lord,
Krishna, especially through chanting of the His holy names.
Sannyasa-renounced life; the fourth order of Vedic spiritual life.
Sannyasi-one in the [sannyasa] (renounced) order.
Santa-peaceful.
Santa-rasa-a relationship with the Supreme Lord in neutrality.
Sapa-a [brahmana's] curse.
Sara grass-a whitish reed.
Sarasvati-the goddess of learning and the wife of Lord Brahma.
Sarga-material creation.
Sari-Vedic women's dress.
Sarmistha-the second wife of King Yayati. On account of his having
sex with her, the King was cursed by Sukracarya to lose his
youth.
Sarsti-(the liberation of) achieving equal opulence with the Lord.
Sarupya-(the liberation of) attaining a spiritual form like that
of the Supreme Lord.
Sarva-jna-one who knows everything-past, present and future.
Sarva-karana-karana-the cause of all causes, Krishna.
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya-a famous logician who surrendered to Lord
Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Sarvatma-[See:] Paramatma
Sastra-revealed scripture, such as the Vedic literature.
Sat-eternal.
Satarupa-the wife of Svayambhuva Manu and mother of Devahuti.
Sati-the wife of Lord Siva and a daughter of Daksa.
Sati rite-voluntary suicide by a chaste widow at her husband's
funeral.
Sattva-guna-the material mode of goodness.
Sattvika-in the mode of goodness.
Satvata-pancaratra-on of the [Pancaratras,] consisting of a
conversation between Narada Muni and Lord Sankarsana desccribing the
rules and regulations of devotional service.
Satvata scriptures-Vedic scriptures meant especially for the
devotees of the Lord.
Satya-truthfulness.
Satyaloka-Lord Brahma's abode, the highest planet in the material
universe; also called Brahmaloka.
Satyavrata Manu-one of the administrative demigods who are the
fathers and lawgivers of mankind.
Satya-yuga-the first and best in the cycle of the four ages of the
universe. It lasts 1,728,000 years.
Satyabhama-one of the principal queens of Lord Krishna during His
pastimes in the city of Dvaraka.
Satyagraha-fasting for political purposes.
Saubhari Muni-a powerful mystic who accidentally fell down to sex
attraction.
Saunaka Rsi-the chief of the sages assembled at Naimisaranya when
Suta Gosvami spoke [Shrimad-Bhagavatam].
Sautramani-a particular Vedic fire sacrifice offered to Lord
Indra.
Sayujya-(the liberation of) merging into the spiritual effulgence
of the Lord.
Sesa Naga-an expansion of Lord Balarama who takes the form of a
many-hooded serpent and serves as Lord Vishnu's couch and other paraphernalia.
He also holds the millions of universes on His hoods.
Seva-devotional service.
Sevaka-a servant.
Sevya-one who is served.
Siddha-a perfected person, or mystic; a demigod from Siddhaloka.
Siddhaloka-the heavenly planet whose inhabitants possess all
mystic powers.
Siddhi-mystic power or perfection acquired through [yoga]
practice.
Siksastaka-eight verses by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu glorifying
the chanting of the Lord's holy name.
Sisupala-a king who was an enemy of Krishna.
Sita-the eternal consort of Lord Ramacandra.
Sita-Rama-the transcendental couple manifested as Lord Ramacandra,
Krishna's incarnation as the perfect king, and Rama's consort,
sita.
Siva-the special incarnation of the Lord as the demigod in charge
of the mode of ignorance and the destruction of the material manifestation.
Sivananda Sena-a great householder devotee of Lord Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu.
Sivatama-the most auspicious.
Sloka-a Sanskrit verse.
Skanda Purana-one of the eighteen [Puranas,] or Vedic historical
scriptures.
Smarana-the devotional process of remembering the Supreme Lord.
Smarta-a [brahmana] interested more in the external performance of
the rules and rituals of the [Vedas] than in attaining Lord K Rsna, the goal of
the [Vedas].
Smrti-revealed scriptures supplementary to the [sruti,] or
original Vedic scriptures, which are the [Vedas] and [Upanisads].
Smrty-acarya-a spiritual master expert in the supplementary Vedic
literatures.
Sneha-affection, especially for Lord Krishna.
Soma(raja)-Candra, the demigod in charge of the moon.
Soma-rasa-a life-extending heavenly beverage available to demigods
on the higher planets.
Soul-the eternal living entity who is the marginal energy,
eternally part and parcel of the Supreme Lord.
Sparsas-the consonants in the Sanskrit alphabet.
Spirit soul-[See: Jiva].
Sraddha-the ceremony of offering food and other items to one's
ancestors to free them from suffering.
Sravana-the devotional process of hearing about the Supreme Lord.
Sravanam kirtanam visnoh-the devotional process of hearing and
chanting about Lord Vishnu, or Krishna.
Shri-[See:] Shrila.
Shridhara Svami-the author of the earliest extant Vaishnava
commentaries on [Bhagavad-gita] and [Shrimad-Bhagavatam].
Shri Gurudeva-the spiritual master.
Shrila-a title indicating possession of exceptional spiritual
qualities.
Shrila Prabhupada-His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada.
Shrimad-Bhagavatam-the [Purana,] or history, written by Shrila
Vyasadeva specifically give a deep understanding of Lord Krishna, H is devotees
and devotional service.
Shrinivasacarya-a chief follower of the six Gosvamis of Vrndavana.
Shrivasa-an intimate associate of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Shrivatsa-the sign of the goddess of fortune on the chest of Lord
Vishnu, or Narayana.
Sruti-knowledge via hearing; also, the original Vedic scriptures
(the [Vedas] and [upanisads]), given directly by the Supreme L ord.
Sruti-mantras-the hymns of the [Vedas].
Stotra-a prayer.
Stri-a woman.
Sudama Vipra-a poor householder friend and devotee of Lord Krishna
who was given immeasurable riches by the Lord.
Sudarsana cakra-the disc weapon of the Supreme Lord.
Suddha-sattva-the spiritual platform of pure goodness.
Sudra-a laborer; the fourth of the Vedic social orders.
Sudrani-the wife of a [sudra].
Sukadeva Gosvami-the great devotee sage who spoke
[Shrimad-Bhagavatam] to King Pariksit just prior to the King's death.
Sukla-a person in the mode of goodness; also, a name for Lord
Vishnu.
Sukla-yajur Veda-a version of the [Yajur Veda.]
Sukra-[See:] Sukracarya
Sukracarya-the spiritual master of the demons.
Sukrti-pious persons.
Sunanda-one of the chief personal servants of Lord Narayana in His
spiritual abode, Vaikuntha.
Sunitha-the wife of King Anga and mother of Vena.
Suniti-the mother of Dhruva Maharaja.
Supersoul-[See:] Paramatma
Surabhi cows-spiritual cows, in the spiritual world, which yield
unlimited quantities of milk.
Suras-demigods or devotees.
Suruci-the stepmother of Dhruva Maharaja.
Surya-the demigod of the sun.
Susupti-deep sleep, one of the three levels of material
consciousness.
Suta Gosvami-the great devotee sage who recounted the discourses
between Pariksit and Sukadeva to the sages assembled in the fo rest of
Naimisaranya.
Sutapa-the name of Vasudeva in a previous birth.
Sutra-the intermediate manifestation of the [mahat-tattva,] when
it is predominated by the mode of passion.
Svabhavya-a scripture.
Svaha-the wife of Agni, the fire-god.
Svami-a controller of the mind and senses; the title of one in the
renounced, or [sannyasa,] order.
Svamsas-nondifferent plenary expansions of the Lord.
Svar-the upper material planets.
Svargaloka-the heavenly planets of the material world.
Svarupa-one's original, spiritual form.
Svarupa-siddhi-the perfection of attaining one's original,
spiritual form.
Svarupa-vismrti-forgetting one's real constitutional position.
Svayambhu-the "self-born one," Lord Brahma.
Svayambhuva Manu-the Manu who appears first in Brahma's day and
who was the grandfather of Dhruva Maharaja.
Svayamvara-the ceremony in which a princess is allowed to choose
her husband.
Svetadvipa-the spiritual planet where Lord Vishnu resides within
the material universe.
Svetasvatara Upanisad-one of the 108 [upanisads]. That very
clearly presents the Vaishnava point of view regarding the Lord and the living
entity.
Swami-[See: Sannyasa] order.
Syamasundara-the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, who is
blackish and very beautiful.
T
Taksaka-the flying snake who killed Pariksit Maharaja.
Tamo-guna-the mode of ignorance.
Tantras-Vedic literatures consisting mostly of dialogues between
Lord Siva and Durga. They contain instructions on Deity worshi p and other
aspects of spiritual practice.
Tapas-[See:] Tapoloka.
Tapasvi-one who performs severe penances and austerities.
Tapasya-austerity; accepting some voluntary inconvenience for a
higher purpose.
Tapoloka-a heavenly planet.
Tara-the wife of Brhaspati. She was kidnapped by the moon-god.
Tatastha-sakti-the living entities, who are the marginal potency
of the Supreme Lord.
Tattva-darsi-one who has seen the truth.
Tattvas-the Absolute Truth's multifarious categories.
Thakura Haridasa-[See:] Haridasa Thakura
Tilaka-auspicious clay markings placed by devotees on the forehead
and other parts of the body.
Tithis-the days of the Vedic calendar, measured according to the
phases of the moon.
Titiksa-tolerance.
Trayi-one who follows the three principal [Vedas] ([Rg, Sama] and
[Yajur]), which explain fruitive activities.
Treta-yuga-the second age in the cycle of the four ages of the
universe. It lasts 1,296,000 years.
Tri-danda-a staff, made of three rods, carried by [sannyasis] who
are devotees of Lord Krishna, signifying service with mind, body
and words.
Tridandi-sannyasi-a member of the renounced order of life who
accepts the personal nature of the Absolute Truth.
Trivikrama-Lord Vamana, the incarnation of the Supreme Lord who
encompased the three worlds in three steps.
Trnavarta-a whirlwind-shaped demon ho was sent by Kamsa to kill
Krishna, but whom Krishna killed instead.
Tulasi-a sacred plant dear to Lord Krishna and worshiped by His
devotees.
U
Udara-magnanimous.
Uddhava-a learned disciple of Brhaspati and confidential friend of
Lord Krishna in Dvaraka.
Ugra-karma-evil activities.
Ugrasena-the king of the Yadu dynasty.
Ujjvala-nilamani-a Sanskrit work that describes the complete
science of [madhurya-rasa,] the conjugal relationship with Lord Krishna. It was
compiled by Shrila Rupa Gosvami in the sixteenth century.
Uma-[See:] Durga
Upadesamrta-a short Sanskrit work by Rupa Gosvami containing
important instructions about devotional service to Lord Krishna.
Upadhis-material designations.
Upananda-the brother of Nanda Maharaja and oldest and the most
knowledgeable of the cowherd men of Gokula Vrndavana.
Upanisads-108 philosophical works that appear within the [Vedas].
Upasana-kanda-the portions of the [Vedas] dealing with ceremonies
of worship, especially demigod worship.
Upasya-worshipable.
Upendra-Vamanadeva, who appears as the younger brother of Indra.
Urugaya-the Supreme Lord, who is worshiped by sublime prayers.
Urukrama-the Supreme Lord, who takes large steps (especially as
the dwarf-[brahmana] incarnation, Vamanadeva).
Urvasi-a woman from the heavenly planets who became enamored of
King Pururava.
Utkala-the eldest son of Dhruva Maharaja.
Uttama-the brother of Dhruva Maharaja.
Uttamasloka-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, who is worshiped by select
poetry.
Uttanapada-the king who was a son of Svayambhuva Manu and the
father of Dhruva Maharaja.
V
Vaidurya-mani-a spiritual gem that can display different colors.
Vaijayanti-a garland containing flowers of five colors and
reaching down to the knees. It is worn by Lord Krishna.
Vaikuntha-the spiritual world, where there is no anxiety.
Vairagya-renunciation.
Vaishnava-a devotee of Lord Vishnu, or Krishna.
Vaishnava-aparadha-an offense to a devotee of the Lord.
Vaishnava-dharma-the eternal principle of service to the Supreme
Lord, Vishnu.
Vaisya-a farmer or merchant; the third Vedic social order.
Vaivasvata Manu-the current Manu, the seventh of fourteen Manus.
Vaiyasaki-Sukadeva Gosvami, son of Vyasa.
Valmiki-the author of the original [ramayana].
Vamana-the incarnation of the Supreme Lord as a dwarf [brahmana.]
Bali Maharaja surrendered to him.
Vanaprastha-one who has retired from family life; the third order
of Vedic spiritual life.
Vandana-the devotional process of offering prayers to the Lord.
Vanik-a merchant.
Varaha-the incarnation of the Supreme Lord as a boar.
Varnas-the four Vedic social-occupational divisions of society,
distinguished by quality of work and situation in the modes of n ature
([gunas]). [See also: Brahmana; Ksatriya; Vaisya] and [Sudra].
Varna-sankara-children conceived without regard for Vedic
religious principles; thus, unwanted population.
Varnasrama-dharma-the Vedic social system of four social and four
spiritual orders. [See also: Varna; Asrama]
Varuna-the demigod in charge of the oceans.
Vasistha-one of the great sages born directly from Lord Brahma. He
was a rival of Visvamitra.
Vasitva-the mystic ability to control others' minds.
Vasudeva-the father of Krishna, and half-brother of Nanda
Maharaja.
Vasudeva-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, son of Vasudeva and proprietor
of everything, material and spiritual.
Vasudeva-parayana-one whose desire is fixed on the Supreme Lord.
Vatsalya-rasa-a relationship with the Supreme Lord, Krishna,
wherein the devotee loves the Lord with parental affection.
Vatsasura-a demon who came to Vrndavana in the form of a calf to
kill Krishna but who was instead killed by Him.
Vayu-air; the demigod in charge of the wind.
Veda-caksuh-literally, seeing through the eyes of the [Vedas.]
Vedanta-the philosophy of the [Vedanta-sutra] of Shrila Vyasadeva.
It contains a conclusive summary of Vedic philosophical knowl edge and shows
Krishna as the goal.
Vedanta-sutra-the philosophical treatise written by Vyasadeva,
consisting of aphorisms that embody the essential meaning of the [Upanisads].
Vedas-the four original revealed scriptures ([Rg, Sama, Atharva]
and [Yajur].
Veda-vada-rata-one who gives his own explanation of the [Vedas;] a
[smarta].
Vedic-pertaining to a culture in which all aspects of human life
are under the guidance of the [Vedas].
Vedic literature-the original four [Vedas,] the [Upanisads,
Puranas] and other supplements, and also all scriptures and commenta ries
written in pursuance of the Vedic conclusion.
Vena-the demoniac son of King Anga and father of King Prthu.
Vibhinnamsas-the separated expansions of the Supreme Lord, the
minute living entities.
Vibhuti-the opulence and power of the Supreme Lord.
Vidagdha-one who is expert in the art of flattering women.
Videha-a city in India ruled by King Nimi.
Videharaja Nimi-a devotee king, ruler of Videha.
Vidura-a great devotee who heard [Shrimad-Bhagavatam] from
Maitreya Muni. He was an incarnation of
the demigod Yama.
Vidya-knowledge.
Vidyadharas-a race of celestial beings who possess material
knowledge.
Vidyapati-an author of Vaishnava poetry who was particularly
admired by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Vijara-not subjected to the miseries of old age.
Vijaya-[See:] Jaya and Vijaya
Vijayadhvaja Tirtha-a Vaishnava spiritual master in the line of
Madhvacarya who was a commentator on [Shrimad-Bhagavatam].
Vijitasva-the eldest son of King Prthu. He is also known as
Antardhana.
Vijnana-realized or practical knowledge.
Vijnana-maya-with full knowledge, that is, conscious of the self
as different from matter.
Vikarma-sinful work, performed against scriptural injunctions.
Vimudhas-foolish rascals.
Vimukta-a liberated person.
Vina-a stringed musical instrument.
Vipra-a learned [brahmana].
Vira-vrata-one who follows his vows heroicly.
Virabhadra-the demon created by Lord Siva to destroy the sacrifice
of Maharaja Daksa.
Viraha-transcendental bliss in separation from the Lord.
Viraraghava Acarya-a Vaishnava spiritual master in the line of
Ramanujacarya who was a commentator on [Shrimad-Bhagavatam].
Virat-purusa-the "universal form" of the Supreme Lord,
conceived of as the totality of all material manifestations.
Virat-rupa-the universal form of the Supreme Lord, conceived of as
the totality of all material manifestations.
Visaya-material affairs of sense gratification.
Visaya-taranga-the waves of material existence.
Vishnu-the Supreme Lord; Lord Krishna's expansions in Vaikuntha
and for the creation and maintenance of the material universes.
Vishnu-dharma-one of the eighteen [Puranas,] or Vedic historical
scriptures.
Vishnu-bhakti-devotional service to Lord Vishnu.
Vishnu-murtis-forms of the Supreme Lord.
Vishnu Purana-one of the eighteen [Puranas,] or Vedic historical
scriptures.
Vishnu-tattva-the status or category of Godhead; primary
expansions of the Supreme Lord.
Vishnu-yajna-a sacrifice performed for the satisfaction of Lord
Vishnu.
Vishnudutas-the messengers of Lord Vishnu, who come at the time of
death to take perfected devotees back to the spiritual world.
Vishnuloka-the abode of Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
Vishnupriya-devi-the second wife of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
whom He left to accept [sannyasa,] the renounced order of life.
Visoka-callous to material distress.
Visruta-the son begotten by the Pracetas through Marisa.
Visuddha-sattva-the spiritual platform of pure goodness.
Visvakarma-the architect of the demigods.
Visvamitra-a prominent sage and rival of Vasistha Muni.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura-a great Vaishnava spiritual master
in the line of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and a commentator on [
Shrimad-Bhagavatam] and [Bhagavad-gita].
Visvavasu-a leader of the Gandharvas, singers in the heavenly
planets.
Vivaha-yajna-the sacrifice of marriage.
Vivarta-vada-the erroneous concept, propounded by followers of
Sankaracarya, that manifest existence is only illusory.
Vivasvan-the demigod in charge of the sun.
Vraja(bhumi)-[See:] Vrndavana
Vrndavana-Krishna's eternal abode, where He fully manifests His
quality of sweetness; the village on this earth in which He enacte d His
childhood pastimes five thousand years ago.
Vrndavana dasa Thakura-the great devotee of Lord Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu who wrote [Chaitanya-bhagavata,] a biography of Lord Caitan ya.
Vrtrasura-a great demon killed by Indra. He was actually the
devotee Citraketu, who had been cursed to take a low birth.
Vyasa-[See:] Vyasadeva.
Vyasa-puja-worship of the compiler of the [Vedas,] Vyasadeva;
worship of the bona fide spiritual master as the representative of Vyasadeva.
Vyasadeva-the incarnation of Lord Krishna who gave the [Vedas,
Puranas, Vedanta-sutra] and [mahabharata] to mankind.
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Yadava dynasty-[See:] Yadu dynasty.
Yadus-the descendants of Yadu, in which dynasty Lord Krishna
appeared.
Yadu dynasty-the dynasty in which Lord Krishna appeared.
Yajamana-the sponsor for whom a Vedic sacrifice is performed.
Yajna-a Vedic sacrifice; also, the Supreme Lord, the goal and
enjoyer of all sacrifices.
Yajna-purusa-Krishna, the supreme enjoyer of all sacrifices.
Yajur Veda-one of the four [Vedas,] the original revealed
scriptures spoken by the Lord Himself.
Yaksas-ghostly followers of the demigod Kuvera.
Yama-the process of controlling the senses.
Yamadutas-the messengers of Yamaraja, the lord of death.
Yamaraja-the demigod who punishes the sinful after death.
Yamunacarya-a great Vaishnava spiritual master of the Shri
[sampradaya].
Yasoda-the foster mother of Krishna, who was the Queen of Vraja
and wife of Maharaja Nanda.
Yasoda-nandana-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, who is the darling son
of Yasoda.
Yatra-journey.
Yavana-a low-class person, generally a meat-eater; a barbarian.
Yayati-the king who, because of his lust, was cursed by Sukracarya
to prematurely accept old age.
Yoga-spiritual discipline undergone to link oneself with the
Supreme.
Yogamaya-the internal, spiritual energy of the Supreme Lord; also,
its personification as Krishna's younger sister.
Yoga-nidra-the mystic slumber of Lord Vishnu.
Yoga-siddhis-mystic powers.
Yogendras-nine devotee sons of Rsabhadeva.
Yogesvara-the Supreme Lord, Krishna, the supreme master of all
mystic power.
Yogi-a transcendentalist striving for union with the Supreme.
Yogini-a female [yogi].
Yojana-a Vedic unit of length equal to about eight miles.
Yudhisthira-the eldest of the five Pandava brothers; he ruled the
earth after the Kuruksetra war.
Yuga-avataras-the four incarnations of the Supreme Lord who
prescribe the appropriate method of spiritual realization in each of
the four [yugas,] or ages.
Yugas-ages in the life of the universe, occurring in a repeated
cycle of four.
Yuga-dharma-the religion for the age.
Yukta-vairagya-real renunciation in which one utilizes everything
in the service of the Supreme Lord.
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