Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

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Tagore, Rabindranath: One of India's most highly acclaimed modern-day writers and poets (18611941), son of Devendranath Tagore. He wrote in Bengali and in English. His most famous poetic religious work is Gitanjali, which centers around dialogs between the soul and God Vishnu. He received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913.

tainted: Sullied, spoiled or stained. Morally corrupt or depraved.

Tai Pongal: (Tamil) A four-day home festival held in the Tamil month of Tai (January-February), celebrating the season's first harvest. Surya, the Sun God, is honored at this time as the giver of all good fortune and as the visible Divine One. Newly harvested rice is ceremoniously cooked outdoors over an open fire in a giant pot (hence pongal, from pongu, "to cook"). The direction of the overflow of boiling milk is an augury for the coming year.

Tai Pusam: (Tamil) A festival held on the Pushya nakshatra near the full-moon day of January-February to worship Lords Siva or Karttikeya, depending on the locality. It is an important holiday, especially dear to the Tamil people, celebrated with great pomp, fervor and intensity in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Fiji, South Africa and Reunion, often marked by the carrying of kavadi. In Mauritius and Singapore it is a national holiday. See: kavadi, Karttikeya.

Taittiriya Aranyaka: (Sanskrit) A forest treatise of Krishna Yajur Veda. See: Veda.

Taittiriya Samhita: (Sanskrit) See: Yajur Veda.

Taittiriya Upanishad: (Sanskrit) Belongs to the Taittiriya Brahmana of the Yajur Veda and is divided into three sections called valli(s). The first deals with phonetics and pronunciation, the second and third with Brahman and the attainment of bliss.

tala: (Sanskrit) "Plane or world; level; base, bottom." Root of the name of the seven realms of lower consciousness centered in the seven chakras below the muladhara. See: chakra, hell, purgatory, loka, Naraka.

talatala chakra: (Sanskrit) "Lower region." The fourth chakra below the muladhara, centered in the calves. Region of chronic mental confusion and unreasonable stubbornness. Corresponds to the fourth astral netherworld beneath the earth's surface, called Tamisra ("darkness") or Talatala. This state of consciousness is born of the sole motivation of self-preservation. See: chakra, loka, Naraka.

tamas(ic): (Sanskrit) "Force of inertia." See: guna.

Tamil: (Tamil) The ancient Dravidian language of the Tamils, a Caucasoid people of South India and Northern Sri Lanka, who have now migrated throughout the world. The official language of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. See: race.

Tamil Nadu: (Tamil) State in South India, 50,000 square miles, population 55 million. Land of countless holy scriptures, saints, sages and over 40,000 magnificent temples, including Chidambaram, Madurai, Palani Hills and Rameshvaram.

tandava: (Sanskrit) "Violent dance." Any vigorous dance sequence performed by a male dancer. There are many forms of tandava. Its prototype is Siva's dance of bliss, ananda tandava. The more sublime, female dance is called lasya, from lasa, "lively." Dance in general is nartana. See: Nataraja.

tantra: (Sanskrit) "Loom, methodology." 1) Most generally, a synonym for shastra, "scripture." 2) A synonym for the Agamic texts, especially those of the Shakta faith, a class of Hindu scripture providing detailed instruction on all aspects of religion, mystic knowledge and science. The tantras are also associated with the Saiva tradition. 3) A specific method, technique or spiritual practice within the Saiva and Shakta traditions. For example, pranayama is a tantra. Tantra generally involves a reversal of the normal flow of energies. Its perspective is that the inner self is most important, and outer life is secondary. Tantra causes the life force to flow up through the sushumna. Many are the methods for overcoming the unovercomeable. Fallen into the hands of the unscrupulous, these techniques become black magic (abhichara).

Tantraloka: (Sanskrit) One of the most comprehensive and authoritative expositions of Kashmir Saivism, written by Abhinavagupta. See: Abhinavagupta, Kashmir Saivism.

tantrika: (Sanskrit) (Anglicized: tantric.) Adjectival form for practices prescribed in the Tantra traditions. The name of a follower of any of the tantric traditions. See: tantra, tantrism.

tantrism: The enlightenment path outlined in the Tantra scriptures. 1) Tantrism is sometimes considered a parallel stream of history and tradition in Hinduism, running alongside and gradually interweaving with the Vedic brahminical tradition. 2) Tantrism refers to traditions, mainly within Saivism and Shaktism, that focus on the arousal of the kundalini force, and which view the human body as a vehicle of the Divine and an instrument for liberation. Tantrism's ultimate aim is a channeling of the kundalini life force through the sushumna, the gracious channel, upwards into the sahasrara chakra and beyond, through the door of brahman (brahmarandhra) into Parasiva, either before or at the time of death. The stress is on the transformation of all spheres of consciousness, spiritual, psychic, emotional and material. It is a path of sadhana. 3)--Shakta Tantrism: Brings a strong emphasis on the worship of the feminine force. Depending on the school, this may be symbolic or literal in rites involving sexual intercourse, etc. Shakta Tantrism's main principle is the use of the material to gain the spiritual. In certain schools, historically, this implies embracing that which is normally forbidden and manipulating the forces to attain transcendent consciousness rather than lower consciousness. There are three main streams: 1) the right-hand path (dakshina marga or dakshinachara) of conservative Hindu practice, 2) the left-hand path (vama marga or vamachara) involving the use of things normally forbidden such as taking intoxicants, meat, ritual sex, etc., and 3) the yogic path of the Kaula sect. Gorakshanatha followers are sometimes grouped with the latter. See: Shaktism, kundalini, raja yoga, tantra.

Tao: "The way." The central concept of the Chinese religion called Taoism. Though traditionally considered impossible to translate, Tao is often rendered as "cosmic order," akin to the Sanskrit rita. See: dharma.

tapas: (Sanskrit) "Warmth, heat," hence psychic energy, spiritual fervor or ardor. 1) Purificatory spiritual disciplines, severe austerity, penance and sacrifice. The endurance of pain, suffering, through the performance of extreme penance, religious austerity and mortification. By comparison, sadhana is austerity of a simple, sustained kind, while tapas is austerity of a severe, psyche-transforming nature. Tapas is extreme bodily mortification, long term sadhanas, such as meditating under a tree in one place for 12 years, taking a lifetime vow of silence and never speaking or writing, or standing on one leg for a prescribed number of years. Scriptures warn against extreme asceticism that harm the body. 2) On a deeper level, tapas is the intense inner state of kundalini "fire" which stimulates mental anguish and separates the individual from society. Life does not go on as usual when this condition occurs. The association with a satguru, Sadasiva, brings the devotee into tapas; and it brings him out of it. The fire of tapas burns on the dross of sanchita karmas. This is the source of heat, dismay, depression and striving until final and total surrender, prapatti. The individual can mollify this heated condition by continuing his regular sadhana as outlined by the guru. The fires of self-transformation may be stimulated by the practice of tapas, or come unbidden. One can "do" tapas, but the true tapas is a condition of being and consciousness which is a state of grace, bringing positive change, transformation and purification of one's nature. Guru bhakti is the only force that can cool the fires of tapas. See: kundalini, penance, sadhana.

tapasvin: (Sanskrit) One who performs tapas or is in the state of tapas. See: tapas.

Tapoloka: (Sanskrit) "Plane of austerity." The second highest of the seven upper worlds, realm of ajna chakra. See: loka.

tarnished: Dulled, sullied, spoiled, lacking luster.

Tat: (Sanskrit) "That; the indescribable Absolute; supreme."

Tatparyadipika: (Sanskrit) A commentary by Srikumara (ca 1100) on the Tattvaprakasha of Sri Bhojadeva Paramara (10181060), a philosopher-king in Central India who expounded Saiva Siddhanta. Srikumara upheld the monistic basis of Bhojadeva's work, while later commentator Aghorasiva reinterpreted it in dualistic terms. See: Aghorasiva, Saiva Siddhanta.

Tat Sat: (Sanskrit) "That is Truth." A terse phrase pointing to the inexpressible truth of which nothing more can be said.

tattva: (Sanskrit) "That-ness" or "essential nature." Tattvas are the primary principles, elements, states or categories of existence, the building blocks of the universe. Lord Siva constantly creates, sustains the form of and absorbs back into Himself His creations. Rishis describe this emanational process as the unfoldment of tattvas, stages or evolutes of manifestation, descending from subtle to gross. At mahapralaya, cosmic dissolution, they enfold into their respective sources, with only the first two tattvas surviving the great dissolution. The first and subtlest form--the pure consciousness and source of all other evolutes of manifestation--is called Siva tattva, or Parashakti-nada. But beyond Siva tattva lies Parasiva--the utterly transcendent, Absolute Reality, called attava. That is Siva's first perfection. The Sankhya system discusses 25 tattvas. Saivism recognizes these same 25 plus 11 beyond them, making 36 tattvas in all. These are divided into three groups: 1) First are the five shuddha (pure) tattvas. These constitute the realm of shuddha maya.
2) Next are the seven shuddha-ashuddha (pure-impure) tattvas. These constitute the realm of shuddhashuddha maya. 3) The third group comprises the 24 ashuddha (impure) tattvas. These constitute the realm of ashuddha maya.

--The shuddha tattvas: Actinic or spiritual energy. This is the superconscious realm, also known as shuddha (pure) maya or mahamaya. Bindu, transcendent light, is the "material" cause of this pure sphere. This is the Sivaloka, the region of the 330 million Gods, the myriad rishis and other beings who have attained freedom from the triple bondage.

1)Siva tattva: "auspiciousness," of two parts: the higher is Parashakti, "Supreme Energy," from which emerges primal sound, nada (more precisely Paranada, soundless sound). Though most often referred to as sound, nada is more mystically known as movement, the first impulse arising from perfect quiescence, the first "thing" out of the motionless Self. This is Siva's second perfection, Parashakti, superconsciousness, the mind of God. The Siva tattva pervades all other 35 categories and possesses the powers of will, knowledge and action (iccha, jnana, kriya).

2)Shakti tattva: energy, corresponds to bindu, light, the cause of form (more precisely Parabindu, primal nucleus). This is the tattva of Parameshvara, the Primal Soul, father-mother God, Siva's third perfection, who after mahapralaya remains transfixed in deep samadhi, until He again emanates the universe through His Cosmic Dance.

3)Sadasiva tattva: the power of revealing grace. In this realm the energies of knowledge and action are in perfect equilibrium. This is the realm of the anandamaya kosha.

4)Ishvara tattva: the energy of concealment, concealing grace. The energy of action prevails over that of knowledge in order to arouse cosmic activity in its subtle form.

5)shuddhavidya tattva: pure knowledge, dharma. This is a level of manifestation in which the energy of action is in abeyance and the energy of knowledge prevails. Shuddhavidya tattva includes Siva's other three powers or aspects: Rudra (destruction), Vishnu (preservation) and Brahma (creation).

--The shuddhashuddha tattvas: Actinodic, or spiritual-magnetic, energy. The seven tattvas from maya to purusha make up the shuddhashuddha (pure-impure) realm.

6)maya tattva: mirific energy, the "material" cause of the "impure sphere." The category of maya brings into being as its immediate aids the following five tattvas, known as the "five sheaths," pancha kanchuka, of the individual soul, purusha. Collectively they make up the vijnanamaya kosha, or mental body.

7)kala tattva: the phenomenon of time, which divides all experience into past, present and future.

8)niyati tattva: karmic destiny; necessity; order; law of cause and effect; restraint.

9)kala tattva: creativity, aptitude, the power which draws the soul toward spiritual knowledge. Its energy partially removes the veil of anava which clouds the inherent powers of the soul.

10)vidya tattva: limited knowledge, the power which gives the soul practical knowledge in accord with its present life experiences.

11)raga tattva: attachment, the arousal of desire, without which no experience of the objective world is possible.

12)purusha tattva: soul identity; soul connected with subjectivity. Through identification with the five above "sheaths," the soul, atman, becomes a purusha, or bound soul, capable of experiencing the higher Antarloka as a limited individual. This five-fold sheath is called the pancha kanchuka, or vijnanamaya kosha (mental body).

--ashuddha tattvas: Odic, or magnetic, energy. These 24 categories make up the "world" of ashuddha (impure) maya. This is the realm of the astral and physical planes, in which souls function through the manomaya, pranamaya and annamaya koshas, depending on their level of embodiment.

13)prakriti tattva: primal nature, the gross energy of which all lower tattvas are formed. Prakriti, also called pradhana, is expressed as three gunas (qualities)--sattva, rajas and tamas. These manifest as light, activity and inertia, respectively; and on the subtle level as pleasure, sorrow and delusion. These gunas dominate the soul's powers of knowledge, action and desire (jnana, kriya and iccha), and form the guna body, manomaya kosha.

--antahkarana: the mental faculty. 14)buddhi tattva: judgment, intellect, the faculty of discrimination. 15)ahamkara tattva: egoism, sense of I-ness in the external form. It is the fundamental principle of individuality. 16)manas tattva: the instinctive mind, the receiving and directing link between the outer senses and the inner faculties.

--jnanendriya: the five cognitive senses, of the nature of sattva guna. Each has a subtle and physical aspect. 17) shrotra tattva: hearing (ears). 18)tvak tattva: touching (skin). 19)chakshu tattva: seeing (eyes). 20)rasana tattva: tasting (tongue). 21)ghrana tattva: smelling (nose).

--karmendriya: the five organs of action, of the nature of rajaguna. Each has a subtle and physical aspect. 22)vak tattva: speech (voice). 23)pani tattva: grasping (hands). 24)pada tattva: walking (feet). 25)payu tattva: excretion (anus). 26)upastha tattva: procreation (genitals).

--tanmatra: the five subtle elements, of the nature of tamaguna. 27) shabda tattva: sound. 28)sparsha tattva: feel. 29)rupa tattva: form. 30)rasa tattva: taste. 31)gandha tattva: odor. These are the subtle characteristics of the five gross elements, akasha, vayu, tejas, apas and prithivi, respectively.

--panchabhuta: the five gross elements. 32) akasha tattva: ether or space. 33)vayu tattva: air. 34)tejas tattva: fire. 35) apas tattva (or jala): water. 36)prithivi tattva: earth. See: atattva, antahkarana, guna, kosha, Siva (also, charts at end of lexicon).

Tattva Prakasha: (Sanskrit) "Illumination of the categories." Text of 76 verses by the philosopher-king Bhoja Paramara which systematized and consolidated monistic Saiva Siddhanta in the 11th century.

tattvatrayi: (Sanskrit) "Essential triad." Names the primary categories of Saiva and Shakta schools, Pati (God), pashu (soul) and pasha (world, or bonds). See: padartha, Pati-pashu-pasha.

Tayumanavar: (Tamil) A Tamil Saivayogi, devotional mystic and poet saint (ca 17th century) whose writings are a harmonious blend of philosophy and devotion. In his poem "Chinmayananda Guru," Tayumanavar places himself in the genealogy of Rishi Tirumular. See: Tirumular.

temper: To reduce in intensity or moderate by the addition of other qualities. Also, the quality of anger, or the propensity to become angry. See: chakra.

temple: An edice in a consecrated place dedicated to the worship of God or the Gods. From the Latin templum, "temple, sanctuary; marked space." Hindu temples, over one million worldwide, are revered as sacred, magical places in which the three worlds most consciously commune--structures especially built and consecrated to channel the subtle spiritual energies of inner-world beings. The temple's psychic atmosphere is maintained through regular worship ceremonies (puja) invoking the Deity, who uses His installed image (murti) as a temporary body to bless those living on the earth plane. In Hinduism, the temple is the hub of virtually all aspects of social and religious life. It may be referred to by the Sanskrit terms mandira, devalaya (or Sivalaya, a Siva temple), as well as by vernacular terms such as koyil (Tamil). See: garbhagriha, darshana, mandapa, pradakshina, sound, teradi, tirthayatra.

temporal: Referring to time; subject to time. Passing, existing only for a time.

tend: Having a tendency or inclination to do something.

teradi: (Tamil) "Chariot shed." Tamil term for the building that houses the temple cart or chariot (ter) in which the parade Deity, utsava murti, is taken in procession on festival days.

terminable: Which can be ended. Not lasting forever.

terminal: Concluding, ending, final.

terminal illness: Incurable disease, ending in death. See: death, suicide.

That : When capitalized, this simple demonstrative refers uniquely to the Ultimate, Indescribable or Nameless Absolute. The Self God, Parasiva. It is the English equivalent of Tat, as in, Tat tvam asi, "You are That!"

theism: Belief that God exists as a real, conscious, personal Supreme Being, creator and ruler of the universe. May also include belief in the Gods.

theology: The study of religious doctrines, specifically of the nature of God, soul and world. --theologians: Those who study, are expert in or formulate theology. Cf: metaphysics.

thither: Toward that place; there. Farther.

thou/thy: Poetic, Old English alternates for you/your. Thy is the possessive form of thou. Often used in religious writing or translation of devotional scripture as an expression of respect and veneration not conveyed in the ordinary pronouns you and your.

three worlds: The three worlds of existence, triloka, are the primary hierarchical divisions of the cosmos. 1) Bhuloka: "Earth world," the physical plane. 2) Antarloka: "Inner or in-between world," the subtle or astral plane. 3) Sivaloka: "World of Siva," and of the Gods and highly evolved souls; the causal plane, also called Karanaloka.

The three-world cosmology is readily found in Hindu scriptures. In the major Upanishads of the Vedas we find numerous citations, with interesting variations. Verse 1.5.17 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad states, "Now, there are, verily, three worlds, the world of men (Manushyaloka), the world of the fathers (Pitriloka) and the world of the Gods (Devaloka)..." Later, verse 6.2.15 refers to the two higher worlds as the Devaloka and the Brahmaloka. The Katha Upanishad, verse 2.3.8, omitting the world of men, lists the Pitriloka, the Gandharvaloka (world of genies or elementals) and the Brahmaloka (world of God). Another perspective of three worlds is offered in the Prashna Upanishad 3.8, which lists the world of good (Punyaloka), the world of evil (Papaloka) and the world of men (Manushyaloka).

Scriptures offer several other cosmological perspectives, most importantly seven upper worlds (sapta urdhvaloka) and seven lower worlds (sapta adholoka), which correspond to the 14 chakras and make up the "world-egg of God," the universe, called Brahmanda. The seven upper worlds are Bhuloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka. The second, third and fourth comprise the subtle plane. The highest three comprise the causal plane. The seven lower worlds, collectively known as Naraka or Patala, are (from highest to lowest) Put, Avichi, Samhata, Tamisra, Rijisha, Kudmala and Kakola.

From the Saiva Agamic perspective of the 36 tattvas, the pure sphere, shuddha maya--the first five tattvas--is subdivided into 33 planes of existence. The "pure-impure" realm, shuddhashuddha maya--the seven tattvas from maya tattva to purusha--contains 27 planes of existence. The ashuddha ("impure") realm--of 24 tattvas--has 56 planes of existence. See: chakra, loka, Naraka, tattva (also: individual loka entries).

thwart: To hinder, obstruct or frustrate.

thy: See: thou/thy.

tilaka: (Sanskrit) "Sesamum-like mark," from tila, "sesame seed." Distinctive marks made on the forehead or the brow with clay, ashes or sandalwood paste as an indication of sectarian affiliation. Vaishnavas wear a vertical v-shaped tilaka made of clay. The Saivite tilaka, called tripundra, is three horizontal strips of holy ash with a dot below the middle of the forehead. Wearing the tilaka is an expression of religious affiliation and pride in one's beliefs, not unlike the Christian's cross or the Jew's yarmulke. Elaborate tilakas are worn by Hindus today mainly at religious events and when on pilgrimage, though many Hindus wear the simple dot (bindu) on the forehead, indicating that they are Hindu, even when moving in the general public. See: bindu, Hinduism, tripundra.

timeless: Outside the condition of time, or not measurable in terms of time.

tirobhava: (Sanskrit) "Concealment," same as tirodhana. See: Nataraja, tirodhana shakti.

tirodhana shakti: (Sanskrit) "Concealing power." Veiling grace, or God's power to obscure the soul's divine nature. Tirodhana shakti is the particular energy of Siva that binds the three bonds of anava, karma, maya to the soul. It is a purposeful limiting of consciousness to give the opportunity to the soul to grow and mature through experience of the world. See: evolution of the soul, grace.

tirthayatra: (Sanskrit) "Journeying to a holy place." Pilgrimage. One of the five sacred duties (pancha nitya karmas) of the Hindu is to journey periodically to one of the innumerable holy spots in India or other countries. Preceded by fasting and continence, it is a time of austerity and purification, when all worldly concerns are set aside and God becomes one's singular focus. Streams of devout pilgrims are received daily at the many ancient holy sites (tirthas) in India, and tens of thousands at festival times. See: pancha nitya karma, pancha shraddha.

tiru: (Tamil) "Sacred; holy." The exact Tamil equivalent of sri. Feminine equivalent is tirumati. See: sri.

Tirukural: (Tamil) "Holy couplets." A treasury of Hindu ethical insight and a literary masterpiece of the Tamil language, written by Saiva Saint Tiruvalluvar (ca 200 bce) near present-day Chennai. Its nonsectarian wisdom has been adopted by Christians, Muslims, Jains and even atheists. The text focuses primarily on the first three goals of life--artha (wealth), dharma (conduct) and kama (desire)--but also includes 13 chapters on renunciate dharma, relating to life's fourth goal, moksha (liberation). In an extraordinarily compact verse form of 14 syllables, the poet presents 133 subjects of ten verses each on relationships, human strengths and foibles, statecraft and more. One of the world's earliest ethical texts, the Tirukural could well be considered a bible on virtue for the human race. In fact, it is sworn on in South Indian courts of law. See: Tiruvalluvar.

Tirumantiram: (Tamil) "Holy incantation." The Nandinatha Sampradaya's oldest Tamil scripture; written ca 200 bce by Rishi Tirumular. It is the earliest of the Tirumurai, and a vast storehouse of esoteric yogic and tantric knowledge. It contains the mystical essence of raja yoga and siddha yoga, and the fundamental doctrines of the 28 Saiva Siddhanta Agamas, which in turn are the heritage of the ancient pre-historic traditions of Saivism. As the Agamas themselves are now partially lost, the Tirumantiram is a rare source of the complete Agamanta (collection of Agamic lore). Its 3047 verses were, as legend has it, composed in a rather extraordinary way. Before writing each verse, Tirumular would meditate for an entire year, then summarize his meditation in a four-line Tamil verse. He did this for 3,000 years! The allegory is said to mean that 3,000 years of knowledge is compacted in this one book. The text is organized in nine parts, called tantras, summarized as follows: 1) basic rules of religious morality; 2) allegorical explanations of Saiva mythological stories; five powers of Siva, three classifications of souls; 3) a complete treatise on raja yoga; 4) mantras and tantras; 5) the essential features of the Saiva religion; the four forms of Saivism, four stages, unorthodox paths, conduct to be avoided; 6) the Sivaguru, grace, renunciation, sin, penance, jnana, worthy and unworthy persons; 7) siddha yoga, more on grace, mudras, control of ida and pingala, worlds reached by different classes of yogis after death, refinements of yoga, the satguru; 8) essential theology: five sheaths, eleven states, three padarthas (Pati-pashu-pasha), 36 tattvas, four states of consciousness, three malas, three gunas, ten karanas, etc.; 9) the fruits of realization, liberation, jnana, Siva's dances, meeting of the guru. See: Tirumurai, Tirumular.

Tirumular: (Tamil) An illustrious siddha yogi and rishi of the Nandinatha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara who came from the Himalayas (ca 200 bce) to Tamil Nadu to compose the Tirumantiram. In this scripture he recorded the tenets of Saivism in concise and precise verse form, based upon his own realizations and the supreme authority of the Saiva Agamas and the Vedas. Tirumular was a disciple of Maharishi Nandinatha. See: Tirumantiram, Kailasa Parampara, Vedanta.

Tirumurai: (Tamil) "Holy book." A twelve-book collection of hymns and writings of South Indian Saivite saints, compiled by Saint Nambiyandar Nambi (ca 1000). Of these, books 1-3 are the hymns of Saint Tirujnana Sambandar (ca 600). Books 4-6 are the hymns of Saint Tirunavakarasu (Appar), a contemporary of Sambandar. Book 7 contains the hymns of Saint Sundaramurti (ca 800). Book 8 contains the two works of Saint Manikkavasagar (9th century)--Tiruvasagam and Tirukovaiyar. Book 9 is the Tiruvisaippa and Tiruppallandu, which together comprise the works of nine saints. Book 10 is the Tirumantiram of Saint Tirumular (ca 200 bce). Book 11 contains the hymns of ten saints, including Saint Nakkirar and Nambiyandar Nambi, the compiler. Book 12 is the Periyapuranam by Saint Sekkilar (11th century), narrating the life story of the 63 Saiva Nayanar saints. The first seven books are known as Devarams.

Tiruvalluvar: (Tamil) "Holy weaver." Tamil weaver and householder saint (ca 200 bce) who wrote the classic Saivite ethical scripture Tirukural. He lived with his wife Vasuki, famed for her remarkable loyalty and virtues, near modern-day Chennai. There a memorial park, the Valluvar Kottam, enshrines his extraordinary verses in marble. See: Tirukural.

Tiruvasagam: (Tamil) "Holy Utterances." The lyrical Tamil scripture by Saint Manikkavasagar (ca 850). Considered one of the most profound and beautiful devotional works in the Tamil language, it discusses every phase of the spiritual path from doubt and anguish to perfect faith in God Siva, from earthly experience to the guru-disciple relationship and freedom from rebirth. The work is partly autobiographical, describing how Manikkavasagar, the prime minister to the Pandyan King, renounced the world after experiencing an extraordinary vision of Siva seated beneath a tree. The 658 hymns of Tiruvasagam together with the 400 hymns of Tirukovaiyar by the same author make up the eighth Tirumurai of Saiva Siddhanta scripture. See: Manikkavasagar, Tirumurai.

tithe (tithing): The spiritual discipline, often a vrata, of giving one tenth of one's gainful and gifted income to a religious organization of one's choice, thus sustaining spiritual education and upliftment on earth. The Sanskrit equivalent is dashamamsha, called makimai in the Tamil tradition. Tithing is given not as an offering, but as "God's money." In olden days it was a portion of one's crops, such as one coconut out of ten. Immediately setting aside the tithe as soon as income is received sanctifies the remaining portion and reaps the greatest punya. It is an acknowledgement by faithful Hindus of God's providential care, bringing a greater awareness of God's power in the world. Because tithers are thus uplifted to a purer, spiritual consciousness, abundance naturally floods into their lives. Additional offerings should be given after this minimal obligation is paid. See: dashamamsha.

tithi: (Sanskrit) A lunar day, approximately one-thirtieth of the time it takes the moon to orbit the earth. Because of their means of calculation (based on the difference of the longitudinal angle between the position of sun and the moon), tithis may vary in length. There are 15 tithis in each fortnight (half month). The names of the tithis are Prathama (new moon), Dvitiya, Tritiya, Chaturthi, Panchami, Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, Dashami, Ekadashi, Dvadashi, Trayodashi, Chaturdashi, and lastly either Purnima (full moon) or Amavasya (new moon). These are sometimes prefixed to indicate either the dark (krishna) fortnight--when the moon is waning--or the light (shukla) fortnight--when the moon is waxing--e.g., Shukla-Navami. Most Hindu festivals are calculated according to the tithis.

touchstone: A test or criterion for determining value or authenticity.

trait: A quality or distinguishing peculiarity of character.

trance: In general, a condition of altered consciousness, accompanied by a lack of awareness to physical surroundings, neither a state of wakefulness nor sleep. In a religious sense it is a state of intense concentration, introspection or meditation. In such a state, called samadhi, body consciousness is completely lost as the energies are drawn up the spine into the sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head. Great prophets have gone into trance and spoken out predictions of the future and in their waking state later had no memory of what they had said. In spiritualism, trance describes the phenomenon in which an individual leaves the physical body, and a disincarnate being enters or takes control of the body, often giving forth verbal messages to others in attendance, as in a seance. Trance can be either voluntary or involuntary. See: mediumship, samadhi.

tranquil: Quiet, peaceful.

transcend: To go beyond one's limitations, e.g., "to transcend one's ego." Philosophically, to go beyond the limits of this world, or more profoundly, beyond time, form and space into the Absolute, the Self God.

transcendent: Surpassing the limits of experience or manifest form. In Saiva Siddhanta, a quality of God Siva as Absolute Reality, Parasiva, the Self. Distinguished from immanent. See: atattva, Parasiva.

transfix: To render motionless.

transgress: To overstep or break a law or ethical principle.

transient: That which is temporary, fleeting. Passing, not permanent.

transition: Passing from one condition or place to another. A synonym of death which implies, more correctly, continuity of the individual rather than his annihilation. See: death.

traverse: To move across or extend over.

treacherous: Dangerous, unreliable. Giving a false sense of safety.

tread: To walk on or across.

treatise: An article or book which systematically discusses a subject.

trepidation: Anxiety; fearful uncertainty. Trembling.

tribal: Relating to, or having the character of a tribe, a group, clan or village often related by ancestry, race or allegiance to a common leader or lineage. A term often used derogatorily to refer to so-called primitive peoples, but more accurately seen as the natural human social structure into which all villages and communities, ancient or modern, naturally organize. A term often used in reference to indigenous peoples, mostly shamanic in conviction, found worldwide from ancient times. See: pagan.

trickery: Deception, fraud. Creating illusion, such as by magic.

trident: Three-pronged spear. See: trishula.

Trikashasana: (Sanskrit) "Three teachings." Also, Trikashastra. A name for Kashmir Saivism based on its various philosophical triads including: Siva, Shakti and Nara (bound soul); Pati, pashu and pasha; three energies: highest (para), lowest (apara), and in-between (parapara); and three sets of scriptures. See: Kashmir Saivism.

trikona: (Sanskrit) A triangle; symbol of God Siva as Absolute Reality. Also represents the element fire.

triloka: (Sanskrit) "Three worlds." The physical, astral and causal planes (Bhuloka, Antarloka and Sivaloka). See: world, loka.

Trimurti: (Sanskrit) A classic representation of God as the three-fold Deity image--Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra. See: Brahma.

triple bondage: See: mala, pasha.

tripundra: (Sanskrit) "Three marks." The Saivite sectarian mark, consisting of three horizontal lines of vibhuti (holy ash) on the brow, often with a dot (bindu) at the third eye. The three lines represent the soul's three bonds: anava, karma and maya. Holy ash, made of burnt cow dung, is a reminder of the temporary nature of the physical body and the urgency to strive for spiritual attainment and closeness to God. See: bindu, tilaka, vibhuti.

Trishula: (Sanskrit) A three-pronged spear or trident wielded by Lord Siva and certain Saivite ascetics. Symbolizes God's three fundamental shaktis or powers--iccha (desire, will, love), kriya (action) and jnana (wisdom).

Truth: When capitalized, ultimate knowing which is unchanging. Lower case (truth): honesty, integrity; virtue.

Tryambaka: (Sanskrit) "Three-eyed one." A name of Rudra-Siva, one of the Ekadasha ("eleven") Rudras. His emblems include a water pot, chakra, drum, bow, goad, snake and trident. The grace of Tryambaka is beseeched in the famous Mritunjaya Mantra, or Siva Gayatri. Also the name of a disciple of Durvasas who disseminated advaita. See: Durvasas, Gayatri Mantra.

Tukaram: (Sanskrit) Among the most beloved and widely-read of Maharashtrian Sant poets (15981649) who wrote passionate songs urging devotees to seek the grace of Lord Vishnu.

Tulasidasa: (Sanskrit) Vaishnava sannyasin poet (ca 15321623) whose Sri Ramacharitamanasa, a Hindi rendering of Valmiki's Sanskrit epic, Ramayana, is acclaimed one of the world's greatest literary works. See: Ramayana.

tumult: Noise, uproar, disturbance; agitation, confusion.

turbulent: Violently agitated. Marked by turmoil or wildly irregular motions.

turmeric: A plant of India, Curcuma longa, of the ginger family whose powdered rhyzome is a prized seasoning and yellow dye. It has rich ayurvedic properties, is used in holy ritual and serves also to make kunkuma.

tyaf: A special bamboo-like script used for writing prayers to be conveyed to the inner worlds through the sacred fire. See: lekhaprartha havana.

tyaga: (Sanskrit) "Letting go, detachment, renunciation." Described in the Bhagavad Gita as the basic principle of karma yoga, detachment from the fruits of one's actions. See: sacrifice, sannyasa, vairagya.