Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

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fable: Myth or legend. A story, usually with animal characters, meant to illustrate moral principles. See: mythology, Panchatantra.

faith: Trust or belief. Conviction. From the Latin fides, "trust." Faith in its broadest sense means "religion, dharma." More specifically, it is the essential element of religion--the belief in phenomena beyond the pale of the five senses, distinguishing it sharply from rationalism. Faith is established through intuitive or transcendent experience of an individual, study of scripture and hearing the testimony of the many wise rishis speaking out the same truths over thousands of years. This inner conviction is based in the divine sight of the third eye center, ajna chakra. Rightly founded, faith transcends reason, but does not conflict with reason. Faith also means confidence, as in the testimony and reputation of other people. The Sanskrit equivalent is shraddha. Synonyms include astikya, vishvasa, dharma and mati.

family life: See: grihastha ashrama, extended family, joint family.

far-seeing: Duradarshana. Having the power of clairvoyance, also known as divyadrishti, "divine sight." See: clairvoyance, siddhi.

fast: Abstaining from all or certain foods, as in observance of a vow or holy day. Hindus fast in various ways. A simple fast may consist of merely avoiding certain foods for a day or more, such as when vegetarians avoid tamasic or rajasic foods or when nonvegetarians abstain from fish, fowl and meats. A moderate fast would involve avoiding heavier foods, or taking only juices, teas and other liquids. Such fasts are sometimes observed only during the day, and a normal meal is permitted after sunset. Serious fasting, which is done under supervision, involves taking only water for a number of days and requires a cessation of most external activities.

fate: From the Latin fatum, "prophetic declaration, oracle." In Western thought, fate is the force or agency, God or other power, outside man's control, believed to determine the course of events before they occur. According to Hindu thought, man is not ruled by fate but shapes his own destiny by his actions, which have their concomitant reactions. The Hindu view acknowledges fate only in the limited sense that man is subject to his own past karmas, which are a driving force in each incarnation, seemingly out of his own control. But they can be mitigated by how he lives life, meaning how he faces and manages his prarabdha ("begun, undertaken") karmas and his kriyamana ("being made") karmas. See: adrishta, karma, destiny.

fellowship: Companionship. Mutual sharing of interests, beliefs or practice. A group of people with common interests and aspirations.

festival: A time of religious celebration and special observances. Festivals generally recur yearly, their dates varying slightly according to astrological calculations. They are characterized by acts of piety (elaborate pujas, penance, fasting, pilgrimage) and rejoicing (songs, dance, music, parades, storytelling and scriptural reading). See: sound, teradi.

fetch: Retrieve. To go get a thing and bring it back.

finesse: Ability to handle situations with skill and delicacy.

firewalking: The trance-inducing ceremonial practice of walking over a bed of smoldering, red-hot coals as an expression of faith and sometimes as a form of penance. Participants describe it as a euphoric experience in which no pain is felt and no burns received. Many lose body consciousness during the walk. Firewalking is associated with folk-shamanic Shaktism and is popular among Hindu communities inside and outside India. See: folk-shamanic, penance, Shaktism.

five acts of Siva: Panchakritya. Creation, preservation, destruction, veiling and revealing. See: Nataraja, Parameshvara.

flux: Continuous movement or change.

folk narratives: Community or village stories which are passed from generation to generation through verbal telling--often a mixture of fact and fiction, allegory and myth, legend and symbolism, conveying lessons about life, character and conduct. The most extensive and influential of India's folk narratives are the Puranas. While these stories are broadly deemed to be scriptural fact, this contemporary Hindu catechism accepts them as important mythology--stories meant to capture the imagination of the common peoples and to teach them moral living. See: fable, katha, mythology, Purana.

folk-shamanic: Of or related to a tribal or village tradition in which the mystic priest, shaman, plays a central role, wielding powers of magic and spirituality. Revered for his ability to influence and control nature and people, to cause good and bad things to happen, he is the intermediary between man and divine forces. The term shaman is from the Sanskrit shramana, "ascetic," akin to shram, "to exert." See: Shaktism, shamanism.

forbearance: Self-control; responding with patience and compassion, especially under provocation. Endurance; tolerance. See: yama-niyama.

formerly: At an earlier time; in the past.

formless: Philosophically, atattva, beyond the realm of form or substance. Used in attempting to describe the wondersome, indescribable Absolute, which is "timeless, formless and spaceless." God Siva has form and is formless. He is the immanent Pure Consciousness or pure form. He is the Personal Lord manifesting as innumerable forms; and He is the impersonal, transcendent Absolute beyond all form. Thus we know Siva in three perfections, two of form and one formless. This use of the term formless does not mean amorphous, which implies a form that is vague or changing. Rather, it is the absence of substance, sometimes thought of as a void, an emptiness beyond existence from which comes the fullness of everything. In describing the Self as formless, the words timeless and spaceless are given also to fully indicate this totally transcendent noncondition. See: atattva, Parasiva, Satchidananda, void.

fortress: A fortified place; a fort.

foster: To help grow or develop.

fountainhead: A spring that is the source of a stream. The source of anything.

fruition: The bearing of fruit. The coming to fulfillment of something that has been awaited or worked for.

funeral rites: See: cremation, bone-gathering, samskaras of later life.

G

gaja: (Sanskrit) The elephant, king of beasts, representative of Lord Ganesha and sign of royalty and power. Many major Hindu temples keep one or more elephants.

galactic: Of or pertaining to our galaxy, the Milky Way (from the Greek gala, "milk") and/or other galaxies.

gana(s): (Sanskrit) "Number," hence "throng, troop; retinue; a body of followers or attendants." A troop of demigods--God Siva's attendants, devonic helpers under the supervision of Lord Ganesha. See: Ganapati, Ganesha.

ganachara: (Sanskrit) Loyalty to the community. One of five Vira Saiva codes of conduct. Also, name of a Vira Saiva saint. See: panchachara, Vira Saivism.

Ganapati: (Sanskrit) "Leader of the ganas." A surname of Ganesha.

Ganapati Upanishad: (Sanskrit) A later Upanishad on Lord Ganesha, not connected with any Veda; date of composition is unknown. It is a major scripture for the Ganapatians, a minor Hindu sect which reveres Ganesha as Supreme God and is most prevalent in India's Maharashtra state. See: Ganesha.

Gandharvaveda: (Sanskrit) "Science of music." A class of ancient texts on music, song and dance. It is the Upaveda of the Sama Veda. See: Upaveda.

Ganesha: (Sanskrit) "Lord of Categories." (From gan, "to count or reckon," and Isha, "lord.") Or: "Lord of attendants (gana)," synonymous with Ganapati. Ganesha is a Mahadeva, the beloved elephant-faced Deity honored by Hindus of every sect. He is the Lord of Obstacles (Vighneshvara), revered for His great wisdom and invoked first before any undertaking, for He knows all intricacies of each soul's karma and the perfect path of dharma that makes action successful. He sits on the muladhara chakra and is easy of access. Lord Ganesha is sometimes identified with the Rig Vedic God Brihaspati ("Lord of Prayer," the "Holy Word"), Rig Veda 2.23.1. See: gana, Ganapati, Mahadeva.

Ganesha Chaturthi: (Sanskrit) Birthday of Lord Ganesha, a ten-day festival of August-September culminating in a spectacular parade called Ganesha Visarjana. It is a time of rejoicing, when all Hindus worship together.

Ganesha Visarjana: (Sanskrit) "Ganesha departure." A parade usually occurring on the 11th day after Ganesha Chaturthi, in which the Ganesha murtis made for the occasion are taken in procession to a body of water and ceremoniously immersed and left to dissolve. This represents Ganesha's merging with the ocean of consciousness. See: Ganesha.

Ganges (Ganga): (Sanskrit) India's most sacred river, 1,557 miles long, arising in the Himalayas above Hardwar under the name Bhagiratha, and named Ganga after joining the Alakanada (where the Sarasvati is said to join them underground). It flows southeast across the densely populated Gangetic plain, joining its sister Yamuna (or Jumna) at Prayaga (Allahabad) and ending at the Bay of Bengal. See: Gangetic Plain.

Gangetic Plain: The densely populated plain surrounding India's most sacred river, the Ganges (Ganga), an immense, fertile area of 300,000 square miles, 90 to 300 miles wide. See: Ganges.

garbha: (Sanskrit) "Womb; interior chamber." The inside or middle of anything.

garbhadhana: (Sanskrit) "Womb-placing." The rite of conception. See: reincarnation, samskaras of birth.

garbhagriha: (Sanskrit) The "innermost chamber," sanctum sanctorum, of a Hindu temple, where the primary murti is installed. It is a small, cave-like room, usually made of granite stone, to which only priests are permitted access. Esoterically it represents the cranial chamber. See: temple.

Gargya: (Sanskrit) One of the known disciples of Lakulisha. See: Lakulisha.

Gautama: (Sanskrit) The name of the founder of the Nyaya school of Saivism, author of the Nyaya Sutras. Also, the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama). See: Buddha, Buddhism, shad darshana.

gay: Homosexual, especially a male homosexual, though may also refer to females. See: bisexual, homosexual, heterosexual, sexuality.

gayatri: (Sanskrit) According with the gayatri verse form, an ancient meter of 24 syllables, generally as a triplet (tercet) with eight syllables each. From gaya, "song."--Gayatri: The Vedic Gayatri Mantra personified as a Goddess, mother of the four Vedas.

Gayatri Mantra: (Sanskrit) 1) Famous Vedic mantra used in puja and personal chanting. Om [bhur bhuvah svah] tat savitur varenyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yo nah prachodayat. "[O Divine Beings of all three worlds,] we meditate upon the glorious splendor of the Vivifier divine. May He illumine our minds." (Rig Veda 3.62.10 VE). This sacred verse is also called the Savitri Mantra, being addressed to Savitri, the Sun as Creator, and is considered a universal mystic formula so significant that it is called Vedamatri, "mother of the Vedas." 2) Any of a class of special tantric mantras called Gayatri. Each addresses a particular Deity. The Siva Gayatri Mantra is: Tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanam, urvarukamiva bandhanan mrtyormukshiya mamrtat. "We adore the fragrant three-eyed one who promotes prosperity. May we be freed from the bondage of death as a cucumber from its stalk, but not from immortality." This is a famous verse of the Yajur Veda (from Rudranamaka, or Sri Rudram), considered an essential mantra of Siva worship used in all Siva rites.

germinate: To sprout. To begin to develop.

ghanta: (Sanskrit) "Bell." Akin to ghant, "to speak." An important implement in Hindu worship (puja), used to chase away asuras and summon devas and Gods. See: puja.

ghee: (Sanskrit) Hindi for clarified butter; ghrita in Sanskrit. Butter that has been boiled and strained. An important sacred substance used in temple lamps and offered in fire ceremony, yajna. It is also used as a food with many ayurvedic virtues. See: yajna.

Gheranda Samhita: i (Sanskrit) A Vaishnava manual on hatha yoga (ca 1675), still influential today, presented as a dialog between Sage Gheranda and a disciple. See: hatha yoga.

gloom: Darkness. Deep sadness or despair.

go: (Sanskrit) The cow, considered especially sacred for its unbounded generosity and usefulness to humans. It is a symbol of the earth as the abundant provider. For the Hindu, the cow is a representative of all living species, each of which is to be revered and cared for.

Goddess: Female representation or manifestation of Divinity; Shakti or Devi. Goddess can refer to a female perception or depiction of a causal-plane being (Mahadeva) in its natural state, which is genderless, or it can refer to an astral-plane being residing in a female astral body. To show the Divine's transcendence of sexuality, sometimes God is shown as having qualities of both sexes, e.g., Ardhanarishvara, "Half-woman God;" or Lord Nataraja, who wears a feminine earring in one ear and a masculine one in the other.

Godhead: God; Divinity. A term describing the essence or highest aspect of the Supreme Being.

God Realization: Direct and personal experience of the Divine within oneself. It can refer to either 1) savikalpa samadhi ("enstasy with form") in its various levels, from the experience of inner light to the realization of Satchidananda, the pure consciousness or primal substance flowing through all form, or 2) nirvikalpa samadhi ("enstasy without form"), union with the transcendent Absolute, Parasiva, the Self God, beyond time, form and space. In Dancing with Siva, the expression God Realization is used to name both of the above samadhis, whereas Self Realization refers only to nirvikalpa samadhi. See: raja yoga, samadhi, Self Realization.

Gods: Mahadevas, "great beings of light." In Dancing with Siva, the plural form of God refers to extremely advanced beings existing in their self-effulgent soul bodies in the causal plane. The meaning of Gods is best seen in the phrase, "God and the Gods," referring to the Supreme God--Siva--and the Mahadevas who are His creation. See: Mahadeva.

God's power: See: Shakti.

gopura: (Sanskrit) South Indian temple entrance tower, often quite tall with ornate carvings. See: balipitha, temple.

Gorakshanatha: (Sanskrit) Profound siddha yoga master of the Adinatha Sampradaya (ca 950). Expounder and foremost guru of Siddha Siddhanta Saivism. He traveled and extolled the greatness of Siva throughout North India and Nepal where he and his guru, Matsyendranatha, are still highly revered. See: hatha yoga, Siddha Siddhanta, Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati.

Gorakshanatha Saivism: (Sanskrit) One of the six schools of Saivism, also called Siddha Siddhanta. See: Siddha Siddhanta, siddha yoga.

Gorakshapantha: (Sanskrit) "Path of Gorakshanatha." A synonym for Siddha Siddhanta. See: Saivism (six schools), Siddha Siddhanta.

Gorakshashataka: (Sanskrit) A text by Gorakshanatha, which along with Siddha Siddhanta Pradipika, extols the path of "Siva yoga," which is hatha-kundalini yoga emphasizing control over body and mind, awakening of higher chakras and nadi nerve system with the intent of realizing the Absolute, Parasamvid, and residing in the sahasrara chakra in perfect identity with Siva. See: Gorakshanatha, Siddha Siddhanta.

gotra: (Sanskrit) "Cowshed." Family lineage or subcaste stemming from a rishi or satguru and bearing his name. Originally described as several joint families sharing a common cowshed. See: caste, jati, varna dharma.

grace: "Benevolence, love, giving," from the Latin gratia, "favor, goodwill." God's power of revealment, anugraha shakti ("kindness, showing favor"), by which souls are awakened to their true, Divine nature. Grace in the unripe stages of the spiritual journey is experienced by the devotee as receiving gifts or boons, often unbidden, from God. The mature soul finds himself surrounded by grace. He sees all of God's actions as grace, whether they be seemingly pleasant and helpful or not. For him, his very love of God, the power to meditate or worship, and the spiritual urge which drives his life are entirely and obviously God's grace, a divine endowment, an intercession, unrelated to any deed or action he did or could perform.

In Saiva Siddhanta, it is grace that awakens the love of God within the devotee, softens the intellect and inaugurates the quest for Self Realization. It descends when the soul has reached a certain level of maturity, and often comes in the form of a spiritual initiation, called shaktipata, from a satguru.

Grace is not only the force of illumination or revealment. It also includes Siva's other four powers--creation, preservation, destruction and concealment--through which He provides the world of experience and limits the soul's consciousness so that it may evolve. More broadly, grace is God's ever-flowing love and compassion, karuna, also known as kripa ("tenderness, compassion") and prasada (literally, "clearness, purity").

To whom is God's grace given? Can it be earned? Two famous analogies, that of the monkey (markata) and that of the cat (marjara) express two classical viewpoints on salvation and grace. The markata school, perhaps represented more fully by the Vedas, asserts that the soul must cling to God like a monkey clings to its mother and thus participate in its "salvation." The marjara school, which better reflects the position of the Agamas, says that the soul must be like a young kitten, totally dependent on its mother's will, picked up in her mouth by the scruff of the neck and carried here and there. This crucial state of loving surrender is called prapatti. See: anugraha shakti, prapatti, shaktipata, tirodhana shakti.

grandeur: Greatness, magnificence; of lofty character; noble.

grantha: (Sanskrit) Literally, "knot," a common name for book--a term thought to refer to the knot on the cord that bound ancient palm-leaf or birch-bark manuscripts. Books are afforded deep respect in Hinduism, always carefully treated, never placed directly on the floor. Special books are not uncommonly objects of worship. Grantha also names an ancient literary script developed in South India. See: olai.

granthavidya: (Sanskrit) "Book knowledge." Bibliography; booklist, recommended reading.

grihastha: (Sanskrit) "Householder." Family man or woman. Family of a married couple and other relatives. Pertaining to family life. The purely masculine form of the word is grihasthi. The feminine form is grihasthin. Grihasthi also names the home itself. See: ashrama dharma, extended family, grihastha dharma, joint family.

grihastha ashrama: (Sanskrit) "Householder stage." See: ashrama dharma.

grihastha dharma: (Sanskrit) "Householder law." The virtues and ideals of family life. This dharma includes all nonmonastics, whether married, single or gay. In general, grihastha dharma begins with the completion of the period of studentship and extends throughout the period of raising a family (called the grihastha ashrama). Specific scriptures, called Dharma Shastras and Grihya Shastras, outline the duties and obligations of family life. In Hinduism, family life is one of serving, learning and striving within a close-knit community of many relatives forming a joint family and its broader connections as an extended family under the aegis of a spiritual guru. Each is expected to work harmoniously to further the wealth and happiness of the family and the society, to practice religious disciplines and raise children of strong moral fiber to carry on the tradition. Life is called a jivayajna, "self-sacrifice," for each incarnation is understood as an opportunity for spiritual advancement through fulfilling one's dharma of birth, which is the pattern one chose before entering this world, a pattern considered by many as bestowed by God. In the majority of cases, sons follow in the footsteps of their father, and daughters in those of their mother. All interrelate with love and kindness. Respect for all older than oneself is a keynote. Marriages are arranged and the culture is maintained.

The householder strives to fulfill the four purusharthas, "human goals" of righteousness, wealth, pleasure and liberation. While taking care of one's own family is most central, it is only part of this dharma's expectations. Grihasthas must support the religion by building and maintaining temples, monasteries and other religious institutions, supporting the monastics and disseminating the teachings. They must care for the elderly and feed the poor and homeless. Of course, the duties of husband and wife are different. The Tirukural describes the householder's central duties as serving these five: ancestors, God, guests, kindred and himself. The Dharma Shastras, similarly, enjoin daily sacrifice to rishis, ancestors, Gods, creatures and men. See: ashrama dharma, extended family, joint family, yajna.

griheshvara and grihini: (Sanskrit) From griha, "home," hence "lord and lady of the home." The family man, griheshvara (or grihapati), and family woman, grihini, considered as master and mistress of their respective realms, so they may fulfill their purusha and stri dharmas. Implies that both of their realms are equally important and inviolable. See: dharma.

Grihya Sutras: (Sanskrit) "Household maxims or codes." An important division of classical smriti literature, designating rules and customs for domestic life, including rites of passage and other home ceremonies, which are widely followed to this day. The Grihya Sutras (or Shastras) are part of the Kalpa Sutras, "procedural maxims" (or Kalpa Vedanga), which also include the Shrauta and Shulba Shastras, on public Vedic rites, and the Dharma Shastras (or Sutras), on domestic-social law. Among the best known Grihya Sutras are Ashvalayana's Grihya Sutras attached to the Rig Veda, Gobhila's Sutras of the Sama Veda, and the Sutras of Paraskara and Baudhayana of the Yajur Veda. See: Kalpa Vedanga, Vedanga.

gross plane: The physical world. See: loka, world, tattva.

Guha: (Sanskrit) An epithet of Karttikeya. "The interior one." --guha: "Cave." See: Karttikeya.

Guhavasi Siddha: (Sanskrit) A guru of central India (ca 675) credited with the modern founding of Saiva Siddhanta in that area, based fully in Sanskrit. Guhavasi--literally "cave-dweller; he who is hidden"--is also a name of Lord Siva.

Guheshvara: (Sanskrit) "Lord of the cave." A name for Lord Siva implying His presence in the heart or the interior of all beings.

Gujarat: (Sanskrit) State of West India. Capital is Ahmedabad, population 40,000,000, area 75,670 square miles.

guna: (Sanskrit) "Strand; quality." The three constituent principles of prakriti, primal nature. The three gunas are as follows.--sattva: Quiescent, rarified, translucent, pervasive, reflecting the light of Pure Consciousness.--rajas: "Passion," inherent in energy, movement, action, emotion, life.--tamas: "Darkness," inertia, density, the force of contraction, resistance and dissolution. The gunas are integral to Hindu thought, as all things are composed of the combination of these qualities of nature, including ayurveda, arts, environments and personalities. See: ayurveda, prakriti, tattva.

Gurkha: (Sanskrit) A Rajput people of the mountains of Nepal; famed warriors.

guru: (Sanskrit) "Weighty one," indicating an authority of great knowledge or skill. A title for a teacher or guide in any subject, such as music, dance, sculpture, but especially religion. For clarity, the term is often preceded by a qualifying prefix. Hence, terms such as kulaguru (family teacher), vinaguru (vina teacher) and satguru (spiritual preceptor). In Hindu astrology, guru names the planet Jupiter, also known as Brihaspati. According to the Advayataraka Upanishad (1418), guru means "dispeller (gu) of darkness (ru)." See: guru-shishya system, satguru.

guru bhakti: (Sanskrit) Devotion to the teacher. The attitude of humility, love and loyality held by a student in any field of study. In the spiritual realm, the devotee strives to see the guru as his higher Self. By attuning himself to the satguru's inner nature and wisdom, the disciple slowly transforms his own nature to ultimately attain the same peace and enlightenment his guru has achieved. Guru bhakti is expressed through serving the guru, meditating on his form, working closely with his mind and obeying his instructions. See: guru, satguru, guru-shishya system, Kularnava Tantra.

Gurudeva: (Sanskrit) "Divine or radiant preceptor." An affectionate, respectful name for the guru. See: guru.

Guru Gita: (Sanskrit) "Song of the guru." A popular 352-verse excerpt from the Skanda Purana, wherein Lord Siva tells Parvati of the guru-disciple relationship. See: guru.

Guru Jayanti: (Sanskrit) Preceptor's birthday, celebrated as an annual festival by devotees. A padapuja, ritual bathing of his feet, is usually performed. If he is not physically present, the puja is done to the sri paduka, "holy sandals," which represent the guru and hold his vibration. See: padapuja.

gurukula: (Sanskrit) A training center where young boys live and learn in residence with their teacher. Kula means "family." See: ashrama, brahmacharya.

guru parampara: (Sanskrit) "Preceptorial succession" (literally, "from one teacher to another"). A line of spiritual gurus in authentic succession of initiation; the chain of mystical power and authorized continuity, passed from guru to guru. Cf: sampradaya.

Guru Purnima: (Sanskrit) Occurring on the full moon of July, Guru Purnima is for devotees a day of rededication to all that the guru represents. It is occasioned by padapuja--ritual worship of the guru's sandals, which represent his holy feet. See: guru-shishya system.

guru-shishya system: (Sanskrit) "Master-disciple" system. An important education system of Hinduism whereby the teacher conveys his knowledge and tradition to a student. Such knowledge, whether it be Vedic-Agamic art, architecture or spirituality, is imparted through the developing relationship between guru and disciple. The principle of this system is that knowledge, especially subtle or advanced knowledge, is best conveyed through a strong human relationship based on ideals of the student's respect, commitment, devotion and obedience, and on personal instruction by which the student eventually masters the knowledge the guru embodies. See: guru, guru bhakti, satguru.

gush: To flow out suddenly and plentifully.

H

hallowed: Sacred.

hamsa: (Sanskrit) "Swan;" more accurately, the high-flying wild goose Anser indicus. The vahana, vehicle, of the God Brahma. It has various meanings, including Supreme Soul and individual soul. It is a noble symbol for an adept class of renunciates (paramahamsa)--winging high above the mundane, driving straight toward the goal, or of the discriminating yogi who--like the graceful swan said to be able to extract milk from water--can see the Divine and leave the rest. The hamsa mantra indicates the sound made by the exhalation (ha) and inhalation (sa) of the breath. See: paramahamsa.

Harihara: (Sanskrit) "Vishnu-Siva." Also known as Shankaranarayana, an icon of the Supreme One, in which the right half is Siva and left half is Vishnu. It symbolizes the principle that Siva and Vishnu are not two separate Deities. See: Brahma, murti, Parameshvara, Vishnu.

hatha yoga: (Sanskrit) "Forceful yoga." Hatha yoga is a system of physical and mental exercise developed in ancient times as a means of rejuvenation by rishis and tapasvins who meditated for long hours, and used today in preparing the body and mind for meditation. Its elements are 1) postures (asana), 2) cleansing practices (dhauti or shodhana), 3) breath control (pranayama), 4) locks (bandha, which temporarily restrict local flows of prana) and 5) hand gestures (mudra), all of which regulate the flow of prana and purify the inner and outer bodies. Hatha yoga is broadly practiced in many traditions. It is the third limb (anga) of Patanjali's raja yoga. It is integral to the Saiva and Shakta tantra traditions, and part of modern ayurveda treatment. In the West, hatha yoga has been superficially adopted as a health-promoting, limbering, stress-reducing form of exercise, often included in aerobic routines. Esoterically, ha and tha, respectively, indicate the microcosmic sun (ha) and moon (tha), which symbolize the masculine current, pingala nadi, and feminine current, ida nadi, in the human body. The most popular hatha yoga manuals are Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Gheranda Samhita. See: asana, kundalini, nadi, yoga, raja yoga.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika: (Sanskrit) "Light on hatha yoga." A 14th-century text of 389 verses by Svatmarama Yogin which describes the philosophy and practices of hatha yoga. It is widely used in yoga schools today.

havana: (Sanskrit) "Fire pit for sacred offering; making oblations through fire." Same as homa. Havis and havya name the offerings. See: Agni, homa, yajna.

heart chakra: Anahata chakra. Center of direct cognition. See: chakra.

heaven: The celestial spheres, including the causal plane and the higher realms of the subtle plane, where souls rest and learn between births, and mature souls continue to evolve after moksha. Heaven is often used by translators as an equivalent to the Sanskrit Svarga. See: loka.

hell: Naraka. An unhappy, mentally and emotionally congested, distressful area of consciousness. Hell is a state of mind that can be experienced on the physical plane or in the sub-astral plane (Naraka) after death of the physical body. It is accompanied by the tormented emotions of hatred, remorse, resentment, fear, jealousy and self-condemnation. However, in the Hindu view, the hellish experience is not permanent, but a temporary condition of one's own making. See: asura, loka, Naraka, purgatory, Satan.

heterodox: "Different opinion." Opposed to or departing from established doctrines or beliefs. Opposite of orthodox, "straight opinion." See: nastika.

heterosexual: Of or characterized by sexual attraction for only members of the opposite sex. See: bisexual, homosexual, sexuality.

hierarchy: A group of beings arranged in order of rank or class; as a hierarchy of God, Gods and devas.

higher-nature, lower nature: Expressions indicating man's refined, soulful qualities on the one hand, and his base, instinctive qualities on the other. See: kosha, mind (five states), soul.

Himalayan Academy: An educational and publishing institution of Saiva Siddhanta Church founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1957. The Academy's objective is to share the teachings of Sanatana Dharma through travel-study programs, The Master Course, books and other publications--particularly the monthly newspaper Hinduism Today and Dancing with Siva, Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism--as a public service to Hindus worldwide. See: Hinduism Today, Subramuniyaswami.

Himalayas: (Sanskrit) "Abode of snow." The mountain system extending along the India-Tibet border and through Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan.

himsa: (Sanskrit) "Injury; harm; hurt." Injuriousness, hostility--mental, verbal or physical. See: ahimsa.

Hindu: (Sanskrit) A follower of, or relating to, Hinduism. Generally, one is understood to be a Hindu by being born into a Hindu family and practicing the faith, or by declaring oneself a Hindu. Acceptance into the fold is recognized through the name-giving sacrament, a temple ceremony called namakarana samskara, given to born Hindus shortly after birth, and to self-declared Hindus who have proven their sincerity and been accepted by a Hindu community. Full conversion is completed through disavowal of previous religious affiliations and legal change of name. While traditions vary greatly, all Hindus rely on the Vedas as scriptural authority and generally attest to the following nine principles: 1) There exists a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both creator and unmanifest Reality. 2) The universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution. 3) All souls are evolving toward God and will ultimately find moksha: spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny. 4) Karma is the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds. 5) The soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved. 6) Divine beings exist in unseen worlds, and temple worship, rituals, sacraments, as well as personal devotionals, create a communion with these devas and Gods. 7) A spiritually awakened master or satguru is essential to know the transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, self-inquiry and meditation. 8) All life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore one should practice ahimsa, nonviolence. 9) No particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others. Rather, all genuine religious paths are facets of God's pure love and light, deserving tolerance and understanding. See: Hinduism.

Hindu cosmology: See: loka, three worlds.

Hinduism (Hindu Dharma): (Sanskrit) India's indigenous religious and cultural system, followed today by nearly one billion adherents, mostly in India, but with large populations in many other countries. Also called Sanatana Dharma, "eternal religion" and Vaidika Dharma, "religion of the Vedas." Hinduism is the world's most ancient religion and encompasses a broad spectrum of philosophies ranging from pluralistic theism to absolute monism. It is a family of myriad faiths with four primary denominations: Saivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. These four hold such divergent beliefs that each is a complete and independent religion. Yet, they share a vast heritage of culture and belief--karma, dharma, reincarnation, all-pervasive Divinity, temple worship, sacraments, manifold Deities, the guru-shishya tradition and a reliance on the Vedas as scriptural authority. From the rich soil of Hinduism long ago sprang various other traditions. Among these were Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism, which rejected the Vedas and thus emerged as completely distinct religions, disassociated from Hinduism, while still sharing many philosophical insights and cultural values with their parent faith. Though the genesis of the term is controversial, the consensus is that the term Hindu or Indu was used by the Persians to refer to the Indian peoples of the Indus Valley as early as 500 bce. Additionally, Indian scholars point to the appearance of the related term Sindhu in the ancient Rig Veda Samhita. Janaki Abhisheki writes (Religion as Knowledge: The Hindu Concept, p. 1): "Whereas today the word Hindu connotes a particular faith and culture, in ancient times it was used to describe those belonging to a particular region. About 500 bce we find the Persians referring to 'Hapta Hindu.' This referred to the region of Northwest India and the Punjab (before partition). The Rig Veda (the most ancient literature of the Hindus) uses the word Sapta Sindhu singly or in plural at least 200 times. Sindhu is the River Indus. Panini, the great Sanskrit grammarian, also uses the word Sindhu to denote the country or region. While the Persians substituted h for s, the Greeks removed the h also and pronounced the word as 'Indoi.' Indian is derived from the Greek Indoi."

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan similarly observed, "The Hindu civilization is so called since its original founders or earliest followers occupied the territory drained by the Sindhu (the Indus) River system corresponding to the Northwest Frontier Province and the Punjab. This is recorded in the Rig Veda, the oldest of the Vedas, the Hindu scriptures, which give their name to this period of Indian history. The people on the Indian side of the Sindhu were called Hindus by the Persians and the later Western invaders. That is the genesis of the word Hindu" (The Hindu View of Life, p. 12). See: Hindu.

Hindu solidarity: Hindu unity in diversity. A major contemporary theme according to which Hindu denominations are mutually supportive and work together in harmony, while taking care not to obscure or lessen their distinctions or unique virtues. The underlying belief is that Hinduism will be strong if each of its sects, and lineages is vibrant. See: Hinduism.

Hinduism Today: The Hindu family magazine founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1979, published by Himalayan Academy to affirm Sanatana Dharma and record the modern history of a billion-strong global religion in renaissance. This award-winning, lavishly illustrated, all color, computer-produced news and information resource reaches over 150,000 readers in over 100 countries throughout the world. See: Himalayan Academy.

Hiuen Tsang: Chinese pilgrim who toured India about 630. His travel diary is a rare and colorful source of information about the India of his day.

holy feet: The feet of God, a God, satguru or any holy person, often represented by sacred sandals, called sri paduka in Sanskrit and tiruvadi in Tamil. The feet of a divine one are considered especially precious as they represent the point of contact of the Divine and the physical, and are thus revered as the source of grace. The sandals or feet of the guru are the object of worship on his jayanti (birthday), on Guru Purnima and other special occasions. See: padapuja, paduka, satguru.

holy orders: A divine ordination or covenant, giving religious authority. Vows that members of a religious body make, especially a monastic body or order, such as the vows (holy orders of renunciation) given a sannyasin at the time of his initiation (sannyasa diksha), which establish a covenant with the ancient holy order of sannyasa. Sannyasins, the wearers of the ocher robe, are the ordained religious leaders of Hinduism. See: sannyasa diksha.

homa: (Sanskrit) "Fire-offering." A sacred ceremony in which the Gods are offered oblations through the medium of fire in a sanctified fire pit, homakunda, usually made of earthen bricks. Homa rites are enjoined in the Vedas, Agamas and Dharma and Grihya Shastras. Many domestic rites are occasions for homa, including upanayana and vivaha. Major pujas in temples are often preceded by a homa. See: agni, havana, yajna.

homosexual: Of or characterized by sexual attraction for members of one's own gender. A modern synonym is gay, especially for males, while female homosexuals are termed lesbian. See: bisexual, gay, heterosexual, sexuality.

hri: (Sanskrit) "Remorse; modesty." See: yama-niyama.

hued: Having specific color.

human dharma: The natural growth and expression through four stages of life. Known as ashrama dharma. See: ashrama dharma, dharma.

humors (or bodily humors): See: ayurveda, bodily humor, dosha.