GLOSSARY OF TERMS

NOTE: information here is from Jaiva Dharma by Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Many
terms are unique creations of BVT not found in books of Six Goswamis. When in
doubt about any term, please clarify it with any learned Vaishnava.

-A-

abhidheya – comes from the verbal root abhidhä, which means “to set
forth or explain,” and the word abhidheya literally means “that which is
worthy of explanation.” The means by which kåñëa-prema can be
achieved is the fundamental truth (tattva) that is most worthy of
explanation. The means by which the ultimate goal is achieved, is the
practice of sädhanabhakti.

abhimäna – egoism; the self-conception with which one identifies.

äcärya – spiritual preceptor, one who teaches by example.

äcchädita-cetana – covered consciousness. This refers to living beings

such as trees, creepers, shrubs, stones, and other nonmoving beings
whose consciousness is barely detectable.

acira-sthäyé – unenduring, impermanent.

acit-vastu – unconscious objects.

adharma – irreligion; failure to carry out one’s socio-religious duties

prescribed in the çästra.

adhikära – eligibility or authority by conduct and temperament to

perform a particular kind of work.

adhéna-tattva – the fundamental truth concerning the jévas who, being

eternally related to Çré Bhagavän as parts to the whole, are adhéna
(subordinate) to His will; one of the aspects of sambandha-jïäna.

advaita-jïäna – knowledge of non-duality. Although in the true sense

this refers to the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead who is
devoid of all duality, the Mäyäväda conception of advaita-jïäna is that
the ultimate substance, Brahma, is devoid of form, qualities, personality,
and variegatedness.

advaita-siddhi – the perfectional stage of oneness aspired for by those

who cultivate an awareness of indistinct Brahma.

Advaita-väda – the doctrine of non-dualism, or monism; the doctrine

that emphasizes the absolute oneness of the living entities with God.
This is often equated with the Mäyäväda theory that everything is
ultimately one; that there is no distinction whatsoever between the
Supreme Absolute and the individual living entities; that the Supreme is
devoid of form, personality, qualities, and activities; and that perfection
is to merg oneself into the all-pervading impersonal brahma. This
doctrine was propagated by Çré Çaìkaräcärya (see Glossary of Names).

Advaita-vädé – one who advocates the doctrine of monism (see advaita-

väda).

ägama – is a part of Veda which deals with the science of tantra.

ahaàkära – literally ahaà (I) kära (am the doer), i.e. the false ego.

ahaàtä – literally means ‘I-ness’; egoism; self-consciousness.

aihika – that which relates to iha (the here and now); that which relates
to this material world.

aihika-sukha – material enjoyment pertaining to this world.

aiçé-çakti – divine potency, which is known as taöasthä-çakti. Aiçé comes

from the word Éça the Supreme Lord, Master or Controller (see taöasthä-
çakti).

aiçvarya – opulence, splendor, magnificence, majesty, supremacy. In

regard to bhakti this refers to devotion which is inspired by the
opulence and majesty of the Lord especially in His feature as Lord
Näräyaëa. This type of devotion restricts the intimacy of exchange
between Çré Bhagavän and His bhaktas.

akarma – the non-performance of auspicious activities or prescribed

duties.
akhaëòa – undivided, uninterupted, without a break, like the flow of a
stream of honey.

akiïcana – one who considers he has nothing but Kåñëa. Having

nothing at all, utterly destitute materially. When referring to a Vaiñëava,
this usually denotes an ascetic who is devoid of the spirit of material
enjoyment and accepts only the bare necessities for his maintenance.
Vaiñëavas like the Päëòavas who live in the midst of family and material
opulence only for the service of Bhagavän and who are devoid of any
desire for material enjoyment consider that nothing belongs to them.
Everything belongs to Çré Bhagavän. They are akiïcana Vaiñëavas.

älam al-maçhäl – an Islamic term for the spiritual world.

alaìkära – ornaments, embellishments etc.

alaìkära-çästra – books concerning the literary embellishment of

worldly poetry, etc.

ämnäya – the teachings of the Vedas received through guruparamparä

are known as ämnäya.

ämutrika-sukha – enjoyment which pertains to the next life,

particularly enjoyment in the celestial planets yet to be attained after the
performance of pious activities.

anä al-’aqq – the Islamic equivalent of the Vedic aphorism, “ahaà

brahmäsmi – I am Brahma.”

anädi-bahirmukha – the condition of the jévas in material existence of

being diverted from Kåñëa from a time without beginning.

änanda – spiritual bliss, ecstasy, joy, happiness; that which Çré Bhagavän
relishes through His hlädiné-çakti (see hlädiné).

ananya – having no other object; undistracted; devoted to only one

worhipable Lord, no one else.

ananya-bhakti – exclusive or pure devotion; devotion which is not

mixed with any other desires and has no objective other than Çré Kåñëa.

anartha – unwanted desires in the heart which impede one’s

advancement in bhakti. They are of four types: (1) duñkåtottha, those
arising from past sins; (2) sukåtottha, those arising from previous pious
activities; (3) aparädhottha, those arising from offenses; and (4) bhakty-
uttha, those arising in relationship to bhakti.

anartha-nivåtti – the clearing of all unwanted desires in the heart. This

is the third stage in the development of the creeper of bhakti, which
occurs by the influence of sädhu-saìga and bhajana-kriyä.

aìga – limb, division, part; the various practices of bhakti such as

hearing and chanting are referred to as aìgas (of bhakti).

anitya – temporary; not permanent or eternal.

anitya-dharma – impermanent religion; does not accept the existence of

the Supreme Lord or the eternality of the soul.

antaraìga-çakti – Çré Bhagavän’s internal potency (see svarüpa-çakti).

antarmukha – the inward tendency. Having one’s attention focused

inwards towards the soul and spiritual enlightenment.

antyaja – a person of the lowest class, outside of the varëäçrama system;

literally antya means ‘born last’ and ja means ‘those people’.

anubhäva – one of the five essential ingredients of rasa. The actions

which display or reveal the spiritual emotions situated within the heart
are called anubhävas. The anubhävas are thirteen in number: (1) nåtya,
dancing; (2) vilunöhita, rolling on the ground; (3) géta, singing; (4)
kroçana, loud crying; (5) tanu-moöana, writhing of the body; (6)
huìkara, roaring; (7) jåmbhaëa, yawning; (8) çväsa-bhüä, breathing
heavily; (9) loka-anapekñitä, giving up concern for public image; (10)
läläsräva, salivating; (11) aööa-häsa, loud laughter; (12) ghürëä,
staggering about; and (13) hikkä, a fit of hiccups).

aëu-caitanya – infinitesimal spiritual consciousness, represented by the

jévas.

aëu-cit-vastu – infinitesimal spiritual substance; the jévas, who are

conscious entities but minute in size.

anudita-viveka – the spiritually unconscious; one whose spiritual

discrimination is not awakened.
aëukalpa – refers to acceptance by the bhakta of aëu (a small amount)
kalpa (for minimum capability), meaning a quantity of food (which is
not in the category of grains, beans etc.) to maintain sufficient energy
for hari-sevä.

aëu-padärtha – infinitesimal object.

anuräga – (1) attachment in general; (2) spiritual attachment; (3) a

specific stage in the development of prema which has been defined in
Ujjvala-nélamaëi (14.146) as follows: “Despite regularly meeting and
being already well-acquainted with the beloved, an everfresh sentiment
of intense attachment causes the beloved to be newly experienced at
every moment as if one had never before any experience of such a
person. The attachment which inspires such a feeling is known as
anuräga.”

anuçélana – constant practice, study or cultivation, especially the

culture of spiritual activities.

aparädha – offenses committed against the holy name, the Vaiñëavas,

the guru, the çästras, the holy places, the Deity, and so on. The verbal
root rädh means to give pleasure or satisfy and the prefix apa means
taking away. Thus the word aparädha signifies all activities that are
displeasing to Bhagavän and His bhaktas.

aparä-çakti – Çré Bhagavän’s inferior or material potency.

apauruñeya – that which is not created by (puruña) man; divine; that

which is transcendental in nature, emanating directly from Çré
Bhagavän; the Vedas.

apräkåta – transcendental, beyond the influence of material nature,

beyond the perception of the mind and senses, not created by any
human, beyond the material world, situated in Kåñëa’s transcendental
abode, extraordinary, divine, pure, or consisting of spiritual
consciousness and bliss.

aprärabdha-karma – the accumulated stock of reactions to activities

which are lying in a dormant condition and waiting to bear fruit at some
time.

apürva – unprecedented, extraordinary, unparalleled.

apsarä – the heavenly wives of the Gandharvas; exceptionally beautiful
dancing girls in the court of Indra.

apürëa-jagat – the finite world; the material world.

äraté – the ceremony of offering articles to a Deity, such as incense,

lamp, flowers, and a fan, accompanied by the chanting of devotional
hymns.

arcanam – to worship the Deity in a temple with different types of

paraphernalia. When this worship is conducted internally, it is known
as manasi-püjä. Arcanam is one of the nine primary aìgas of bhakti.

äropa-siddhä-bhakti – endeavors which by nature are not purely

constituted of bhakti. The performer of aropa-siddha-bhakti imposes
bhakti onto his activities, meaning he is performing an activity that is
not one of the nine limbs of bhakti (navadhäbhakti), or that is not pure
enough to be classified as çuddhabhakti, but he is thinking that his
activity is bhakti. Examples of personalities performing äropa-siddhä-
bhakti are Mahäräja Çibhi and Hariçchandra.

artha-païcaka – the views of Çré Rämänuja on the following five

subjects: (1) sva-svarüpa, or the constitutional nature of the individual
self; (2) para-svarüpa, or the constitutional nature of the individual self
in relation to the other living beings; (3) upäya-svarüpa, or the means of
achieving the highest goal of life – bhakti; (4) puruñärtha-svarüpa, or
the highest goal of life; and (5) virodhi-svarüpa, or the hinderances to
spiritual life.

arundhaté-darçana-nyäya – Arundhaté is a very small star, which is

situated close to the Vaçiñöha star in the Saptaåñi constellation (the Great
Bear). In order to view it, its location is first determined by looking at a
bigger star beside it, then if one looks carefully one can see Arundhaté
close by.

äryan – is derived from the Sanskrit verbal root å meaning ‘to go ahead’
or ‘progress’. Thus ärya means one who is on the progressive path of
spiritual advancement. Those who follow the varëäçrama system; those
who are advanced in terms of social and religious culture, i.e. Hindus.

äsakti – attachment. This especially refers to attachment for the Lord

and His eternal associates. Äsakti occurs when one’s liking for bhajana
leads to a direct and deep attachment for the person who is the object of
that bhajana. This is the sixth stage in the development of the creeper of
bhakti, which is awakened upon the maturing of one’s ruci for bhajana.

asampürëa – incomplete.

äçrama – (1) one of the four stages of life – student, married, retired or
renounced – in which one carries out corresponding socio-religious
duties in the system known as varëäçrama; (2) a hermitage, usually in
the association of others, which is established to facilitate spiritual
practices.

äçraya – (1) shelter, support, refuge, protection, container; (2) the

receptacle of prema, or Kåñëa’s bhaktas. Kåñëa may also become the
receptacle of prema for His bhaktas.

äçraya-älambana – the receptacle of love for Kåñëa, the bhaktas. This is

an aspect of vibhäva, one of the five essential ingredients of rasa (see
vibhäva). Although the word äçraya also conveys the same meaning as
äçraya-älambana, it may often be used in the general sense of shelter or
support. The word äçraya-älambana, however, is specifically used to
indicate the receptacle of prema as one of the necessary ingredients of
rasa. It is not used in any other sense.

añöa-käléya-lélä – the pastimes which Kåñëa performs with His associates

in eight periods of the day. Sädhakas who are engaged in smaraëa, or
remembrance, meditate on these pastimes. The periods are as follows
(times are approximate): (1) niçänta-lélä, pastimes at the end of night
(3:36 am–6:00 am); (2) präta-lélä, pastimes at dawn (6:00 am–8:24 am);
(3) pürvähna-lélä, morning pastimes (8:24 am–10:48 am); (4)
madhyähna-lélä, midday pastimes (10:48 am–3.36 pm); (5) aparähna-
lélä, afternoon pastimes (3:36 pm–6:00 pm); (6) säyähna-lélä, pastimes
at dusk (6:00 pm–8:24 pm); (7) pradoña-lélä, evening pastimes (8:24
pm–10:48 pm); (8) nakta-lélä, midnight pastimes (10:48 pm–3:36 am).

añöäìga-yoga – the yoga system consisting of eight parts: (1) yama,

control of the senses; (2) niyama, control of the mind; (3) äsana, bodily
postures; (4) präëäyäma, breath control; (5) pratyähära, withdrawal of
the mind from sensory perception; (6) dhäraëä, steadying the mind; (7)
dhyäna, meditation; and (8) samädhi, deep and unbroken absorption on
the Lord in the heart.
açubha-karma – activities producing inauspicious results.

açvamedha-yajïa – a horse-sacrifice of antiquity in which vast wealth is

spent. Formerly the brähmaëas were so highly qualified by purity and in
the skill of chanting mantras that the life of the animal would be
rejuvenated. By performing one hundred such sacrifices one could
attain the post of Indra. It is forbidden to perform this sacrifice in the
age of Kali, as there are no qualified brähmaëas to perform it properly.

atättvika-çraddhä – unreal faith; faith which is based on a false

conception of God, which gives rise to self-interested activities rooted in
pride and material desires. Belief which is not rooted in çästra.

atirikta – separate; apart from.

ätmä – the soul; it may also refer to the body, mind, intellect, or the
Supreme Self. It usually refers to the jéva soul.

ätma-nivedanam – to offer one’s very self to Kåñëa. When one offers

oneself to the Lord, he no longer acts for his independent pleasure. One
engages body, mind, life, and everything in the service of Çré Bhagavän.
This is one of the nine primary aìgas of bhakti.

ätyantiké-laghu gopés – gopés who are yütheçvarés, and also nitya-

sakhés. Sakhés such as Kusumikä can be called ätyantika-laghu, because
they are gentle in all respects and they are insignificant in comparision
with the other sakhés.

aupacärika – figurative, metaphorical, attributive (see upacära).

avaidha – that which is opposed to sastric injunctions.

avaidha-karma – actions which defy the regulations of çästra.

avästava-vastu – things which are not eternally existing; worldly

phenomena.

avidyä – ignorance, spiritual ignorance, illusion. This ignorance is of

four kinds: to mistake (1) that which is impermanent to be permanent,
(2) that which is full of misery to be blissful, (3) that which is impure to
be pure, and (4) that which is not the self to be the self. Avidyä is one of
the five types of kleça, or miseries, destroyed by bhakti.
äviñöatä – being overpowered by something, or deeply absorbed in it.
Thus, when the bhakta is completely overpowered with affection for
Kåñëa by the continuous flow of remembrance of His lélä, that state is
called räga.

-B-

bäbäjé – a term of respect which is given loosly (frequently improperly),

to sädhus and Vaiñëavas, particularly those who have given up all
connection with household life. In the setting of this book, this term
specifically refers to the Vaiñëava followers of Çréman Mahäprabhu, who
have given up all the duties and designations of varëäçrama society and
who engage almost exclusively in chanting hari-näma. Actual bäbäjés
live as strict renunciates, they do not accept the external garb of
sannyäsés because sannyäsa is part of varëäçrama. They do not wear the
sacred brähmaëa thread because they have entered into bhävävasthä
and are engaged in räga-märga. Such characteristics are to be accepted
only by those on the highest platform of eligibility, who retire from the
world to immerse themselves in private bhajana.

baddha-daçä – the state of bondage; the state of the jévas in material

existence.

baddha-jéva – the conditioned soul who is bound by matter. With

regard to the origin of the baddha-jéva it is stated that Bhagavän’s eternal
associates in the spiritual world do not have any contact with and are
completely unaffected by the material energy. Only some of the jévas
that emanate from Mahä-Viñëu come into the material world.

baddhävasthä – same as baddha-daçä.

bahiraìgä-çakti – the external or material potency of Bhagavän, also

known as mäyä-çakti. This potency is responsible for the creation of the
material world and all affairs pertaining to the material world. Because
Bhagavän never directly contacts the material energy, this potency is
known as bahiraìgä, external.
bahirmukha – having one’s face turned away; having one’s attention
diverted away from some object. This is commonly used with the word
Kåñëa (see kåñëa-bahirmukha).

bahüdaka – the second of four stages of sannyäsa. When a sannyäsé

advances beyond the kuöicaka stage, he no longer accepts anything from
home; instead he collects his necessities from many places. This system
is called madhukäré, which literally means ‘the profession of
bumblebees’. As bumblebees collect honey from many flowers, so a
sannyäsé should beg from door to door but not accept very much from
any particular house. The bahüdaka stage has been mentioned in
ÇrémadBhägavatam (3.12.43). In his commentary on this çloka, Çréla
Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura defines the ascetic in this stage as, ‘one
who has relegated the performance of karma to a secondary position
and who gives prominence to transcendental knowledge.’

bandä – an Islamic term for servitor.

Behesht – an Islamic term for the Lord’s spiritual abode, paradise, or

heaven.

Bhagavän – the Supreme Lord; the Personality of Godhead. In the Viñëu

Puräëa (6.5.72–74) Bhagavän is defined as follows: “çuddhe
mahävibhüty äkhye pare brahmaëi varttate maitreya bhagavac-chabda
sarva-käraëa-käraëe; sambharteti tathä bharttä bha-käro ’rtha-
dvayänvita netä gamayitä srañöä ga-kärärthas tathä mune; aiçvaryasya
samagrasya dharmasya yaçasaù çriyaù jïäna-vairägyayoç caiva ñaëëäà
bhaga itéìganä – The word bhagavat is used to describe the Supreme
Brahma who possesses all opulences, who is completely pure, and who
is the cause of all causes. In the word bhagavat, the syllable bha has two
meanings: one who maintains all living entities and one who is the
support of all living entities. Similarly, the syllable ga has two meanings:
the creator, and one who causes all living entities to obtain the results of
karma and jïäna. Complete opulence, religiosity, fame, beauty,
knowledge, and renunciation are known as bhaga, or fortune.” The
suffix vat means possessing. Thus one who possesses these six fortunes
is known as Bhagavän.

bhägavata-pravåtti – the tendency of the jéva to seek out and serve the
Supreme Person, Bhagavän.
bhagavat-tattva – the fundamental conclusions which regard the
Absolute Truth, Bhagavän.

bhajana – (1) the word bhajana is derived from the verbal root bhaj
which is defined in the Garuòa Puräëa (Pürva-khaëòa 231.3): “bhaj ity
eña vai dhätu seväyäà parikértitaù tasmät sevä budhaiù proktä bhakti
sädhana-bhüyasé – The verbal root bhaj is used specifically in the sense
of sevä, or service. Therefore, when sädhana is performed with the
consciousness of being a servant, it is called bhakti.” According to this
çloka, kåñëa-sevä, or loving devotional service to Kåñëa is called bhakti.
Such service is the intrinsic attribute of bhakti or bhajana. Therefore
whatever services are performed in this consciousness may be referred
to as bhajana; (2) in the general sense bhajana refers to spiritual
practices; especially hearing, chanting, and meditating upon the holy
name, form, qualities, and pastimes of Çré Kåñëa.

bhajana-kriyä – taking up the practices of bhakti, such as hearing and

chanting. There are sixty-four primary aìgas of bhakti, of which the
first four are to take shelter of the lotus feet of çriguru; to receive dékñä
and çikñä; to serve one’s guru with great affection; and to follow the
path of sädhus. Without adopting these practices, there is no question
of making any advancement in bhajana. This is the second stage in the
development of the creeper of bhakti which occurs by the influence of
sädhu-saìga.

bhajanänandi – one who is absorbed in the bliss of bhajana; one whose

inclination is primarily for bhajana.

bhakta – a devotee.

bhakti – the word bhakti comes from the root bhaj, which means ‘to
serve’ (see bhajana). Therefore the primary meaning of the word bhakti
is to render service. Çré Rüpa Gosvämé has described the intrinsic
characteristics of bhakti in Çré Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.1.11) as
follows: “anyäbhiläñita-çünyaà jïäna-karmädy-anävåtam änukülyena
kåñëänu-çélanaà bhaktir uttamä – Uttamä-bhakti, pure devotional
service, is the cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the
benefit of Çré Kåñëa, in other words, the uninterrupted flow of service to
Çré Kåñëa, performed through all endeavors of body, mind, and speech,
and through expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhävas). It is
not covered by jïäna (knowledge of nirviçeña-brahma, aimed at
impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), yoga or
austerities; and it is completely free from all desires other than the
aspiration to bring happiness to Çré Kåñëa.”

Bhakti-devé – the goddess of devotion. All potencies of the Lord have

personified forms. In Mädhurya-kädambiné (1.3) Çréla Viçvanätha
Cakravarté Öhäkura explains that bhakti is the svarüpa-çakti of
Bhagavän and that she is yadåcchä, which means that bhakti has her
own will. Being sva-prakäça, selfmanifest, she is not dependent on any
other agency in order to manifest in a person’s heart.

In Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.2.6) it is said: “yato bhaktir adhokñaje

ahaituky apratihatä – That by which causeless and uninterrupted bhakti
for Lord Adhokñaja arises.” The word ahaituky in this çloka indicates
that bhakti has no cause. The only cause of bhakti is bhakti herself. Çréla
Cakravartépäda analyzes the meaning of this statement. He says that
bhakti situated in the heart of a bhäva-bhakta is the only cause for her
manifesting in others. Since Kåñëa is under the control of His unalloyed
bhaktas, He has invested such power in them. Therefore sädhana is not
the true cause of bhakti’s appearance. Bhakti-devé, being self-willed,
manifests bhakti in the heart when she is pleased with the bhakta’s
unalloyed service attitude. Ultimately this indicates that Bhakti-devé acts
through the agency of Kåñëa’s bhaktas who are situated in the stage of
bhäva. When they see the sincerity of the sädhakabhakta, the bhakti
which is one with the very nature of their hearts is transmitted into the
hearts of the sädhakas. Other than this, there is no cause for bhakti’s
appearance.

bhakti-käëòa – a division of the Vedas relating to bhakti, which is

performed exclusively for the benefit of Çré Bhagavän.

bhakti-latä – the creeper of devotion. Bhakti is likened to a creeper

which grows in the bhakta’s heart until it matures and produces the
fruit of love for Kåñëa. The béja, or seed, of this creeper is characterized
as kåñëa-sevä-väsana, the desire to serve Çré Kåñëa. This desire is sown
in the heart of the bhakta by the grace of çré gurudeva and it manifests
externally as çraddhä, faith in the conclusions of the çästra. After its
intitial inception in the form of the bhakti-latä-béja, the creeper develops
through eight successive stages culminating in prema. These stages are
sädhu-saìga, bhajana-kriyä, anarthanivåtti, niñöhä, ruci, äsakti, bhäva,
and prema. Each of these are separately described in this glossary.
bhakti-latä-béja – the seed of the creeper of devotion. This refers to the
inception of the desire to serve Çré Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa in a particular
capacity which is known as kåñëa-sevä-väsana. Within this seed is the
undeveloped conception of bhäva. This seed externally manifests as
çraddhä, or faith in the instructions and goal described by the çästras.
When this seed is watered by the methods of hearing, chanting, and
service to Vaiñëavas, it grows into a luxurious plant and ultimately
delivers its fruit of love of God.

bhakti-poñaka-sukåti – pious activities which foster bhakti. This

specifically refers to the association of bhaktas and activities connected
to bhakti (see sukåti).

bhakty-äbhäsa – externally resembles bhakti but does not have the true
characteristics of bhakti. There are two types of bhaktyäbhäsa: (1)
chäyä-bhakty-äbhäsa is attained by association with çuddha-bhaktas
during kértana, recitation of ÇrémadBhägavatam or other devotional
performances; (2) pratibimbabhakty-äbhäsa is the semblance of bhakti
that occurs in the hearts of those who adopt the aìgas of bhakti with a
desire for bhukti (material enjoyment) and mukti (liberation). The stage
of chäyä-bhakty-äbhäsa is the result of great fortune,

Bhärata-varña – India (see Glossary of Places).

bhäva-bhakti – the initial stage of perfection in devotion. A stage of

bhakti in which çuddha-sattva, or the essence of Çré Kåñëa’s internal
potency consisting of spiritual knowledge and bliss, is transmitted into
the heart of the practicing bhakta from the heart of one of His eternal
associates and softens the heart by different kinds of tastes. It is the first
sprout of prema, or pure love of God. Bhäva-bhakti is the seventh of the
eight stages of development of the bhakti-latä, the creeper of devotion.
In Båhad-bhagavatämåta it is explained that there are five divisions of
bhäva accepted amongst bhaktas: (1) jïäna-bhakta (e.g. Bharata
Mahäräja); (2) çuddha-bhakta (e.g. Ambariña Mahäräja); (3) prema-
bhakta (e.g. Hanumän); (4) prema-parabhakta (e.g. the Päëòavas
headed by Arjuna); (5) premäturabhakta (ätura means ‘very eager for’,
or agitated out of prema; e.g. the Yädavas headed by Uddhava).
bhävuka – (1) a bhakta at the stage of bhäva who is thus able to taste
spiritual sentiments; (2) This word is sometimes used in a slightly
derogatory sense to refer to those who are prone to emotional displays
without possessing the true characteristics of kåñëa-rati, or bhäva.

bhedäbheda-prakäça – a manifestation simultaneously distinct yet not

separate from Çré Bhagavän.

bhoga – material enjoyment; unoffered foodstuffs.

bhogé – one who indulges in material enjoyment without restriction;

one who seeks material enjoyment as his life’s aspiration.

bhukti – material enjoyment.

bhüta – one of the five elements; any living being; a spirit, ghost or
demon.

béja – a seed (see bhakti-latä-béja).

brahmacäré – the first äçrama or stage of life in the varëäçrama system;

unmarried student life.

brahma-gäyatré – a Vedic mantra which is chanted at the three

junctures of the day by brähmaëas.

brahma-jïäna – knowledge of impersonal brahma; knowledge aiming at

impersonal liberation.

brahma-jïäné – see jïäné.

Brahma – the spiritual effulgence emanating from the transcendental

body of the Lord; the all-pervading, indistinct feature of the Absolute.
Depending on the context, this may sometimes refer to the Supreme
Brahma, Çré Kåñëa, who is the source of Brahma.

brähmaëa – the highest of the four varëas, or castes, in the varëäçrama

system; a priest or teacher.

brähmaëé – a female brähmaëa; the wife of a brähmaëa.

brahma-pravåtti – the tendency of the jéva (living entity) to seek the all-
pervading Brahma.
Brahma-väda – the doctrine of indistinct nirviçeña-brahma which has as
its goal the merging of the self into Kåñëa’s effulgence

Brahma-vädé – one who follows the doctrine of Brahma-väda.

båhat-caitanya – infinite spiritual consciousness, represented by Kåñëa.

båhat-cit-vastu – vast or infinite spiritual substance; Çré Kåñëa.

buddhi-apekñä – the consideration that takes place through one’s

intelligence of the sublime nature of madhura rasa and which in turn
assists in creating lobha.

but-parast – (Muslim) idolatry; worship of material elements, spirits, or

ordinary living beings.

-C-

caitanya – consciousness; the Universal soul or spirit.

Caitanya Mahäprabhu – Çré Kåñëa appearing in the mood of a bhakta

(see Glossary of Names).

cäëòäla – an outcaste race known to eat dogmeat; one born in such a

race.

cetana – conscious; an animate being.

chäyä-bhakty-äbhäsa – a shadow-like semblance of bhakti. This refers

to the activities of neophytes or ignorant people which resemble bhakti,
but which do not have the actual characteristics of çuddha-bhakti.
Because these people engage in activities of bhakti only when
associating with real bhaktas, this semblance of bhakti is connected
with true bhakti, but it is transient in nature and is therefore compared
to a shadow.

chäyä-nämäbhäsa – a shadow-like semblance of the pure name. This

refers to a stage of chanting in which the pure name is obscured by
ignorance and anarthas just as the sun, when covered by clouds, does
not manifest its full brilliance.
chäyä-çakti – Çré Bhagavän’s shadow potency known as mäyä which
binds the living entities in the material world.

cid-anubhava – direct experience or realization of spirit, one’s spiritual

nature, or the spiritual dimension including Kåñëa’s name, form,
qualities, pastimes, and abode.

cid-anuräga – spiritual attachment; attachment for Çré Bhagavän, His

bhaktas, and things related to Him.

cid-anuçélana – spiritual practice or cultivation; the culture of pure

spiritual reality.

cid-vastu – transcendental or cognitive substance.

cid-vikrama – see cit-çakti.

cinmaya – possessing full spiritual nature and consciousness; composed

of pure cognition; spiritual.

cit – consciousness; pure thought; spirit; spiritual cognition or

perception.

citta – the heart, thoughts, mind and consciousnes.

cit-dharma – spiritual nature or the characteristic function of a

conscious being.

cit-jagat – the spiritual world. The world of pure spiritual

consciousness.

cit-käla – spiritual time which exists eternally in the present without

any intervention of past or future.

cit-kaëa – a particle of spiritual consciousness; a conscious entity who is

spiritual in nature yet minute. This refers to the individual jéva souls.

cit-çakti – Çré Bhagavän’s internal potency by which His transcendental

pastimes are accomplished (see svarüpa-çakti).

cit-samädhi – spiritual trance or deep internal perception of spiritual

reality.
-D-

daivé-mäyä – the divine potency of Kåñëa which acts in the material

world to bewilder the living entities who are seeking material enjoyment
separate from their eternal and natural relationship with Kåñëa. This
external potency consists of the three qualities of nature: goodness,
passion, and ignorance.

damaru – a drum played by Lord Çiva; a small two-headed drum shaped

like an hour-glass which, held in one hand, is played by twisting one’s
wrist. The swinging actions causes a ball at the end of each of two
strings which are attached to the drum to hit the drum ends at each
turn.

daëòavat-praëäma – prostrated obeisances; literally, falling like a daëòa

(stick) to offer obeisances.

darçana – seeing, meeting, visiting with, beholding. This word is used

primarily in reference to beholding the Deity or advanced bhaktas.
Darçana also means doctrine or philosophical system, as in vedänta-
darçana.

däsa – a servant; a servant of Kåñëa.

daçä – state, condition; disposition; phase, stage.

daça-müla – ‘ten-roots’. In the Äyur-veda, the science of herbal

medicine, there are ten roots which, when combined together produce a
tonic which sustains life and counteracts disease. Similarly, there are ten
ontological principles. When these are properly understood and
realized, they destroy the disease of material existence and give life to
the soul. The first of these principles is known as pramäëa, the evidence
which establishes the existence of the fundamental truths. The other
nine principles are known as prameya, the truths which are to be
established. The pramäëa refers to the Vedic literature and in particular
to the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. The Bhägavatam is the essence of all the
Vedas; it reveals the most intimate loving feature of the Lord‚ as well as
the soul’s potential to unite with the Lord and His eternal associates in
their play of divine loving exchange. Of the nine prameyas, the first
seven relate to sambandhajïäna, knowledge of the interrelationship
between Çré Bhagavän, His energies, and the living beings, both
conditioned and liberated. The eighth prameya relates to
abhidheyajïäna, knowledge of the means by which the living entity can
become established in an eternal loving relationship with Him. The
ninth prameya relates to prayojana, the ultimate goal to be attained by
pursuit of the transcendental path. That goal is known as kåñëa-prema,
and it takes on infinite varieties when manifest in the different bhaktas
possessing variegated moods of divine love.

däsé – a female maidservant of Kåñëa or Çrématé Rädhikä.

däsya – (1) the second of the five primary relationships with the Lord
which is established in the stages of bhäva or prema; love or attraction
to Kåñëa which is expressed in the mood of a servant. (2) in this world
the general relationship of practicing bhaktas toward Him is known as
kåñëa-däsya or bhagavaddäsya. This means simply to recognize that
one’s true identity is to be a servant of Kåñëa.

däsyam – one of the aìgas of sädhana-bhakti; to render service with the

pure egoism of being a servant of Kåñëa. Only when one renders service
with this attitude, giving up false conceptions of the self, can one’s
bhajana practices attain perfection. According to Bhakti-rasämåta-
sindhu (1.2.183) there are two kinds of däsya: in its beginning form,
däsya means to offer all of one’s activities to Çré Bhagavän, and in its
mature stage, däsya means to render all kinds of services to Him with
the feeling that ‘I am a servant of Çré Kåñëa, and He is my master.’ This
attitude is called kaiìkarya. Däsyam is one of the nine primary aìgas of
bhakti.

deva-bhäñä – ‘the language of the gods’, the language spoken in the

celestial planets; Sanskrit.

Devas – celestial deities; beings situated in the celestial planets who are
endowed with great piety, tremendous lifespans, and superior mental
and physical prowess. They are entrusted with specific powers for the
purpose of universal administration.

Devatäs – same as Devas.

Devé-bhägavata and Devé-gétä – (see Chapter 9) two books that the

çäktas promote as proving that Devé is the supreme personality.
However, the great äcäryas and later scholars have not accepted them as
authoritative.
dhäma – a holy place of pilgrimage; the abode of the Lord where He
appears and enacts His transcendental pastimes.

dharma – from the verbal root dhå meaning ‘to sustain’; literally ‘that
which sustains;’ (1) the natural, characteristic function of a thing; that
which cannot be separated from its nature; (2) religion in general; (3)
the socio-religious duties prescribed in çästra for different classes of
persons in the varëäçrama system; one’s fixed occupation in relation to
the highest ideals known to man. Dharma is aspired for by persons who
not only desire enjoyment in this world, but who hanker for something
more, like Svarga. For this it is necessary to follow the religious codes
outlined in çästra. By following the religious duties prescribed according
to varëäçrama, one can enjoy happiness in this life and attain Svarga.
The performance of dharmika duties is foremost for such people, and
therefore their puruñärtha (goal of life) is known as dharma. There are
many types of dharma. Stré-dharma (a woman’s dharma) refers to the
duties, behaviour etc., that sustain the proper nature of a woman.
Similarly, dharmas such as puruña-dharma, brähmana-dharma,
çüdradharma, and sannyäsa-dharma are described in dharma-çästras.
Ultimately, however, dharma means the natural attraction of the part for
the whole, the jéva for Kåñëa. All of these other dharmas are only related
to this temporary body, therefore, in the midst of performing them, one
must cultivate ätma-dharma, the soul’s eternal occupation as servant of
Kåñëa, so that one can reach the point, either now or tomorrow, of
sarva-dharmän parityajya, giving up all secondary dharmas and taking
full shelter of Çré Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa.

dharma-çästra – religious çästras, such as Manu-saàhitä, that delineate

the codes of behavior for human beings.

dharma-viñaya – the object of the soul’s spiritual function; the object of

prema; Çré Kåñëa.

dékñä – receiving initiation from a spiritual master. In the Bhakti-

sandarbha (Anuccheda 283) Jéva Gosvämé has defined dékñä as follows:
“divyaà jïänaà yato dadyät kuryät päpasya saìkñayam tasmäd dékñeti
sä proktä deçikais tattva-kovikaiù – Learned exponents of the Absolute
Truth declare that the process by which the spiritual master imparts
divya-jïäna to the disciple and eradicates all sins is known as dékñä.” He
then explains divya-jïäna, or divine knowledge: “divyaà jïänaà hy
atra çrémati mantre bhagavat svarüpa-jïänaà tena
bhagavatäsambandha-viçeña-jïänaà ca – Divya-jïäna is transcendental
knowledge of the Lord’s form and one’s specific relationship with the
Lord contained within a mantra.” This means at the time of intiation,
the guru gives the disciple a mantra which, in course of time, reveals the
particular form of the Lord who is the object of one’s worship and the
bhakta’s specific relationship with the Lord in one of the relationships
of däsya, sakhya, vätsalya or mädhurya.

dékñä-guru – initiating spiritual master; one who gives a mantra in

accordance with the regulations of çästra to a qualified candidate for the
purpose of worshiping Çré Bhagavän and realizing Him through that
mantra is known as a dékñä-guru or mantraguru.

dékñä-mantras – the mantras given by the guru at the time of one’s

initiation. These mantras include the mahä-mantra, brahmägäyatré,
guru-mantra, guru-gäyatré, gaura-mantra, gaura-gäyatré, gopäla-mantra,
and käma-gäyatré. The guru’s internal mood of service to Rädhä and
Kåñëa is transmitted through the medium of these mantras. This is
indicated in the following çloka from Bhakti-sandarbha (Anuccheda
237): “yo mantraù sa guruù säkñät yo guru sa hari svayaà gurur yasya
bhavet tuñöas tasya tuñöo hariù svayam – The mantra (which is given by
the guru) is itself the guru, and the guru is directly the Supreme Lord
Hari. He with whom the spiritual master is pleased also obtains the
pleasure of Çré Hari Himself.” These mantras are invested with divya-
jïäna, or transcendental knowledge of Kåñëa’s form and one’s specific
relationship with Him (see also dékñä and mantra).

divya-näma – the transcendental name of Çré Kåñëa.

divya-lélä – transcendental pastimes.

dravya – objects such as a table, a chair, and so on.

dåòha-niçcaya – firm determination or resolve.

dhåñöatä – a state of being reckless, bold or courageous. In Chapter

Twenty-one it is refering to those gopés who have left their husbands
and sons, and have abandoned all the rules and regulations of
varëäçrama-dharma. The dvärakä-mahiñés do not want to leave all these
things; they want to follow their husbands, and the rules and
regulations of varëäçrama-dharma. That is why it is said here that they
give up the quality of dhåñöatä and serve Kåñëa just like a housewife.
Those who have left all these things and who have the quality of
dhåñöatä are called sakhés.

durjäti – degraded birth or caste.

durjäti-doña – the defect of a degraded birth; the defect of having taken

birth in a sinful or outcaste family. Such a defect is due to prärabdha-
karma.

duñkåti – impious or sinful deeds.

dvija – anyone among the brähmaëas, kñatriyas, or vaiçyas who has

received a ‘second birth’ through the upanayana-saàskära of being
invested with the sacred thread, which prepares one for studying the
Vedas.

-E-

ekadaëòa – a staff which is carried by the renunciates belonging to the

monistic school and, in particular, the followers of Çré Çaìkaräcärya.
The staff consists of only one rod which symbolizes their goal of
attaining oneness with nirviçeña-brahma.

Ekädaçé – is the eleventh day of the waxing or waning moon. Çuddha

Ekädaçé means that the whole eleventh day of the moon elapses during
the period between one sunrise and the next. Viddha Ekädaçé means
that the eleventh day of the moon begins on one solar day (sunrise to
sunrise) and finishes on the next solar day, that is after sunrise on the
next day. In case of Viddha Ekädaçé, the observances are made on the
Dvädaçé i.e. the twelfth day of the moon.

-F-

folklore – (in reference to Chapter 17) there is a saying: “To make

money by counting the waves.” The explanation is as follows. In ancient
times, there was a rich vaiçya, who became famous all over the country
as someone who could make money in any circumstances. Some
envious people poisoned the ears of the local King, and managed to
convince him to send the businessman far away, where he would have
no opportunity to make any money. The King decided to send him to a
lonely place near the sea. But this vaiçya, true to his character, sat on the
beach counting the waves! Whenever a vessel passed across the sea, he
would stop it by waving his arms, and then say, “You are not allowed to
cross. The King has appointed me to count the waves here, and your
vessel is disturbing them.” He would argue back and forth, and only
relent when he had extracted a bribe. In this way, he became a rich man
again.

-G-

Gäëapatya – a worshiper of Gaëeça.

Gandharvas – celestial beings situated in the higher planets who are

especially noted for their expertise in singing and music.

Gaìgä – the holy river, Gaìgä, also known as the Ganges (see Gaìgä in
the Glossary of Places).

gaöhana – the formation, structure, or composition of a thing.

Gauòéya Vaiñëava Äcäryas – prominent teachers in the line of Lord

Caitanya.

Gauòéya Vaiñëava Sampradäya – the school of Vaiñëavism following in

the line of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

gauëa – literally means ‘that which possesses qualities’ or ‘that which is

secondary.’ Relates to a quality, having qualities; that which is
connected to the three guëas (qualities of material nature); subordinate,
secondary, unessential.

gauräbda – a year in the Era beginning from the appearance of Çré

Gauräìga Mahäprabhu (corresponding to 1486 AD).

gaura-lélä – the divine pastimes of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, who is

identical to Çré Kåñëa.
gaura-näma-rasa – transcendental taste which comes from chanting the
holy name of Lord Gaura.

gäyatré-mantra – a sacred mantra repeated by brähmaëas at the three

junctures of the day. The gäyatré-mantra is personified as a goddess, the
wife of Brahmä, and the mother of the four Vedas (see dékñä-mantra).

ghäöa – a landing-stage (as on the bank of a river, pond, etc.).

ghaöa-äkäça – is the space that one can see in a pot. (Maha-äkäça is the
great unlimited sky).

Godruma – one of the nine divisions of Navadvépa (see Glossary of

Places).

gopas – the cowherd boys who serve Kåñëa in the mood of intimate
friendship. This may also refer to the elderly gopas headed by Nanda
Mahäräja who serve Kåñëa in the mood of parental affection.

gopés – the young cowherd maidens of Vraja headed by Çrématé Rädhikä

who serve Kåñëa in the mood of amorous love. This may also refer to
the elderly gopés headed by mother Yaçodä who serve Kåñëa in the
mood of parental affection.

go-çälä – shelter for the cows.

Gosvämé – one who is the master of his senses; a title for those in the
renounced order of life. This often refers to the renowned followers of
Caitanya Mahäprabhu who adopted the lifestyle of mendicants.
Descendants of the relatives of such Gosvämés or of their sevaites often
adopt this title merely on the basis of birth. In this way, the title
‘Gosvämé’ has evolved into use as a surname. Leading temple
administrators are also sometimes referred to as Gosvämés.

gåhastha – the word stha means ‘to reside.’ The word gåha means
‘house,’ and also refers to the family members who inhabit a house; as a
verb, it means ‘to grasp, take on, or accept.’ The second äçrama or stage
of life in the varëäçrama system; family life.

gåhastha-tyägé – one who has renounced household life.

gullé-òaëòä – a game played with a bat and stick.

guëa – (1) in relationship to Kåñëa this refers to His transcendental
qualities which are heard, described, and meditated upon by bhaktas as
part of the practice of sädhana-bhakti; (2) qualities of objects such as
hardness and softness; (3) qualities in general such as compassion,
tolerance, and mercy; (4) the three ropes (binding qualities) known as
sattva (goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance).

guëävatära – the primary presiding deities of the tri-guëas (three guëas)

– Viñëu, Brahmä, and Çiva – who preside over the qualities of sattva,
rajas, and tamas respectively.

-H-

haàsa – the third stage of sannyäsa, as mentioned in ÇrémadBhägavatam

(3.12.43). In his commentary on this çloka, Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté
Öhäkura defines an ascetic in the haàsa stage as jïäna-äbhyäsa-niñöhä,
one established in the cultivation of transcendental knowledge.

Hari – a name for Çré Kåñëa (see Glossary of Names).

hari-kathä – narrations of the holy name, form, qualities, and pastimes

of Çré Hari.

hari-näma – the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Unless

accompanied by the word saìkértana, it usually refers to the practice of
chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra to oneself on a strand of tulasé
beads.

Hari-väsara – the day of Lord Hari; this refers especially to Ekädaçé; it

also refers to other holy days such as Janmäñöamé and Räma-navamé
(check this Glossary for explanation of these terms).

haviñya – rice dried in the sun, cooked with water and mixed with ghee.

heya – undesirable; fit to be given up; contemptible, base, vile.

hlädiné – this refers to svarüpa-çakti which is predominated by hlädiné

(see svarüpa-çakti). Hlädiné is the potency which relates to the änanda,
or bliss, aspect of the Supreme Lord. Although the Supreme Lord is the
embodiment of all pleasure, hlädiné is that potency by which He relishes
transcendental bliss and causes others to taste bliss. When viçuddha-
sattva is predominated by hlädiné, it is known as guhya-vidyä, or
confidential knowledge. This guhya-vidyä has two faculties: bhakti and
that which bestows bhakti. It is by these two agencies that bhakti, which
consists of préti (prema), is manifest. Bhakti which is of the nature of
préti is itself a special feature of guhya-vidyä.

-I-

ibäda – an Islamic term for divine worship.

ignorance, five types – Lord Brahmä first creates these five types of
ignorance (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.12.2.). Because of the desire to enjoy
mäyä, the jéva develops the false ego that he can enjoy material sense
gratification, and then the following five types of ignorance cover his
pure, atomic nature

(1) tamaù, or not knowing anything about the spirit soul; (2) moha, or
the illusion of the bodily concept of life; (3) mahä-moha, or madness for
material enjoymen; (4) tämisra, or forgetfulness of one’s constitutional
position due to anger or envy; and (5) andha-tämisra, or considering
death to be the ultimate end.

Éçänugata – those who are devoted or surrendered to Éña (Çré Bhagavän);

the Vaiñëavas.

içhqh – an Islamic term for love (spiritual or mundane).

iñöa-deva – one’s worshipful deity; the particular form of Kåñëa toward

whom one is attracted and who is the object of one’s love and service.

Éçvara – the Supreme Lord or Supreme Controller.

Itihäsa – (1) history in general; (2) a book which contains instructions

on dharma, artha, käma, and mokña, and narrations of ancient events
(dharmärtha-käma-mokñäëäm upadeça-samanvitam pürva-våta kathä-
yuktam itihäsaà pracakñate). This definition is quoted in Gauòéya-
Vaiñëava-abhidhäna; (3) the fifth Veda. According to both Çruti and
Småti, the Itihäsa and the Puräëas are considered the fifth Veda. Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (3.12.39) states, itihäsa-puräëäni païcamaà vedam; and
(1.4.20), itihäsa puräëaï ca païcamo veda ucyate. In his commentary
on (1.4.20), Jéva Gosvämé quotes the Mahäbhärata (Mokña-dharma
340.21), “vedän adhyäpayämäsa mahäbhärata-païcamän iti – Vyäsa
taught the Vedas along with the fifth of their number, the
Mahäbhärata.” Similarly in Manu-småti (3.232) it is said,
äkhyänänétihäsaàç ca. In his Manu-vartha-muktävalé commentary on
this çloka, Kullüka Bhaööa (a celebrated commentator on Manu-småti
from the twelfth century) states, “itihäsän mahäbhäratädén – The word
Itihäsän refers to the Mahäbhärata and other literature.” These
references establish that the word Itihäsa specifically refers to the
Mahäbhärata. Within the Mahäbhärata is found the Bhagavad-Gétä,
which is accepted as the essence of all the Vedas even by Çré
Çaìkaräcärya, who states in the introduction to his Gétä commentary,
“tad idaà gétä-çästraà samastavedärtha-sära-saìgraha-bhütam – This
Gétä-çästra is the essence of the purport of all the Vedas.” This further
confirms that the Itihäsa is part of the body of Vedic literature. Çruti
itself (Chändogya Upaniñad 7.1.2) declares that the Itihäsa and Puräëas
are the fifth Veda among the body of Vedic literature: itihäsaà puräëaà
païcamaà vedänäà vedam.

-J-

jaòa – inanimate object; worldly, material.

jaòa-anuräga – attachment for mundane material objects.

jaòa-çakti – the material or external potency also known as mäyä.

jaòéya-käla – material time which is designated by the divisions of past,

present, and future.

jaiva-dharma – the constitutional function of the jéva; unadulterated

love for the Supreme Lord.

jaìgama – moving living beings such as animals, birds, insects, aquatics,

and humans.

janma – birth, origin.

Janmäñöamé – the appearance day of Lord Çré Kåñëa which occurs on the
eighth day of the dark lunar fortnight of the month of Bhädra (August–
September). According to the Viñëu Puräëa, however, Janmäñöamé
occurs on the eighth day of the dark lunar fortnight of the month of
Çrävaëa (July–August). The reason for this difference is that in some
years the mukhyacändra-mäsa, or principal lunar month, falls in
Çrävaëa. The mukhya-cändra-mäsa refers to a lunar month which ends
with a conjunction of planets, whereas gauëa-cändra-mäsa refers to a
lunar month which ends with an opposition of planets. When the
mukhya-cändra-mäsa occurs in Çrävaëa, Janmäñöamé falls in that month
instead of Bhädra.

japa – loud chanting or soft utterance of the holy names of Kåñëa to

oneself; usually referring to the practice of chanting hari-näma on tulasé
beads. The word japa comes from the verbal root jap which means to
utter or whisper repeatedly (especially prayers or incantations). In the
Çabda-kalpa-druma, japa has been defined as the utterance of mantras
either within the heart or verbally. In Hari-bhakti-viläsa (17.155-159)
Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé describes japa in the following words:

“In the Nåsiàha Puräëa it is said that japa-yajïa is of three kinds: (1)
väcika, verbal; (2) upäàçu, in a whisper; and (3) mänasika, within the
mind. When a mantra is pronounced very distinctly either in a high,
low, or resonant voice it is known as väcika-japa. When a mantra is
uttered slowly with slight movement of the lips and can be heard only
by one’s own ears it is known as upäàçu-japa. When one meditates on
the meaning of the mantra by application of the intelligence going
repeatedly from one syllable to the next and from one word to the next
it is known as mänasika-japa.”

jäti – caste, race, or species.

jäti-bheda – caste distinction; the difference between various castes or

species.

jism – an Islamic term for matter.

jéva – the eternal individual living entity who, in the conditioned state
of material existence, assumes a material body in any of the
innumerable species of life.
jïäna – (1) knowledge; (2) knowledge which leads to impersonal
liberation; this concerns the ätmä’s distinction from matter and its
identity with Brahma.

jïäna-adhikära – eligibility for knowledge leading to liberation. jïäna-

käëòa – a division of the Vedas which relates to knowledge of the one,
undifferentiated spirit known as Brahma.

jïäna-mudrä – the traditional posture of the hand formed with the tip of
the thumb touching the tip of the index finger.

jïäna-niñöhä – those who are fixed in the pursuit of monistic knowledge

aiming at liberation.

jïäna-v iddha – vaiñëava-dharma which is adulterated with jïäna,

knowledge directed toward the attainment of impersonal liberation.

jïäna-yoga – the path of spiritual realization through a philosophical

search for truth.

jïäné – one who pursues the path of jïäna, or knowledge, directed

toward impersonal liberation.

-K-

Kali-yuga – the present age of quarrel and hypocrisy which began five
thousand years ago (see yuga).

kämya-karma – religious rites performed to obtain some specific

material benefit.

kaniñöha-bhakta – the neophyte practitioner of bhakti.

karatälas – small brass hand cymbals used for devotional songs.

karma – (1) any activity performed in the course of material existence;

(2) pious activities leading to material gain in this world or in the
heavenly planets after death; (3) fate; former acts leading to inevitable
results.

karma-adhikära – eligibility for pious action leading to material gain.

Karma-käëòa – a division of the Vedas which relates to the performance
of ceremonial acts and sacrificial rites directed toward material benefits
or liberation.

karma-v iddha – vaiñëava-dharma which is adulterated with karma,

activities directed toward material benefits.

karma-yoga – the path to God realization through dedication of the

fruits of one’s work to God.

karmé – one who pursues the Vedic path of karma directed toward
material gain or elevation to the heavenly planets.

kärya-çakti – the potency by which activity is carried out.

kauòé – a small shell used as currency

käya-vyüha – direct expansions. All the four types of Çrématé Rädhikä’s

sakhés are nitya-siddha, and they are direct expansions (käya-vyüha) of
Çrématé Rädhikä’s own svarüpa. She eternally manifests eight bhävas as
the eight principle sakhés and Her four different types of service moods
as the four different types of sakhés, namely priya-sakhés, narma-sakhés,
präëasakhés, and parama-preñöha-sakhés.

All these sakhés are käya-vyüha, or direct expansions, whereas the

sädhana-siddha gopés are not expansions. The queens in Dvärakä fall
into a different category of expansion known as vaibhava-prakäça, and
the Lakñmés in Vaikuëöha are vaibhava-viläsa expansions of Çrématé
Rädhäräné. The wives of Vämana and other avatäras in Devaloka are also
expansions. Durgä-devé in this world is a material expansion.

Käyastha – a particular caste in Hindu society; those born from a

kñatriya father and a südra mother. They are generally welleducated,
and many work as writers. The Käyasthas claim to be descendents of
Citragupta (the scribe of Yamaräja).

käzé – a Muslim magistrate, usually the ruler of a town or city (like a

mayor).

khicaré – a savory dish of rice and dahl boiled together with ghee and
spices.
Khodä – an Islamic term for God.

kértana – congregational singing of Kåñëa’s holy names, sometimes

accompanied by music. This may also refer to loud individual chanting
of the holy name, as well as oral descriptions of Bhagavän names, forms,
qualities, associates, and pastimes. Kértana is the most important of the
nine aìgas of bhakti.

kåñëa-bahirmukha – being oblivious to Çré Kåñëa due to having one’s

attention focused outwardly toward the material world; ignorance of Çré
Kåñëa and enthrallment with material enjoyment.

kåñëa-däsya – service to Kåñëa; the dharma, or spiritual function of the

jéva. In its perfectional state this refers to prema.

kåñëa-lélä – the divine pastimes of Çré Kåñëa (see lélä).

kåñëa-prema – pure love for Kåñëa (see prema).

kåñëa-unmukha – those whose attention is focused upon Kåñëa.

kåñëa-vimukhatä – the state of having one’s attention turned away from

Kåñëa; the state of absorption in the material world.

kñatriya – the second of the four varëas, or castes, in the varëäçrama

system; an administrator or warrior.

kñayonmukha – the decline or diminution of any object or thing; the

stage in which a jéva’s relationship with the material world gradually
diminishes due to engagement in spiritual practice.

kñudra-cetana – possessing minute consciousness; the living entities.

kuïja – a grove or bower; a natural shady retreat with sides and a roof
formed mainly by trees and climbing plants.

kuöicaka – the first of four stages of sannyäsa. According to the Vedic

system, when one first renounces family life, the ascetic will construct a
cottage (kuöéra) just outside his village and will accept the necessities
for his maintenance from his family members or the villagers. This stage
has been referred to in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.12.43). In Çréla
Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura’s commentary on the afore-referenced
çloka, he defines the kuöicaka stage as sväçrama-karma-pradhäna,
predominated by the performance of karma which pertains to one’s own
äçrama, or stage of life.

kuöéra – a cottage or hut.

-L-

laukika – worldly, mundane, secular, pertaining to the material world.

laukika-jïäna – the knowledge of worldly phenomena; worldly

knowledge.

laukika-çraddhä – worldly regard; faith which is based on custom or

tradition and not on a deep understanding of the çästra.

lélä – divine sportive pastimes. Çré Bhagavän’s activities, whether in the

matter of the creation of the material world or in the matter of
transcendental exchanges of love with His bhaktas, are never under the
influence of karma or material nature. They are all manifestations of His
self-willed potencies and are therefore known as lélä, divine sport or
play. These pastimes are heard, described, and meditated upon by
bhaktas as part of the practice of sädhana-bhakti.

lélä-avatära – Kåñëa’s lélä (pastime) manifestations e.g. Nåñiàha,Varäha,

Kürma etc.

lélä-kathä – descriptions or narrations of the Lord’s divine pastimes.

liìga-çaréra – the subtle material body consisting of mind, intelligence,

and ego.

lobhamayé-çraddhä – means that the bhakta wants to serve Kåñëa in one

of the four rasas: däsya, sakhya, vätsalya or mädhurya, following in the
footsteps of the Vrajaväsés. He should be greedy to attain this. That is
called lobhamayé-çraddhä.

loöä – a thin steel container for water.

-M-

mädhavé – a fragrant flower which is white when it blossoms and turns

pink during the course of the day; the vine of the mädhavé flower.

mädhukaré – collecting alms from door to door in the manner of a bee

who collects honey (madhu) by going from flower to flower.

mädhurya – sweetness or beauty. In regard to bhakti this refers to

devotion which is inspired by attraction to Kåñëa’s sweet and intimate
feature as a beautiful young cowherd boy. This type of devotion allows
for the greatest exchange of love between Him and His bhaktas.

mädhurya-rati – love or attachment toward Kåñëa which is expressed in

the mood of a lover.

madhyähna – the third period of the day; mid-day, noon (see añöa-
käléya-lélä).

madhyama-bhakta – the practitioner of bhakti who is on an

intermediate level.

mahäbhäva – the highest stage of prema or divine love. In Ujjvala-

nélamaëi (14.154) mahäbhäva is defined: “When anuräga reaches a
special state of intensity, it is known as bhäva or mahäbhäva. This state
of intensity has three characteristics: (1) anuräga reaches the state of
sva-samvedya, which means that it becomes the object of its own
experience; (2) it becomes prakäçita, radiantly manifest, which means
that all eight sättvika-bhävas become prominently displayed; and (3) it
attains the state of yävad äçraya-våtti, which means that the active
ingredient of this intensified state of anuräga transmits the experience of
Rädhä and Kåñëa’s bhäva to whomever may be present and qualified to
receive it. This includes both the sädhaka and siddha-bhaktas.”

mahäjana – a great personality who teaches and sets an example for

others.

mahänta – the head of a monastery or temple.

Mahäprabhu – the Supreme Lord, Çré Kåñëa Caitanya (also see Caitanya
in the Glossary of Names).
mahä-äkäça – is the great, unlimited sky or space.

mahä-prasäda – see prasäda.

mahätmä – magnanimous or great soul; a title of respect offered to those

elevated in spiritual consciousness.

mahäväkya – principal statements or utterances of the Upaniñads.

Praëava (oà) is the true mahäväkya of the Vedas as established in
Chapter Twelve. However, Çré Çaìkaräcärya has widely broadcast four
aphorisms as mahäväkyas. Therefore, the word mahäväkya has come to
be associated with these expressions: “ahaà brahmäsmi – I am brahma”
(Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad 1.4.10); “tat tvam asi çvetaketo – O
Çvetaketo, you are that” (Chändogya Upaniñad 6.8.7); “prajïänaà
brahma – The supreme knowledge is Brahma” (Aitareya Upaniñad
1.5.3); and “sarvaà khalv idaà brahma – All the universe is Brahma”
(Chändogya Upaniñad 3.14.1).

mälä – see tulasé-mälä.

malphuö – an Islamic term for ignorance.

mälaté – a kind of jasmine flower or its plant.

mämäjé – maternal uncle.

mamatä – literally means ‘my-ness’; attachment or possessiveness.

Mamatä for material objects or persons is the cause of bondage, whereas
mamatä for guru, Vaiñëavas, and spiritual objects is the cause of
liberation; in the spiritual world mamatä is one of the characteristics of
prema.

mäna – consists of the bhävas (such as Çrématé Rädhikä’s jealous anger)

that prevent the näyaka and näyikä from meeting freely, although they
are together, and attracted to each other.

mantra – a mystical çloka composed of the names of Çré Bhagavän which

addresses any individual deity. Mantras are given to a disciple by a guru
at the time of dékñä. The question may be raised that since bhagavan-
näma is independent, how can mantras, which are composed of the
names of the Lord (bhagavan-näma), be dependent upon dékñä?
Çréla Jéva Gosvämé has discussed this question in Bhaktisandarbha
(Anuccheda 284). He says that mantras are bhagavannämätmikä. This
means that mantras are composed of the names of Çré Bhagavän. The
difference is that mantras also contain some special words like nama,
svähä, and kléà. Çré Bhagavän and the åñis have invested mantras with
special power by which those mantras reveal one’s own specific
relationship with Kåñëa. Therefore it may seem that mantras are
endowed with some special potencies that are not invested in näma. A
contradiction arises because if bhagavan-näma (which is lacking these
special attributes) is able to bestow the supreme object of attainment
(parama-puruñärtha) without any need for dékñä, how is it that mantras
are dependent on dékñä when they are even more powerful than näma?

Çréla Jéva Gosvämé analyzes that by the constitutional nature of mantras,

they are not dependent on dékñä. Nonetheless, people in general are
influenced by the bodily conception and their hearts are polluted with
abominable desires. In order to curb these tendencies, the åñis have
established regulations to be followed in the arcaëa-märga. Otherwise,
by constitutional nature, there is no difference between näma and
mantra in the matter of their independence of any formalities.

Näma, being non-different from nämé, or Bhagavän Himself, is already

invested with all potencies. Therefore in actuality, the glory of näma is
superior to that of mantras. Yet

Jéva Gosvämé says that the dékñä-mantras are invested with the power to
reveal the sädhakas’ specific relationship with the Lord – çré bhägavatä
samam ätma-sambandha-viçeña-pratipädakäç ca (Bhakti-sandarbha,
Anuccheda 284).

The same thing is stated in Anuccheda 283: divyaà-jïänaà hy atra

çrémati mantre bhagavat-svarüpa-jïänaà tena bhagavatä sambandha-
viçeña-jïänaà ca (see dékñä). This means that when a guru who is
situated on the platform of bhäva gives dékñä, the mantras are invested
with the knowledge of Bhagavän’s svarüpa and knowledge of one’s
specific relationship with Him. Therefore, those who are desiring to
attain the prema-sevä of Çré Kåñëa in Vraja in one of the four
relationships of däsya, sakhya, vätsalya, or madhura should accept
dékñä-mantras from a guru who is established in one of these moods.
Manu-saàhitä – a religious çästra spoken by the forefather of mankind
Manu, delineating the codes of behavior for all human beings.

mäyä – illusion; that which is not; Çré Bhagavän’s external potency

which influences the living entities to accept the false egoism of being
independent enjoyers of this material world.

mäyä-çakti – the potency that creates bewilderment, which is

responsible for the manifestation of the material world, time, and
material activities.

Mäyäväda – the doctrine of illusion; a theory advocated by the

impersonalist followers of Çaìkaräcärya which holds that the Lord’s
form, this material world, and the individual existence of the living
entitities are mäyä, or false.

Mäyävädé – one who advocates the doctrine of illusion (see Mäyäväda).

mäyä-vikrama – see mäyä-çakti.

mäyika-tattva – the fundamental truth concerning Bhagavän’s deluding

potency, which relates to the material world. One of the aspects of
sambandha-jïäna.

Mémäàsä – a philosophical doctrine which has two divisions: (1)

pürva, or karma-mémäàsä founded by Jaiminé, which advocates that by
carrying out the ritualistic karma of the Vedas, one can attain the
celestial planets; and (2) uttara-mémäàsä founded by Bädaräyaëa
Vyäsadeva, which deals with the nature of Brahma. (See pürva-
mémäàsä and uttara-mémäàsä). Mémäàsaka – a philosopher. One who
adheres to the Mémäàsä philosophical doctrine of which there are two
divisions. This usually refers to those who follow the karma-mémäàsä
of Jaimini.

Mémäàsä-çästra – (1) a çästra which ascertains fundamental

philosophical truths through analytical examination. (2) çästra dealing
with a branch of Vedic philosophy (see Mémäàsä).

miçra – mixed, adulterated.

mithyä-abhimäna – false egoism; identification with the gross and

subtle material bodies.
mleccha – derived from the sanskrit root mlech meaning to utter
indistinctly (sanskrit) – a foreigner; non-Äryan; a man of an outcaste
race; any non-Sanskrit-speaking person who does not conform to the
Hindu social and religious customs.

mokña – see mukti.

mådaìga – a double-headed clay drum which is used in the

performance of devotional songs.

mujarrad – an Islamic term for spirit or consciousness.

mukta-daçä – the liberated state.

mukta-jéva – the liberated soul; those who are liberated from the
influence of material nature while still residing in this world, or those
who reside in the spiritual world.

mukti – liberation from material existence. There are five types of

liberation: (1) särüpya, obtaining the same form as Bhagavän; (2)
sämépya, living in close proximity to Bhagavän; (3) sälokya, living on
the same planet as Bhagavän; (4) särñöi, having the same opulence as
Bhagavän; and (5) säyujya, becoming one with Çré Bhagavän either by
merging into His body or by merging into His Brahma effulgence. The
last type is vehemently rejected by the bhaktas. Although the other four
types of mukti are sometimes accepted by bhaktas as they are not
entirely incompatible with bhakti, they are never accepted by those who
are fixed on attaining unalloyed love for Çré Kåñëa in Vraja.

mukulita-cetana – budding consciousness. This refers to human beings

whose consciousness is superior to that of lower lifeforms, but who are
devoid of morality and ethics. It also refers to those who have a
conventional sense of morality, but who have no faith in God.

mullah – Muslim religious scholar

mumukñä – the desire for liberation.

mumukñu – a person who is seeking liberation.

mürti – the Deity form of Çré Bhagavän.

-N-

nagara – a town or city.

nagara-saìkértana – act of singing religious songs in procession through

a city or village.

naimittika-dharma – the temporary or circumstantial function of an

object or conscious being; that which relates to one’s acquired nature;
circumstantial duty or religion.

naimittika-karma – occasional religious duties induced by specific

circumstances.

naimittika-sukåti – pious actions which bear temporary results; pious

actions leading to material enjoyment, opulence, acquisition of
knowledge, and mystic powers.

naiñöhika-brahmacäré – one who accepts a life-long vow of celibacy.

naitika – that which is related to morality and ethics (see néti).

näma – the holy name of Kåñëa, chanted by bhaktas as the main limb of
the practice of sädhana-bhakti.

näma-bhajana – the practice of chanting the holy name softly to oneself

on tulasé beads.

nämäbhäsa – a semblance of the holy name. The stage of chanting in

which one is becoming cleared of sins and offenses but has not yet
attained pure chanting.

näma-aparädha – offensive chanting of the holy name, or chanting of

the holy name which is subject to the ten kinds of näma-aparädha (see
Chapter 24).

näma-rasa – transcendental taste which comes from chanting the holy

name.

näma-saìkértana – the practice of chanting the holy name of Kåñëa,

especially congregational chanting.
nämañkära – offering obeisance, or the act of offering adoration, praise
or reverence. Obeisance to Çré Bhagavän is of four types: (1) abhivädana,
salutation or bowing; (2) añöaìga, prostrated obeisance performed with
eight parts of the body (two hands, two feet, two knees, the chest, and
the forehead); (3) païcaìga, obeisance performed with five parts of the
body (two knees, two arms, and the forehead); and (4) kara-çira-
saàyoga, obeisance by joining the hands to the head and bowing.

Nämé – Çré Bhagavän; the person addressed by the name.

namäz – a system of Muslim prayer

nara-mätram – refer to all human beings, regardless of caste, creed, or

material designation.

Näräyaëa – an expansion of Çré Kåñëa. The opulent Lord of Vaikuëöha.

navadhä-bhakti – nine primary types of bhakti: çravaëam, kértanam,

viñëu-smaraëam, päda-sevanam, arcanam, vandanam, däsyam,
sakhyam, and ätma-nivedanam – hearing, chanting, and remembering
the glories of Kåñëa, serving His lotus feet, worshiping Him, praying to
Him, carrying out His orders in the mood of a servant, making friends
with Him, and offering one’s very self to Him (see under the individual
headings for more information on each of these).

nimitta – a cause, reason, motive, instrument, or agent.

nirapekña – literally means independent, or one who is without needs; a

Vaiñëava who is detached from all material enjoyment and the
designations associated with varëäçrama.

nirbheda – undifferentiated; that which is devoid of distinguishing

characteristics or qualities; often used as an adjective to describe the
impersonal Brahma.

nirbheda-brahma-jïäné – one who seeks to attain the impersonal

Brahma through the process of monistic knowledge.

nirguëa – free from the influence of the material qualities of goodness,

passion, and ignorance. In relationship to Çré Kåñëa, this implies that He
is endowed with transcendental qualities.
nirväëa – extinction, disappearance, dissolution; final emancipation
from matter and re-union with the Supreme Spirit; Mäyäväda
conception – absolute extinction or annihilation of individual existence.

niçänta-lélä – Kåñëa’s daily pastimes are divided into eight periods.

Niçänta-lélä takes place at the end of night just prior to dawn (see añöa-
käléya-lélä).

nisarga – the acquired nature of a thing; that nature which is acquired

through long association or identification; the distorted nature of a
thing.

niñöhä – firm faith; steadiness in one’s devotional practices. This is the

fourth stage in the development of the creeper of bhakti. Niñöhä occurs
after the elimination of the major portion of one’s anarthas.

néti – moral science, ethics, social morality, moral conduct or behavior;

political wisdom or science.

nitya – eternal; invariable; daily; that which has no beginning and no

end.

nitya-dharma – the eternal characteristic function of a thing, or that

which relates to its eternal constitutional function.

nitya-karma – daily obligatory religious duties.

nitya-satya – eternal truth or reality.

nitya-sukåti – pious deeds which bear eternal results; pious deeds which
foster the eternal function of bhakti, such as the association of bhaktas
and contact with acts of devotion.

nitya-tattva – eternal truth, reality or philosophical principle.

nivåtti-märga – the path of detachment or abstinence from material

fruitive action and ritualistic religion.

Nyäya – the philosophy dealing with a logical analysis of reality, also

known as nyäya-darçana. This system of philosophy was founded by
Mahaåñi Gautama (see Gautama in the Glossary of Names).
Nyäya-darçana accepts sixteen principles: (1) pramäëa, or evidence, the
means to obtain factual knowledge; (2) prameya, or that which is to be
ascertained by real knowledge; (3) saàçaya, or doubt about the point to
be discussed; (4) prayojana, or a motive for discussing the point in
question; (5) dåñöänta, or citing instances or examples; (6) siddhänta, or
demonstrated conclusion of an argument; (7) avayava, or component
parts of a logical argument or syllogism; (8) tarka, or persuasive
reasoning; (9) nirëaya, or deduction, conclusion, application of a
conclusive argument; (10) väda, or thesis, argument, proposition; (11)
jalpa, or striking disputation, reply to defeat the argument of the
opposition; (12) vitaëòä, or destructive criticism, idle carping at the
assertions of another without attempting to prove the opposite side of
the question; (13) hetv-äbhäsa, or fallacy, the mere appearance of a
reason; (14) chala, or deceitful disputation, perverting the sense of the
opposing party’s words; (15) jäti, or logic based merely on false
similarity or dissimilarity; and (16) nigraha-sthäna, or a weak point in
an argument or fault in a syllogism.

According to nyäya-darçana, misery is of nineteen types: the material

body, the six senses including the mind, the six objects of the senses,
and the six transformations – birth, growth, production, maintenance,
dwindling, and death. In addition to these, happiness is considered as
the twentieth form of misery because it is simply a transformed state of
distress. The Naiyäyikas, adherents of the nyäya-darçana, accept the
following four types of evidence: (1) pratyakña, direct perception; (2)
anumäna, inference; (3) upamäna, comparison; and (4) çabda, the
authority of the Vedas.

The nyäya-darçana accepts the existence of eternal infinitesimal

particles known as paramäëu. These, they claim, are the fundamental
ingredients from which the creation has sprung. But in order for the
creation to take place, there is need of an administrator who is known
as Éçvara, Çré Bhagavän. Bhagavän creates the world by setting the
atomic particles in motion. Like these atomic particles, Éçvara is eternal
and without beginning. Although the Naiyäyikas accept the existence of
Éçvara, they do not believe that He personally carries out the creation.
He is merely the primeval cause. By His desire, the atoms are set into
motion whereupon they create all the subtle and gross elements from
which the creation comes about.
According to the nyäya-darçana, the jévas are innumerable, eternal, and
without beginning. The Naiyäyikas do not think that the jévas are of the
nature of consciousness, but that they are only substantive entities
which may be associated with intellectual, volitional, or emotional
qualities as a result of a proper combination of causes and conditions.
The nyäyadarçana advocates that the jéva and Éçvara are two entirely
separate truths. The jéva’s material existence is due to karma. The
creation occurs under the influence of karma, and within the creation
the jévas suffer the reactions of their karma. Éçvara’s sole function is to
set the creation in motion and to reward the results of karma.

The Naiyäyikas say that the jéva can attain liberation from material
existence through philosophical knowledge of the sixteen principles.
They define mukti as complete cessation of material misery. There is no
factual happiness in mukti. In this liberated condition the jéva is as if
unconscious.

nyäya-çästra – the çästras dealing with a logical analysis of [Link]

precepts of nyäya are mostly explained through analogies drawn from
an analysis of common objects such as a clay pot (ghaöa) and a piece of
cloth (paöa); these words are repeatedly encountered in discussions of
nyäya.

-P-

päda-sevanam – literally means ‘to serve the feet.’ However, the

question arises as to how a sädhaka can serve the feet of the Lord.
Therefore, in his Krama Sandarbha commentary on Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
Jéva Gosvämé has defined päda-sevanam as follows: “päda-seväyäà päda
çabdo bhakty eva nirdiñöa tata

seväyäà sädaratvaà vidhéyate – In the term päda-sevä the word päda

refers only to bhakti. The word sevä indicates that this bhakti, or
service, should be done with great love and respect.”

To take darçana of the Deity, to touch the Deity, to do parikramä of the

Deity, to follow the Deity in a procession, to visit the Lord’s temples or
holy places such as the Gaìgä, Puruñottama-kñetra, Dvärakä, and
Mathurä; to observe festivals, and to serve the Vaiñëavas and tulasé are
all included in pädasevanam. This is one of the nine primary aìgas of
bhakti.

païca-mahäpäpa – killing a brähmaëa, drinking intoxicating liquors,

theft, committing adultary with the wife of çré guru and associating with
anyone guilty of these crimes.

païcopäsana – worship of the five deities – Sürya, Gaëeña, Çakti, Çiva,

and Viñëu.

paëòita – paëòä means ‘the intelligence of one who is enlightened by

knowledge of the çästra’, and the word paëòita refers to one who has
such intelligence.

päpa – sin.

Parabrahma – the Supreme Brahma, the source of the Brahma

effulgence, Çré Bhagavän.

paräk-våtti – the tendency to be focused outward toward the external

world or toward the senses and sense objects.

päralaukika – that which concerns the next world; extra-mundane;

spiritual.

parama-dharma – the supreme or ultimate function of the jéva.

parama-guru – grand-spiritual master; the guru of one’s guru.

paramahaàsa – the fourth and final stage of sannyäsa, which has been
referred to as niñkriya (freedom from all material obligations) in
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.12.43). In his commentary on this çloka, Çréla
Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura has defined niñkriyä as präpta-tattva,
realization of the Supreme Absolute Truth.

paramärtha – the highest truth; spiritual knowledge; the highest object

of attainment.

päramärthika – that which relates to the supreme spiritual truth or

ultimate reality; real, essential, true; that which relates to a higher
object.
Paramätmä – the Supersoul situated in the hearts of all living entities as
the witness and source of remembrance, knowledge, and forgetfulness.

paramätma-pravåtti – the tendency of the jéva to seek Kåñëa in the

heart, who is known as Paramätmä.

parä-çakti – Çré Bhagavän’s superior potency which has three divisions:

cit, taöasthä, and mäyä.

Paravyoma – means ‘the spiritual sky’. Generally this refers to the region
of the spiritual sky where the Vaikuëöha planets reside.

päöha-çälä – literally means a school in which four subjects (päöha) are

taught. These four subjects refer to the study of the four Vedas or the
four subjects – Sanskrit grammar, rhetoric, logic, and philosophy.

phalgu-vairägya – futile renunciation; renunciation which is

unfavorable to bhakti. This is defined in Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu
(1.2.256): “When people who desire liberation give up objects which
are related to Kåñëa, considering them to be material, their renunciation
is known as phalgu-vairägya.” Jéva Gosvämé has explained in his
commentary that this especially refers to giving up prasäda, or remnants
of food and other articles offered to Him. This giving up of prasäda is of
two types: never requesting Kåñëa’s prasäda, and refusing it when it
comes unsolicited. The second one in particular is considered to be an
offense and therefore unfavorable to bhakti.

piëòa – riceballs or flour cake offered to the Pitåis, or deceased

ancestors; a çräddha oblation.

prabhu – master or Lord.

prabhu-tattva – the fundamental truth concerning Bhagavän, who is the

master of the living entities and of material nature. This is one of the
aspects of sambandha-jïäna.

prädeçika – regional, territorial, provincial. This comes from the word

pradeça, a province. When it is used in reference to particular
statements of the Vedas, it means that which is limited to a particular
context, or that which defines only a partial aspect of a concept. This is
in contrast to mahäväkyas which are statements defining the underlying
essence of the entire Vedas (see mahäväkya in this Glossary).
prahara – a day is divided into eight periods known as prahara, each
roughly three hours in duration.

prakäça – a particular type of manifestation of Bhagavän; when a single

form is manifest in many places simultaneously and each of these forms
is identical in terms of bodily features, qualities, and pastimes, such a
manifestation is called prakäça.

präkåta-bhakta – an unrefined or undeveloped bhakta; refers to the

kaniñöha, or neophyte bhakta‚ who worships the Deity with faith but
who renders no service to the Kåñëa’s bhaktas.

prakåti – (1) nature, the material world, the power that creates and
regulates the world; (2) matter as opposed to puruña, spirit; (3) the
primordial female energy, a woman or womankind.

Prakåti Devé – the goddess of nature.

präëa-nätha – literally means the Lord of one’s life, but it carries the
sense of one who is infinitely more dear than life itself.

präëé – a living or sentient being. Präëé comes from the word präëa
which means the breath of life or vital air. That which is living,
breathing, or possessed of vital air is called präëé.

prapatti – surrender or submission to Çré Bhagavän.

prärabdha-karma – the results of previous activities which have already

begun to bear fruit.

prasäda – literally means ‘mercy;’ especially refers to the remnants of

food offered to the Deity; may also refer to the remnants of other articles
offered to the Deity such as incense, flowers, garlands, and clothing.

pratibimba-bhakti-äbhäsa – a reflective semblance of bhakti.

This refers to those who adopt the practices of bhakti with a desire for
material enjoyment and especially liberation. Because these people have
no faith in Kåñëa and no desire to please Him, their semblance of bhakti
is of the nature of an image which is disconnected from its object, and is
therefore compared to a reflection.

pratyak-våtti – the tendency to be focused inward toward the soul.

pravåtti-märga – the path of fruitive action or ritualistic religion which
yields material piety and the facility to enjoy this material world.

prayojana – a goal or object of attainment. In terms of bhakti, this refers

to the ultimate goal, kåñëa-prema.

prema – (1) love for Kåñëa which is extremely concentrated, which

completely melts the heart, and which gives rise to a deep sense of
mamatä, or possessiveness, in relation to the Lord (this is the general
definition of prema given in Bhaktirasämåta-sindhu, 1.4.1); (2) When
rati becomes firmly rooted and unchecked by any obstacle it is known
as prema. When some cause arises that could conceivably ruin the
relationship between the lover and beloved and yet their bond remains
completely unaffected, such an intimate loving relationship is known as
prema. When prema is augmented, it is gradually transformed into
sneha, mäna, praëaya, räga, anuräga, and bhäva (Ujjvala-nélamaëi
14.59.63).

prema-bhakti – a stage of bhakti which is characterised by the

appearance of prema (see above); the perfectional stage of devotion; the
eighth and fully blossomed state of the bhaktilatä.

prema-dharma – the religion which has as its goal the attainment of

unalloyed love for Çré Kåñëa.

premädhikära – eligibility for the unalloyed loving service of Çré

Bhagavän.

préti – love for Kåñëa which is also known as prema or bhakti. Çréla Jéva
Gosvämé has defined préti in his Préti-sandarbha (Anuccheda 65): “tasyä
hlädinyä eva käpi sarvänandätiçäyiné våttir-nityaà bhakta-våndeñv eva
nikñipyamäëä bhagavatprétyäkhyayä varttate – When the eternal
pleasure-giving faculty of the hlädiné potency, which alone has the
power to bring supreme delight to Kåñëa, manifests in the bhakta’s
heart, it is known as bhagavat-préti, or love for Bhagavän.” The
symptom of this préti is an uninterrupted desire to please the object of
préti, Çré Kåñëa.

påthak – distinct; different.

Puräëas – the eighteen historical supplements to the Vedas.

Pürëa-Brahma – the complete Brahma who is the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Bhagavän. Bhagavän is pürna, the complete reality.
Brahma, because it is the bodily effulgence of Bhagavän, is an aspect of
that reality.

pürëa-cetana – possessing full consciousness; Çré Bhagavän.

pürëa-çakti – complete potency.

pürëa-vikasita-cetana – fully blossomed consciousness. This refers to

the bhäva-bhaktas, or those who have awakened deep attachment and
love for Bhagavän.

puruña – (1) the primeval being as the soul and original source of the
universe, the Supreme Being or Soul of the universe; (2) the animating
principle in living beings, the soul, spirit as opposed to prakåti, or
matter; (3) a male or mankind.

puruñärtha – the goals of human attainment. In the Vedic çästras these

are classified into four categories: (1) dharma, religious duty; (2) artha,
acquisition of wealth; (3) käma, satisfaction of material desires; and (4)
mokña, liberation from material existence. Beyond all of these is the
development of unalloyed love for the Supreme Lord, who is the
embodiment of spiritual bliss and transcendental rasa. This is known as
paramapuruñärtha, the supreme object of attainment.

Pürva-mémäàsä – the philosophy established by Mahaåñi Jaimini, also

known as jaimini-darçana (see Jaimini in the Glossary of Names). To
thoroughly examine a topic and arrive at a conclusion is known as
mémäàsä. Mémäàsä comes from the verbal root man, ‘to think, reflect
or consider.’ Because in his book, Mahaåñi Jaimini has established the
correct interpretation of the Vedic statements and how they may be
decided through logical analysis, this book is known as
mémäàsägrantha. The Vedas have two divisions: pürva-käëòa (the first
part), dealing with Vedic karma; and uttarä-käëòa (the latter part),
dealing with the Upaniñads or Vedänta. Since Jaimini’s book deals with
an analysis of the first part of the Vedas, it is called pürva-mémäàsä. As
Jaimini’s philosophy deals exclusively with an analysis of Vedic karma,
it is also known as karma-mémäàsä.

Jaimini has minutely examined how Vedic ritualistic karma is to be

performed and what its results are. He has accepted the Vedas as
apauruñeya (not created by any man), beginningless, and eternal. His
philosophy is established on the basis of the Vedas. However, he has
given prominence only to Vedic karma. He states that the jévas are
meant to performVedic karma only. By proper performance of Vedic
karma, one can obtain parama-puruñärtha, the supreme goal, which in
his opinion refers to the attainment of the celestial planets.

In Jaimini’s view, the visible world is anädi, without beginning, and it

does not undergo destruction. Consequently, there is no need for an
omniscient and omnipotent Éçvara to carry out the creation,
maintenance, and destruction of the world. Jaimini accepts the existence
of pious and sinful karma. According to his doctrine, karma
automatically yields the results of its own actions. Therefore, there is no
need for an Éçvara to award the results of karma.

putra – a son; one who delivers his forefathers from the hell known as
put.

-R-

räga – a deep attachment which is permeated by spontaneous and

intense absorption in the object of one’s affection. The primary
characteristic of räga is a deep and overpowering thirst for the object of
one’s affection. The desire for water is called thirst. When the body is
deprived of water, thirst arises. The greater the thirst, the greater the
longing for water. When this thirst reaches the point that without water
one can no longer maintain the body, it is known as an overpowering
thirst. Similarly, when the loving thirst to please the object of one’s
affection becomes so intense that in the absence of such service one is
on the verge of giving up his life, it is known as räga.

räga-märga – the path of rägä, or spontaneous attachment (see

rägänugä).

rägamayé-bhakti – bhakti which is permeated with räga, or spontaneous

affection. Rägamayé-bhakti is not within sädhana. It refers to the stage
after prema has arisen. In the beginning, there is prema, which then
develops into sneha, mäna, praëaya, räga, anuräga, bhäva, and
mahäbhäva. When prema attains the state of räga it is called rägamayé. It
comes after one takes his birth in the womb of a gopé and attains the
association of Kåñëa’s rägätmikä-bhaktas. By that association, first
prema will come and then it will gradually evolve to the stage of räga
and on up to mahäbhäva. The word tåñëä used here means ‘thirst’ to
drink Kåñëa, His form (rüpa), taste (rasa), smell (gandha), sound
(çabda), and touch (sparça). The word premamayé is a general term that
can indicate the stage of prema anywhere in its development from the
stage of sneha right up to the stage of mahäbhäva.

rägänugä-bhakti – that bhakti which follows in the wake of the

rägätmika nature, which is present in the hearts of the Lord’s eternal
associates in Vraja, is known as rägänugä-bhakti.

rägänugä-prakåti – nature which impels one to follow the soul’s

spontaneous attraction toward Kåñëa. When the intelligence is liberated
from the bondage of mäyä, human nature no longer needs to be
governed by rules and prohibitions; rather, it is prompted by
spontaneous love. The rägänugä nature is the unadulterated nature of
the jéva. It is svabhäva-siddha (the perfected state of the self), cinmaya
(transcendental), and jaòa-mukta (free from bondage to dull matter).

rägänugä-sädhana – Çré Rüpa Gosvämé’s conclusions regarding the

method for performing rägänugä-bhajana are stated in Bhakti-rasämåta-
sindhu (1.2.294–296) as follows: “One should constantly remember
one’s dearest nava-kiçora Çré Nandanandana and the beloved associates
of Kåñëa who are possessed of sajätéya-bhäva, or the identical mood for
which one aspires. One should always reside in Çré Vraja-dhäma with
great attachment for hearing topics regarding Kåñëa and His devotees. If
one is physically unable to live in Vraja, one should do so mentally.
This is the method of rägänugä-bhaktisädhana.”

Çré Rüpa Gosvämé continues: “A sädhaka who has lobha for rägänugä-
bhakti should serve Çré Kåñëa both in the sädhakarüpa and the siddha-
rüpa in accordance with the bhäva of the vraja-parikaras who possess
the same mood for which he aspires. The aìgas (limbs) of bhakti such
as çravana, kértana, çré guru-padäçraya, and others in regard to vaidhé-
bhakti, are also useful and necessary in rägänugä-bhakti. But judicious
sädhakas will adopt only those aìgas which nourish their specific
bhäva, avoiding those which hamper it.”

Examples of the aìgas of bhakti in regard to rägänugä-sädhana are as

follows: Çravaëam in madhura-rasa means that one will hear how a
maidservant serves Lalitä, Viçäkhä, and Çré Çré Rädhä and Kåñëa. Kértana
means that one will learn how to do pati-vaïcanam, that is speaking
sweet words to the husband in order to cheat him and go to participate
in the lélä of Rädhä and Kåñëa. Smaraëam means to remember how
Lalitä and Viçäkhä are rendering service to Çrématé Rädhäräëé.
Pädasevanam means to take Çrématé Rädhäräëé to meet with Kåñëa at
night. Arcanam is done with the corner of the eyes. When Kåñëa is
returning from the cow-pastures with the cowherd boys and the cows,
all the gopés are standing at their doorsteps doing arcana with the
corner of their eyes. Everything is there; the flame is there, water is
there, sneha, mäna, praëaya, and everything else is also there. Kåñëa
also accepts their worship with the corner of His eyes. This is called
arcana.

Ätma-nivedanam means gopéjana-vallabhäya svähä: “I am the

maidservant of Rädhä and Kåñëa, and I am offering my entire being to
Them.”

rägätmika – one in whose heart there naturally and eternally exists a

deep spontaneous desire to love and serve Çré Kåñëa; one whose bhakti
is permeated with räga. This specifically refers to the eternal residents of
Vraja, who are attracted to Çré Kåñëa in a mood of intimate love, free
from any conception of the Lord’s opulence or majesty (aiçvarya-jïäna).

rajas – see rajo-guëa.

räjasika – of the nature of rajo-guëa.

rajo-guëa – the quality or nature of living beings which is characterised

by intense activity and passion.

Räma-navamé – the appearance day of Çré Räma which occurs on the

ninth day of the light lunar fortnight of the month of Caitra (March–
April).

raïjakatä – in Chapter Twenty-one raïjakatä is used to mean attraction.

The special implication is that a person’s heart becomes ‘colored’, or
dyed very thoroughly by an object due to his strong attachment for it.
That is the state of räga. When the person sees the beautiful object, his
vision at once becomes drawn to it, and his heart becomes colored.
Then, even if the beautiful object goes out of his sight, still his heart
continues to perceive it everywhere. The coloring of the heart is called
raïjakatä and the strong attachment that is established in the heart
when the consciousness becomes dyed in this way is known as räga.

rasa – (1) the spiritual transformation of the heart which takes place
when the perfectional state of love for Kåñëa, known as rati, is converted
into liquid emotions by combination with various types of
transcendental ecstasies. In Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (2.1.5) bhakti-rasa
is defined: “When the sthäyibhäva, or the permanent emotion of the
heart in one of the five primary relationships of neutrality, servitude,
friendship, parental affection, or conjugal love, mixes with vibhäva,
anubhäva, sättvika-bhäva, and vyabhicärébhäva, thus producing an
extraordinary taste in the heart of the bhakta, it is called bhakti-rasa.”

The explanation of bhakti as rasa is the unique contribution of Çréla

Rüpa Gosvämé. The common view is that rasa applies to the emotional
experience of poetry or drama. This theory of rasa originated from the
Näöya-çästra of Bharata Muni, a famous work on Sanskrit poetics and
drama. Rüpa Gosvämé’s explanation of how rasa is generated is exactly
in accordance with Bharata Muni’s definition; yet he has explained the
experience of rasa in terms of bhakti, or love for Kåñëa. Thus, there is
both a transcendental and secular conception of rasa. (2) the state of
aesthetic consciousness.

rasaräja – the emperor of rasa; one who is supreme in relishing the

mellows of rasa; this is a name for Çré Kåñëa who is akhilarasämåta-
mürti, the embodiment of the essence of all rasa.

rasika-bhakta – one who is able to relish bhakti-rasa within his heart. At

the stage of bhäva, a bhakta’s heart becomes infused with çuddha-sattva
from the heart of one of Kåñëa’s eternal associates in Vraja. This çuddha-
sattva is then known as kåñëarati, the first dawning of divine love.
When this permanent sentiment of love combines with other ecstatic
emotions, it generates the unique experience of bhakti-rasa. One who is
eligible to taste this rasa is known as a rasika-bhakta.

rati – (1) attachment, fondness for; (2) a stage in the development of

bhakti which is synonymous with bhäva (see bhävabhakti).

riraàsä – means the desire to taste Kåñëa for one’s own enjoyment, not
for Kåñëa’s pleasure. If that riraàsä is to please Kåñëa, then it comes in
the category of käma and prema. Riraàsä should be present in
kämänuga, whether it is tat-tadbhäva-icchämayé or sambhoga-
icchämayé; riraàsä is present in both. Riraàsä is present in tad-tad-
bhäva-icchämayé, but it is tasted when the gopés and Kåñëa meet
together. And in sambhoga-icchämayé, the gopés are meeting with Kåñëa
in order to please Him. Riraàsä is also present in Kubjä, but only to
satisfy herself. Riraàsä is not for one’s personal enjoyment in
sambhoga-icchämayé and tat-tad-bhäva-icchämayé.

If one has this riraàsä toward Kåñëa and is practicing strictly according
to vaidhé-bhakti then he will attain to the class of Kåñëa’s queens in
Dvärakä. In vaidhé-bhakti one worships Lakñmé-Näräyaëa. Sädhakas
who have riraàsä towards Kåñëa will attain Kåñëa, but their käma will
be of the nature of Dvärakä, so they will follow the mahiñés (queens).
Vaidhé means to be married by çästra-vidhi. In the vaidhé-bhäva, one
desires to have Kåñëa as one’s husband. One may desire the Kåñëa of
Vraja, but there is no marriage in Vraja. Therefore, one cannot obtain
Vraja bhäva; instead, one will attain Dvärakä.

åñi – a great sage learned in the Vedas.

ruci – taste. This is the fifth stage in the development of the creeper of
bhakti. Ruci develops after one has acquired steadiness in bhajana. At
this stage, with the awakening of actual taste, one’s attraction to
spiritual matters, such as hearing, chanting, and other such devotional
practices, exceeds one’s attraction to any type of material activity.

rüh – an Islamic term for the soul.

rüh-mujarrad – an Islamic term for the liberated soul.

-S-

sac-cid-änanda – that which is composed of sat (eternal existence), cit

(full spiritual consciousness), and änanda (spiritual bliss); often refers
to the transcendental form of Çré Kåñëa.

Çacénandana – a name for Caitanya Mahäprabhu; the son of mother Çacé

(see Caitanya in the Glossary of Names).
sädhaka – one who follows a spiritual discipline to achieve a specific
goal. In this book this especially refers to a practitioner of bhakti.

sädhana – the method one adopts in order to obtain a specific goal is

called sädhana. Without sädhana one cannot obtain sädhya, the goal of
one’s practice. There are many different types of sädhana corresponding
to various goals. Those who desire material enjoyment adopt the path of
karma as their sädhana. Those who desire liberation adopt the path of
jïäna as their sädhana. Those who aspire for the eternal loving service
of Çré Kåñëa adopt the path of bhakti as their sädhana. The sädhana of
bhakti refers to spiritual practices such as hearing, chanting, and so on.

sädhana-bhakti – the practising stage of devotion; a stage of bhakti in

which the various spiritual disciplines performed for the satisfaction of
Çré Kåñëa are undertaken through the medium of the senses for the
purpose of bringing about the manifestation of bhäva, or spiritual
prema.

sädhana-catuñöaya – the four types of sädhana (mentioned in Chapter

twelve): (1) nityänitya-vastu-viveka, discriminating between eternal and
temporary objects; (2) ihänutra-phalabhoga-viräga, detachment from
enjoying the results of this life and the next life; (3) çama-damädi sat-
sampatti, the six types of opulences headed by control over the mind
and senses; and (4) mumukñä, the desire for liberation.

sädhu – derived from the verbal root sädh meaning ‘to go straight to the
goal (like an arrow),’ or ‘to succeed.’ Thus, sädhu means ‘one who is
straight forward and speaks the truth unaffected by social convention,
as does sädhana, the process of going straight to the goal.’ Although in a
general sense this may be translated as a religious person or a bhakta, it
refers to bhaktas who are highly advanced. Such bhaktas are also known
as mahat (great souls) or bhägavata (bhaktas who embody the
characteristics of Bhagavän). Their symptoms are described as follows
(Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.2–3): “mahäntas te sama-cittä praçäntä
vimanyava suhåda sädhavo ye, ye vä mayéçe kåta-sauhådärthä janeñu
dehambhara-värtikeñu gåheñu jäyätmaja-rätimatsu na préti-yuktä yävad-
arthäç ca loke – “The mahat, or great souls, are endowed with the
following qualities: They see all jévas with equal vision. They are fully
peaceful because their intelligence is firmly fixed in Kåñëa. They are
devoid of anger. They are well-wishing friends to all jévas. They are
sädhus, meaning that they never consider others‘ faults. They are firmly
established in a loving relationship with the Supreme Lord, and they
consider prema to be the supreme object of attainment. They do not
consider any other object to be worthy of interest. They have no
attachment for people who are absorbed in material enjoyment, nor for
wife, children, wealth, or home. They have no desire to accumulate
wealth beyond what is necessary to maintain their body for the service
of Çré Kåñëa.”

sädhu-saìga – the association of highly advanced bhaktas who possess

the qualities described above. The word sädhu-saìga does not mean
merely to be in the proximity of advanced bhaktas; it means to seek
them out, to remain with them, to offer them obeisances, to serve them
as far as possible, to hear spiritual instructions from them, to perform
spiritual practices under their direction, to follow in their footsteps, and
to conduct one’s life according to their instructions.

In Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.91) Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé specifically

defines what type of sädhu-saìga we should seek out – sajätéyäçaye
snigdhe sädhau saìgaù svato vare. He says that we should associate with
bhaktas who are significantly more advanced than ourselves, who are
soft hearted, and who are established in the mood of service to Kåñëa for
which we individually aspire. This is the first development of the
creeper of bhakti after its inception in the form of çraddhä.

sädhya – the object or goal which is desired by a person and for the
attainment of which he undergoes a suitable process, is known as
sädhya. There are many different types of sädhyas, or objects of
attainment, and these are generally grouped into four categories:
dharma (religiosity), artha (economic development), käma (material
enjoyment), and mokña (liberation). The sädhya-vastu, or object of
attainment, for the bhaktas is bhagavat-préti, love for the Supreme Lord.
This is also known as prema. Bhakti, or prema, being an eternal
function of Çré Bhagavän’s svarüpa-çakti, is not produced by anything.
Yet, when the bhakta’s heart is purified by performing sädhanabhakti, it
becomes fit to receive the manifestation of His hlädiné or pleasure giving
potency. At that time Kåñëa manifests this potency in the bhakta’s heart
and it becomes known as bhagavatpréti (see préti and puruñärtha).

sädhya, susiddha, siddha and ari – These are four kinds of doña (faults)
calculated according to jyotiña-çästra concerning the nature of a çiñya in
accordance with his pürva-karma. Some of them appear to be good
qualities, but from the absolute perspective, anyone who takes a
material birth has fault. In this context sädhya indicates that the
candidate has the adhikära to attain prema-bhakti if he endeavors fully
in this life. Susiddha has the adhikära to attain perfection with very little
endeavor and siddha has somewhat less adhikära than him. Ari
indicates that the çiñya has so many ari (inauspicious planets) in his
chart that almost any endeavor he makes for bhakti will simply create
further hindrances. However, when these four kinds of çiñyas accept
kåñëa-mantra from sad-guru all of their hindrances can be removed.

sägnika-brähmaëa – is a brähmaëa who keeps a perpetual fire burning

in his house for the sake of performing yajïa.

Çaiva – a worshiper of Çré Çiva.

sakhé – a female friend, companion, or attendant.

sakhya – love or attachment for the Lord which is expressed in the

mood of a friend; one of the five primary relationships with Kåñëa
which are established in the heart when the sädhaka has attained the
stage of bhäva or prema. One of the aìgas of sädhana-bhakti; the
worship of the Lord while one is in the stage of sädhana in the mood of
being a friend of the Lord. Although Çré Bhagavän possesses all
opulences and majesty, a bhakta who thinks of the Lord as his friend
and endeavors to please Him in this way exhibits this mood of
friendship toward the Lord. In the summer season, thinking that his
worshipful Lord must be suffering greatly from the heat, the sädhaka
will fan Him and offer Him sandalwood and other fragrant and cooling
substances. When one does so, he demonstrates a mood of friendship
toward the Lord. The difference between däsyam and sakhyam is that
sakhyam is imbued with viçrambha-sevä, the mood of intimacy, free
from any formal restraint. This is one of the nine primary aìgas of
bhakti.

çäkta – a worshiper of Çakti, or Durgä.

çakti – (1) power, or potency; (2) the wife of Lord Çiva, also known as
Durgä, who presides over the material energy; one of the five deities
worshiped by the païcopäsakas.
çäktyäveça-avatära – an empowered incarnation; a jéva who, due to
submission to Bhagavän becomes äveña (empowered) by Him to act
powerfully on His behalf.

samädhi – meditation or deep trance either upon the Paramätmä or

upon Kåñëa’s lélä.

samäja – human society; a meeting, assembly, congregation or

community.

sämäjika – that which relates to society and social ideas.

sambandha-jïäna – knowledge regarding sambandha-tattva, the mutual

relationship between the Lord, the living entities, and the material
energy. The word sambandha means connection, relationship, and
binding. The living entities are eternally and inseparably connected to
the Supreme Lord, who is therefore the true object of relationship. The
general relationship between the living entities and Çré Bhagavän is one
of servant and served. But in the perfectional stage of bhakti, one
becomes established in a specific relationship with the Lord either as a
servant, friend, parent, or beloved.

sambandha-tattva – the principle regarding the mutual relationships

between Bhagavän, the living entities, and the material energy.

sambhoga – full pleasure, experienced in the loving dealings between

Kåñëa and His associates in Vraja. The object of these dealings, which
embody a wonderful, ecstatic sentiment of rejoicing, is solely to give
pleasure to each other.

Saàhitä-çästras – religious çästras which delineate the laws for human

beings.

sampradäya – (samyak + pradäya) that process or path that bestows the

Supreme Absolute Truth thoroughly and perfectly. A line of disciplic
succession; established doctrine transmitted from one teacher to
another; a particular system of religious teaching. The Padma Puräëa
predicts the advent of four authorized lines of Vaiñëava disciplic
succession as well as their founding äcäryas in the age of Kali: “ata kalau
bhaviñyanti catväraù sampradäyinaù çré-brahma-rudra-sanakä vaiñëaväù
kñiti-pävanä – “In the age of Kali four Vaiñëava sampradäyas will purify
the earth. These are known as the Çré (Lakñmé), Brahmä, Rudra, and
Sanaka (Catuùsana) sampradäyas.”

These sampradäyas are renowned by the names of the äcäryas who

established their doctrines in recent times (Padma Puräëa): “rämänujaà
çré svécakre madhväcäryam caturmukha çré viñëusväminaà rudro
nimbädityaà catuùsana – Lakñmé-devé accepted Çré Rämänuja;
Caturmukha Brahmä accepted Çré Madhväcärya; Rudra accepted Çré
Viñëusvämé; and Catuùsana (the four Kumäras) accepted Çré
Nimbäditya as the respective heads of their sampradäyas.”

Although Çré Gauräìga Mahäprabhu claimed a link with the Madhva

sampradäya, His line is distinguished as the Gauòéya sampradäya (the
sampradäya established in the land of Gauòa). Because He is Çré
Bhagavän Himself He has presented the highest conceptions of love of
God which were previously unknown to any of the sampradäyas.

saàsära – (1) material existence, the cycle of repeated birth and death;
(2) householder life, domestic life.

saàskära – (1) a sacred or sanctifying ceremony; (2) reformation or

training of the mind; impression on the mind of any previous
experience or acts done in a former state of existence.

saàvit – this refers to svarüpa-çakti which is predominated by saàvit

(see svarüpa-çakti). Saàvit is the potency which relates to the cit, or
cognizant, aspect of Çré Bhagavän. Although Bhagavän is the
embodiment of knowledge, saàvit is the potency by which He knows
Himself and causes others to know Him. When the saàvit potency is
prominent in viçuddhasattva, it is known as ätma-vidyä, knowledge of
the individual self and Bhagavän. This ätma-vidyä has two faculties: (1)
jïäna, knowledge itself; and (2) jïäna-pravartaka, one who, or that
which, promotes knowledge. The worshiper’s knowledge is manifest by
these two faculties. Knowledge of absolute reality is possible only with
the help of ätma-vidyä.

sandhiné – this refers to svarüpa-çakti which is predominated by

sandhiné (see svarüpa-çakti). Sandhiné is the potency which relates to
the sat, or existential aspect of Çré Bhagavän. This is the potency by
which He maintains His own existence and the existence of others.
When the sandhiné potency is prominent in viçuddha-sattva, it is known
as ädhära-çakti, the all-accomodating potency. The spiritual abode of
the Lord and His associates are manifest by this ädhära-çakti.

sandhyä – evening; the junction of day and night.

sandhyä-äraté – the ceremony of worshiping a Deity with various types

of paraphernalia such as incense, flowers, and a ghee lamp, performed
at evening twilight with the chanting of devotional hymns and musical
accompaniment.

sandhyä-vandanä – the chanting of Vedic mantras such as brahma-

gäyatré at dawn, noon and sunset.

säìkhya – the path of knowledge involving an analysis of spirit and

matter. This philosophy is atheistic in nature. It was propagated by the
sage Kapila, who is different from the avatära of the Lord known as
Kapila, the son of Kardama and Devahüti. The sage Kapila, who was
born in the dynasty of Agni, is referred to in the Mahäbhärata (Vana-
parva 221.21): “kapilaà paramarñiï ca yaà prähur yataya sadä agni sa
kapilo näma säìkhya-yoga pravartaka – That person whom the
renunciates proclaim as the founder of the säìkhya-yoga system is the
great sage Kapila who appeared in the dynasty of Agni.”

saìkértana – congregational chanting of the names of Kåñëa.

saìkucita-cetana – contracted consciousness; this refers to animals,

birds, insects, and aquatics. Their consciousness is more developed than
that of the non-moving entities, yet inferior to human consciousness.
Saìkucita-cetana is mainly limited to the activities of eating, sleeping,
mating, fearing, moving about of their own volition, fighting with other
animals over territory and possessions which they claim as their own,
and becoming angry in the face of encroachment. Beings at this stage of
consciousness have no knowledge of the next life and no tendency to
inquire about God.

sannyäsa – the fourth äçrama, or stage of life in the varëäçrama system;

renounced ascetic life.

sannyäsé – a member of the renounced order.

çaraëägati – also known as çaraëäpatti; surrender; approaching for

refuge or protection. In Bhakti-sandarbha (Anuccheda 236) çaraëägati is
described: änukülyasya saìkalpa prätikülyasya varjanam rakñiñyatéti
viçväso goptåtve varaëaà tathä ätma-nikñepa kärpaëye ñaò-vidhä
çaraëägati

There are six symptoms of self-surrender: acceptance of that which is

favorable to bhagavad-bhajana, rejection of that which is unfavorable,
firm faith in the Lord as one’s protector, deliberate acceptance of the
Lord as one’s guardian and nourisher, submission of the self, and
humility.

Särärtha-darçiné – commentary on Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Çréla Viçvanätha

Cakravarté Öhäkura gives the following commentary on çlokas
11.20.27–30, 32–33: “In the first two çlokas quoted above, the nature of
a person who is in the beginning stage of eligibility for bhakti is
described. By the association of sädhus one develops a taste for hearing
hari-kathä. At that time he loses interest in all other activities, and
begins to chant çré näma with firm determination. However, due to his
previous habits and conditioning, he is unable to give up material
enjoyment and the desire for such enjoyment. Yet even while engaged
in such enjoyment he knows that it is offensive and he condemns it.

“What is meant by dåòha-niçcaya, firm determination?

‘Whether my attachment for family, home, and so on is destroyed or

increased, whether I experience ten million impediments in bhajana or
none, even if I am impelled to lust, or must go to hell for my offenses, I
will never give up bhakti. I will not agree to adopt karma or jïäna, even
if Brahmä himself comes to recommend it.’ This is known as dåòha-
niçcaya. From the outset, the more one’s bhajana is firmly resolved for
bhakti, the less it will be distracted by unfavorable things.

“Will the bhakta remain obstructed by desires for material enjoyment?

No. This is answered by Çré Bhagavän in the next two çlokas. ‘By hearing
and repeating hari-kathä, all desires for material enjoyment within the
bhaktas heart are gradually destroyed. When the sädhaka worships Me,
I come and sit in his heart, at which time his faults can no longer
remain. Why? Because it is not possible for material desires to sit in the
same heart with Me, just as it is impossible for the sun and darkness to
be present in the same place. The knot of the false ego is pierced
without delay, all doubts are dispersed, and the desires for karma are
annihilated. This is My eternal edict.’
“A bhakta thus develops faith in hearing hari-kathä, and having
abandoned faith in the pursuits of karma and jïäna, he loses interest in
such activities. But suppose for some improbable reason he were to
desire the fruits of such activities – then what? This is answered in the
next two çlokas. ‘The benedictions of elevation to the celestial planets,
liberation, the attainment of My supreme abode, as well as whatever else
is obtained by fruitive activities, austerity, knowledge, renunciation,
yoga practice, charity, religiosity, or other beneficial methods of
sädhana, are easily obtained by My bhaktas through the power of
bhakti-yoga.’ ”

çaréra – the body; bodily frame.

Çäréraka-bhäñya – the commentary on Vedänta-sütra by Çré

Çaìkaräcärya; Inquiry into the Nature of the Embodied Spirit (see
Çaìkaräcärya in the glossary of names).

çärérika – that which relates to the material body and its acquisitions
(see çaréra).

sarva-darçé – one who is all-seeing; one who sees that Bhagavän is the
complete Absolute Truth and the source of Brahma and Paramätmä.

särva-kälika – activities which are applicable for all time.

çästra – Scripture especially the Vedic scriptures.

çästréya-çraddhä – conviction based on deep faith in the çästras in the

practice of bhakti.

sat-karma – pious deeds that are recommended in the karmakäëòa

section of the Vedas.

sat-saìga – see sädhu-saìga.

sattä – existence.

sattva-guëa – the quality or nature of living beings which is

characterised by wisdom and purity.

sättvika – of the nature of sattva-guëa.

sättvika-bhäva – one of the five essential ingredients of rasa; eight
symptoms of spiritual ecstasy arising exclusively from viçuddha-sattva,
or in other words, when the heart is overwhelmed by emotions in
connection with the five primary moods of affection for Kåñëa or the
seven secondary emotions. The eight symptoms that constitute sättvika-
bhäva are: (1) stambha, or becoming stunned; (2) sveda, or
perspiration; (3) romäïca, or standing of the hairs on end; (4) svara-
bhaìga, or faltering of the voice; (5) kampa, or trembling; (6) vaivarëa,
or pallor or change of color; (7) açru, or tears; and (8) pralaya, or loss of
consciousness or fainting.

satya – truth, reality; demonstrated conclusion.

saura – a worshiper of Sürya, the sun god.

sauträmaëé-yajïa – a particular sacrifice in honor of Indra which is

described in the Yajur Veda. It is said that by performing this yajïa, one
obtains a place in the heavenly planets. Although drinking wine is
forbidden for brähmaëas, this yajïa involves the acceptance of wine in a
manner that does not result in a brähmaëa’s falldown.

Saviçeña-väda – the doctrine which acknowledges that the Absolute

Truth is a transcendental personality possessing non-material form,
features, and attributes.

Saviçeña-vädé – one who adheres to the doctrine of saviçeñaväda.

sevä – service, attendance on, reverence, devotion to.

seväite – priests or servants of a Deity.

shallow earthen plate – (quoted in Chapter 10) Vaiñëavas who now live
at Gädégächä in Navadvépa, who look upon the world as a shallow
earthen plate. The shallow earthen plate is a lid for a water pot. Even if
the pot is very large, it can only hold a small quantity of water; i.e.
Nyäyaratna is saying although the earth is a vast container, it was
reduced to a shallow lid by the immense scholarship and authority of
the Vaiñëavas of Godruma.

siddha – (1) realized or perfected; (2) liberated souls who reside in the
spiritual world; (3) a liberated soul who accompanies Bhagavän to the
material world to assist in His pastimes, or one who has attained the
perfectional stage of bhakti (prema) in this life, whose symptoms are
described in Bhakti-rasämåtasindhu (2.1.180): “avijïätäkhila kleça sadä
kåñëäçrita kriyä siddhä syu santata prema saukhyäsväda paräyaëä – One
who is always fully immersed in activities related to Çré Kåñëa, who is
completely unacquainted with impediments or material distress, and
who incessantly tastes the bliss of prema is called a siddhabhakta.”

siddhänta – philosophical doctrine or precept; demonstrated

conclusion; established end; admitted truth.

siddhi – eight mystical perfections attained through yoga (see yoga-

siddhi).

siddhi-kämé – one who covets mystic powers (see yoga-siddhi).

çikñä – instructions received from a teacher; as one of the limbs of

bhakti, this specifically refers to instructions received from a guru about
bhakti.

çikñä-guru – the person from whom one receives instructions on how to

progress on the path of bhajana is known as çikñä-guru, or instructing
spiritual master. After hearing instructions from the çravaëa-guru, the
person from whom one hears about the fundamental truths of
Bhagavän, a desire may arise to engage in bhajana. If such a desire
arises, the person whom one approaches in order to learn how to
perform bhajana is known as a çikñä-guru. The çravaëa-guru and çikñä-
guru are usually one and the same person as stated in Bhakti-sandarbha,
(Anuccheda 206): atha çravaëa-guru bhajana-çikñä-gurvo präyakaà-
ekatam-iti tathaiväha.

Çiva – a qualitative expansion of Çré Bhagavän (see Glossary of Names).

Çiva-rätré – a festival in honor of Çiva which is observed with a fast

during the day and night of the fourteenth day of the dark half of the
month of Phälguna (February-March).

smaraëam – rememberance and meditation upon Kåñëa’s names, forms,

qualities, and pastimes. Smaraëam should be done in connection with
näma-saìkértana. There are five stages in the process of smaraëa known
as smaraëa, dhärana, dhyäna, dhruvänusmåti, and samädhé: (1) a little
investigation or examination of Çré Hari’s names, forms, and so on is
called smaraëa; (2) to withdraw the mind from all external objects and
fix it in a general way upon the name, form, etc. of Çré Hari is called
dhärana; (3) to contemplate the Lord’s names, forms, etc. in a
concentrated manner is called dhyäna; (4) when that rememberance
proceeds in an uninterrupted manner like a continuous flow of nectar, it
is called dhruvänusmåti, and (5) that meditation in which the object of
one’s contemplation is the only thing manifest in the heart is called
samädhi. Smaraëam is one of the nine primary aìgas of bhakti.

smärta – an orthodox brähmaëa. One who rigidly adheres to the småti-

çästras (in particular, the dharma-çästras or codes of religious behavior),
being overly attached to the external rituals without comprehending the
underlying essence of the çästra. They are distinct from the Vaiñëava
smärtas and småti-çästras such as Hari-bhakti-vilasa.

smärta-karma – social and religious rites prescribed by the småti-çästras.

Småti – (1) that which is remembered; (2) tradition as distinguished

from Çruti, revelation. The body of sacred literature which is
remembered (in contradistinction to Çruti, or that which is directly
heard by or revealed to the åñis). These include the six Vedäìgas, the
dharma-çästras such as Manusaàhitä, the Puräëas, and the Itihäsas.

sneha – affection. In Chapter Twenty-one, two kinds of sneha are being

described by Bäbäjé Mahäçaya. He says that sneha is related to sakhya-
bhäva, this does not mean in the intimate sense of relationship. That
kind of sakhya-bhäva comes under the category of sambandha-rüpa.
Sakhya-bhäva in this chapter means the ordinary type of sakhyam,
which comes in the nine items of bhakti that Prahläda Mahäräja
mentions in ÇrémadBhägavatam. Here sakhyam is in vaidhé-bhakti, and
it means to serve Kåñëa with an ordinary sense of friendliness
(sakhyabhäva), and to know Kåñëa as a friend (sakhä). Since this comes
under the jurisdiction of vaidhé-bhakti, it is not part of rägänugä-bhakti.
The other kind of sneha comes in the category of prema (sneha, mäna,
praëaya, etc.), and therefore cannot be performed in rägänugä-sädhana,
but it can come in rägätmikäbhakti. It cannot be followed. It can only
develop in prema after vastu-siddhi, when the bhakta has taken birth in
the womb of a vraja-gopé, and so it cannot be practiced in rägänugä-
sädhana-bhakti.

çraddhä – faith. This refers to faith in the statements of çästra which is

awakened after accumulating pious devotional activities over many
births. Such faith is aroused in the association of saintly bhaktas and it
is the external manifestation of the seed of the creeper of bhakti. The
inner essence of that seed is the conception which is planted in the
heart of the disciple to serve Çré Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa in a particular capacity
(see also bhakti-latä-béja).

çräddha – a ceremony in honor of and for the benefit of deceased

relatives. The forefathers are offered piëòa, an oblation of rice and meal,
which endows them with a body suitable to attain Pitå-loka, the planet
of the forefathers. There they enjoy a high standard of material
enjoyment.

çravaëa-guru – the person from whom one hears instructions regarding

the fundamental truths of Çré Bhagavän, His energies, the living entities,
and bhakti is known as the çravaëa-guru. çrav aëam – hearing the
transcendental descriptions of Bhagavän’s names, forms, qualities,
pastimes, and associates from the mouths of advanced bhaktas. One of
the nine most important aìgas of bhakti.

Çré Bhäñya – The commentary which Reveals the Transcendental Beauty

and Opulence of the Lord; a commentary on Vedäntasütra by Çré
Rämänujäcärya.

Çruti – (1) that which is heard; (2) revelation, as distinguished from

Småti, tradition; infallible knowledge which was received by Brahmä or
by the great sages in the beginning of creation and which descends in
disciplic succession from them; the body of literature which was directly
manifest from the Supreme Lord. This applies to the original four Vedas
(also known as the nigamas) and the Upaniñads.

sthävara – non-moving living entities like trees, creepers, shrubs, and

stones.

sthäyébhäva – one of the five essential ingredients of bhaktirasa; the

permanent sentiment of love for the Lord in one of the five primary
relationships of tranquility, servitude, friendship, parental affection, or
conjugal love. This dominant emotion of the heart in one of the five
primary relationships is also known as mukhya-rati, primary
attachment. The sthäyébhäva can also refer to the dominant sentiment
in the seven secondary mellows of laughter, wonder, heroism,
compassion, anger, fear, and disgust. In that case it is known as gauëa-
rati, secondary attachment.

sthüla-çaréra – the gross material body consisting of physical elements.

çubha-karma – activities producing auspicious results.

çuddha-abhimäna – pure egoism; the conception of being a servant of

Kåñëa.

çuddha-bhakta – a pure bhakta; one who performs çuddha-bhakti.

çuddha-bhakti – pure devotion; devotion which is unmixed with

fruitive action or monistic knowledge, and which is devoid of all desires
other than the exclusive pleasure of Kåñëa; this is also known as uttama-
bhakti.

çuddha-bhäva – the pure or genuine state of bhäva-bhakti; the genuine

spiritual emotions which manifest at the state of bhäva.

çuddha-jéva – the pure spiritual entity in his liberated state free from
material designations.

çuddha-jïäna – knowledge of the relationship between Bhagavän, the

jévas, and mäyä.

çuddha-näma – pure chanting of the holy name. When one is freed from
all offenses and anarthas, the pure holy name descends and appears on
the fully purified and transcendental senses – known thus as çuddha-
näma.

çuddhävasthä – the pure or liberated state of the jéva.

çüdra – the lowest of the four varëas, or castes, in the varëäçrama

system; artisans and laborers.

sukåti – piety, virtue; pious activity. Sukåti is of two types: nitya,

eternal; and naimittika, temporary. The sukåti by which one obtains
sädhu-saìga and bhakti is nitya-sukåti. It is eternal because it produces
eternal fruit. Bhakta-saìga, or the association of bhaktas, and bhakti-
kriya-saìga, or contact with acts of devotion, are nitya-sukåti. These
activities are said to be nityasukåti and not bhakti proper when they are
performed accidentally, or without pure çraddhä. When this type of
sukåti acquires strength after many lifetimes, çraddhä develops toward
sädhu-saìga and ananya-bhakti.

The sukåti by which one obtains material enjoyment and impersonal

liberation is naimittika-sukåti. It is temporary because it produces
temporary results. Karma, yoga, and jïäna are all naimittika-sukåti.
Naimittika-sukåti does not have the power to awaken faith in
transcendental objects, such as the Lord’s holy name, mahä-prasäda,
bhakti, and the Vaiñëavas.

Çünyaväda – the doctrine of nihilism, or voidism, which has as its goal

complete annihilation of the self.

Sura – a god, divinity, deity, sage; this specifically refers to the devas
situated in the celestial planets. The brähmaëas are known as bhü-sura,
gods on earth, because they represent the Supreme Lord.

svabhäva – the true nature of a thing which forms an essential part of its
composition.

svabhävika-anuräga – the spontaneous attraction that one experiences

toward the Supreme Lord and His bhaktas when one becomes
established in one’s pure spiritual nature.

sva-dharma – (1) one’s ‘own duty’; the true eternal spiritual function of
the self. (2) in regard to varëäçrama-dharma, this refers to the
temporary duties prescribed in accordance with one’s social caste. Thus
sva-dharma is used in both the absolute and relative sense.

svärasiké – used in Chapter Twenty-one in the sense of undivided

remembrance of Kåñëa’s lélä. When räga has awakened in the heart of
the bhakta, then Kåñëa’s lélä automatically manifests in his heart in a
continuous flow, without cessation or interruption. Such a condition is
called svärasiké.

svarüpa-çakti – Çré Bhagavän’s divine potency. It is called svarüpa-çakti

because it is situated in His form. This potency is cinmaya, fully
conscious, and thus it is the counterpart and antithesis of matter.
Consequently it is also known as cit-çakti, potency which embodies the
principle of consciousness. Because this potency is intimately connected
with the Lord, being situated in His form, it is further known as
antaraìga-çakti, the internal potency. Because it is superior to His
marginal and external potencies both in form and glory, it is known as
parä-çakti, the superior potency. Thus, by its qualities, this potency is
known by different names – svarüpa-çakti, cit-çakti, antaraìgaçakti, and
parä-çakti.

The svarüpa-çakti has three divisions: (1) sandhiné, the potency which
accommodates the spiritual existence of Kåñëa and all of His associates;
(2) saàvit, the potency which bestows transcendental knowledge of
Him; and (3) hlädiné, the potency by which Kåñëa enjoys transcendental
bliss and bestows such bliss upon His bhaktas (see sandhiné, saàvit,
and hlädiné).

The supreme entity known as Parabrahma is composed of sac-cid-

änanda. These three features (eternal existence, fullcognizance, and
supreme bliss) can never be separated from each other. Similarly
sandhiné, saàvit, and hlädiné are always found together. No one of these
potencies can ever be separated from the other two. However, they are
not always manifest in the same proportion. When sandhiné is
prominent in viçuddhasattva, it is known as svarüpa-çakti predominated
by sandhiné. When saàvit is prominent, it is known as svarüpa-çakti
predominated by saàvit. And when hlädiné is prominent, it is known as
svarüpa-çakti predominated by hlädiné.

svarüpa-siddhi – the stage in which a bhakta’s svarüpa, or internal

spiritual form and identity, becomes manifest. This comes at the stage of
bhäva-bhakti.

svarüpata-jaòa-mukti – liberated from matter in terms of the revelation

of one’s svarüpa. This refers to svarüpa-siddhi, the stage in which bhäva
manifests in the bhakta’s heart from the heart of one of the Lord’s
eternal associates. At this stage one’s internal spiritual identity becomes
manifest and the intelligence is freed from the influence of matter, yet
one’s relationship with the material world remains intact due to the
presence of the material body.

-T-

tamas – see tamo-guëa.

tämasika – of the nature of tamo-guëa.

tamo-guëa – the quality or nature of tämasika jévas which is
characterized by indolence and ignorance.

Tantras – the verbal root tan means “to expand”, so tantra is that which
expands the meaning of the Vedas. A class of Vedic literature dealing
with a variety of spiritual topics and divided into three branches: the
Ägamas, Yämala, and principal Tantras; a class of works teaching
magical and mystical formularies, mostly in the form of dialogues
between Çiva and Durgä. These are said to expound upon five subjects:
(1) the creation; (2) the destruction of the world; (3) the worship of the
gods; (4) the attainment of all objects, especially of six superhuman
faculties; and (5) the four methods of union with the supreme spirit by
meditation.

täntrika – one who is completely versed in the mystical science of the

Tantras.

tapasyä – asceticism; austerity.

tarkébé – an Islamic term for the conditioned soul.

taöa – the border region between land and water; a shore. A marginal
state.

taöasthä-çakti – the marginal, or jéva, potency of Çré Bhagavän. Because

the jéva-çakti is included neither within the svarüpa- çakti nor within
mäyä-çakti, it is known as taöasthä-çakti, the marginal potency. The
word taöa means a shore or bank, like the shoreline of an ocean; and the
verbal root stha means to be situated. The shore is not part of the ocean,
yet it is not part of the land which borders the ocean. One situated on
the shoreline is known as taöastha. He is situated neither within the
ocean, nor on the land.

In his Paramätma-sandarbha, Jéva Gosvämé has described the taöasthä-

çakti as follows: “The jéva-çakti is known as taöasthä-çakti for two
reasons. First of all it cannot be included within mäyä-çakti for it is
beyond mäyä-çakti. Secondly, although jéva-çakti is overcome by
ignorance, the defect of being overcome in this way cannot touch the
Paramätmä situated in his heart. This is understood by the following
analogy. We see that some portion of the sun’s rays can be covered by
shade or clouds, but the sun itself cannot be covered. Similarly, the
individual soul, who is vibhinnäàça, a separated part of Him, can be
covered by mäyä, but Kåñëa Himself can never be covered.

“From this it may be understood that the jéva-çakti is separate from the
svarüpa-çakti also for the following reason. Svarüpa-çakti is present in
the Paramätmä. If the jéva-çakti were included within the svarüpa-çakti,
then the defect of the jévas being overcome by ignorance would be
transposed upon the svarüpa-çakti situated within the Paramätmä as
well, and ultimately upon the Paramätmä Himself. Since that is not the
case, it is evident that the jéva-çakti is not included within svarüpa-çakti.
Consequently, because the jéva-çakti is included neither within svarüpa-
çakti nor within mäyä-çakti, it is known as taöasthä-çakti.”

taöasthä-vikrama – see taöasthä-çakti.

tätkälika – activities which are relative to a particular period of time.

tattva – truth, reality, philosophical principle; the essence or substance

of anything.

tättvika-çraddhä – real faith; faith which is based on the understanding

of tattva and which prompts one to dedicate one’s entire being to attain
the Supreme Lord.

Öhäkura – a term addressing Çré Bhagavän and the Deity. Other great
personalities such as Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura are sometimes so
called, implying that they have become säkñäddharitva, qualitatively as
good as God through their full dedication to Bhagavän.

tilaka – clay markings worn on the forehead and other parts of the body
by Vaiñëavas, signifying their devotion to Lord Kåñëa or Viñëu, and
consecrating the body as the Lord’s temple.

tridaëòa – a staff which is carried by the Vaiñëava sannyäsés. It consists

of three rods symbolizing engagement of body, mind, and words in the
service of the Lord. These three rods may also signify the eternal
existence of the servitor (the bhakta), the object of service (Bhagavän),
and service, thus distinguishing Vaiñëava sannyäsa from the Mäyäväda
ekadaëòa sannyäsa.

tulasé – a sacred plant whose leaves and blossoms are used by Vaiñëavas
in the worship of Lord Kåñëa; a partial expansion of Våndä-devé.
tulasé-mälä – a strand of wooden beads made of the tulasé plant, used
like a rosary by Vaiñëavas for counting their chanting of harinäma; a
necklace of small tulasé beads, known as kaëöhimälä, worn on the neck
by Vaiñëavas to indicate their devotion to Çré Kåñëa and acceptance of
dékñä.

tyägé – a renunciate or ascetic.

-U-

uddépana-vibhäva – an aspect of vibhäva which refers to those things

which stimulate rememberance of Çré Kåñëa, such as His dress and
ornaments, the spring season, the bank of the Yamunä, forest groves,
cows, peacocks, and so on. Vibhäva is one of the five essential
ingredients of rasa (see vibhäva).

udita-viveka – one whose spiritual discrimination has been awakened;

the spiritually awake.

upacära – a figurative expression; assignment of meaning, quality, or

appellation to something, metaphor.

upakaraëa – (1) ingredient, constituting material, instrument; (2) the

upakaraëas of rasa are the ingredients which combine to produce rasa;
namely, sthäyébhäva, vibhäva, anubhäva, sättvika-bhäva, and
vyäbhicäré-bhäva; (3) upakaraëa may also refer to the paraphernalia
which is offered to the Deity.

upanayana – a ceremony in which a guru initiates a boy into one of the

three twice-born classes by investing the boy with the sacred thread,
and teaching him the brahma-gäyatré mantra, whereupon he becomes
eligible to study the Vedas under his guru. This is one of the Vedic
saàskäras, or purificatory ceremonies.

upäsanä – spiritual practices, especially worship of the Deity. Upäsanä

literally means ‘to sit near’. Thus upäsanä refers to all those activities by
which one approaches the Lord in order to offer worship.
ürddhva-puëòra-tilaka – the vertical clay markings of the Vaiñëavas
worn on the forehead and other parts of the body to symbolize their
devotion to Lord Kåñëa or Viñëu.

uttama-bhakta – the topmost practitioner of bhakti.

Uttara-mémäàsä – the philosophy established by Vyäsadeva dealing

with the latter division of the Vedas (see Vyäsa in the Glossary of
Names). After thorough analysis of the Upaniñads, which comprise the
latter portion of the Vedas, and the småtiçästras which are supplements
to the Upaniñads, Vyäsadeva summarized the philosophical conclusions
of those treatises in his Brahma-sütra. This Brahma-sütra, or Vedänta-
sütra, is also known as vedänta-darçana or uttara-mémäàsä.

Like the other philosophical systems, vedänta-darçana accepts certain

fundamental principles. The principles of the vedänta-darçana are not
the imagination of Vyäsadeva, but are established on the basis of the
apauruñeya-veda-çästras, which are understood to have been spoken
directly by Çré Bhagavän. The statements of Bhagavän are by definition
completely free from the defects of mistakes, illusion, cheating, and
imperfect senses. On the other hand, the fundamental principles which
are accepted in the other systems are products of their authors’
imaginations. The other systems are based on man-made çästras,
composed by greatly learned sages. As a result they are subject to the
defects of human limitation.

The vedänta-darçana accepts Brahma as the supreme fundamental truth.

What is the nature of that Brahma? The first sütra of vedänta-darçana
states: “athäto brahma-jijïäsä – Now, therefore, inquiry should be made
into Brahma.” The entire vedänta-darçana is presented in order to
answer this inquiry. In the course of analyzing what Brahma is, one also
becomes acquainted with the truths of the jévas, the creation, liberation,
and other such topics. As this is a vast subject matter, only a brief
introduction has been given here.

-V-

vaidha-dharma – duties which have been prescribed by the Vedas or

their corollary çästras.
vaidhé-bhakti – devotion prompted by the regulations of çästra. When
sädhana-bhakti is not inspired by intense longing, but is instigated
instead by the discipline of the çästra, it is called vaidhé-bhakti.

vaidhé-prakåti – the nature of the sädhaka which impels him to follow

the rules and regulations of çästra. As long as the intelligence is under
the control of mäyä, human nature must be regulated by rules and
prohibitions. Thus, in this condition the vaidhé nature will certainly be
in effect.

vaidhé-pravåtti – the proclivity to follow the religious codes of çästra.

vairägya – detachment or indifference to this world; a spiritual

discipline involving the acceptance of voluntary austerities to achieve
detachment from the sense objects.

Vaiçeñika – a later division of the nyäya school of philosophy, also

known as vaiçeñika-darçana. It was founded by Kaëäda Åñi and differs
from the nyäya system of Gautama (see Kaëäda in the Glossary of
Names). Kaëäda accepted six principles: (1) dravya, elementary
substances which are nine in number – earth, water, fire, air, ether,
time, space, the soul, and the mind; (2) guëa, characteristics of all
created things such as form, taste, smell, sound, and tangibility; (3)
karma, activity; (4) sämänya, universality, or the connection of different
objects by common properties; (5) viçeña, individuality, or the essential
difference between objects; and (6) samaväya, inseparable
concomitance, or the relation which exists between a substance and its
qualities, between a whole and its parts, or between a species and its
individuals.

According to the vaiçeñika-darçana the jévas are innumerable. The merit

or demerit attaching to a man’s conduct in one state of existence and the
corresponding reward or punishment which he receives in another is
called adåñöa (that which is beyond the reach of consciousness or
observation). Due to the force of this unforseen accumulated karma, the
jéva falls into the cycle of creation and undergoes birth, death,
happiness, and distress. When the jéva obtains philosophical knowledge
of the six principles, his adåñta is destroyed and he can attain liberation
from the bondage of material existence. The vaiçeñikas define mukti as
final release from material misery. There is no direct mention of Éçvara
in the vaiçeñika-darçana of Kaëäda.

vaiçeñika-jïäna – knowledge of worldly phenomena; classification of

such phenomena into various categories such as dravya (objects), guëa
(qualities) and so on.

Vaiñëava – literally means one whose nature is ‘of Viñëu’ in other

words, one in whose heart and mind only Viñëu or Kåñëa resides. A
bhakta of Çré Kåñëa or Viñëu.

vaiñëava-dharma – the constitutional function of the soul which has as

its goal the attainment of love for Kåñëa. This is also known as jaiva-
dharma, the fundamental nature of living beings, and nitya-dharma, the
eternal function of the soul.

vaiçya – the third of the four varëas, or castes, in the varëäçrama

system; agriculturalists and businessmen.

vänaprastha – the third äçrama, or stage of life, in the varëäçrama

system; retired life which entails freedom from family responsibilities
and the acceptance of spiritual vows.

vandanam – principally refers to the offering of prayers or the recitation

of Sanskrit çlokas composed by çuddha-bhaktas. Akrüra attained
perfection through vandana, offering prayers. Vandanam may also be
divided into another three categories: (1) käyika, by the body; (2)
väcika, by speech; and (3) mänasika, by the mind. Although vandanam
is actually included within arcana (worship), it has been listed as an
independent aìga to show its importance. To offer obeisance with one
hand, to offer obeisance directly facing the Deity, behind the Deity, or
with one’s right side facing the Deity are all considered to be offenses.
Vandanam is one of the nine primary aìgas of bhakti.

väntäçé – one who eats his own vomit. This refers to one who abandons
household life and formally enters the renounced order, but who again
establishes connection with women.
varëa – one of the four social orders or castes – priest, administrator,
businessman, or laborer – in which one carries out corresponding socio-
religious duties in the system known as varëäçrama.

varëäçrama-dharma – the Vedic social system, which organizes society

into four occupational divisions and four stages of life (varëas and
äçramas).

västava-vastu – any really existing or abiding substance; that which is

grounded in transcendence; Bhagavän, His atomic parts (the jévas), and
His potency (mäyä).

vastu – an object, thing, or substance; that which has existence.

vastu-siddhi – the stage in which the vastu, or substantive entity known

as the jéva is fully liberated from matter. After giving up the material
body, the living entity who has already attained svarüpa-siddhi enters
into Çré Kåñëa’s manifest lélä, where he or she receives the association of
Kåñëa and His eternal associates for the first time. There one receives
further training from His eternal associates. When one becomes
established in the mood of their prema and one’s eternal service to
Kåñëa, one gives up all connection with this world and enters His
spiritual abode. At this point the jéva becomes situated in his pure
identity as a vastu, known as vastu-siddhi.

vastuta-jaòa-mukti – liberated in terms of one’s constitutional make-up

as a vastu, or conscious living entity; permanent release from the
encasement of the gross and subtle bodies which cover the ätmä and
facilitate the jéva’s interaction with the material energy; complete
freedom from all contact with matter and the material world. This refers
to vastu-siddhi.

vätsalya – love or attachment for Çré Kåñëa expressed in the mood of a

parent.

Vedänta – the end of Vedic knowledge. The Upaniñads are the latter
portion of the Vedas, and the Vedänta-sütra summarizes the philosophy
of the Upaniñads in concise statements. Therefore, the word Vedänta
especially refers to the Vedäntasütra (see uttara-mémäàsä). Çrémad-
Bhägavatam is considered to be the natural commentary on Vedänta-
sütra by the same author, Vyäsadeva. Therefore, in the opinion of the
Vaiñëavas, Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the culmination or ripened fruit of the
tree of all Vedic literature.

vibhäva – the causes for tasting bhakti-rasa. These are of two types: (1)
älambana, the support (this refers to Kåñëa and His bhaktas who possess
in their hearts spiritual love known as rati which can be transformed
into rasa by combination with the other four ingredients of rasa); and
(2) uddépana, the stimulus (objects connected to Kåñëa which arouse
one’s spiritual love for Him and cause that love to be transformed into
rasa).

vibhinnäàça – Bhagavän’s separated portions; the living entities.

viddha-vaiñëava-dharma – religious practices which go by the name of

Vaiñëava dharma but which are adulterated with karma and jïäna.

vidhi – rule, law, religious injunction or regulation.

vidhi-märga – path of bhakti which follows rules and regulations.

vidyä – knowledge, learning, science, philosophy.

Vidyädhara – a class of supernatural beings who possess magical

powers and knowledge of various heavenly arts and sciences, especially
singing and dancing.

Vidyädharé – females of the above class of supernatural beings.

vigraha – (1) individual form, shape, or embodiment; (2) the Deity form
of Kåñëa.

vijïäna – realized knowlege; knowledge distinguishing one thing from

another; science.

vikarma – prohibited acts; actions against the codes of çästra.

vikasita-cetana – budding consciousness. This refers to human beings

who have an increased sense of morality and have also awakened faith
in God. It also refers to those who have developed a taste for the
practice of sädhana-bhakti in accordance with the directions of çästra.

viläsa – (1) pastimes, especially the playful amorous pastimes of Çré Çré
Rädhä and Kåñëa in Vraja; (2) a particular type of manifestation of the
Lord. That form which, although manifesting different bodily features
for the purpose of accomplishing particular pastimes, is almost identical
with its original root form, is known as viläsa.

véëä – a stringed musical instrument of melodious sound, the favorite

instrument of Närada Muni and of various other celestial personalities.

vipakña-vaiçiñöya – is a specific incident that is either seen (dåñöa) or is

inferred (anumati) about relating with vipakña (an opposing party).

viñaya – an object of the senses, anything perceptible by the senses; any

object of affection, concern, or attention; sensual enjoyment.

viñay a-jïäna – knowledge of material objects, knowledge acquired

through the senses.

viñayälambana – the object of the transcendental senses on which there

is älambana (dependence) for the advancement of prema. This is an
aspect of vibhäva, which is one of the five essential ingredients of rasa
(see vibhäva).

viñayé – a materialistic person, a sensualist.

viçeña-guëa – special characteristic quality. The special characteristic

quality of a truly abiding entity, or västava-vastu, is its svabhäva.

Viñëu – the Supreme Lord of the cosmos (see Glossary of Names).

Viñëu-mäyä – Çré Bhagavän’s external potency, also known as Durgä.

viçrambha – literally, vigita means ‘completely devoid of’ and çrambha

means ‘awarness of his majesty or greatness’ i.e. complete intimacy
without feelings of inferiority or worship. (1) loosening, absence of
restraint, confidence, trust, intimacy, love; (2) In his Locana-rocané
commentary on Ujjvala-nélamaëi (14.108) Jéva Gosvämé has defined
viçrambha as the feeling of complete identification with the beloved
such that one’s identity is not separate from that of the beloved. In his
Änandacandrikä commentary on the same çloka, Viçvanätha Cakravarté
Öhäkura has defined viçrambha as deep faith, devoid of formality.
Viçrambha impels one to think that one’s life, mind, intelligence, body,
and possessions are one in all respects with the life, mind, intelligence,
and body of the beloved.
viçrambha-guru-sevä – service to guru which is imbued with deep faith
and intimacy (see viçrambha). Service devoid of formality. Complete
absence of any feeling of separateness from the guru. This type of
service is possible only in an advanced stage.

viçuddha – completely pure; beyond the influence of material nature.

viçuddha-sattva – the state of unalloyed goodness; the quality of

existence which is beyond the influence of material nature. Çrédhara
Svämé has defined viçuddha-sattva in his commentary on a çloka from
the Viñëu Puräëa (1.2.69): “tad evaà tasyäs try-ätmakatve siddhe yena
svaprakäçatä-lakñanena tad-våttiviçeñeëa svarüpaà vä svarüpa-çakti-
viçiñöaà vävirbhavati, tadviçuddha-sattvaà tac-cänya-nirapekñas tat-
prakäça iti jïäpaà jïäna-våttikatvät samvid eva, asya mäyayä
sparçäbhävät viçuddhatvam – The Lord’s cit-çakti is known as sva-
prakäça. The term sva-prakäça means that it reveals itself and
illuminates others also. Just as when the sun rises it makes itself known
and illuminates other objects, so when cit-çakti arises in the heart, one
can then understand the nature of cit-çakti and come to know oneself
according to one’s true spiritual identity. “Because the cit-çakti is sva-
prakäça, its våtti is also svaprakäça. The word våtti literally means
function, which refers to the active agency through which the cit-çakti
operates. The cit-çakti is composed of hlädiné, sandhiné, and saàvit. The
particular svaprakäça-våtti of this three-fold cit-çakti which reveals
Bhagavän, His form, and the transformations of His cit-çakti, such as His
associates and dhäma, is known as viçuddhasattva. In other words,
viçuddha-sattva is the self-revealing agency of the cit-çakti, through
which the Bhagavän and His paraphernalia are revealed to the bhaktas.
Because it has no contact with the external energy, it is known as
viçuddha-sattva.”

viçväsa – belief, trust, faith, confidence.

viveka – discrimination; judgment; spiritual knowledge.

viveké – one who discriminates; one whose spiritual consciousness is

awakened.
vraja-rasa – the mood of ecstatic love for Kåñëa which inundates the
hearts of Kåñëa’s eternal associates in Vraja (see rasa).

vyabhicäré-bhäva – one of the five essential ingredients of rasa; thirty-

three internal spiritual emotions which emerge from the nectarean
ocean of sthäyébhäva, cause it to swell, and then merge back into that
ocean. These include emotions like despondency, jubilation, fear,
anxiety, and concealment of emotions. They are of two kinds:
dependent (paratantra) and independent (svatantra). Dependent
emotions are those that are under the control of either mukhya or
gauëa-rati. Mukhya dependent emotions are either superior (vara) or
inferior (avara). The superior mukhya dependent emotions are those
that (a) arise in connection with rati, and also (b) nourish the rati. Of
these, the direct (säkñät) superior mukhya emotions nourish mukhya-
rati, and the separated (vyavahita) superior mukhya emotions nourish
gauëa-rati.

The inferior (avara) mukhya dependent emotions are those that arise in
connection with rati, but do not nourish either the mukhya or the
gauëa-rati.

The independent vyabhicäré-bhävas (svatantra), are those that are not

controlled either by the mukhya or gauëa-rati. These are divided into
the following three categories:

(1) Rati-çünya: emotions that arise in people who do not have kåñëa-
rati.

(2) Raty-anusparçana: emotions that do not have the quality of kåñëa-

rati, but which contact rati later, due to some particular incident.

(3) Rati-gandhi: emotions that manifest a trace of rati, even though they
are independent.

vyabhicäré-bhäväbhäsa – refers to vyabhicäré-bhävas that are observed

in improper or inappropriate persons or things. There are two types:
antagonistic (prätikülya) and improper (anaucitya). Antagonistic
vyabhicäré-bhävas are emotions that arise in people who are hostile to
Çré Kåñëa, and who have no rati. There are two types of improper
äbhäsa: non-existence (asatyatva) and incapability (ayogyatva). When a
bhakta experiences some emotion toward Kåñëa and projects that
feeling upon non-moving living entities or animals as if they were
experiencing that emotion, the äbhäsa is said to exhibit nonexistence in
the case of the non-moving entities and incapability in the case of
animals. However, these distinctions do not apply to Kåñëa’s eternal
associates in Vraja, who serve Him in species such as trees, plants, and
animals.

vyäkula – agitated and restless

vyavahära – behavior, conduct, social customs, practice.

vyavahärika – routine, common, ordinary; relating to practical life and

social customs.

-Y-

yäga – offering oblations; any ceremony in which offerings or oblations

are presented.

yajïa – a sacrifice in which a deity is propitiated by the chanting of

prayers and mantras and the offering of ghee into the sacred fire.

yati – an ascetic; one who has restrained his passions and abandoned his
involvement with material civilization.

Yavana – a barbarian, a Muslim, i.e. one who does not follow

çuddhäcära, (pure lifestyle), one who eats flesh, takes intoxicants and
does other degraded activities. This term sometimes refers to any
foreigner or to those excluded from varëäçrama society.

yoga – (1) union, meeting, connection, combination; (2) spiritual

discipline aiming at establishing one’s connection with the Supreme.
There are many different branches of yoga such as karma-yoga, jïäna-
yoga, and bhakti-yoga. Unless specified as such, the word yoga usually
refers to the añöäìga-yoga system of Pataïjali (see añöäìga-yoga).

yogé – one who practices the yoga system with the goal of realization of
the Paramätmä or of merging into the Lord’s personal body.

yuga – an age of the world. Four ages are described in the Vedas: Kåta
or Satya, Tretä, Dväpara, and Kali. The duration of each yuga is said to
be respectively 1,728,000; 1,296,000; 864,000; and 432,000 years. The
descending numbers represent a corresponding physical and moral
deterioration of mankind in each age. The four yugas comprise an
aggregate of 4,320,000 years and constitute a mahä-yuga, or great yuga.

yugala – a couple or pair.

Yugala-kiçora – the divine youthful couple, Çré Çré RädhäKåñëa.

yukta-vairägya – appropriate renunciation; renunciation which is

suitable for entrance into bhakti. This is defined in Bhaktirasämåta-
sindhu (1.2.255): “When one is detached from material sense
enjoyment, but accepts in appropriate proportion objects which are
favorable to one’s bhakti, and shows special inclination toward things
which are directly related to Kåñëa, such as mahä-präsada, his
renunciation is known as yuktavairägya.” (See phalgu-vairägya with
which this is contrasted.)

-Z-

zamindar – a landowner, landlord (responsible for property taxes to the

government).