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Hinduism's Lexicon A Hinduism’s Lexicon A aadheenam: (Tamil) Endowment, foundation, institution, establishment, estate, property. A Saivite Hindu monastery and temple complex in the South Indian Saiva Siddhanta tradition. Also known as matha or pitha, as in Kailasa Pitha. The aadheenam head, or pontiff, is called the Guru Mahasannidhanam or Aadheenakarthar. See: monastery. abhasa: (Sanskrit) "Shining out; manifestation, emanation." The means by which Siva creates out of Himself, a concept central to monistic schools. See: emanation, tattva. abhaya: (Sanskrit) Fearlessness, one of the cardinal virtues. "Fearlessness is the fruit of perfect Self Realization--that is, the recovery of nonduality" (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.2). Also names the mudra (hand gesture) common in Hindu icons, betokening "fear not," in which the fingers of the right hand are raised and the palm faces forward. See: mudra, murti. Abhinavagupta: (Sanskrit) Kashmir Saivite guru (ca 9501015), scholar and adept in the lineage of Vasugupta. Among his philosophical writings, Pratyabhijna Vimarshini and Tantraloka are an important basis of Kashmir Saivism. Also an influential theoretician of poetics, dance, drama and classical music, he is said to have disappeared into a cave near Mangam along with 1,200 disciples. See: Kashmir Saivism. abhisheka: (Sanskrit) "Sprinkling; ablution." Ritual bathing of the Deity's image with water, curd, milk, honey, ghee, rosewater, etc. A special form of puja prescribed by Agamic injunction. Also performed in the inauguration of religious and political monarchs and other special blessings. See: puja. abhor (abhorrence): To detest, hate or find disgusting or repulsive and hence to pull back or shrink from. abide: To stand firm, remain as one is. Not abandoning principles or qualities of character even in the face of difficulties. abjuration: Renunciation, giving up by oath, as a sannyasin gives up family life. See: sannyasa dharma. ablution: Snana. A washing of the body, especially as a religious ceremony. abode: Home. Place where one lives or stays. abortion: The deliberate termination of pregnancy. From the earliest times, Hindu tradition and scriptures condemn the practice, except when the mother's life is in danger. It is considered an act against rita and ahimsa. Hindu mysticism teaches that the fetus is a living, conscious person, needing and deserving protection (a Rig Vedic hymn [7.36.9, RvP, 2469] begs for protection of fetuses). The Kaushitaki Upanishad (3.1 UpR, 774) describes abortion as equivalent to killing one's parents. The Atharva Veda (6.113.2 HE, 43) lists the fetus slayer, brunaghni, among the greatest of sinners (6.113.2). The Gautama Dharma Shastra (3.3.9 HD, 214) considers such participants to have lost caste. The Sushruta Samhita, a medical treatise (ca 100), stipulates what is to be done in case of serious problems during delivery (Chikitsasthana Chapter, Mudhagarbha), describing first the various steps to be taken to attempt to save both mother and child. "If the fetus is alive, one should attempt to remove it from the womb of the mother alive..." (sutra 5). If it is dead, it may be removed. In case the fetus is alive but cannot be safely delivered, surgical removal is forbidden for "one would harm both mother and offspring. In an irredeemable situation, it is best to cause the miscarriage of the fetus, for no means must be neglected which can prevent the loss of the mother" (sutras 10- 11). Absolute: Lower case (absolute): real, not dependent on anything else, not relative. Upper case (Absolute): Ultimate Reality, the unmanifest, unchanging and transcendent Parasiva--utterly nonrelational to even the most subtle level of consciousness. It is the Self God, the essence of man's soul. Same as Absolute Being and Absolute Reality. --absolutely real: A quality of God Siva in all three perfections: Parasiva, Parashakti and Parameshvara. As such, He is uncreated, unchanging, unevolutionary. See: Parameshvara, Parashakti, Parasiva. absolution (to absolve): Forgiveness. A freeing from guilt so as to relieve someone from obligation or penalty. --atone: to compensate or make up for a wrongdoing. Atonement can only be done by the person himself, while absolution is granted by others, such as a family head, judge or jury. Exoneration, the taking away of all blame and all personal karmic burden, can only be given by God Siva. Society would naturally acknowledge and accept this inner transformation by forgiving and forgetting. See: penance, sin. absorption: Taking in and making part of an existent whole. Known in Sanskrit as samhara, absorption is one of God's five powers (panchakritya), synonymous with destruction or dissolution, but with no negative or frightful implications. All form issues from God and eventually returns to Him. See: Maheshvara, Nataraja. abstain: To hold oneself back, to refrain from or doing without. To avoid a desire, negative action or habit. See: yama-niyama. abyss: A bottomless pit. The dark states of consciousness into which one may fall as a result of serious misbehavior; the seven chakras (psychic centers), or talas (realms of consciousness), below the muladhara chakra, which is located at the base of the spine. See: chakra, Naraka, loka. accelerate: To increase the speed of a thing; to intensify its rate of progress. accordant: In agreement or harmony with. achara: (Sanskrit) "Conduct, mode of action, behavior; good conduct." Also, custom, tradition; rule of conduct, precept. acharya: (Sanskrit) "Going toward;" "approaching." A highly respected teacher. The wise one who practices what he preaches. A title generally bestowed through diksha and ordination, such as in the Sivacharya priest tradition. See: diksha. acosmic pantheism: "No-cosmos, all-is-God doctrine." A Western philosophical term for the philosophy of Shankara. It is acosmic in that it views the world, or cosmos, as ultimately unreal, and pantheistic because it teaches that God (Brahman) is all of existence. See: Shankara, shad darshana. actinic: Spiritual, creating light. Adjective derived from the Greek aktis, "ray." Of or pertaining to consciousness in its pure, unadulterated state. Describes the extremely rarified superconscious realm of pure bindu, of quantum strings, the substratum of consciousness, shuddha maya, from which light first originates. Actinic is the adjective form of actinism, defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as: "1) the radiation of heat or light, or that branch of philosophy that treats of it; 2) that property or force in the sun's rays by which chemical changes are produced, as in photography." See: actinodic, kala, kosha, odic, tattva. actinodic: Spiritual-magnetic. Describes consciousness within shuddhashuddha maya, which is a mixture of odic and actinic force, the spectrum of the anahata chakra, and to a certain degree the vishuddha chakra. See: tattva. adept: Highly skilled; expert. In religion, one who has mastered certain spiritual practices or disciplines. An advanced yogi. See: siddha yoga. adharma: (Sanskrit) "Unrighteousness." The opposite of dharma. Thoughts, words or deeds that transgress divine law. Irreligiousness; demerit. See: dharma, papa, sin Vaishnavism, victors and vanquished. adhere: To remain attached or faithful, as to a leader, society, principle, etc. adhyatma: (Sanskrit) "Spiritual; soul." The inner, spiritual self or spirit. See: atman. adhyatma prasara: (Sanskrit) "Spiritual evolution." The gradual maturation of the soul body, anandamaya kosha, through many lives. Prasara means, "coming forth, spreading; advance, progress." See: evolution of the soul. adhyatma vikasa: (Sanskrit) "Spiritual unfoldment." The blossoming of inner or higher (adhi), soul (atma) qualities as a result of religious striving, sadhana. Vikasa means, "becoming visible, shining forth, manifestation opening," as a flower unfolds its petals, or the chakras unfold theirs as a result of kundalini awakening. See: spiritual unfoldment. Adi Granth: (Sanskrit) "First book." The central Sikh scripture, compiled 16031604 from the writings of Sikh, Moslem and Hindu holy men, most importantly the beautiful hymns of adoration, called Japji, by Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru. In 1699, Gobind Singh, the tenth preceptor, decreed that the living succession would end with him, and this scripture would henceforth serve as Sikhism's guru. Its eloquent teachings are in harmony with Hinduism, but for the rejection of the Vedas and disavowal of image worship and caste. The Adi Granth is enshrined in all Sikh temples (gurudwaras). See: Sikhism. Adinatha: (Sanskrit) "First Lord." A sage considered the first great preceptor (date unknown) of the Adinatha Sampradaya, a teaching tradition embodied in the Siddha Siddhanta sect of Saivism. See: Saivism, Natha. Adinatha Sampradaya: (Sanskrit) See: Natha Sampradaya. Adisaiva: (Sanskrit) A hereditary priest and teacher of the South Indian Saiva Siddhanta tradition; Saivite brahmins descended from the gotras of five rishis and who alone are entitled to conduct rites in Agamic Siva temples. Adisaiva and Sivacharya are synonyms for this hereditary priest lineage. See: Sivacharya. adopt: To recognize as one's own, especially an idea, principle, or even a religion and henceforth live with it and by it. See: conversion to Hinduism. adore: To love greatly; to worship as divine. See: puja. adorn: To put on ornaments or decorations to make more beautiful, attractive or distinguished. See: kala-64. adrishta: (Sanskrit) "Unseen potency; destiny." The unseen power of one's past karma influencing the present
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