Aghori – are members of one of Hindu sects. They imitate Shiva's dark side by living in cremation...

Agni (Sanskrit for “fire”) - in Hinduism, a God of fire, hearth and sacrifice. Agni ranks second in...

himsa – one of the important principals of Hinduism (as well as Buddhism and Jainism), meaning...

Arjuna (Sanskrit for “bright”) - is one of the five Pandavs brothers, the heroes of the Mahabharata...

Artha (Sanskrit for “goal”) - is one of the four goals of human life (purusharthas), that corresponds to a...

Asana (Sanskrit for “being seated”) - according to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, asana is “a comfortable and pleasant...

Ashram: 1) in Hinduism, one of the stages of human life. The ashram system divides human life into...

Ashtanga Yoga – see Raja Yoga

Astika (Sanskrit for “exists”) - is a Hindu term used in relation to the six orthodox philosophical schools...

Atman (Indo-European for “to breathe”) - is a philosophical term used for eternal immutable spiritual essence...

Avatar (Sanskrit for “descent”) - in Hinduism, a deity's descent from the spiritual world to the lower spheres of existence...

Ayurveda (Sanskrit for “knowledge for long life”) - is a system of traditional Vedic medicine. It is considered...

Babaji Maharaj (“Babaji” - Sanskrit for “holy father”, “Maharaj” - Sanskrit for “great ruler”...

Bhagavad Gita (Sanskrit for “Song of God”) - is one of the sacred texts of Hinduism, which contains...

Bhagavan (Sanskrit for “prosperous”, “divine”) - is a Hindu term used in relation to the Supreme Being...

Bhakti (Sanskrit for “devotion”) - is a Hindu term for love between a devotee and God. There is...

Bhakti yoga – is one of the schools of yoga with the search for liberation based on the pure love to God...

Bharata – is a legendary founder of India. The first Aryan emperor, he managed to unite all...

Brahma – is one of the three Supreme Gods of Hindu trinity, Trimurti (along with Vishnu and Shiva)...

Brahman: 1) A philosophical term, used for impersonal, eternal, infinite and unchanging Absolute...

Brahmanas – are the sacred texts of Hinduism, part of the shruti literature, the commentaries...

Chakras (Sanskrit for “wheel”) - are the human body energy centers. There are special Hindu practices...

Cremation (Latin for “to burn”) - is a ritual of burning dead bodies. In Hinduism it is believed that due to...

Darshan: 1) (Sanscrit for “sight”) - is a Hindu term used for vision of a God, sacred object (murti...

Dattatreya (Sanskrit for “given by Atreya”) - is a personification of the Trimurti, "the Hindu triad"...

Devas – deities and demigods in Hinduism.

Devi (Sanskrit for “goddess”) - is the Great Mother, the female aspect of the divine in Hinduism.

Dharana (Sanskrit for “firmness”) - is the sixth stage of Ashtanga yoga described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali...

Dharma (Sanscrit for “law”) - is one of the four goals of human life (purusharthas). It is a moral duty...

Dhoti – is the traditional mens clothing in India. It is a rectangular piece of cloth about 5-8 yards long...

Dhyana (Sanskrit for “concentration”) - is the seventh stage of Ashtanga yoga described in the...

Diksha – is an initiation ritual performed by guru in Hindu, Buddhist and Jainist traditions. This ritual...

Diwali (Sanskrit for “row of lights”) - is one of the most important sacred festivals in India. It symbolizes...

Durga (Sanskrit for “inaccessible”) - is the warrior Goddess who conquers evil and restores the universal order...

Dvija (Sanskrit for “twice-born”) - are the members of the first three varnas: the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas...

Ganapatya – in Hinduism, a tradition of worshiping Ganesha (also called Ganapati) as a Supreme God.

Gandi, Mohandas Karamchand Mahatma (1869-1948) – an ideological leader of Indian independence...

Ganesha, or Ganapati – an elephant-headed God of wisdom and wealth, the son of Shiva and Parvati...

Gita Govinda (Sanskrit for “Herder's Song”) - is a lyric poem composed by Jayadeva in XII century...

Govardhan – is a sacred town near Vrindavan, India, where famous Govardhan Hill is situated.

Govardhan Hill – is the holly hill situated near Vrindavan, India. Krishna's divine plays at this hill are...

Granths (Sanskrit for “knots”) - are the special chakras through which kundalini arises. There are...

Guna (Sanskrit for “string” and “quality”) - according to Hinduism, there are three gunas – three origins of...

Guru (Sanskrit for “teacher”) - is a spiritual teacher in Hinduism and Buddhism. The first gurus were...

Hanuman (Sanskrit for “broken chin”) - in Hinduism: is a monkey deity, the leader of monkey army...

Hatha Yoga – is a type of yoga. According to Swami Swatmarama, who described Hatha yoga in XV century...

Hinduism – is a religion that took its origin on the Indian subcontinent. The first evidence of Hindu...

Holi – is an annual Hindu spring festival. The name of the festival is derived from the name of Holika...

Indra – God of war, storms and rainfall in Hinduism. It is Indra to whom the majority of the Rigveda's hymns...

Ishvara (Sanscrit for “the Lord, God”) - is a denomination of God in a monotheistic school of Hinduism...

Jiva – is an individual immortal essence of every living being. The meaning of the term is ...

Jnana Yoga (Sanskrit for “path of knowledge”) - is one of the types of yoga based on the Advaita Vedanta...

Kali (Sanskrit for “black”, “time”) - is a female destructive aspect of Shiva. Kali destroys the ignorance and...

Kali Yuga – according to the Hindu scriptures, this is the last epoch, after which the renovation of the world...

Kalki (Sanskrit for “destroyer of ignorance”) - is the last, tenth, avatar of Vishnu. According to the...

Kama (Sanskrit for “pleasure”) - is the lowest of the four goals of human life (purusharthas). Kama is...

Karma (Sanskrit for “retribution”) - is the law of cause and effect in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism...

Karma Yoga – is one of the types of yoga, the discipline of action. It is based on a Hindu sacred scripture...

Kauravs (Sanskrit for “descendants of Kuru”) - a hundred of the king Dhritarashtra's sons. The Kauravs' war...

Khechari-mudra - is a yoga practice which is performed by placing the tongue above the soft palate and stretching...

Krishna (Sanskrit for “black”, “dark”) - is a Hindu deity, the eighth Vishnu's avatar, who came into the world...

Krishna Janmashtami – is a sacred Hindu festival of Krishna's birth. Not only Krishnaites, but other Hindus...

Kriya Yoga - is a type of yoga based on special pranayama and chakras opening techniques to develop...

Kshatriya (Sanscrit for “power”) - is a member of a varna of warriors and kings. This varna ranks second...

Kubera (Sanskrit for “ugly”) - is a Hindu deity of wealth. He is usually depicted with large bally, two hands...

Kumbh Mela (Sanskrit for “fair of pots”) - is a Hindu pilgrimage to sacred places with taking a dip in the holy...

Kutastha – is the atman that is beyond maya; the true “Self” of a human being.

Lahiri Mahasaya (1828 -1895) – is a Hindu saint, Kriya yogi and disciple of Babaji Maharaj. After Babaji...

Lakshmi – is the Goddess of wealth, fertility and fortune. She is the consort of Vishnu and married to...

Maha Shivaratri (Sanskrit for “Great Night of Shiva”) - is a sacred festival of Hinduism devoted to Shiva...

Mahabharata (Sanskrit for “great legend about the descendants of Bharata”) - is an epic poem of ancient India...

Maharaja (Sanskrit for “great ruler”) - see Raja.

Mahasamadhi – is a yogi's final conscious leaving the body. A realized (enlightened) yogi intentionally...

Mantra (Sanscrit for “instrument of thought”) - is a combination of sacred sounds that are repeated in a...

Manu – according to Hinduism, is the progenitor of mankind, the first king and the only human being who...

Maya (Sanskrit for “not that”) - is a Hindu term used in relation to the illusiveness of the material world...

Mimansa (Sanskrit for “investigation”) - is one of the six Hindu orthodox schools of philosophy (astika)...

Moksha (Sanskrit for “release”) - is the highest of the four goals of human life (purusharthas). It is a...

Murti (Sanskrit for “embodiment”) - is a statue or other image of God, deva or saint. Hindus perform...

Nagas – are deities in Hinduism and Buddhism, the symbol of wisdom. It is depicted in a shape of...

Nastika – see Astika.

Navaratri (Sanskrit for “nine nights”) - is a sacred festival of Hinduism devoted to the nine persons of the...

Niyama - is the second stage of Ashtanga yoga described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. These are...

Nyaya (Sanskrit for “inference”) - is one of the six Hindu orthodox schools of philosophy (astika). It...

Om (Aum) – is a sacred syllable, the primordial mantra in Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism...

Pandavs (Sanskrit for “descendants of Pandu”) - are the five sons of Pandu, the king of Hastinapura...

Parampara (Sanskrit for “proceeding from one to another”) - is a succession of teachers and disciples...

Parikrama (Sanskrit for “the path surrounding something”) - is a ritual of walking around some sacred..

Patanjali (ca. II c. BC) – is a compiler of the Yoga Sutras. He combined in one book the aphorisms of...

Prana (Sanskrit for “vital life”, “breath”) - according to Hinduism, is a vital energy that is everywhere...

Pranayama (Sanscrit for “extension of the life force”) - is the sixth stage of Ashtanga yoga described in the...

Prasad (Sanskrit for “gracious gift”) - is food or some other object that is first offered to a deity during...

Pratyahara (Sanskrit for “withdrawal of the senses”) - is the fifth stage of Ashtanga yoga described in...

Prema – is pure love for God in tradition of Bhakti in Hinduism. Prema is opposite to kama (lust).

Puja (Sanskrit for “reverence”, “worship”) - is a religious ritual of offering food or other objects to a...

Puranas (Sanskrit for “of ancient times”) - are sacred Hindu scriptures related to smriti. The authorship...

Puri – is a city in the state of Orissa, India. The Jagannath temple built on the place of Krishna's cremation...

Purushartha (Sanskrit for “human purpose”) - are the four goals of human life: kama (sensational pleasure)...

Raja (Sanskrit for “ruler”) - is a title of a monarch, prince or large landowner in India.

Raja Yoga (Sanskrit for “royal yoga”) - is one of the main types of yoga, with the emphasis on meditation...

Rama (Sanskrit for “the dark one”) - is the seventh avatar of Vishnu, a king of Ayodhya, the hero of...

Rama Navami – is a sacred Hindu festival devoted to the birth of Rama, the king of Ayodhya, one of...

Ramakrishna Paramahansa (Gadadhar Chattopadhya) (1836-1886) – an Indian religious and public person...

Ramayana (Sanskrit for “Rama's journey”) - is a Sanskrit epic poem composed of 24 000 verses. It is...

Ravana – is a mighty demon, the king of Sri Lanka. In the epic poem the Ramayana it is described...

Rigveda (Sanskrit for “knowledge of hymns”) - is the most ancient of the Vedas (roughly between 1700...

Rishis – are the sages and hermits in Hindu tradition, to whom the sacred Vedic hymns were transferred...

Sadhu (Sanskrit for “good man”) - is a wandering ascetic, yogi. They dedicate their life to achieving...

Samadhi (Sanskrit for “integration”, “wholeness”) - is the eight, final stage of Ashtanga yoga described...

Samsara (Sanskrit for “to flow on”) - in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism is a sequence...

Sankhya (Sanskrit for “enumeration”) - is one of the six Hindu orthodox schools of philosophy (astika)...

Sarasvati (Sanskrit for “flowing river of knowledge”) - is the goddess of knowledge, arts, eloquence...

Sati (Sanskrit for the feminine of “true”) - is a ritual of self-immolation of a widow on her husband's pyre...

Shakti (Sanskrit for “power”) - is an infinite cosmic energy. It is also the inner energy of a human being...

Shaktism (Sanskrit for “doctrine of power”) - is one of the main schools of Hinduism (along with...

Shiva (Sanskrit for “auspicious one”) - is one of the three Supreme Gods of Hindu trinity, Trimurti...

Shiva Lingam (Sanskrit for “sign of Shiva”) - is a symbol of Shiva. In the Linga Purana and the Shiva...

Shivaism - is one of the main schools of Hinduism (along with Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism)...

Shruti (Sanscrit for “that which is heard”) - are sacred Hindu scriptures that are accepted by all Hindus...

Shudra - is a member of a varna of craftsmen and servants. This is the lowest varna in the Hindu social...

Siddhi (Sanskrit for “accomplishment”, “success”) - transcendental capacity, hidden abilities of a man...

Sikhism (Punjabi for “disciple”) - is a monotheistic religion founded by Guru Nanak Devi Ji at the end..

Sita – is a spouse of Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. Her abduction by the demon Ravana...

Smartism - is one of the main schools of Hinduism (as well as Vaishnavism, Shivaism and Shaktism)...

Smashan (Sanskrit for “bed for a corpse”) is a place where last rituals and cremation of the dead bodies...

Smriti (Sanskrit for “that which is remembered”) - are considered to be additional to Shruti sacred...

Swami (Sanskrit for “owner of oneself”) - is a honorific title in Hinduism.

Tantrism (or Tantra) (Sanskrit for “warp”) - is a heterodox, esoteric school of Hinduism that appeared...

Tilaka – is a sacred mark that Hindus wear, most often on the forehead. It is a symbol of the third eye...

Tirupati – a city in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the most important pilgrimage cities of Hindus...

Trimurti – the Hindu triad of the Supreme Gods: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer, and Shiva...

Untouchables (or Outside) – a group formed from local tribes that had not been accepted by the Ariyans...

Upanishads (Sanskrit for “sitting down near”, means “sitting near a teacher to receive instruction”) – are...

Vaisheshika (Sanskrit for “prominent”) - is one of the six Hindu orthodox schools of philosophy (astika)...

Vaishnavism – is one of the main schools of Hinduism (as well as Smartism, Shivaism and Shaktism)...

Vaishya (Sanskrit for “dependence”) - is a member of a varna of agriculturists and merchants...

Valmiki (V-IV centuries BC) – is a semi-legendary poet of ancient India, the author of the Ramayana...

Varna (Sanscrit for “quality”, “color”) - is a social system in ancient India. The supreme varna includes...

Vedanta (Sanskrit for “the appendix to the Vedic hymns”) - is one of the six Hindu orthodox schools of...

Vedas (Sanskrit for “knowledge”) - are the oldest sacred scriptures of Hinduism (roughly 1500–1000 BC)...

Vegetarianism – is a diet and a way of living, its adherents do not eat meat, as well as game, poultry, fish...

Vishnu – is one of the three Supreme Gods of Hindu trinity, Trimurti (along with Brahma and Shiva)...

Vivekananda Swami (pseudonym, the real name is Narendtanath Datta) (1863 – 1902) – a Hindu philosopher...

Vrindavan – is a town in Uttar-Pradesh, India. “The City of 500 Temples”, Vrindavan is one of the largest...

Yajna – is a ritual of fire sacrifice rooted in ancient Vedic times. This rite is performed to propitiate the Gods...

Yama: 1) is the first stage of Ashtanga yoga described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Yama is a...

Yantra (Sanskrit for “to restrain”) - is a geometric symbol of God in Hinduism and Buddhism. It is...

Yoga (Sanskrit for “conjunction”) - is one of the six Hindu orthodox schools of philosophy (astika)...

Yoga Sutras – is a Hindu scripture devoted to yoga. The authorship is ascribed to Patanjali who lived ca...

Yogananda, Paramahansa (1893-1952) – an Indian yogi and guru, the author of Authobiography of a Yogi...

Yoni-mudra – is a yoga practice which is performed by closing all the organs of sense with the hands and...